Furniture restorer

Career path and progression

With experience, you could set up your own furniture restoration business, carrying out work for organisations and the public. You could also work as a consultant for:

• museums
• historical or heritage sites
• auction houses or antique dealers

You might wish to specialise in areas such as French polishing, upholstery or a particular period or style of furniture.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• the ability to work well with your hands
• persistence and determination
• the ability to work on your own
• the ability to come up with new ways of doing things
• customer service skills
• the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
• the ability to organise your time and workload
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Related subjects

Most relevant

• Art and Design - Furniture restorers need a strong eye for colour, texture, and visual detail when matching original finishes, fabrics, and decorative elements. They work with techniques like gilding, marquetry, and staining that require artistic skill and an understanding of different styles and periods of design.
• Design and Technology - Furniture restorers use practical workshop skills every day – woodturning, veneering, carving, and working with a wide range of hand and power tools. Understanding how furniture is constructed, how materials behave, and how to solve structural problems is central to the job.
• Chemistry - Furniture restorers mix and apply stains, dyes, varnishes, lacquers, oils, and French polish, all of which involve understanding how chemicals interact with wood and other materials. Knowing how solvents, adhesives, and finishes behave helps them choose the right products and use them safely.
• History - Furniture restorers often work with antique pieces and need to understand the historical period a piece comes from – including the styles, materials, and construction methods that were used at the time. This knowledge helps them make restoration decisions that are faithful to the original craftsmanship.

Also relevant

• Business - Furniture restorers frequently run their own businesses or work as independent consultants for museums, auction houses, and private clients. They need to estimate prices, give quotes, manage their workload, and handle customer relationships effectively.
• Mathematics - Furniture restorers take precise measurements when replacing or replicating parts of a piece, and calculate material quantities and costs when quoting for jobs. Accuracy with numbers is important when working to tight tolerances on detailed restoration work.
• English Language - Furniture restorers keep written records documenting the restoration process and communicate with clients about options, timelines, and costs. Being able to write clear reports and explain technical work in plain language is important, especially when working with museums or heritage organisations.