Manufacturing & ProductionISCO 7522
Furniture restorer
Furniture restorers analyse materials and techniques in order to assess the state of an old piece of furniture and to identify and classify it according to art and cultural history. They use old or modern tools and techniques to restore the piece and give advice to customers as to the restoration, conservation and maintenance of such objects.
Check yourself in a minute: furniture restorer
Rate 5 of the 18 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.
assess conservation needs
apply restoration techniques
join wood elements
do historical research
evaluate restoration procedures
European Skills Framework
Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.
Essential (18)
conservation techniquesconservation techniquesThe procedures, instruments, techniques, materials and chemicals used in conservation and archiving.technical drawingstechnical drawingsDrawing software and the various symbols, perspectives, units of measurement, notation systems, visual styles and page layouts used in technical drawings.art historyart historyThe history of art and artists, the artistic trends throughout centuries and their contemporary evolutions.types of woodtypes of woodTypes of wood, such as birch, pine, poplar, mahogany, maple and tulipwood.assess conservation needsassess conservation needsAssess and list the needs for conservation/restoration, in relation to current use and planned future use.apply restoration techniquesapply restoration techniquesSelect and apply appropriate restoration techniques in order to achieve the required restoration goals. This encompasses preventive measures, remedial measures, restoration processes and management pr...join wood elementsjoin wood elementsBind wooden materials together using a variety of techniques and materials. Determine the optimal technique to join the elements, like stapling, nail, gluing or screwing. Determine the correct work or...do historical researchdo historical researchUse scientific methods to research history and culture.evaluate restoration proceduresevaluate restoration proceduresEvaluate the outcome of conservation and restoration procedures. Evaluate the degree of risk, success of treatment or activity and communicate the results.provide conservation adviceprovide conservation adviceFormulating guidelines for object care, preservation and maintenance, and providing professional advice on possible restoration work to be done.create smooth wood surfacecreate smooth wood surfaceShave, plane and sand wood manually or automatically to produce a smooth surface.estimate restoration costsestimate restoration costsEstimate the cost implications of restoring and replacing products or parts.apply a protective layerapply a protective layerApply a layer of protective solutions such as permethrine to protect the product from damage such as corrosion, fire or parasites, using a spray gun or paintbrush.sand woodsand woodUse sanding machines or hand tools to remove paint or other substances from the surface of the wood, or to smoothen and finish the wood.document restorationdocument restorationRecord the type and state of the object to be restored as well as the restoration processes applied by means of pictures, drawings and written accounts.create wood jointscreate wood jointsUse the proper tools and processes to create the joints where multiple pieces of wood fit together.select restoration activitiesselect restoration activitiesDetermine restoration needs and requirements and plan the activities. Consider the desired results, the level of intervention required, evaluation of alternatives, constraints on actions, stakeholder ...operate wood sawing equipmentoperate wood sawing equipmentOperate various machinery and equipment to cut wood in different sizes and shapes.
Optional (20) — show
engraving technologiesengraving technologiesThe characteristics of various materials and methods used to engrave something on a surface.furniture industryfurniture industryCompanies and activities involved in the design, manufacture, distribution and sale of functional and decorative objects of household equipment.engrave patternsengrave patternsEngrave and print designs and patterns onto a variety of surfaces.handle delivery of furniture goodshandle delivery of furniture goodsHandle the delivery and assemble the furniture and other goods, according to customer's needs and preferences.clean furnitureclean furnitureRemove dirt, marks and other unwanted material from furniture.use authentic crafting techniquesuse authentic crafting techniquesRestore old objects by means of the tools and techniques that were originally used in their production process.age furniture artificiallyage furniture artificiallyUse various techniques such as sanding, denting, painting and others to make new furniture look distressed and aged.fix minor scratchesfix minor scratchesFix minor dents and scratches on the surface with touch-up paint or scratch remover.specialise in an area of historyspecialise in an area of historySpecialise in a specific field of history, do research on topics relevant to collections, determine which items should be retained or acquired, and how they should be preserved and displayed.carve materialscarve materialsCarve an object out of a materials such as wood, or give a specific shape to a material by carving it.contextualise artistic workcontextualise artistic workIdentify influences and situate your work within a specific trend which may be of an artistic, aesthetic, or philosophical natures. Analyse the evolution of artistic trends, consult experts in the fie...use environmental friendly materialsuse environmental friendly materialsWork with ecofriendly materials such as water based finishing materials systems or formaldehyde free adhesives.produce copies of valuable objectsproduce copies of valuable objectsProduce exact copies of valuable objects such as paintings and pieces of furniture mainly for commercial or exhibition purposes.sell household goodssell household goodsSell household devices and goods such as microwaves, blenders and kitchen supplies in accordance to the client's personal preferences and needs.produce customised toolsproduce customised toolsElaborate the technical drawings and build special tools needed for a particular purpose such as creating traditional tools for artisanal crafting or restoration purposes.document museum collectiondocument museum collectionRecord information about an object's condition, provenance, materials, and all of its movements within the museum or out on loan.sell furnituresell furnitureSell pieces of furniture in accordance to the client's personal preferences and needs.repair furniture partsrepair furniture partsRepair locks, pegs, braces, frames or other parts of furniture.decorate furnituredecorate furnitureUse techniques such as gilding, silver-plating, framing or engraving to add specific decorations in the material of the furniture.prepare furniture for application of paintprepare furniture for application of paintSet up furniture for standard or custom paint job, protect any parts that should not be painted and prepare painting equipment.
Related Occupations
Occupations that need many of the same essential skills, so the move between them is shortest.
antique furniture reproducer9 shared essential skillscabinet maker7 shared essential skillsframe maker6 shared essential skillsart restorer5 shared essential skillsbook restorer5 shared essential skillsguitar maker5 shared essential skillsorgan builder5 shared essential skillsviolin maker5 shared essential skills
Frequently asked questions
What does a furniture restorer do?
Furniture restorers analyse materials and techniques in order to assess the state of an old piece of furniture and to identify and classify it according to art and cultural history. They use old or modern tools and techniques to restore the piece and give advice to customers as to the restoration, conservation and maintenance of such objects.
What skills does a furniture restorer need?
A furniture restorer needs 18 essential skills, including conservation techniques, technical drawings, art history, types of wood, assess conservation needs.
Will AI replace furniture restorer jobs?
The AI disruption score for furniture restorer is 15/100 (low risk). Skills most exposed to automation: sell household goods, estimate restoration costs, technical drawings. Most resilient: use authentic crafting techniques, types of wood, create wood joints.
AI Replacement Risk
15/ 100
Low Risk
Low riskHigh risk
Quick Facts
ISCO GroupFood processing, wood working, garment and other craft workers
Essential Skills18
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