Becoming a Furniture Maker

Becoming a Furniture Maker - The following article outlines the job duties, training involved, salary expectations and future prospects of taking on a career as a Furniture Maker.

Preview:

Furniture or cabinet makers are responsible for producing an enormous range of different products.

These include armchairs, beds, kitchen tables, wardrobes, and cupboards for the home, as well as desks, cabinets, shelf and storage units, benches, and paneling for offices or other work environments. Furniture makers also have the craft skills to be able to work not only in wood, but also metal, marble, glass, rattan, and materials such as plastic, and to understand the properties of different varnishes.

The Job:

Some furniture makers are on the staff of large companies, producing a range of standard furniture designs or components that can be flat-packed for self-assembly by customers. Other furniture makers may be employed by architectural practices or interior design companies making individual, non-standard designs to suit exactly the requirements of clients.

Furniture making comprises a skilled and complex series of tasks that can be broken down into three categories: wood working (including carving and inlay), assembling, and finishing off. In a large manufacturing company these tasks may be performed by different people; in a small workshop, however, a single person may be responsible for all stages of production. Small workshops that specialize in working to customers' requirements need skilled craftspeople capable of detailed handwork while companies making mass-produced furniture use skilled workers to run the woodworking machines, but only skilled personnel for woodworking and assembly.

Typically furniture makers will use a combination of hand and power tools, such as lathes, power saws, planes, sanders, chisels, clamps, drills, glue, varnish, and, if working with metal-framed furniture, even welding torches. Furniture makers may also have to be able to interpret designs produced by furniture designers, calculating fine measurements and angles and, if producing long runs setting these on computer-controlled machines.

The work of furniture designers involves domestic and office furniture, such as desks and chairs as well as staircases and doors. Designers must consider the function and the appearance of the product. They must also understand the nature of the materials to be used, the stresses to which they are subjected, and the technical and manufacturing processes. Health, safety and comfort are important considerations. If a chair is to be used for extended periods, for example, it must provide good support for the back, as well as look good; tables should be at a sensible height for the purpose for which they are intended; and the treads of stairs need to be at the correct height and depth for safety.

Training Involved:

Training is chiefly conducted on the job by helping experienced craftspeople. As trainees gain experience, they are allowed to undertake simple tasks, under supervision. Most trainees will spend two to three years learning all the necessary skills and becoming proficient in the range of tasks required to make a range of different furniture.

No minimum educational level is usually required for furniture making, although courses in woodwork, metalwork, blueprint reading, and mathematics will be useful preparation.

In some countries, vocational colleges and technical schools offer formal training programs in aspects of furniture making. Some companies may offer apprenticeships, combining on-the-job training with classroom work

In large companies, furniture designers work in teams, starting as design assistants.

Almost all successful designers, whatever their specialist, are college or university trained. For furniture design, there are specialist degree courses either in furniture design/production or in three - dimensional design with a specialist option. All courses include some craftwork - candidates will be expected to be able to make the items they design. Some courses are more craft based than others.

Useful Qualifications to Have:

Useful subjects include: English, art, croft, metalwork, design and technology, and mathematics.

Salary Expectations:

The base salary range of a Furniture Maker ranges from $32,317 to $71,132 annually, while the median salary for most Furniture Makers is $50,724 annually. (US Base Pay)

Future Prospects:

Job opportunities for furniture makers are dependent on the level of manufacturing activity in the economy. In factories and large workshops, experienced people may be promoted to supervisory positions overseeing the work of others and looking after quality control. Small workshops and family-run businesses do not offer much scope for advancement, although there is the chance of self-employment.

For designers - in-house staff designers or self-employed - there is a growing awareness of the need for creative people to combine their skills with an understanding of the technology of the industry. Like furniture makers, however, job prospects are dependent on the health of the economy as a whole.

For further information, contact a relevant professional body, such as a notional design council, institute or association, an association or institute of furniture makers. Also contact large manufacturers directly.