Furniture Finishers and Refinishers

(NOC 9534)

in All Manufacturing and Utilities

Furniture finishers finish new wood or metal furniture to specified colour and finish. They work for furniture manufacturing plants, retail furniture stores or refinishing and repair shops. Furniture refinishers refinish repaired, used or old furniture. They work for furniture refinishing and repair shops or they may be self-employed.

Job Outlook

Undetermined

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  • Estimate change in employment not available for this occupation.
  • Estimate 0 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for this occupation.

Compared to: All Manufacturing and Utilities

  • Estimate 435 employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 1945 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for these occupation.

Hourly Pay

$16.25

Minimum

$16.75

Median

$23.89

Maximum

Annual Pay

N/A

Minimum

$31,520

Median

N/A

Maximum

Compared to: All Manufacturing and Utilities

Hourly Pay

$14.00

Minimum

$20.80

Median

$33.00

Maximum

Annual Pay

$6,056

Minimum

$30,111

Median

$70,518

Maximum

About the job

Nature of work

Furniture finishers finish new wood or metal furniture to specified colour and finish. They work for furniture manufacturing plants, retail furniture stores or refinishing and repair shops. Furniture refinishers refinish repaired, used or old furniture. They work for furniture refinishing and repair shops or they may be self-employed.

Job duties

Furniture finishers:

  • Set up and use finishing machines or finish furniture by hand.
  • Stain or finish wood with stains, paints or other materials using brush or spray gun.
  • Use toners, highlights, glazes or shaders to get desired finish.
  • Use lacquer or other sealers.
  • Decorate wood surfaces or mark surfaces to create antique or other 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:

  • Strip old finish from wood surfaces using steel wool, sandpaper and solvents.
  • Smooth gouges with wood filler and sand wood.
  • Match colours to get original finish and use appropriate finish on 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 do duties of furniture finisher.

Sample job titles

  • finishing machine operator
  • furniture finisher
  • furniture polisher
  • furniture refinisher
  • furniture stainer
  • furniture stripper
  • touch-up-person
  • trimmer
  • wash-off operator
  • wood finisher

Skills

  • These jobs need mechanical skill and physical fitness. Good spatial perception, form perception, and hand-eye coordination are important. You must be accurate and pay close attention to detail.

Job requirements

  • Some high school education may be required.
  • College, high school or industry courses in furniture finishing or refinishing may be required.
  • On-the-job training is provided.

Other considerations

  • Movement is possible between jobs in this group and progress to supervisor positions is possible with experience.

By the numbers

Quick look

80

employed in 2016

76.5%

employed full-time

41.2%

self employed

23.5%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
76.5%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
50

median age

Compared to: All Manufacturing and Utilities

15,275

employed in 2016

83.2%

employed full-time

3.2%

self employed

27.6%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
72.4%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
44.7

median age

Where will I likely work?

47.1%

Halifax

$39,506 median annual income
23.5%

Cape Breton

N/A
17.6%

Annapolis Valley

N/A
11.8%

Southern

N/A

Compared to: All NS Occupations

47.0%

Halifax

15.6%

North Shore

12.9%

Annapolis Valley

12.7%

Cape Breton

11.8%

Southern

Top Industries of Employment

43.8%

Manufacturing

18.8%

Other services (except public administration)

12.5%

Construction

12.5%

Retail trade

12.5%

Health care and social assistance

What is the age of Employment?

29.0%

35-44

29.0%

45-54

29.0%

55-64

14.0%

65+

Compared to: All Manufacturing and Utilities

24.5%

45-54

20.8%

55-64

19.3%

35-44

16.5%

25-34

15.0%

15-24

Top levels of education

35.3%

High school

N/A
35.3%

College Diploma

N/A
11.8%

Less than high school

N/A
11.8%

Trade Certification

N/A

Compared to: All Manufacturing and Utilities

38.1%

High school

$28,505 median annual income
23.3%

Less than high school

$19,224 median annual income
19.9%

College Diploma

$38,781 median annual income
12.2%

Trade Certification

$43,975 median annual income
4.5%

Bachelor

$39,715 median annual income

Education & training

High School Diploma or Equivalent

High School Program

Adults without a high school diploma can contact the Nova Scotia School for Adult Learning (NSSAL) for tuition-free programming across the province. NSSAL oversees adult education programs in Nova Scotia. NSSAL partners with the Nova Scotia Community College, Adult High Schools, Université Sainte-Anne, and community-based learning organizations to deliver programs. NSSAL offers clear, accessible pathways from adult basic education to a high school credential or GED.

Institutions providing this program

Universite Sainte-Anne

Pointe-de-l'Église, NS

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

Adult High Schools

Various, NS

Community Learning Organizations

Various, NS

Employment requirements & contacts

No regulating bodies were found under this occupation profile

Contacts

Additional resources

There are no additional resources for this occupation.