Upholsterers
Make, repair, or replace upholstery for household furniture or transportation vehicles.
Technology Tools
Key Tasks
- Fit, install, and secure material on frames, using hand tools, power tools, glue, cement, or staples.
- Measure and cut new covering materials, using patterns and measuring and cutting instruments, following sketches and design specifications.
- Build furniture up with loose fiber stuffing, cotton, felt, or foam padding to form smooth, rounded surfaces.
- Read work orders, and apply knowledge and experience with materials to determine types and amounts of materials required to cover workpieces.
- Make, restore, or create custom upholstered furniture, using hand tools and knowledge of fabrics and upholstery methods.
- Draw cutting lines on material following patterns, templates, sketches, or blueprints, using chalk, pencils, paint, or other methods.
- Stretch webbing and fabric, using webbing stretchers.
- Examine furniture frames, upholstery, springs, and webbing to locate defects.
- Operate sewing machines or sew upholstery by hand to seam cushions and join various sections of covering material.
- Adjust or replace webbing, padding, or springs, and secure them in place.
- Sew rips or tears in material, or create tufting, using needles and thread.
- Remove covering, webbing, padding, or defective springs from workpieces, using hand tools such as hammers and tack pullers.
- Design upholstery cover patterns and cutting plans, based on sketches, customer descriptions, or blueprints.
- Maintain records of time required to perform each job.
- Attach fasteners, grommets, buttons, buckles, ornamental trim, and other accessories to covers or frames, using hand tools.
- Discuss upholstery fabrics, colors, and styles with customers, and provide cost estimates.
- Pick up and deliver furniture.
- Attach bindings or apply solutions to edges of cut material to prevent raveling.
- Interweave and fasten strips of webbing to the backs and undersides of furniture, using small hand tools and fasteners.
- Repair furniture frames and refinish exposed wood.
- Collaborate with interior designers to decorate rooms and coordinate furnishing fabrics.
- Make, repair, or replace automobile upholstery and convertible and vinyl tops, using knowledge of fabric and upholstery methods.
Skills
Knowledge
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Abilities
Work Activities
Work Context
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
97%
Spend Time Standing
How much does this job require standing?
91%
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
83%
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
79%
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?
73%
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
72%
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
70%
Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body
How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?
70%
Level of Competition
To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
68%
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
66%
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?
66%
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
65%
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings
How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?
64%
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
62%
Physical Proximity
To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks physically close to other people?
62%
Spend Time Walking or Running
How much does this job require walking or running?
61%
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
56%
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
55%
Frequency of Decision Making
How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
55%
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities
How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?
54%
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers
How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
54%
Duration of Typical Work Week
Number of hours typically worked in one week.
53%
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?
52%
Exposed to Contaminants
How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
51%
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
48%
Health and Safety of Other Workers
How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
46%
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People
How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
45%
Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling
How much does this job require kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling?
41%
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?
40%
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working in an environment that is not environmentally controlled (like a warehouse without air conditioning)?
39%
Conflict Situations
How frequently are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
35%
Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions
How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions?
34%
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not easily correctable?
33%
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)
33%
Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions?
30%
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
How important are continuous, repetitive, physical activities (like key entry) or mental activities (like checking entries in a ledger) to performing this job?
30%
Telephone Conversations
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
28%
Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance
How much does this job require keeping or regaining your balance?
24%
Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions
How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?
21%
Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
19%
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
15%
Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People
How frequently does this job require the worker to deal with physical aggression of violent individuals?
14%
Public Speaking
How frequently does your job require public speaking (one speaker with an audience)?
13%
Written Letters and Memos
How frequently does your job require written letters and memos?
12%
Work Schedules
How regular are the work schedules for this job?
11%
In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment
How often does this job require working in an open vehicle or operating equipment (like a tractor)?
8%
Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection
How often does this job require wearing specialized protective or safety equipment such as breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection?
8%
In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (like a car)?
7%
Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles
How much does this job require climbing ladders, scaffolds, poles, etc.?
7%
Degree of Automation
How automated is the job?
5%
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
5%
Outdoors, Under Cover
How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (like in an open shed)?
5%
Exposed to High Places
How often does this job require exposure to high places?
3%
Exposed to Whole Body Vibration
How often does this job require exposure to whole body vibration (like operating a jackhammer or earth moving equipment)?
3%
Exposed to Disease or Infections
How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
2%
How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
1%
Exposed to Radiation
How often does this job require exposure to radiation?
0%
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Less than high school diploma
Interests
Realistic
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, t
Artistic
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts,
Conventional
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or hum
Investigative
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the f
Social
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Enterprising
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertis
Work Styles
Work Values
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