Theres a steady demand for upholstery work and not enough upholsterers trained to do it.
And they are calling from around the U.S., not just Texas.
She hears from a variety of employers, well beyond the traditional furniture upholstery shops.
Top left, An upholstery sign hangs at the Tomlinson Adult Learning Center in St. Petersburg, Fla. Top right, Jarczynski works on a chair. She sells some of her finished products on Facebook Marketplace. Bottom left, Mary Fletcher has been taking the ongoing upholstery class at the learning center on-and-off for 20 years. Bottom right, Rulers hang in the upholstery classroom.
Medical supply companies call needing someone to upholster examining tables.
Auto body shops call looking for people to repair seats.
We spoke to business people in the field.
Heres their advice on how to learn upholstery and fill a lucrative, unmet demand.
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The reason the demand is extremely high is there are so few people doing this well.
I cant even find anyone to teach.
Each requires 96 hours of instruction.
A summer course teaches auto and boat upholstery in 108 hours.
Classes meet twice a week from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. or 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The courses cost $300 a semester and many students are eligible for financial aid.
Upon completion, students earn a certificate that shows they are qualified to work in the reupholsetry profession.
Check with your local technical school or community college to see what types of courses are available.
The National Upholstery Association also has adirectoryof classes taught by master upholsterers and other professionals.
Take Online Upholstery Classes
Kim Chagnon took upholstery classes twice a week for a year in 1996.
She started upholstering for friends and family as a side gig and then made it her full-time job.
Their business, Kims Upholstery, now offers classes through theirwebsitewith more in-depth training.
Kims Upholstery also offers in-person, three-dayworkshopsfor people who want to learn upholstery in one project for $600.
There are two coming up in Pennsylvania and Colorado.
Pursue Upholstery Apprenticeships
Many upholsterers learned their skills working in a family business.
They dont teach how to do diamond tufting or stuff with horse hair, he said.
The best way to get into a business like this is to find somebody and apprentice.
A good industrial sewing machine costs an average of $1,500, according to Smith.
A box of essential upholstery tools is another $500.
Chagnon gave strong reviews to theLS-1 Basic Walking Foot Sewing Machine,which sells for $795.
It comes with a 3-hour video to teach users everything they need to know about the machine.
when you’ve got proven yourself with friends and family, start networking.
Realtors also get to know a lot of people who want to spruce up their homes and reupholster furniture.
Reach out to interior designers, too, of course.
While there is steady demand for upholstery work, Scirica says his business is far from a cash cow.
Its a labor of love, he said.
Setting up a business in your own home definitely allows more room for profit, Smith said.
Hes a one-man shop, and travels to clients homes to fix their furniture.
Ive always enjoyed working with my hands.
I make a very good living at this.
Katherine Snow Smith is a staff writer for The Penny Hoarder.
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