Top 5 Precautions to Take Before Replacing a Leaking Office Chair

An excellent office chair should provide not just comfort and aesthetic appeal, but also durability. A quality desk chair will have a durable frame and comfortable upholstery.

A good office chair will depreciate in value over time, though. When you put weight on a chair, you may sense that the seat sinks. Typically, this is due to defects in the chair's frame or support system.

One common method of countering the effects of sinking is to simply readjust the height of one's chair. Your seat will begin to sink again over time, so this is only a temporary solution.

You may be wondering why office chairs that allow you to adjust your height have a pneumatic piston built into them. This piston is designed to withstand your weight and other mechanical pressures, keeping the chair at the height you set it to. On the other hand, these pistons might wear out and leak over time, allowing your chair to progressively sink lower beneath your weight.

At first glance, it may seem reasonable to toss out an old chair and replace it with a brand new one. If that's really the last resort, though, you might want to try some preventative maintenance or a short fix first. You may save yourself the cost of a new chair and the effort of fixing the one you have by giving it some TLC.

 

Keep reading to learn about some clever do-it-yourself solutions.

What Caused the Sagging in Your Office Chair

The majority of office chairs rely on pneumatic cylinders for lifting and support. They have to be sturdy enough to hold your body weight without the chair wobbling.

 

When you press down on these cylinders, the chair's seat height adjusts accordingly. These cylinders have a rather lengthy service life—7-10 years—but wear and tear from use and time in the field can shorten it significantly. As a result, problems like the chair base sinking or tilting may occur.

 

Rather of just buying a new chair, let's first try a few other things to see if one of them works.

 

Attempt These Five Solutions Before Buying a New Office Chair

 

• Use a metal hose clamp and some duct tape to stabilize a sinking office chair.
• Tape used for repairing ducts
• Hose clamp, 3/4"
• Screwdriver

 

This solution is easy to implement and works well in the near term, but the hose clamp can easily become dislodged over time, making this solution unreliable. For that reason, this method should serve merely as a stopgap until a more long-term answer can be found. It also doesn't look very expert the way this is set up.

 

What you do is:

• Adjust the chair's height to suit your needs. If it keeps falling, lay it on its side.
• Before applying the duct tape and hose clamp, clean the area with an old rag.
• Duct tape the cylinder's base in two or three layers to increase the clamp's hold.
• Connect the hose to the cylinder by wrapping the duct tape over the bottom.
• Then, using a flat-bladed screwdriver, you'll snug it around the cylinder.

Your chair won't sink any farther thanks to the hose clamp's stopper-like effect.

 

If this strategy doesn't pan out, try something else.

 

Needed to Repair a Sunken Office Chair using PVC Pipe and Plastic Spacers:

• Some sort of measuring device, such a ruler or tape
• The Use of Polyvinyl Chloride Pipe
• Saw

You may prevent your chair from sinking by encasing the cylinder in a thick PVC pipe. The outcomes achieved by using this strategy are commendable. However, the chair height cannot be changed once it has been established. It's best to measure your height before you begin.

 

And here's how:

 

In the first step, determine the height and diameter of the cylinder. The precision isn't necessary just now. To begin, calculate how much PVC pipe will be needed. You can now go out and get or locate a long, broad pipe to connect the chair's base to its seat.

 

• Made a cut all the way through the pipe's length with a saw.
• In the absence of a saw, the chair's base can be unscrewed to make room for the pipe.
• Cover the cylinder with the PVC pipe by slid
• The chair's cylinder column and base must be reattached.

 

As a result, the PVC pipe will bear the load, keeping the chair from tipping over. The height can be adjusted by measuring and removing a section of pipe. If you feel it is too low, you can add extra sections of pipe to raise it.

 

Requirements for Poly-insert Coupling and Lubricant to Repair a Submerged Office Chair:

• Coupling of many insertions
• An all-purpose oil, comparable to WD-40.

