Apprenticeship training course

Furniture finisher (level 2)

There are 2 training providers who offer this course. Check if a training provider can deliver this training in the apprentice's work location.

Information about Furniture finisher (level 2)

Furniture finishers prepare and treat wood and manufactured boards, for example MDF and veneered boards to give it a smooth finish and bring out its natural beauty. Items to be finished could range from tables, chairs, lounge suites, cabinets, chests of drawers, bespoke furniture, kitchen units and shop fittings.

• Knowledge, skills and behaviours:
  View knowledge, skills and behaviours

  Knowledge

  • The furniture industry. Types of services and products. Types of employers. Types of customers. Supply chain. Stakeholders.
  • The furniture finishing process and the role of the furniture finisher. Responsibilities, limits of role and escalation procedures.
  • Work organisation and time management techniques.
  • Awareness of health and safety regulations, standards, and guidance and impact on role. Fire safety. Hazards and risks. Health and Safety at Work Act. Isolation and emergency stop procedures. Manual handling. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Safety equipment: guards, signage, fire extinguishers. Safety signage. Situational awareness. Slips, trips, and falls. Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) and Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR).
  • Safe systems of work including PPE, tools, equipment and materials, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (CoSHH).
  • Storage requirements for hand tools, power tools and equipment.
  • Principles and techniques of preventative maintenance activities for furniture finishing machinery, tools and equipment.
  • Environment and sustainability regulations, standards and guidance.
  • Impact of the sector on the environment. Efficient use of resources. Recycling, reuse and disposal of waste.
  • Preparation of furniture and materials for finishing, sanding, stripping and repair techniques.
  • Machinery tools and equipment used in preparing furniture for finishing, limits of use, purpose, safe set up, monitoring and operation, working limits.
  • Principles and techniques of colour matching and mixing, material compatibility and recording materials and ratios.
  • Techniques, materials including storage, equipment, and timescales for preparing, applying and drying spray finishes to furniture.
  • Techniques, materials including storage, equipment, and timescales for preparing, applying and drying hand finishes to furniture to create decorative effects and specialist finishes. For example, patinas, distressing, rag rolling, shabby chic, stipple feathering, liming, crackle, grading, scumble, French polishing.
  • Techniques for reviving and protecting finishes.
  • Documentation requirements - electronic and paper.
  • Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), quality assurance requirements and monitoring processes.
  • Common faults and issues with furniture and finishing and how to rectify them.
  • Basic continuous improvement techniques, for example 5 Why's, 5S, KAIZEN.
  • Principles of good team working.
  • Legislation, guidance and principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.
  • Verbal communication techniques.
  • Information technology and digital: digital manufacturing management systems. General data protection regulation (GDPR). Cyber security.

  Skills

  • Agree scope of work and timescales with customers and plan activity.
  • Prepare work area and maintain before, during and after tasks.
  • Store materials, tools, and equipment.
  • Apply health and safety procedures and safe systems of work.
  • Follow standard operating procedures (SOPs), quality assurance requirements and monitoring procedures.
  • Select and check tools, equipment and machinery.
  • Set up, operate and monitor machinery, hand and power tools and equipment use to prepare furniture for finishing.
  • Follow environmental and sustainability regulations, standards, procedures and guidance. Segregate resources for reuse, recycling and disposal.
  • Inspect, sand, strip and repair surfaces for finishing and report issues.
  • Apply colour matching and mixing techniques including checking compatibility and recording materials and ratios.
  • Identify, select and prepare materials, tools and equipment to finish furniture by hand.
  • Apply and adjust hand finishing techniques to create decorative effects or specialist finishes to furniture.
  • Apply techniques to revive and protect existing finish.
  • Record information - paper based or electronic.
  • Identify and resolve common faults and issues in furniture finishing.
  • Escalate issues or concerns.
  • Apply preventative maintenance techniques to machinery, tools and equipment. For example checking, cleaning and lubricating.
  • Apply basic continuous improvement techniques for example, 5 Why's, 5S, KAIZEN.
  • Apply team working principles.
  • Follow equity, diversity and inclusion legislation and guidance.
  • Communicate with others verbally for example, internal and external customers, colleagues, and managers.
  • Use information technology and digital systems. Comply with GDPR and cyber security.
  • Carry out and record learning and development activities.
  • Identify, select and prepare materials, tools and equipment to spray finish furniture.
  • Apply and adjust spray techniques to finish furniture.

  Behaviours

  • Take ownership of given work.
  • Put health and safety first.
  • Consider the impact on the environment when using resources and carrying out work.
  • Team-focus to meet work goals.
  • Support an inclusive workplace for example, respectful of different views.
  • Seek learning and development opportunities.
• Apprenticeship category (sector): Engineering and manufacturing
• Qualification level: 2; Equal to GCSE
• Course duration: 15 months
• Maximum funding: £9,000 ; Maximum government funding for ; apprenticeship training and assessment costs.
• Job titles include:
  • Furniture polisher
  • Polisher
  • Spray finisher
  • Spray polisher

View more information about Furniture finisher (level 2) from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.