Canada Moderate

Upholsterers

Upholsterers cover furniture, fixtures and similar items with fabric, leather or other upholstery materials. They are employed by furniture, aircraft, motor vehicle and other manufacturing companies, furniture retail outlets and repair shops or they may be self-employed.

Employment Outlooks

Economic Region Outlooks

Select your region(s)

Choose up to 3 regions to see employment outlooks. This occupation has data for 72 economic regions.

Salary Information

National wage data for this occupation

Entry-level

CA$17.99

/hr

Typical

CA$22.46

/hr

Experienced

CA$31.00

/hr

Average: CA$23.75/hr

90.1% of workers in this occupation receive non-wage benefits

Source: Job Bank Canada. Wages may vary by region and experience.

Examples

Illustrative Examples

automobile upholsterer
custom upholsterer
furniture upholsterer
upholsterer
upholstery repairer

All Examples

aircraft custom upholsterer
aircraft furnishing technician
aircraft patternmaker and upholsterer
aircraft upholsterer
automobile upholsterer
automotive upholsterer
casket upholsterer
chair upholsterer
custom upholsterer
furniture upholsterer
industrial upholsterer
patternmaker-upholsterer
preparation upholsterer
production upholsterer
railway car upholsterer
re-upholsterer
upholsterer
upholstery mechanic
upholstery repairer
vehicle upholstery repairer

Main Duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:
Discuss upholstery fabric, colour, and style with customers and provide cost estimate for upholstering furniture or other items
Lay out, measure and cut upholstery materials according to sketches or design specifications
Replace worn-out webbing, springs and other furniture parts using hand and power tools
Operate sewing machines or sew upholstery materials by hand to seam cushions and join sections of covering materials
Install padding and underlays and fasten covering materials to furniture frames
Tack, glue or sew ornamental trim, braids or buttons on upholstered items
Lay out, cut, fabricate and install upholstery in aircrafts, motor vehicles, railway cars, boats and ships
May repair furniture frames and refinish wood surfaces
May make upholstery patterns from sketches, customer descriptions or blueprints
May install, fabricate, maintain and repair interior components of aircraft, such as seats, coverings, drapes, cargo nets, flooring, closets, bins and panels.

Requirements

Employment Requirements

Completion of secondary school is usually required.
Completion of college or other specialized courses or an apprenticeship program in furniture upholstering and repair or Several years of on-the-job training, including working as an upholsterer helper are usually required.
Trade certification is available, but voluntary, in Quebec.