Experienced Furniture Refinishing Artisan

Location: Private Home Studio – Ajax, Ontario

Compensation: $32–$40+ per hour, based on demonstrated skill and experience

Position Type: Contract | Part-Time with potential to grow

About the Opportunity

Sandbanks Designs is looking for a highly skilled Furniture Refinishing Artisan to join our growing boutique furniture refinishing and restoration studio in Ajax.

We are looking for proven talent—not an apprentice or someone looking to learn the trade from the ground up.

The right person will have strong hands-on experience refinishing furniture or cabinetry and be capable of taking a project through multiple stages of the refinishing process with minimal supervision.

You should be comfortable looking at a piece of furniture, identifying what needs to be done, and producing professional results efficiently and consistently.

Our work includes everything from family heirlooms and solid-wood dining tables to vintage furniture, painted pieces and custom transformations. Quality matters. Every piece represents the Sandbanks Designs name and our 5-star reputation with clients.

What You'll Be Doing

- Furniture Refinishing: Strip, sand, repair, stain, paint and finish furniture to a professional standard.
- Surface Preparation: Properly remove existing finishes and prepare solid wood, veneer and previously painted surfaces without causing damage.
- Repairs: Complete common furniture repairs including loose joints, minor veneer repairs, filling, surface correction and basic carpentry.
- Professional Finishing: Apply stains, paints and clear finishes by hand and/or HVLP spray equipment.
- HVLP Spraying: Produce smooth, consistent professional finishes with minimal defects, overspray or unnecessary material waste.
- Colour & Finish Matching: Work with stains, paints, toners and sheen levels to achieve the desired appearance.
- Problem Solving: Recognize issues such as veneer damage,



contamination, bleed-through, adhesion problems and uneven stain absorption—and know how to address them.
- Quality Control: Inspect your own work and correct imperfections before a piece is considered complete.
- Workshop Standards: Maintain a clean, organized and safe working setting.
- Occasional Content: Be comfortable with portions of the refinishing process or completed projects being photographed or filmed for Sandbanks Designs' social media.

What We're Looking For We're more interested in what you can do than what's written on your résumé.

Ideally, you have 5+ years of qualified experience in furniture refinishing, cabinet finishing, fine woodworking or a closely related trade. However, exceptional applicants with fewer years of experience will be considered if their portfolio demonstrates the required skill level.

You should have demonstrated experience with:

- Furniture or cabinet refinishing
- Chemical stripping and mechanical finish removal
- Precision sanding and surface preparation
- Solid wood and veneer
- Furniture repair and minor carpentry
- Stain application and colour matching
- Professional paint and clear-coat systems
- HVLP spray equipment
- Polyurethane, lacquer and/or professional waterborne finishing systems
- Diagnosing and correcting finishing defects

Experience with General Finishes products, Benjamin Moore Advance, conversion coatings, upholstery, woodturning or decorative finishing is an asset. Most Important: You Can Work Independently





This position is best suited to someone who can be given a project, understand the required outcome and move the work forward without constant instruction or supervision.

We value craftspeople who

- Take ownership of their work
- Know when something isn't good enough
- Solve problems rather than simply identify them
- Work efficiently without sacrificing quality
- Respect clients' furniture—especially sentimental and heirloom pieces
- Communicate when they encounter an issue or need a decision
- Take genuine pride in the finished product

What We Offer $32–$40+ per hour based on demonstrated ability, experience and the level of work you can independently perform.

You'll work in a qualified boutique studio where craftsmanship matters. This isn't an assembly-line production environment. Projects are varied, and many pieces have significant financial or sentimental value to their owners.

There is also an opportunity for the role to grow in hours and responsibility as Sandbanks Designs continues to expand.

How to Apply

Please don't send only a résumé. We want to see your work.

Send

- A brief description of your furniture refinishing or finishing experience
- 5–10 photos of projects you personally completed, preferably including before-and-after examples
- A description of exactly what work you performed on those projects
- Your experience with HVLP spraying
- The finishing products and systems you are most comfortable using
- Your current availability and desired number of hours per week
- Your expected hourly rate

Shortlisted candidates may be invited to the studio to discuss their experience and demonstrate their skills on a practical refinishing task. Sandbanks Designs – Furniture Refinishing & Restoration

Ajax, Ontario

Restore. Refine. Reimagine.

Job Types: Part-time, Fixed term contract, Casual

Pay: $32.00-$40.00 per hour

Work Location: In person

📌 Furniture Refinisher (Ajax)
🏢 Sandbanks Designs
📍 Ajax