Basic Upholstery Short Course

Learn the basic skills of Upholstery and more, with our Woodwork courses in Sydney.

This 3-hour course will give participants familiarity with the basics of upholstery. 

During the course, they will learn the basic tools, materials and techniques of upholstery while working on a small basic project – a milk crate topper. 

At the end of the course, participants should have enough understanding and confidence to tackle projects on their own.

This basic upholstery short course goes hand-in-hand with our Furniture Repair & Restoration workshop.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this introduction to upholstery course, you should be able to:

• Recall knowledge of general workshop safety
• Understand how to select appropriate fabrics for your project
• Measure and cut foam
• Understand of what kind of timber to use for creating a base for your project
• Recall knowledge of basic upholstery principles and tools
• Take home a milk crate topper

After finishing this course, you might like to enrol in our Furniture Repair & Restoration workshop or Woodwork Course for Beginners.

Course content

What will be covered in this introduction to upholstery course?

The course structure involves a combination of theory and practice. The idea behind this course is that participants get to practice and fail at basic upholstery, while being encouraged to improve and get hands-on guidance from the workshop facilitator.

• Introduction
• Safety and housekeeping
• Project outline
• Discuss importance of repair and using reclaimed materials
• Introduction to basic upholstery tools
• Making a milk crate topper
  • Step 1: Attach foam to plywood base
  • Step 2: Dacron
  • Step 3: Fabric
  • Step 4: Attach plug (base fabric)

Intended audience

Who is this introduction to upholstery course for?

This course is designed for those with little to no knowledge or experience in woodworking. 

Course venue

The Bower Reuse & Repair Centre Workshop
107 Redfern St, Redfern NSW 2016

• The entrance to the Bower workshop is at the rear of 107 Redfern Street and is opposite no. 23 Turner Street. You will see a hand-painted sign "The Bower Woodworks". If the door is locked, please press the doorbell on the left-hand side of the garage door. Please note, the doors for the venue at the rear will be open and not the front. If you have trouble locating the entrance or encounter any emergencies, please contact the workshop manager at 0422 840 471.
• Public transport is the best way to get to the workshop space. The space is located close to Redfern Train Station, a local transport hub.
• Most nearby parking is 2-hour-timed (including some paid parking on Redfern St) though it is untimed after 8 pm. Untimed parking is available on Pitt St between Phillip and Wellington St.

Course materials

What to bring to class

• Close-toed shoes
• Dust masks or safety equipment if you have any

Additional information

Please note the following:

• Please don't wear your best clothing
• If you have long hair, please tie it back
• Wear closed-in shoes, no heels, please
• Please do not wear jewellery