Long working hours can be painful as it can result in body pains and other health issues such as upper, lower back pain, fatigue, and others. The office chairs allow you to work for extended hours without exhausting yourself by providing the support you require. However, after some time, the chair starts to wear and tear out, creating various problems for you.
The chairs begin to sink or wobble, making it difficult for you to work. Instead of purchasing a new chair, you can fix the chair by following the methods that I have used. You don’t need to be a technical expert for fixing the broken office chair because these are pretty simple steps. These are some of the solutions to take advantage of and resolve the issues among office chairs.
How to Fix a Broken Office Chair?
Every office chair can have some problems, especially when it comes to ergonomics. These issues include dragging caster, the sinking of the chair, and others. You can easily solve these problems and fix the office chair using various techniques. To resolve these issues, you need multiple tools available in the market and help restore the chair.
Materials
- Adjustable Wrench
- Long Pipe Wrench
- Flat Tip Screwdriver (Medium)
- Phillip Tip Screwdriver (Large)
- Pry Bar (Small or Medium)
- Rubber Mallet
1. Dragging of the Caster of Chair Wheels
Dragging casters is a common issue among office chairs and can limit your movement when you’re working. It’s because most of the chairs have been designed for a low-carpet and can damage the thicker carpets. You must purchase a chair mat to protect the floor and the wheels of the chair. Moreover, you can also clean the casters using a piece of cloth dipped in Isopropyl alcohol. Another way is to roll the chair’s wheels, which can help you dislodge the garbage stuck within the caster.
However, if the issue persists, you can replace the chair’s casters by purchasing the new ones. Moreover, you need to have the readings of the width and height of the casters, which usually are 3/8 inches and 7/16 inches. You can replace it by slipping the end of the flat bar beneath the caster by popping it out of the socket instantly. In addition, I have also fixed the dragging issue by installing new casters, which is quite helpful,
2. Sinking of the Office Chair
Another common problem that people have to face is the sinking of the office chair. Such a type of issue occurs due to problems in the valve of the levers of the chair. You can control the height of the chair through a piston which works by letting the air through. The piston can wear with time and cause problems in the chair. One way to solve the issue is to replace the old piston with a new one.
Defective seals can result in severe damage due to sub-par parts or some fault. However, there are also other means through which you can fix the sinking office chair. First, you need to purchase a ready-made kit with all the essential tools to solve the problem, such as the C-shaped spacers. These spacers are suitable for chairs that consist of cylinder skirts having movable outer rings.
How to Stop the Sinking of an Office Chair Using PVC or Vacuum Extension?
- First of all, set the height of the chair according to your requirement manually. If you have a tall height, then fully extend the chair and put it in place.
- Then take the chair and lift the seat post from the base or the casters and after you have done that, place the chair on the floor horizontally.
- Get rid of the decorative or non-functioning collars surrounding the seat post. After removing them, lay down the back post on the seat post for marking the top of this seat post.
- Finally, measure the top of the seat post from the mark to the back of the chair’s base. Then take the PVC pipe and cut it according to the measurements that you have taken earlier. If you don’t have a PVC pipe, then you can take a tube that resembles it.
- Finally, glue the cylinder on the seat post and then place the seat post back into the base.
Alternative Method of Sinking the Chair
Besides this, you can also solve the issue of the sinking of the chair by clamping. However, you will have to purchase a horse clamp (large jubilee clip) because you can use it for clamping the cylinder’s tube and sleeve. It requires two clamps for top, and bottom cylinders, so make sure you have two clamps.
3. Squeaky Office Chairs
The office chair becomes squeaky over time and creates problems for you, especially when you’re working. Squeaking can occur for several reasons, but you can solve the problem by following simple instructions. It’s because of either the problem within the chair mechanism or with gas lifts.
You can get rid of squeaking by applying lubricants such as essential oils on issuing areas. Similarly, you can also use the oil on the chair’s casters to prevent the squeaking sound. Once you have applied the oil, move the chair so that it spreads through the components of the chairs.
4. Cracks and Broken Office Chair
The office chair can get cracks and broken struts after using it for a long time due to the wearing and tearing of the base. You can fix the broken chair by purchasing a new base instead of buying a new chair. Although you can connect the crack or the fractured base with the help of tapes for a short-term solution, it won’t work in the longer run. If you’re having trouble moving the chair even though the base is in good shape, then the problem might lie in the casters.
Sometimes grime, string, cotton, and other materials can build up, creating difficulties in movement. You can remove these materials manually and won’t require any additional tools or technical support. However, if the issue continues to proceed, you can purchase new wheels and install them onto the chair. Another way you can solve this problem is to convert the office chair into a non-movable chair without the wheels by attaching the glides.
5. Wobbly Office Chair
The wobbly office chair can make it difficult for you to complete your work by creating an unfriendly working environment. However, you can’t fix the chair until you identify the cause of this issue by checking the chair’s mechanism. You can solve it by tightening the mechanism or the bolts of the chair to give a more firm seat that doesn’t wobble. Here are some basic steps that you can follow and resolve the issue.
Place the chair in a horizontal direction so that the base and the casters are away from the floor. One reason the chair wobbles is due to the loose connection between the cylinder and the control mechanism. It would be best if you replaced the control mechanism of the chair to fix it. If you can’t spot what’s causing the chair to wobble, you can contact the manufacturer and get it fixed.
6. Issue With Arm of the Office Chair
If the chair’s rubber is broken, you will have to buy a new chair because you can’t fix the broken rubber. However, if you’re having trouble with the armrest, then you can solve it on your own. First, you will have to clean the armrest and move the dust or the grime build-up and apply the lubricant. After using the oil on the armrest, you must move the chair for proper application.
7. Issues With Fabric of Office Chair
The chair’s fabric wears out after some use, and you won’t be able to use it due to the wear and tear of the chair’s skin. You can buy new high-quality fabric for the chair and cover it up. In addition, you also have an option to contact professionals, and they can help you find the best material that lasts for a long time.
8. Other Problems in Office Chair
Besides these common issues, many other multiple problems among the office chairs can occur. Here is a quick guide on fixing such types of problems in your office chair.
- If your office chair flops forward or jerks forward too much, then you need to check the pivot. It’s because when the pivot has worn out or there is a loose tension in the spring. Then to fix this issue, you either need to replace the pivot or adjust the tension of the spring.
- Sometimes the piston rod touches the surface of the floor, which can create problems for you. It usually happens when the retainer clip is broken, and you can exchange it by installing a gas cylinder.
- Another problem with the office chairs is that the lever can get stuck and can’t move it. You can fix the lever by exchanging the old gas cylinder with a new one. It will prevent gas leakage because of the faults within the seals of the gas cylinder.
