Furniture restorer
Furniture restorers repair and conserve modern and antique pieces of furniture.
Also known as: French polisher
- Starter salary£23,000 a year
- Experienced£32,000 a year
- Typical hours42 to 44 a week
What you'll do
As a furniture restorer, you could:
- work out the best way to conserve or restore a piece of furniture
- advise customers about restoration options
- estimate prices and give quotes
- use techniques like woodturning, veneering and marquetry
- mix and apply colours and stains
- re-upholster furniture, matching original patterns and fabrics
- apply French polish and other finishes, like gilding, lacquer, paint, varnish, oil or wax
- keep photographic and written records of the process
Working environment
You could work in a workshop or in a factory.
Your working environment may be dusty.
You may need to wear protective clothing.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to work well with your hands
- persistence and determination
- the ability to work on your own
- the ability to come up with new ways of doing things
- customer service skills
- the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
- the ability to organise your time and workload
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
How to become a furniture restorer
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- applying directly
University
You can do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in:
- art and design
- furniture design
- furniture restoration
- product design
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
College
You could do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need in this job. Subjects include:
- furniture making
- furniture finishing methods
- T Level in Craft and Design
Some colleges and adult education centres run more informal courses in craft and restoration. Courses include topics like repair methods, staining, veneers and French polishing.
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 could apply to do a Furniture Finisher Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship.
You might also apply to do a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship, such as:
- Furniture Restorer
- Advanced Upholsterer
- Bespoke Furniture Maker
These apprenticeships can take between 2 and 3 years to complete and combine on-the-job training with off-site study.
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
If you have advanced skills from working in upholstery, furniture manufacture or carpentry you may be able to apply directly for jobs.
Career path and progression
With experience, you could set up your own furniture restoration business, carrying out work for organisations and the public. You could also work as a consultant for:
- museums
- historical or heritage sites
- auction houses or antique dealers
You might wish to specialise in areas such as French polishing, upholstery or a particular period or style of furniture.
Career tips
You can do short courses in woodworking skills, restoration methods and French polishing through the British Antique Furniture Restorers' Association .
Short courses can give you an insight into the profession, and the type of skills required.
Guides for this industry
Related roles
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