Furniture Restorer Food, Wood & Garment Trades Workers
SaveWhat 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.
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Where Do I Start?
Technical Drawings
Drawing software and the various symbols, perspectives, units of measurement, notation systems, visual styles and page layouts used in technical drawings.
Sign up to trackReady to go deeper? Pick up to 3 skills to focus on from the list below.
These are common skills for this role. Real-world experience matters more than ticking every box — use this as a guide, not a checklist.
Skills You Need to Become a Furniture Restorer
Essential Skills
Essential Skills
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EssentialTechnical Drawings knowledge
Drawing software and the various symbols, perspectives, units of measurement, notation systems, visual styles and page layouts used in technical drawings.
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EssentialArt History knowledge
The history of art and artists, the artistic trends throughout centuries and their contemporary evolutions.
No book recommendations available yet.
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EssentialConservation Techniques knowledge
The procedures, instruments, techniques, materials and chemicals used in conservation and archiving.
No book recommendations available yet.
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EssentialTypes Of Wood knowledge
No book recommendations available yet.
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EssentialApply A Protective Layer skill
Apply 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.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialApply Restoration Techniques skill
Select and apply appropriate restoration techniques in order to achieve the required restoration goals. This encompasses preventive measures, remedial measures, restoration processes and management processes.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialAssess Conservation Needs skill
Assess and list the needs for conservation/restoration, in relation to current use and planned future use.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialCreate Smooth Wood Surface skill
Shave, plane and sand wood manually or automatically to produce a smooth surface.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialDo Historical Research skill
Use scientific methods to research history and culture.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialEstimate Restoration Costs skill
Estimate the cost implications of restoring and replacing products or parts.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialEvaluate Restoration Procedures skill
Evaluate the outcome of conservation and restoration procedures. Evaluate the degree of risk, success of treatment or activity and communicate the results.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialJoin Wood Elements skill
Bind 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 order …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialOperate Wood Sawing Equipment skill
Operate various machinery and equipment to cut wood in different sizes and shapes.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialSand Wood skill
Use sanding machines or hand tools to remove paint or other substances from the surface of the wood, or to smoothen and finish the wood.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialSelect Restoration Activities skill
Determine restoration needs and requirements and plan the activities. Consider the desired results, the level of intervention required, evaluation of alternatives, constraints on actions, stakeholder demands, possible risks and future …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialCreate Wood Joints skill
Use the proper tools and processes to create the joints where multiple pieces of wood fit together.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialDocument Restoration skill
Record 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.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialProvide Conservation Advice skill
Formulating guidelines for object care, preservation and maintenance, and providing professional advice on possible restoration work to be done.
Course recommendations coming soon.
Optional Skills (5 of 21 displayed)
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OptionalFurniture Industry knowledge
Companies and activities involved in the design, manufacture, distribution and sale of functional and decorative objects of household equipment.
Recommended Books
1 bookThe Practical Illustrated Guide to Furniture Repair and Restoration -
OptionalEngraving Technologies knowledge
The characteristics of various materials and methods used to engrave something on a surface.
No book recommendations available yet.
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OptionalClean Furniture skill
Remove dirt, marks and other unwanted material from furniture.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalContextualise Artistic Work skill
Identify 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 …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalDecorate Furniture skill
Use techniques such as gilding, silver-plating, framing or engraving to add specific decorations in the material of the furniture.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalEngrave Patterns skill
Engrave and print designs and patterns onto a variety of surfaces.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalHandle Delivery Of Furniture Goods skill
Handle the delivery and assemble the furniture and other goods, according to customer's needs and preferences.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalPaint Decorative Designs skill
Apply designs in paint, using paint sprayers, paintbrushes or spray cans.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalPrepare Furniture For Application Of Paint skill
Set up furniture for standard or custom paint job, protect any parts that should not be painted and prepare painting equipment.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalRepair Furniture Parts skill
Repair locks, pegs, braces, frames or other parts of furniture.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalSell Furniture skill
Sell pieces of furniture in accordance to the client's personal preferences and needs.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalSell Household Goods skill
Sell household devices and goods such as microwaves, blenders and kitchen supplies in accordance to the client's personal preferences and needs.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalArtificially Age Furniture skill
Use various techniques such as sanding, denting, painting and others to make new furniture look distressed and aged.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalCarve Materials skill
Carve an object out of a material such as wood, or give a specific shape to a material by carving it.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalDocument Museum Collection skill
Registrars are concerned with documentation and record keeping of museum collections. Documentation includes information about an object's condition, provenance, materials, and all of its movements within the museum or out …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalFix Minor Scratches skill
Fix minor dents and scratches on the surface with touch-up paint or scratch remover.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalProduce Copies Of Valuable Objects skill
Produce exact copies of valuable objects such as paintings and pieces of furniture mainly for commercial or exhibition purposes.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalProduce Customised Tools skill
Elaborate the technical drawings and build special tools needed for a particular purpose such as creating traditional tools for artisanal crafting or restoration purposes.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalSpecialise In An Area Of History skill
Specialise 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.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalUse Authentic Crafting Techniques skill
Restore old objects by means of the tools and techniques that were originally used in their production process.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalUse Environmental Friendly Materials skill
Work with ecofriendly materials such as water based finishing materials systems or formaldehyde free adhesives.
Course recommendations coming soon.