Furniture Finishers
Shape, finish, and refinish damaged, worn, or used furniture or new high-grade furniture to specified color or finish.
Also called: Finish Repair Worker · Finisher · Furniture Finisher · Hand Sander · Lacquer Sprayer · Sander
Median pay (national)
$42,530
$31,200–$59,820 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
14,230
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
-3.3%
~2,000 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for furniture finishers shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $59,820 versus $31,200 at the bottom 10% — 1.9x. The median of $42,530 leaves roughly 41% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change -3.3% from 2024 to 2034 — a projected decline, against +3% across all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 2,000 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 42 states with released data, Massachusetts pays the most for this role (median $62,590, +47% vs the national median), while Tennessee sits lowest at $31,170 — a 101% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Monitoring as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.
Tailor your resume to Furniture Finishers
Honest tailoring
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Refit re-angles your real experience toward this role using the skills above — and never invents skills you don't have. A no-fabrication gate checks every change before you see it.
Free. No account needed to see your first re-fit.
Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Writing
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Brush, spray, or hand-rub finishing ingredients, such as paint, oil, stain, or wax, onto and into wood grain and apply lacquer or other sealers.
- Fill and smooth cracks or depressions, remove marks and imperfections, and repair broken parts, using plastic or wood putty, glue, nails, or screws.
- Remove accessories prior to finishing, and mask areas that should not be exposed to finishing processes or substances.
- Remove old finishes and damaged or deteriorated parts, using hand tools, stripping tools, sandpaper, steel wool, abrasives, solvents, or dip baths.
- Treat warped or stained surfaces to restore original contours and colors.
- Mix finish ingredients to obtain desired colors or shades.
- Examine furniture to determine the extent of damage or deterioration, and to decide on the best method for repair or restoration.
- Distress surfaces with woodworking tools or abrasives before staining to create an antique appearance, or rub surfaces to bring out highlights and shadings.
- Smooth, shape, and touch up surfaces to prepare them for finishing, using sandpaper, pumice stones, steel wool, chisels, sanders, or grinders.
- Select appropriate finishing ingredients such as paint, stain, lacquer, shellac, or varnish, depending on factors such as wood hardness and surface type.
Tools & technology
- Intuit QuickBooks
- DuPont ColorNet
- DuPont Spies Hecker Wizard
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Office software
Knowledge areas
- Production and Processing
- Mechanical
- Design
- Education and Training
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Mathematics
- Building and Construction