BlissPoint Analytics

Occupation AtlasUpholsterers

O*NET · 51-6093.00

Upholsterers

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

Also called Aircraft Seat Upholsterer · Arm Maker · Arm Rest Builder · Auto Upholsterer · Automobile Upholsterer (Auto Upholsterer) · Automotive Upholsterer · Body Trimmer Upholsterer · Box Spring Upholsterer
37 more

Car Seat Coverer · Car Seat Maker · Car Seat Upholsterer · Casket Coverer · Casket Trimmer · Chair Pad Maker · Chair Upholsterer · Convertible Top Installer · Dining Chair Seat Cushion Trimmer · Furniture Upholsterer · Furniture Upholsterer Apprentice · Furniture Upholstery Mechanic · Gimp Tacker · Inside Upholsterer · Limousine and Hearse Upholsterer · Seat Cover Cutter · Seat Cover Installer · Seat Coverer · Seat Covers Trimmer · Seating Upholsterer · Slip Cover Cutter · Slipcover Cutter · Sofa Back Upholsterer · Stapler · Top and Trim Worker · Top Installer · Trimmer · Upholstered Goods Crafter · Upholsterer · Upholstery Auto Trimmer · Upholstery Cutter · Upholstery Mechanic · Upholstery Repairer · Upholstery Sewer · Upholstery Technician · Upholstery Trimmer · Vinyl Top Installer

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code RAC35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Furniture Finishers

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RACRealistic · Artistic · Conventional — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic6.81
  • A Artistic2.92
  • C Conventional2.92
  • I Investigative1.84
  • S Social1.38
  • E Enterprising1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma44%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent56%
Related work experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (49%)
On-site or in-plant training
None (37%)
On-the-job training
Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month (33%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.53.1Level 4 looks like: Evaluate customer complaints and determine appropriate responses
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Read step-by-step instructions for completing a form
  • Active Listeningbasic3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Take a customer's order
  • Complex Problem Solving3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
  • Monitoringbasic3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Proofread and correct a letter
  • Time Management3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Active Learningbasic3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Speakingbasic3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Operations Monitoring2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
  • Service Orientation2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Social Perceptiveness2.92.5Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
Show the other 23
  • Coordination2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Quality Control Analysis2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
  • Operation and Control2.82.6Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
  • Writingbasic2.62.4Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
  • Equipment Selection2.62.1Level 2 looks like: Select a tool to adjust a loose part on a bicycle
  • Instructing2.52.6Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Mathematicsbasic2.52.5Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Persuasion2.52.5Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Repairing2.51.9Level 2 looks like: Tighten a screw to get a door to close properly
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Negotiation2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Troubleshooting2.42.0Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Systems Evaluation2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Equipment Maintenance2.31.9Level 2 looks like: Add oil to an engine as indicated by a warning light
  • Systems Analysis2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Operations Analysis2.11.8Level 2 looks like: Select a printer for an office
  • Management of Financial Resources2.11.5Level 2 looks like: Use available funds to buy office supplies and record the amount of the purchase
  • Management of Material Resources2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Reserve a room for a management meeting
  • Technology Design1.91.4Level 2 looks like: Adjust exercise equipment for use by a customer
  • Installation1.3—
  • Sciencebasic1.3—
  • Programming1.0—

