Furniture Finishers in Wisconsin
Considering working as a Furniture Finishers in Wisconsin? Here’s what the data says. Shape, finish, and refinish damaged, worn, or used furniture or new high-grade furniture to specified color or finish.
What do Furniture Finishers Make in Wisconsin?
For furniture finishers working in Wisconsin, the typical annual salary is $40,010 per year (or about $19.23/hour).Annual wages span from $35,870 at the 10th percentile to $48,870 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,870 | $17.25 |
| 25th percentile | $37,750 | $18.15 |
| Median (50th) | $40,010 | $19.23 |
| 75th percentile | $43,210 | $20.77 |
| 90th percentile | $48,870 | $23.50 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in Wisconsin nationwide is 1.15, indicating that furniture finishers are more concentrated here than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, furniture finishers earn a median of $37,305 per year ($17.94/hour), exceeding the Wisconsin median.
Employment Outlook
Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 389,685 furniture finishers nationwide. In Wisconsin alone, around 310 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 210 furniture finishers.
Top Wisconsin Metros for Furniture Finishers
The metro areas below employ the most furniture finishers in Wisconsin.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Green Bay, WI | 80 | $37,750 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | 50 | $42,200 |
Top States for Furniture Finishers Employment
These states have the highest employment of furniture finishers work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| Florida | 1,300 |
| Indiana | 1,260 |
| Texas | 1,220 |
| California | 920 |
| North Carolina | 880 |
| Pennsylvania | 850 |
| New York | 690 |
| Tennessee | 570 |
| Arizona | 530 |
| Michigan | 440 |
| Washington | 430 |
| Ohio | 340 |
| Georgia | 340 |
| Missouri | 340 |
| Minnesota | 330 |
| Wisconsin | 310 |
| New Jersey | 280 |
| Illinois | 260 |
| Kansas | 250 |
| Virginia | 220 |
Highest-Paying States for Furniture Finishers
These states pay the most for furniture finishers.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $62,590 |
| Connecticut | $57,530 |
| Nebraska | $49,860 |
| Rhode Island | $48,790 |
| Colorado | $48,380 |
| Minnesota | $48,370 |
| Maine | $47,310 |
| Utah | $46,380 |
| Indiana | $46,300 |
| California | $46,060 |
Skills
Top furniture finishers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
The abilities that matter most for furniture finishers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Day-to-day, furniture finishers typically:
- 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.
- Smooth, shape, and touch up surfaces to prepare them for finishing, using sandpaper, pumice stones, steel wool, chisels, sanders, or grinders.
- 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.
- Select appropriate finishing ingredients such as paint, stain, lacquer, shellac, or varnish, depending on factors such as wood hardness and surface type.
- Mix finish ingredients to obtain desired colors or shades.
- Remove excess solvent, using cloths soaked in paint thinner.
- 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.
- Stencil, gild, emboss, mark, or paint designs or borders to reproduce the original appearance of restored pieces, or to decorate new pieces.
Work Activities
- Getting Information
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
- Thinking Creatively
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
Tools & Technology
Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Intuit QuickBooks
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Several college majors map to this occupation:
- Woodworking
Featured schools near , edit
Related Careers
Careers similar to furniture finishers include:
- Carpet Installers
- Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles
- Floor Sanders and Finishers
- Tile and Stone Setters
- Terrazzo Workers and Finishers
- Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers
Also Known As
Antique Finisher, Antique Refinisher, Antiquer, Cabinet Finisher, Caner, Chair Finisher, Finish Patcher, Finish Repair Worker, Finish Sprayer, Finisher, Frame Repairer, Furniture Assembly Technician (Furniture Assembly Tech), Furniture Builder, Furniture Finisher, Furniture Installer.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 51-7021.00