How to become an Upholsterer
Official title: Upholsterers
Also called: Upholsterer, Upholsterer's fitter, Upholsterer's trimmer, Bed maker, Pad maker, Bench hand, Case maker, Car trimmer, Flock packer, Curtain maker, Cushion maker, Hassock maker
Upholsterers upholster vehicle, aircraft and other seating, fix trimmings to the interiors of vehicles and aircraft, upholster furniture such as chairs and sofas, and make mattresses, curtains and other soft furnishings.
Main tasks
- Measures frame to be covered or examines drawings or other specifications and cuts material with shears, knife or scissors
- Tacks and staples or otherwise secures webbing to furniture frame
- Pads springs and secures padding by stitching, stapling, tacking, etc.
- Pins sections of coverings together, joins by sewing and inserts trims, braids and buttons as required and fits upholstery unit to frame
- Operates machine to compress padded spring assemblies and inserts them into mattress covers
- Encases bed springs and padding with selected covering material by hand or machine stitching and fits castors where required
- Replaces covering, padding, webbing or springs to repair upholstered furniture
- Measures, cuts, pins, sews and trims fabrics to make curtains, cushions, loose covers and similar soft furnishings
How to become one
There are no formal academic requirements although some employers may require GCSEs/S grades. Training is provided Off and on-the-job. Relevant NVQs/ SVQs are available at level 2 and 3 and apprenticeships at level 2.
Ways in
- Apprenticeship (England): Advanced upholsterer (level 3). England. Typically 24 months. Skills England standard ST0656.
Pay · Outlook
- Median full-time pay: £27,909 a year
- About 24,800 people work in this job now, and about 24,800 are projected by 2035. (+0.2%)
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Questions people ask
How do I become an Upholsterer?
There are no formal academic requirements although some employers may require GCSEs/S grades. Training is provided Off and on-the-job. Relevant NVQs/ SVQs are available at level 2 and 3 and apprenticeships at level 2.
How much does an Upholsterer earn in the UK?
Median full-time pay is £27,909 a year (Office for National Statistics).
Is an Upholsterer a growing career in the UK?
Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 24,800 people now and 24,800 later (Department for Education).
Do you need a degree to become an Upholsterer?
Usually not. Only 23% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Advanced upholsterer (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