Tasks

12 core · 10 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Fit, install, and secure material on frames, using hand tools, power tools, glue, cement, or staples.4.5
  2. Build furniture up with loose fiber stuffing, cotton, felt, or foam padding to form smooth, rounded surfaces.4.5
  3. Measure and cut new covering materials, using patterns and measuring and cutting instruments, following sketches and design specifications.4.5
  4. Read work orders, and apply knowledge and experience with materials to determine types and amounts of materials required to cover workpieces.4.4
  5. Make, restore, or create custom upholstered furniture, using hand tools and knowledge of fabrics and upholstery methods.4.4
  6. Examine furniture frames, upholstery, springs, and webbing to locate defects.4.2
  7. Adjust or replace webbing, padding, or springs, and secure them in place.4.2
  8. Attach fasteners, grommets, buttons, buckles, ornamental trim, and other accessories to covers or frames, using hand tools.4.1
  9. Remove covering, webbing, padding, or defective springs from workpieces, using hand tools such as hammers and tack pullers.4.1
  10. Sew rips or tears in material, or create tufting, using needles and thread.4.1
  11. Repair furniture frames and refinish exposed wood.3.9
  12. Interweave and fasten strips of webbing to the backs and undersides of furniture, using small hand tools and fasteners.3.8
Show the other 10
  1. Draw cutting lines on material following patterns, templates, sketches, or blueprints, using chalk, pencils, paint, or other methods.4.3
  2. Operate sewing machines or sew upholstery by hand to seam cushions and join various sections of covering material.4.2
  3. Stretch webbing and fabric, using webbing stretchers.4.2
  4. Maintain records of time required to perform each job.4.1
  5. Design upholstery cover patterns and cutting plans, based on sketches, customer descriptions, or blueprints.4.1
  6. Discuss upholstery fabrics, colors, and styles with customers, and provide cost estimates.4.0
  7. Pick up and deliver furniture.4.0
  8. Attach bindings or apply solutions to edges of cut material to prevent raveling.3.8
  9. Collaborate with interior designers to decorate rooms and coordinate furnishing fabrics.3.8
  10. Make, repair, or replace automobile upholstery and convertible and vinyl tops, using knowledge of fabric and upholstery methods.3.0

