Furniture maker
Furniture makers use their craft skills to produce items, including chairs, tables, beds and kitchen cabinets.
Also known as: Cabinet maker, upholsterer
- Starter salary£23,000 a year
- Experienced£32,000 a year
- Typical hours40 to 44 a week
What you'll do
As a furniture maker, you could:
- plan your work based on technical drawings and templates
- estimate the quantity and type of materials needed for a job
- cut and shape materials using hand and power tools
- assemble and upholster items
- add trimmings to chairs and beds, like piping, fringing and buttons
- apply finishes like polishes and varnishes
- repair and restore damaged furniture
You'll work mainly with wood but you'll also use metals, plastics, fabrics and other materials.
Working environment
You could work in a workshop or in a factory.
You may need to wear protective clothing.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- design skills and knowledge
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to work well with others
- the ability to work well with your hands
- knowledge of manufacturing production and processes
- excellent verbal communication skills
- the ability to operate and control equipment
- the ability to analyse quality or performance
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
How to become a furniture maker
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- applying directly
College
You could do a college course to get some of the skills needed for a trainee position with a company.
Courses include:
- furniture making
- furniture design
- wood machining
- furnishings - traditional and modern upholstery
- T Level in Craft and Design
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level
Apprenticeship
You can apply to do a Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship with a furniture manufacturing business. There are several to choose from, including:
- Furniture Manufacturer
- Furniture Making Operative
- Mattress Manufacturing Operative
- Wood Product Manufacturing Operative
You can also apply for a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship, such as:
- Bespoke Furniture Maker
- Advanced Furniture CNC Technician
- Fitted Furniture Design Technician
- Advanced Upholsterer
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
Direct application
You could apply directly for jobs if you have experience and qualifications in furniture or cabinet making, carpentry or upholstery.
Career path and progression
With experience, you could become a workshop supervisor or quality control manager. With more training, you might move into:
- furniture design
- interior design
- antique furniture restoration
In larger firms, you may have opportunities to work in estimating, retail buying, marketing or training.
You could also start your own business and specialise in creating bespoke hand-crafted pieces of furniture.
Professional and industry bodies
You could join The Furniture Makers' Company or the Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers for professional development training opportunities and to make industry contacts.
Guides for this industry
Related roles
- Job roleFurniture designer
- Job roleFurniture restorer
- Job roleErgonomist
- Job roleWood machinist
- Job roleInterior designer
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