Things to do · Arts and crafts
Learn to upholster a chair
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
Stripping an old seat back to the frame and rebuilding it with webbing, a stuffed pad and new fabric is satisfying, practical work, and you finish with a piece of furniture you can use. Evening and day courses at adult education colleges teach the traditional methods, usually on a small piece you bring yourself.
Moderate£100 to £500 / $130 to $650A few weeksIndoorsAlone or with othersUK and US
What a beginners' course covers
The tools are part of the learning. Hammersmith & Fulham Adult Learning's 12-week Level 1 course teaches the magnetic hammer, mallet, ripping chisels and webbing stretchers, along with webbing and tacking, the stitches used in a pad, cutting fabric, machine sewing and piping, and health and safety.
Most courses ask you to bring your own piece. City of Glasgow College's 17-week evening course restores a small piece of furniture with traditional techniques; students provide it and some materials, on the tutor's advice. Buckinghamshire Adult Learning asks beginners for a small stool or drop-in seat, and notes that there is no storage for furniture.
For a recognised qualification, London Metropolitan University's modern and traditional upholstery course is part of the Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers (AMUSF) qualification programme, taught in stages of 210 hours each.
What beginners pay
| Where | Course | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| City of Glasgow College | Furniture Restoring: Upholstery; 17 Tuesday evenings, beginners; bring your own small piece | £332 |
| Buckinghamshire Adult Learning | Traditional Upholstery for Beginners and Improvers; ten weekly afternoon sessions; materials paid for separately | £281.60 |
| Durham Tech, North Carolina | Beginning Upholstery I: 36 contact hours over eight weekly morning sessions; materials and tools extra | $136.25 |
Hammersmith & Fulham's 12-week Level 1 course supplies basic upholstery materials; its standard fee is £439.59, and concessions can study free.
How to start
- Find a beginners' upholstery course at an adult education service or college; many run for ten weeks or more.
- Start with something small and portable: Buckinghamshire Adult Learning asks beginners to bring a small stool or drop-in seat.
- Wait until after the first session to buy materials or tools, and ask the tutor what your project will need.
Where to go
- Hammersmith & Fulham Adult Learning: Upholstery, Level 1 Award in Creative Craft (London) UK
- City of Glasgow College: Furniture Restoring, Upholstery UK
- Buckinghamshire Adult Learning: Traditional Upholstery for Beginners and Improvers UK
- Durham Tech: sewing and upholstery continuing education courses (North Carolina) US
We opened these links on 8 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
Do I need any experience to take an upholstery course?
Not usually. City of Glasgow College's course is at beginner level. Durham Tech's Beginning Upholstery I is for people with basic sewing skills.
What should I bring to my first upholstery class?
Often a small piece of furniture. Buckinghamshire Adult Learning asks beginners for a small stool or drop-in seat, plus a notepad and pencil; Hammersmith & Fulham asks for sturdy shoes for the workshop.
What tools does an upholsterer use?
Hammersmith & Fulham's Level 1 course teaches the magnetic hammer, mallet, ripping chisels and webbing stretchers.
Is there an upholstery qualification?
Yes. The Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers runs a qualification programme, taught at London Metropolitan University, and adult education services offer a Level 1 Award in Creative Craft in upholstery.
Where this comes from: Hammersmith & Fulham Adult Learning and Skills, Upholstery Level 1 Award in Creative Craft; City of Glasgow College, Furniture Restoring: Upholstery; Buckinghamshire Adult Learning, Traditional Upholstery for Beginners and Improvers; London Metropolitan University, AMUSF Modern and Traditional Upholstery; Durham Tech, Sewing and upholstery continuing education courses. Opened 8 November 2026.
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