Furniture and fixture assemblers, finishers, refinishers and inspectors
Career Overview
Furniture and fixture assemblers, finishers, refinishers and inspectors:
- Furniture and fixture assemblers assemble parts to form subassemblies or complete articles of furniture and fixtures
- Furniture finishers finish new wood or metal furniture to specified colour and finish
- Furniture refinishers refinish repaired, used or old furniture
- Inspectors inspect furniture and fixture subassemblies and finished products to ensure product quality
They work for furniture manufacturing companies, retail furniture stores, refinishing and repair shops, or may be self-employed.
Job Titles
Duties
Furniture and fixture assemblers:
- Prepare, sand and trim wooden furniture and fixture parts using hand and power tools
- Assemble wooden or metal furniture and parts using hand and power tools
- Assemble a combination of parts made of wood, metal, plastic, cane or other materials to form furniture
- Strengthen assembled furniture and fixtures with dowels or other supports
- Install hardware such as hinges or clasps on furniture and fixtures
Furniture finishers:
- Set up and operate finishing machines or finish furniture by hand
- Stain or finish wood to a certain colour with stains, paints or other materials using a brush or spray gun
- Apply toners, highlights, glazes or shaders to achieve the desired finish
- Apply lacquer or other sealers
- Decorate wood surfaces or mark surfaces to create antique effects using hand and power tools
- Clean and polish furniture
- Sand metal furniture to prepare for finish and spray with paint or other materials
Furniture refinishers:
- Remove old finish from wood surfaces using steel wool, sandpaper and solvents
- Smooth gouges with wood filler and sand wood
- Match colours to obtain original finish and apply finish to stripped wood
- Polish and wax refinished surfaces
- Sand or grind metal surfaces to prepare for coating, and paint metal surfaces using electrostatic method, spray gun or other painting equipment
- Make minor repairs to furniture
- May perform duties of furniture finisher
Furniture and fixture inspectors:
- Inspect furniture and fixture parts and finished products for quality standards
- Mark defective parts or products for repair
- Make minor adjustments and repairs
- Record information on products inspected
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
1,650% Employed Full Time
52%Key aspects of work in this occupation:
- Work in furniture manufacturing companies, retail stores, refinishing and repair shops or may be self-employed
- Work is done with equipment, machinery or power/hand tools that could cause an injury
- Work produces enough noise to cause loss of hearing
- Work may involve chemicals that are harmful to skin or eyes, dangerous if inhaled or may cause a fire or explosion
- Work is done in the presence of strong odours
- Workers are exposed to non-poisonous airborne materials such as textile dust, flour, sand, sawdust and feathers in the work environment
Examples:
- Operating metal machining tools to shape metal
- Using hand and power tools to make wood products
Career Pathways
- Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience
- Mobility is possible between jobs
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- Some secondary school education may be required
- On-the-job training is provided
- Experience as a labourer in the same company may be required for furniture and fixtures assemblers and inspectors
- College, high school or industry courses in furniture finishing or refinishing may be required
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Academic/Basic Upgrading
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Watching gauges, dials or other indicators to make sure that a machine is working properly.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
1,650Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 55 | 3.3% |
| Kootenay | 55 | 3.3% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 1,135 | 68.8% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 0 | 0.0% |
| Northeast | 0 | 0.0% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 175 | 10.6% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 230 | 13.9% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
480Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 0 | -1.4% |
| Kootenay | 0 | -2.1% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 410 | 1.1% |
| North Coast and Nechako | Not available | Not available |
| Northeast | Not available | Not available |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 50 | 0.5% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 20 | -0.9% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 270 |
| Construction | 70 |
| Retail Trade | 70 |
| Repair, Personal and Non-Profit Services | 40 |
| Wholesale Trade | 20 |
Resources
Resource information is currently not available.
Career Videos
Watch the video below to see what it's like to be a furniture maker.
Watch the video below to see what it's like to be a furniture maker.
