Validation programme for professional qualification as an upholsterer

An upholsterer prepares their own work and raw materials and applies webbing, springs, filling and covering material (pre-upholstery) to the carcass of furniture. They sew seams and disassemble and dismantle furniture when reupholstering. The goal is to upholster (or re-upholster) furniture (or seating), such as chairs (or car seats) and beds, with fabric or leather.

An upholsterer:

• plans and prepares their own work involving the upholstering and restoration of furniture;
• dismantles furniture (and seating) for reupholstering;
• assembles (or disassembles) the carcasses of furniture (or seating);
• operates and sets up machines to process filling material;
• makes the filling materials (polyether, foam rubber, etc.) and covering materials to size;
• selects and processes leather and textiles for upholstering furniture (and seating);
• pre-upholsters, upholsters, pads, buttons, restores and re-upholsters furniture (and seating);
• applies and adjusts the covering of furniture (and seating);
• fills cushions and finishes furniture (and seating).

The professional qualification of upholsterer includes the partial qualification of pre-upholsterer.

The validation standard for upholsterers (in Dutch)(PDF file opens in new window) contains detailed information about the validation programme.

If you want to demonstrate your experience as an upholsterer at a validation body, you can do so by completing a practical test.

The language of the instructions during the tests will be Dutch. You need at least a basic knowledge of Dutch in order to take the tests.

You will be tested on your ability to:

• plan and prepare your own work involving the upholstering of furniture
• pre-upholster a seat carcass
• upholster a seat or the headboard of a bed
• upholster a loose cushion
• fit and adjust the covering
• reupholster a chair in leather
• pad/button the back of a chair.