A high school education will probably be required. Some colleges offer courses in furniture finishing. Bachelor's degrees in woodworking technology and millwork are also available. To get started in a career as a furniture finisher, it is possible to work as a trainee, and sometimes qualifications are required. Workers can start off sanding and stripping before progressing to more responsible and rewarding tasks. Experience as a cabinet maker is useful as well, though an employer may provide training.

A person would be unsuited to work as a furniture finisher if they are allergic to dust or spirit-based products such as shellac or turpentine. To be successful, furniture finishers must know the materials, methods, and tools involved in furniture repair. Depending on their exact position and level of seniority, they may have to coordinate their actions with those of fellow workers and assess their own performance and that of subordinates. Furniture finishers must manage their time well and use critical thinking to identify and solve any problems encountered on a given job.

Good near vision, steady hands, visual color discrimination, manual dexterity, precision, and multi-limb coordination are required for this job. Furniture finishers must monitor materials, processes, and their surroundings and if a furniture finisher works with customers or as part of a team, good communication skills are necessary. They should be creative, patient, precise and skilled at using tools. They may also need to stay abreast of developments in the field.