 

As the day goes, you might feel your chair sagging ever-so-slightly. Use this technique to fix the problem without having to completely replace your ergonomic office chair.

 

The next steps are as follows:

 

• Get your desk chair to the perfect height for you.
• Cover the top of the skirting with the poly-insert coupling.
• Check the chair's adjustment range.
• Make a snug fit between the tube and the cylinder by twisting it.

 

You may still alter the height of your chair while it stays in a fixed position thanks to this technology. Apply a little layer of WD-40 to the area surrounding the inserts' tops to achieve this. The insert can be rotated and moved as needed within a small range.

 

 

 

Prerequisites for Screwing a Sunken Office Chair Back Together: Drill

• Fasteners That Are 1 1/2 Inches Long (the screw should be slightly longer than the diameter of the cylinder)
• Screwdriver
• Tape measure
• Sharpie

 

If all other options have already been exhausted with no success, we are entering the "last resort" phase. Drilling holes in your hydraulic cylinder is a desperate measure, but in extreme circumstances, it may be necessary. This approach is permanent; thus, it may be best to apply it on a used chair that is out of warranty. If it doesn't work, you might as well get a new comfortable chair for work.

 

Procedure:

• Raise or lower your chair to a comfortable position.
• Use a sharpie to make a note of the height.
• The chair should be flipped over or laid on its side.

 

Now that you've designated the desired height on the cylinder, you can drill a series of holes there. These holes must extend all the way through the pipe from one end to the other. The second set of holes needs to be drilled at a somewhat lower depth than the first. Ensure that all of the holes in the cylinder are aligned by passing the drill through it.

 

Once in position, the screws should run from one end of the cylinder to the other in a cross pattern.

 

Insert the screws and snug them up until there is no wiggle room in the holes.

 

Keep in mind that this solution permanently prevents the seat from sinking any deeper or moving up and down since it prevents the internal components of the chair's cylinder from moving.

 

Replacing the Hydraulic Cylinder in a Sunken Office Chair

Requirements:

• Either a screwdriver or a pipe wrench
• Oil like WD-40 or something comparable
• Hydraulic cylinder replacement

 

People often resort to quick fixes like clamps, spacers, and inserts to alter the height of their office chairs, but these measures are only a stopgap. Your chair's warranty may be voided if you modify it in any way that alters its appearance.

 

It's not always simple to say goodbye to a comfortable desk chair. After all, you've grown fond of the way it supports you and soothes you with age. And if your current chair is still serviceable and relatively new, you probably don't want to spend the money on a replacement.

 

You don't have to settle for a bad chair because the cylinder can be easily replaced.

 

Procedure:

 

• The chair can be flipped over or tilted to the side.
• Detach the cylinder from the base by removing the metal clip or other locking mechanism.
• Spraying WD-40 on the chair's legs and plastic skirting will make them easier to remove.
• A new hydraulic cylinder can be installed once the old one has been removed.
• Put the new cylinder in the chair's seat and leg.
• Get a new metal screw and put it in.

 

You can now proceed with your planned action!

 

Chair cylinders, for example, are easily replaceable because they conform to universally accepted standards for both size and shape in the industry. The best part is that it doesn't take long, and you don't need a lot of fancy equipment or a high skill level to complete this. In fact, if you take the time to read and follow the instructions in your chair's owner's manual, you can extend its useful life by up to seven years.

 

Change Your Office Chair If All Else Fails

In the office, the two most important pieces of furniture are the chair and the desk. The reality, however, is that no piece of furniture, no matter how high-quality, can withstand the rigors of daily use indefinitely before it needs to be replaced (6 to 8 years into their service life).

 

If you have an old chair that keeps sinking, and you've tried everything to fix it, it's time to get a new one. And if you can't think of a place to start, peruse our product catalog. Modern hydraulic cylinders are used in all of our office chairs, making them last well beyond the duration of their guarantee. Also, a standing desk is a great investment that will give you the flexibility to move between sitting and standing throughout the workday.