You Won’t Believe What THIS Hobby Pays

Easily-accessible jobs that pay a ton of money are the holy grail to many people. Tired of endlessly searching through the standard list of careers only to find “needs at least a bachelor’s degree?” Try your hand at refinishing furniture and flipping it on the market!

Quick Read:
Many careers have a high barrier of entry, so they’re not feasible for the average person. Furniture restoration isn’t among that list. It’s a skill anyone can pick up with minimal investment and knowledge. There’s a lot of versatility and profit involved with this career; so stick around and learn how it works.

Who Would Have Thought Flipping Furniture Could Pay the Bills?

Salary

Having a career as a furniture restoration expert provides a very respectable income, especially given the low barrier of entry. The median salary is $30,850 with an upper end of around $48,000. How much you make depends on your experience, your understanding of the market, and what type of woodworking you’re doing.

Furniture restoration is something you can do on your own or for a company. Your potential profits will rise when the economy is in good shape, and everyone has more disposable income. If you decide being an entrepreneur isn’t for you, Employment opportunities are looking good for the next decade. Woodworkers are always in demand somewhere.

Requirements

One of the great things about furniture restoration is how accessible it is. All you’ll need to get started a vehicle to haul furniture, some basic supplies, and a little creativity. You can start off on your own with a small investment in materials and cheap, run-down furniture. Additionally, you’ll want an internet connection to access the wealth of freely-available information and communities to learn from.

You could continue to run and expand your own business or take on an apprenticeship for formal training. Most traditional woodworking jobs require a high school diploma and a few years of experience. Many employers will offer on-the-job training as a substitution. You’ll have the pick of the litter of what type of woodworking you want to learn if you choose to take on an apprenticeship.

A Day in the Life of a Furniture Restorer

The basics of this career are pretty simple. You find a cheap and worn-out piece of furniture, then refinish and repair as necessary before flipping it on the market. We’ll go over some of the essential skills and steps to make this happen.

Supplies

You can get started with less than $100 in supplies. Sandpaper, paint thinners, high-quality stains and sealers are the bare minimum of what you need to kick things off. You’ll need some wood glue and clamps to repair any cracked or broken furniture you find. Heavy objects, like stones, bricks and workout weights are also useful depending on the project.

You’ll eventually want to pick up some additional quality of life materials. Tack cloth, high-quality brushes and an orbital sanders are a few of them. Investing in or building a sturdy woodworking bench is extremely helpful if you find yourself taking this career seriously.

Material

First, you’ll need to learn what types of furniture are worth the effort. You want something that’s made of real wood without intricate designs. Curved furniture is workable, but carved designs could take more time to refinish that it’s worth. You can redo veneer finishes, though they’re inconvenient and not a good choice to begin with. Avoid furniture made from fake wood, or particle board, as it has no texture and breaks apart easily.

Know the Market

Understand what’s in demand and how to refinish your projects to meet that standard. Take a gander at online marketplaces like Facebook and Craigslist to see what’s in style near you. Thrift stores are another excellent source of inspiration. Do your research on how to make those products once you have your project in mind.

Refinishing furniture is a versatile and much-appreciated trade. There’s no reason to throw away perfectly good furniture when all it needs is a pick-me-up. Refinishing wood is easy to learn and has enough nuances to allow your creativity to shine. Nothing is stopping you from giving this potential career a shot, so why not give it a chance?