What Does a Furniture Assembler Do?

A furniture assembler puts furniture together from fabricated components on an assembly line or on site. There are no special education requirements for this career, although some experience in the industry may be necessary for certain positions. For people who put together home and office furniture for customers, it may be necessary to have private transportation and tools available, while assembly line workers may not need to maintain their own vehicles and equipment.

In a manufacturing setting, furniture assemblers work towards the end of the line, putting together individual parts to create finished products. They can cut and fit joints, apply glues, and use screws, staples, and similar supplies to attach parts. The level of sophistication required can depend on the types of products produced. Some companies make fine woodworking products and have a need for skilled assemblers, while others make simpler goods that do not require workers with special training.

The other type of furniture assembler career involves going to homes and businesses to put together furniture. These assemblers may work for a company that sells furniture and offers a service to customers for an extra fee. They can also be employed by third parties, some of whom may contract with furniture sales firms to offer assembly to interested customers. In some cases, they deliver the furniture and assemble it, while in others, a separate delivery crew is responsible for bringing in the assemblers.

Home and office work can require moving around existing furniture, art, and other obstacles while putting furniture together. The furniture assembler needs to be able to easily handle and lift components, some of which may be very heavy in finished products. Some companies send out teams to complete the work more quickly and ensure that heavy items can be safely moved. After assembly, the client may ask to have the furniture moved, and could request assistance with tasks like putting mattresses on a newly built bed.

This is a form of unskilled labor. Pay for a furniture assembler can vary depending on the kind of work done, and may be either by the hour or by the piece. Some access to benefits may be provided through an employer. This could include company vehicles and a tool library for mobile assemblers who need to be able to work in the field, allowing people to start a furniture assembler career without supplies as long as they have drivers' licenses and sufficient experience to work on their own.