How to become a Furniture Finisher

Official title: Furniture Finishers

Also called: Finish Repair Worker, Finisher, Furniture Finisher, Hand Sander, Lacquer Sprayer, Sander, Sealer Sander, Sprayer, Stain Sprayer, Stain Wiper

Shape, finish, and refinish damaged, worn, or used furniture or new high-grade furniture to specified color or finish.

Main tasks

• Brush, spray, or hand-rub finishing ingredients, such as paint, oil, stain, or wax, onto and into wood grain and apply lacquer or other sealers.
• Fill and smooth cracks or depressions, remove marks and imperfections, and repair broken parts, using plastic or wood putty, glue, nails, or screws.
• Smooth, shape, and touch up surfaces to prepare them for finishing, using sandpaper, pumice stones, steel wool, chisels, sanders, or grinders.
• Remove accessories prior to finishing, and mask areas that should not be exposed to finishing processes or substances.
• Remove old finishes and damaged or deteriorated parts, using hand tools, stripping tools, sandpaper, steel wool, abrasives, solvents, or dip baths.
• Treat warped or stained surfaces to restore original contours and colors.
• Select appropriate finishing ingredients such as paint, stain, lacquer, shellac, or varnish, depending on factors such as wood hardness and surface type.
• Mix finish ingredients to obtain desired colors or shades.

How to become one

A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required to become a woodworker. Although some entry-level jobs may be learned in 1 month or less, becoming proficient typically requires several months to more than a year of on-the-job training. The ability to use computer-controlled machinery also is important.

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

• Apprenticeship: Furniture Finisher.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $44,540 a year The middle half earn $37,670 to $49,730.
• About 15,900 people work in this job now, and about 15,300 are projected by 2035. (-3.5%)
• People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Related jobs

• Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters
• Model Makers, Wood
• Patternmakers, Wood
• Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood
• Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing

Not sure this is for you? Take the 2-minute career quiz

Questions people ask

How do I become a Furniture Finisher?

A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required to become a woodworker. Although some entry-level jobs may be learned in 1 month or less, becoming proficient typically requires several months to more than a year of on-the-job training. The ability to use computer-controlled machinery also is important.

How much does a Furniture Finisher earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $44,540 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $37,670 to $49,730.

Is a Furniture Finisher a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to fall 3% by 2035, from about 15,900 to about 15,300 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Furniture Finisher?

Usually not. Only 19% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Furniture Finisher.

Will AI change the work of a Furniture Finisher?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.