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Production and Processing3.13.2Level 4 looks like: Supervise an appliance assembly line
  • Design3.02.9
  • Customer and Personal Service2.92.8
  • Mechanical2.82.7
  • Education and Training2.72.3Level 1 looks like: Show someone how to bowl
  • Mathematics2.62.5Level 1 looks like: Add two numbers
  • Building and Construction2.42.1Level 1 looks like: Choose the proper type of wood for adding a deck onto a house
  • Administration and Management2.21.9Level 1 looks like: Approve a reimbursement request
Show all 33
  • Personnel and Human Resources2.22.2Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • English Language2.01.9Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Public Safety and Security1.91.4Level 1 looks like: Use a seatbelt
  • Sales and Marketing1.91.1Level 1 looks like: Sell cakes at a bake sale
  • Engineering and Technology1.81.6Level 1 looks like: Install a door lock
  • Administrative1.70.9Level 1 looks like: Direct phone calls to the appropriate staff member
  • Transportation1.71.0Level 1 looks like: Ride a train to work
  • Communications and Media1.61.3Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Computers and Electronics1.61.2Level 1 looks like: Operate a media player to watch a training video
  • Telecommunications1.60.6Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Chemistry1.51.2Level 1 looks like: Use a common household bug spray
  • Foreign Language1.50.7Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Law and Government1.50.6Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Physics1.5—
  • Biology1.30.5Level 1 looks like: Feed domestic animals
  • Economics and Accounting1.3—
  • Philosophy and Theology1.3—
  • Psychology1.3—
  • Therapy and Counseling1.3—
  • Geography1.2—
  • Fine Arts1.1—
  • Food Production1.1—
  • History and Archeology1.1—
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.1—
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.1—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Arm-Hand Steadiness4.04.1Level 4 looks like: Thread a needle
  • Finger Dexterity4.04.0Level 4 looks like: Attach small dials to audio equipment on an assembly line
  • Manual Dexterity4.03.9Level 4 looks like: Pack oranges in crates as quickly as possible
  • Near Vision3.94.0Level 5 looks like: Read the fine print of a legal document
  • Control Precision3.83.6Level 4 looks like: Adjust farm tractor controls
  • Multilimb Coordination3.83.8Level 4 looks like: Operate a forklift truck in a warehouse
  • Visual Color Discrimination3.83.9Level 4 looks like: Trace electrical circuits marked by various colored wires
  • Visualization3.63.9Level 4 looks like: Follow a diagram to assemble a metal storage cabinet
Show all 52
  • Problem Sensitivity3.33.0Level 2 looks like: Recognize that an unplugged lamp won't work
  • Written Comprehension3.33.0Level 2 looks like: Understand signs on the highway
  • Extent Flexibility3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Information Ordering3.13.1Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Trunk Strength3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Shovel snow for half an hour
  • Category Flexibility3.03.0Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Deductive Reasoning3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
  • Depth Perception3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Flexibility of Closure3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Oral Comprehension3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Understand a television commercial
  • Oral Expression3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Place an order at a restaurant drive-thru
  • Originality3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Selective Attention3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Answer a business call with coworkers talking nearby
  • Speech Clarity3.02.9
  • Static Strength3.03.5Level 4 looks like: Pull a 40-pound sack of fertilizer across the lawn
  • Dynamic Strength2.92.6Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Far Vision2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
  • Fluency of Ideas2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Inductive Reasoning2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
  • Perceptual Speed2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Speech Recognition2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Recognize the voice of a coworker
  • Gross Body Coordination2.82.6Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Auditory Attention2.62.1Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Number Facility2.62.3Level 3 looks like: Calculate a discounted price
  • Reaction Time2.62.6Level 2 looks like: Start to slow down the car when a traffic light turns yellow
  • Written Expression2.62.1Level 1 looks like: Write a note to remind someone to take food out of the freezer
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.52.1Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.52.3Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Rate Control2.52.6
  • Response Orientation2.52.4Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Speed of Closure2.52.0Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Stamina2.51.9Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Explosive Strength2.31.8Level 2 looks like: Hit a nail with a hammer
  • Gross Body Equilibrium2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Time Sharing2.32.6Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Glare Sensitivity2.01.5Level 2 looks like: Drive on a familiar road on a cloudy day
  • Memorization2.02.0Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Sound Localization2.01.4Level 2 looks like: Listen to a sound system to determine which speaker is working
  • Spatial Orientation2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Use the floor plan to locate a store in a mall
  • Night Vision1.91.1Level 2 looks like: Read street signs at dusk (just after sunset)
  • Peripheral Vision1.91.4Level 2 looks like: Keep in step while marching in a band
  • Speed of Limb Movement1.81.4Level 2 looks like: Saw through a thin piece of wood
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.3—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Handling and Moving Objects4.05.4Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials3.93.8Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Getting Information3.82.9
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.73.5Level 4 looks like: Estimate the time required to evacuate a city in the event of a major disaster
  • Performing General Physical Activities3.73.8Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.63.4Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems3.63.8Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events3.53.3Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
Show all 41
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.54.5Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Thinking Creatively3.54.5Level 4 looks like: Adapt popular music for a high school marching band
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others3.33.6Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.33.9Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Controlling Machines and Processes3.23.9Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.23.1Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Scheduling Work and Activities3.23.5Level 4 looks like: Prepare the work schedule for salesclerks in a large retail store
  • Selling or Influencing Others3.23.2Level 4 looks like: Make a sales pitch to convince others to buy a product
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge3.23.7Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Processing Information3.13.0Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.03.0Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public3.02.6
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization2.93.4Level 4 looks like: Present information to potential clients about available services
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies2.92.8
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.92.9
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others2.92.6
  • Coaching and Developing Others2.82.6
  • Performing Administrative Activities2.82.6
  • Training and Teaching Others2.82.7
  • Analyzing Data or Information2.72.8
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment2.73.5Level 4 looks like: Change the oil on a tractor
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates2.62.7
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment2.62.2Level 1 looks like: Drive a car
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.62.9
  • Developing and Building Teams2.52.4Level 1 looks like: Encourage two coworkers to stick with a tough assignment
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment2.52.3Level 1 looks like: Specify the lighting for a work area
  • Assisting and Caring for Others2.41.9Level 1 looks like: Help a coworker complete an assignment
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others2.31.9Level 1 looks like: Interpret a blood pressure reading
  • Working with Computers2.32.0Level 1 looks like: Enter employee information into a database
  • Documenting/Recording Information2.21.7Level 1 looks like: Record the weight of a patient during a routine health exam
  • Staffing Organizational Units2.11.8Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment1.71.2Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.9
  • Spend Time Standing4.6
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.3
  • Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions4.1
  • Time Pressure3.9
  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets3.9
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams3.8
  • Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body3.8
  • Contact With Others3.7
  • Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals3.7

Technology

8 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (7)

  • Autodesk AutoCAD
  • Intuit QuickBooks
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Microsoft Word
Other tools (1)
  • LibreOffice Draw

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Furniture Finishers
  2. Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters
  3. Sewers, Hand
  4. Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers
  5. Sewing Machine Operators
  6. Carpet Installers
  7. Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
  8. Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
  9. Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
  10. Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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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. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.