Upholster standard items of traditional furniture

This standard covers the skills and knowledge required to upholster items of traditional furniture.

The items upholstered include:

• traditional furniture such as an armless chair with deep buttoned back
• traditional furniture such as an armchair, which may or may not include wings
• child's chair

This involves:

1. preparing, cutting and applying upholstery materials
2. trimming and finishing items of traditionally upholstered furniture
3. maintaining your own and others' safety while working

This standard is aimed at people working in the traditional upholstery industry.

1. comply with health, safety and environmental requirements, relevant statutory regulations and industry standards/codes of practice at all times
2. check required work specifications are available and everything you need to achieve it is available
3. work with colleagues to achieve specifications
4. protect items from damage while being worked on following standard operating procedures
5. position the upholstery materials, checking alignment, before cutting to meet specifications
6. cut materials to meet specifications
7. secure covers tensioning to required levels to meet specifications
8. check visual appearance, fixing and tensioning of covers to meet specifications
9. secure bottom cloths to meet visual and safety requirements
10. complete preparations within required time following standard operating procedures
11. position trimmings and finishings to meet specifications
12. fix trimmings and finishings to meet specifications
13. check required quality outcomes have been achieved before reporting work as complete
14. place completed items in designated location and position for safe storage following standard operating procedures
15. carry out work to required quality and output to meet production schedules and targets
16. identify problems and deal with them according to standard operating procedures
17. record information in the appropriate information systems

1. relevant health, safety and environmental requirements, statutory regulations and industry standards/codes of practice that have to be complied with
2. how to confirm specifications for work being undertaken
3. level of detail required in specifications
4. handling characteristics of different types of materials used as upholstery covers and bottom cloths
5. meaning of terms used in technical specifications for upholstery
6. steps and actions needed to position and fit covers to different types of item
7. how to measure and cut upholstery cover materials to ensure an accurate fit within an economic level of wastage
8. when to use different methods to secure upholstery covers
9. the importance and use of bottom cloths
10. functions of tools and equipment used
11. how to handle sharp and powered tools safely in ways that protect yourself and others from risk
12. why it is important to keep to time schedules
13. steps and actions needed to position and fit trimmings and finishings
14. why it is important to check the required quality outcomes have been achieved before reporting items as finished
15. type of problems that can occur and the standard operating procedures for dealing with them
16. information systems used and why it is important to record information
17. how to dispose of waste in accordance with current legislation