Job Description for Furniture Upholstery Specialist

Updated 06/23/2021

Austin’s Couch Potatoes Factory needs upholsterers and furniture builders! Do you have furniture building experience? Can you skillfully upholster sofas, chairs, and other furniture pieces? We are looking for you! Are you inexperienced with furniture but enjoy working in assembly and manufacturing? Do you want to begin a long-term career with a promising, quickly growing local furniture company?  Then you should apply for this career! 

Definition of Upholstery: The art of providing furniture, (especially seats) with padding, springs, webbing, and fabric or leather covers. An apprentice upholsterer is sometimes called an outsider or trimmer. Traditional upholstery uses materials like springs, animal hair, or feathers, synthetic fibers, straw, and wadding, etc., and is done by hand, building each layer up.

Key Responsibilities:

• Upholster custom furniture according to product specifications
• Works as part of a team to meet or exceed production goals
• Multi-task and be comfortable in a fast pace, manufacturing environment
• Learn additional functions by cross-training in other departments, as needed
• Maintain a clean and safe work environment

Great pay based on experience and skill level. We want the best! Full-time work is available immediately. Sign-on Bonus for experienced qualified candidates!

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits: 

• Paid Holidays 
• Paid Vacation
• Medical Benefits
• Dental Benefits
• Vision Benefits
• Gym Membership Reimbursement
• Employee Discounts on Furniture
• Wellness Resources
• Performance Bonus
• New Employee Referral Bonus

Basic Job Skills and Requirements:

Able to perform physically demanding job duties which require a consistent and energetic individual.

Able to learn and practice all safety policies and procedures

Able to stand, walk, kneel, bend over, squat for a minimum of 8 hours each shift without restrictions. (Typical 8 hour shift/ 40 hour work week)

Able to lift objects 20lbs - 100lbs (team and solo lifting required for different tasks). 

Able to push and pull furniture carts and dollies

Able to follow safety procedures when using various tools and equipment

Able to use machinery in a safe manner

Able to use a measuring tape properly

Able to learn all aspects of a “Purchase Order”

Able to maintain a clean and safe working environment

Able to properly store and identify necessary tools and equipment in the work area.

Able to work in a non-climatized environment (No HVAC) with dust and noise. 

Able to communicate as necessary to receive and share information with other co workers.

This position requires the use of various tools & supplies which we provide:

Measuring tape

Scissors

Staple puller

Needle nose pliers

Hammer

Rubber hammer

Vice grips

Wire cutters

Chalk

Marker

Staple gun

Air compressor

Glue gun

Drill and bits

Oscillating saw

Hand Saw

Upholstery glue

Daily Responsibilities required for this position (In sequence):

Inspect sofa frame for flaws and accuracy, Repair frame if needed

Knock down all of the corners (trim portions of wood frame with basic tools as needed)

Begin with webbing, precut to exact length as indicated on webbing chart

Staple the webbing to the frame

Staple the black cambric canvas to the frame covering the webbing

Use scraps as much as possible

Staple the cardboard on the inside of the arms, use the pattern associated with each sofa model

Use the automatrix cutter to cut the appropriate sizes of dacron for each model

The dacron is glued to the deck, the arms will be stapled

Upholster the deck, stapling the fabric to the frame

Select the correct bundle of upholstery fabric once a frame is ready for upholstery

Staple the dacron on the arms

Measure the placement of the shoulder and make appropriate cuts to the inside of the arms

Put the fabric over the arms

Place the inside back into position and secure with staples

Place the outside back fabric into position and staple it into position

Place cardboard strip under the outside back lip and cut to appropriate point and staple

Place a strip of webbing down the middle and close up with tack strips

Turn the couch upside down on the sawhorses and staple everything to the bottom

Place dust cover material to the bottom of the sofa and cut to appropriate size then staple into place

Place feet onto the sofa

Properly label

Place in the packaging area using carts or dollies.

This position requires each applicant to complete a 90 day training period in which employment may be separated (termination from employment). New employees in this training period will be evaluated daily for their performance, ability to work safely, ability to follow all company policies, and procedures, ability to follow all written and verbal instructions. 

Requirements to Successfully Pass the 90 Day Training Period:

• Read and Understand the Employee Manual located on the company Intranet. 

• Follow all safety Rules and Policies, report injuries or accidents immediately.

• Respect the “Chain of Command” in our workplace. Communicate, misconduct of others, concerns, complaints, ideas directly to your manager.

• Be willing to do any work task assigned to you by a manager or trainer and point out if a task seems unsafe or hazardous immediately. 

• Do not listen to gossip or spread it with anyone… tell them you are not interested.

• Communicate Professionally

• Be Humble, thank others when they point out that a process can be improved, or when they offer constructive criticism. (New employees must be willing to improve and recognize their weaknesses and mistakes.) 

• Be productive and do not have “idle time” (If you finish your work, offer to help others or clean and organize your work area, let a manger know when you need more work)

• Be Growing by showing initiative to learn about new processes (make daily improvements)

• Be Inspiring and encouraging to others 

• Be Family (Treat everyone with respect and get to know a new person each day) 

• Be a peacemaker (Try to resolve conflicts or arguments by speaking directly with the individual at an appropriate time, listen more than speak.

• Arrive to work and be present in your work area at the beginning of your shift. 

• Be honest with your break and lunch time and be punctual. 

• Communicate with your manager if you think you will be running late or need to be absent. (Read and Understand the Attendance Policy) 

• Stay on task during work time, avoid using your personal cell phone (If you must use your cell phone for an urgent matter, inform your manager.)

• Dress and groom appropriately for a professional work environment. (proper hygiene, keep nails trimmed to less than ¼” from your fingertips, no baggy clothes, no “sagging”, proper shoes, no excessive jewelry. 

• Cooperate with others, follow the instructions of your manager or trainer. (If you have questions or need more training it is ok to ask for help). 

• If you make a mistake such as damaging furniture, tools, or lose a tool… take responsibility and point it out to your trainer or manager. 

• Respect and clean up after yourself in the common areas (restrooms, break rooms, first aid room, pic nic tables). 

• Pick up litter when you see it (do a little when you are able to). 

• Participate in group huddles- ask questions or offer ideas for improvements.