Upholsterer
Build and restore padded furniture such as chairs and sofas, fitting springs, fillings and fabric using traditional or modern upholstery methods.
- Salary£23,000 – £32,000
- Hours40 to 44 hours a week (National Careers Service furniture maker profile, which covers upholsterers)
- Working for yourselfSelf-employment is possible
What the job is like
Upholsterers give chairs, sofas and other furniture their comfort and their look. It is a craft for people who enjoy sewing, fabric and working with their hands, and who like the satisfaction of bringing a tired old piece back to life.
The Advanced Upholsterer Level 3 apprenticeship lets you specialise in either traditional work, building up layers by hand with springs, natural fillings and hessian, or modern upholstery with power tools and newer materials. Many upholsterers work in small craft workshops; others work in larger factories or on car and boat seating.
What you'll do
- Strip back old upholstery ready for restoration or repair
- Check, repair or build frames and joints
- Choose and fit springs, suspension and fillings
- Measure, cut and sew fabric and leather covers
- Upholster frames to a specification, by hand or with power tools
- Give customers estimates and agree what the finished piece should look like
- Check that finished products meet safety and industry standards
Where you'll work
- Workshop or studio
- Indoors
- In a team
- On your own
Skills and hobbies that help
Weighted by how much they matter in this job, from the official job profile's skills and tasks. Tap one to see other careers that use it.
Key skills
Used a lot
Handy to have
Hobbies that give you a head start
How to become an upholsterer
Apprenticeship
Advanced Upholsterer Level 3 apprenticeship (typically about 24 months), with a traditional or modern upholstery option
A Level 2 furniture apprenticeship such as Furniture Manufacturer, which covers beds, furniture and related furnishings
College
Furnishings courses in traditional and modern upholstery; entry requirements vary
Direct application
Apply directly if you already have upholstery experience or qualifications
Other ways in
Upholstery and soft furnishing qualifications through AMUSF Approved Training Centres
Where it can lead
- Senior upholsterer leading a small team
- Specialising in antique and traditional restoration, or automotive and marine upholstery
- Development upholsterer working on new products
- Your own upholstery workshop
Good to know
- As of September 2026 the National Careers Service has no separate upholsterer profile; it lists upholsterer under furniture maker, which is where the salary figures here come from
- Traditional upholstery uses materials such as coil springs, animal hair, coir and hessian, built up by hand
Courses and training
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Apprenticeship search
Find an apprenticeship – GOV.UK
The official GOV.UK service for searching and applying for apprenticeship vacancies in England.
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Course search
Find a course – National Careers Service
The National Careers Service search for college and training provider courses in England, including Skills Bootcamps.
Official information
Sources
We checked these pages in September 2026. Rules, pay and courses change, so always confirm with the official source.
- Skills England apprenticeship: Advanced upholsterer (Level 3) skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeships/st0656-v1-0
- Skills England apprenticeship: Furniture manufacturer (Level 2) skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeships/st0203-v1-1
- National Careers Service: Furniture maker nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/furniture-maker
- Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers amusf.org/