Upholsterers traditionally worked on domestic furniture but now also work on vehicles, boats, bikes and on commercial projects such as bench seating and medical examination tables. An upholsterer should be able to build and repair all types of seating while a vehicle upholsterer, or trimmer, should also be able to install interior lining to doors and ceiling of a vehicle.

Types of Upholstery

• Domestic
• Commercial
• Automotive
• Marine
• Other

Domestic

Upholstery originated with the working of furniture and to this day this remains the biggest sector within the upholstery trade. A qualified upholster will be able to dissect a piece of seating furniture and then rebuild it whilst repairing or replacing components such as the springs, padding, webbing and fabric. Although mainly working with seating, upholsterers may also be involved in services involving other furniture pieces including bed heads or walls.

Commercial

Commercial upholsterers deal with projects outside of the domestic setting. In the past these have included things such as church pews and other bench seating but now encompass the growing area of medical furniture including surgery tables, examination tables and dentist’s chairs. Commercial upholsterers would also be involved in large scale projects such as the redecorating of larger restaurants or offices.

Automotive

An automotive upholsterer is also known as a motor trimmer, coach trimmer or as just a trimmer. They have the same set of skills as a domestic or commercial upholsterer but can also work with carpet. Originally trimmers would create a car’s interior to client specifications and would have the car delivered to their workshop without an interior. In more recent times motor trimmers mostly work for car manufacturers or as repairers for car interiors.

Marine

Marine upholsters work within the confines of watercraft. They need to have skills and knowledge that will allow them to work with areas that will be exposed to both water and direct sunlight. Marine upholsters use different materials to other upholsterers and are more likely to work with vinyls, zippers and stainless steel. As upholstery used in marine settings wears differently to other upholstery, Marine Upholsterers may also be involved in projects such as ferry terminals.

Other

Many canvas workers are upholsterers by trade. Their upholstery skills enabled them to design and make items such as canvas boat covers. Some upholsterers have also moved into soft furnishings and are responsible for the manufacturing of pillows and cushions. Upholsterers may also be available to create items such as horse canvas coats and to repair saddlery items.

Tools and materials involved in upholstery

• Scissors
• Staple Gun
• Chalk
• Upholstery Hammer
• Upholstery Needles
• Safety Glasses
• Mallet (Rubber)
• Industrial Sewing Machine
• Webbing stretcher
• Zippers
• Staples
• Staple Remover
• Buttons
• Padding and Foam
• Fabric
• Trim
• Tacks
• Springs

If you have an upholstery job that you need completed call the upholsterer first to ensure that they are able to work with what you have. There’s nothing worse than lugging a piece of furniture across town to discover that your chosen upholsterer only works on boats!