UPHOLSTERER

Job Definition:

• Upholsterers and related workers install, repair and replace upholstery of furniture, fixtures, orthopaedic appliances, seats, panels, convertible and vinyl tops and other furnishings of automobiles, railway coaches, aircraft, ships and similar items with fabric, leather, rexine or other upholstery material. They also make and repair cushions, quilts and mattresses.

Job Description:

• Make, repair, or replace upholstery for household furniture or transportation vehicles.

Duties and Tasks:

• 1) Stretch webbing and fabric, using webbing stretchers.
• 2) Collaborate with interior designers to decorate rooms and coordinate furnishing fabrics.
• 3) Maintain records of time required to perform each job.
• 4) Pick up and deliver furniture.
• 5) Repair furniture frames and refinish exposed wood.
• 6) Adjust or replace webbing, padding, and/or springs, and secure them in place.
• 7) Attach bindings or apply solutions to edges of cut material to prevent raveling.
• 8) Attach fasteners, grommets, buttons, buckles, ornamental trim, and other accessories to covers or frames, using hand tools.
• 9) Build furniture up with loose fiber stuffing, cotton, felt, and/or foam padding to form smooth rounded surfaces.
• 10) Design upholstery cover patterns and cutting plans, based on sketches, customer descriptions, or blueprints.
• 11) Discuss upholstery fabrics, colors, and styles with customers, and provide cost estimates.
• 12) Draw cutting lines on material following patterns, templates, sketches, or blueprints, using chalk, pencils, paint, or other methods.
• 13) Examine furniture frames, upholstery, springs, and webbing to locate defects.
• 14) Fit, install, and secure material on frames, using hand tools, power tools, glue, cement, and/or staples.
• 15) Interweave and fasten strips of webbing to the backs and undersides of furniture, using small hand tools and fasteners.
• 16) Make, repair, and/or replace automobile upholstery and convertible and vinyl tops, using knowledge of fabric and upholstery methods.
• 17) Make, restore, and/or create custom upholstered furniture, using hand tools and knowledge of fabrics and upholstery methods.
• 18) Measure and cut new covering materials, using patterns and measuring and cutting instruments, following sketches and design specifications.
• 19) Operate sewing machines or sew upholstery by hand to seam cushions and join various sections of covering material.
• 20) Read work orders, and apply knowledge and experience with materials in order to determine types and amounts of materials required to cover workpieces.
• 21) Remove covering, webbing, padding, and/or defective springs from workpieces, using hand tools such as hammers and tack pullers.
• 22) Sew rips or tears in material, or create tufting, using needles and thread.

Activities:

• 1) Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• 2) Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• 3) Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• 4) Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment — Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• 5) Performing General Physical Activities — Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• 6) Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information — Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• 7) Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• 8) Controlling Machines and Processes — Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• 9) Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• 10) Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• 11) Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Abilities:

• 1) Visualization — The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
• 2) Manual Dexterity — The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
• 3) Finger Dexterity — The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
• 4) Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• 5) Static Strength — The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.

Knowledge:

• Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.