How to learn furniture upholstery

[gene]

Howdy,

New folks often ask how to learn or how to get started in upholstery.

The definitive answer is "practice".

The second answer is to watch videos like this:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJrRmyKHNQA
Be sure to check out Bucks' website.

I consider myself very lucky to have access to this forum and videos that others have taken to time to put together.

I just finished a book called Outliers. The contention, with many examples, is that you have to spend at least 10,000 hours at something to be an expert at it. IQ and natural skill can be very important, but no one gets to a high level without the hours. Mozart, Bill Gates, The Beatles, athletes, learning a foreign language, etc., etc. This book shows that everyone who has achieved a level of 'greatness' has put in the hours, and, has had circumstances happen in their lives where they had the opportunity to put in the hours.

I have heard often that upholstery takes a 10 year apprenticeship. That makes sense in that if you are working for an upholsterer, you would probably spend half your time cleaning up and doing manual labor, and the other half actually upholstering.

[trimacar]

In school I was told that practice makes perfect.

Then I was told that no one was perfect.

I quit practicing.

[sofadoc]

I have heard often that upholstery takes a 10 year apprenticeship.

Which explains why fewer people are getting into the business.
This is an "instant gratification" society that we live in now.
If I were a young buck embarking on a career right now, would I choose one that may take 5 years before I start making even a decent wage? Probably not. It's not hard to see why they aren't too terribly interested in "apprenticing" (pushing a broom).

[trimacar]

I really don't think it takes 5 to 10 years to learn the upholstery business.

I've been restoring antique cars for most of my life, starting at 14 years old.  When I was in my 20's, I had a local upholstery shop doing my business, but was only happy when the owner himself did the work on a car.  We were talking one day, and he said that he was so busy managing the shop (he had numerous employees) that he'd have a hard time doing my work himself.  He suggested that he sell me a sewing machine, spend some time showing me the basics, and I could do the work myself.

He did, a used but nice Pfaff (retired about 5 years ago).  So, for my own work, I was self taught.

Then, a change in life situation had me end up at a well known restoration shop in Virginia.  I "apprenticed" under a master trimmer of German descent for two years, and while I feel there's no big secret to upholstery other than common sense and patience, he did teach me enough tricks of the trade (working leather, making automobile tops from scratch) that the talent came to me.

So, from experience I'd say that two years with the right person would work..........

[Ageorge]

I agree that it probably does take about 5 years! I've been doing it for almost two and worked under someone for about 2 months. They help out after hours when they can. Some stuff i've learned by just doing it over and over but other stuff, I feel lost on-particularly stuff like spring work, or building a piece from scratch. I feel so behind with this and wish I could've worked under someone experienced for a year or two.

[JDUpholstery]

I would have liked to have someone to work for and learn, but I have just jumped in, read a lot of articles, watched a few videos and relied on the great upholsterers on sites like this and an occasional phone call to steer me in the right direction when I feel lost on something....I have a few jobs under my belt now and while it takes me 3 times longer due to not being happy with it and redoing it until I feel it is right, I think my final product is well received by the customer. I actually went down and fixed a tufting button that untied on my chair this morning and even after having it for a week the customer is still loving the work, I just believe anyone with the determination and drive to do a good job can learn this trade without apprenticing, they just miss out on learning the mistakes to avoid, before making them!

[sofadoc]

I grew up in the family upholstery business. So it's kinda hard for me to say exactly how long it would've taken me to learn the trade. I'd like to think that it would've been far less than 5 years. But in any event, the learning curve varies depending on the aptitude of the person.

I always liken it to opening your own diner. Anyone can learn to cook fairly quickly. But cooking, and "cooking for profit" are 2 different things. I think that anyone can learn to do good upholstery work in less than 2 years. But as JD points out, it may take longer before you can "cook for profit".

But I really think that if you took a young man (or woman) right out of high school, and said "If you'll train under me for 2 years, you'll be ready to open your own shop. BUT for 2 years, you'll be doing a lot of menial work at minimum wage", they would probably say "No thanks".

[MinUph]

I too grew up with my father as an Upholsterer. So it kind of started when I was little playing with tacks and such. When I graduated HS in 69 I wanted to learn the trade. I don't remember how long it took before I was professint. It took me many years before I learned tufting and really caught onto it quickly. I was working for a guy in Coca for the winter and he gave me a tufted job and said "you can do it" I did and it wasn't as hard as I thought. Well that was 20+ years ago. I'd say learning it on your own has got to be hard. I had many old timers helping me through my beginning years. There are really many things to learn to do it well. Not to discourage anyone as we can use new people in the trade. Just try to do a good job and charge accordingly. There are way too many people doing low end work for low end prices. It ruins any business.

[JDUpholstery]

There are way too many people doing low end work for low end prices. It ruins any business.

my last job, the couch, loveseat and chair, the customer informed me they chose me because my price was higher than another person in their area (job was 50 miles from me), they said when the other guy quoted it so low they knew something was wrong...I am just glad with persistence and determination I could deliver a product they are happy with at a price that yielded a profit, albeit not a huge profit (1300 in material profit and labor over a 3 week job)

[gene]

I saw a video of an old guy who spent his life as a tailor. He owns a company that makes suits for people like President Clinton.

He said it takes 6 years to learn how to be a tailor. He said most young people can learn computer programming in a lot less time and get a job that pays a lot more. There aren't many young people learning how to be tailors.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCQVD8rG_OQ

gene