How to become a furniture maker or other craft woodworker
Official title: Furniture makers and other craft woodworkers
Also called: Arm maker, Bed maker, Bow maker, Keg maker, Oar maker, Peg maker, Vat maker, Bowl maker, Cart maker, Case maker, Desk maker, Form maker
Furniture makers and other craft woodworkers make, repair and restore wooden furniture, decorative objects and other crafted pieces of woodwork.
Main tasks
- Examines drawings and specifications to determine job requirements and appropriate materials
- Selects, measures, cuts and shapes wood using saws, chisels, planes, powered hand tools and woodworking machines
- Assembles parts with crafted joints, nails, screws, dowels or adhesives and fits locks, catches, hinges, castors, drawers, shelves and other fittings
- Removes, replaces or repairs damaged parts of wooden furniture
- Measures floor area to be covered and lays wood blocks, parquet panels or hardwood strips
- Matches and marks out veneers ready for cutting and examines and repairs defects in veneer or plywood sheets
How to become one
There are no formal entry requirements, although entrants typically possess a variety of academic and vocational qualifications. Training is provided Off and on-the-job. A number of NVQs/SVQs and other vocational qualifications covering various aspects of furniture production and wood machining are available at various levels. Apprenticeships in Cabinet Making are available in some areas.
Ways in
- Apprenticeship (England): Advanced furniture CNC technician (level 3). England. Typically 24 months. Skills England standard ST0655.
- Apprenticeship (England): Bespoke furniture maker (level 3). England. Typically 24 months. Skills England standard ST0639.
- Apprenticeship (England): Furniture manufacturer (level 2). England. Typically 24 months. Skills England standard ST0203.
Pay · Outlook
- Median full-time pay: £33,078 a year The middle half earn £26,376 to null.
- About 34,000 people work in this job now, and about 34,000 are projected by 2035. (+0.2%)
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Questions people ask
How do I become a furniture maker or other craft woodworker?
There are no formal entry requirements, although entrants typically possess a variety of academic and vocational qualifications. Training is provided Off and on-the-job. A number of NVQs/SVQs and other vocational qualifications covering various aspects of furniture production and wood machining are available at various levels. Apprenticeships in Cabinet Making are available in some areas.
How much does a furniture maker or other craft woodworker earn in the UK?
Median full-time pay is £33,078 a year (Office for National Statistics).
Is a furniture maker or other craft woodworker a growing career in the UK?
Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 34,000 people now and 34,000 later (Department for Education).
Do you need a degree to become a furniture maker or other craft woodworker?
Usually not. Only 18% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Advanced furniture CNC technician (level 3).
Sources
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03