No matter how “well-made” your office chair is, no chair was made to last forever. If you’re asking yourself how often you should replace your office chair, this article will help you make a proper assessment of the product you own.
Let’s jump right into it!
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How long should an office chair last?
The answer to this question will depend on several factors, but generally speaking, an office chair should last between 7 to 8 years for a chair with a 5-year warranty and around 12 to 15 years for a chair that has a 10-year warranty.
What will impact the lifespan of an office chair?
The following elements may affect the life expectancy of your office chair:
- The materials used in making the chair
- The environment where the office chair is used
- The frequency in which the chair is used
Materials
Office chairs can be made of various materials, including vinyl , mesh, leather, ultra-leather, woven materials, knitted materials, and plastic. Two of the most popular materials used for office chairs are leather and mesh.
Leather office chairs offer great durability and comfort. They don’t need a ton of maintenance and they’re very easy to clean in case you drop or spill something on them like ink or drinks. They are aesthetically appealing and can add a “premium vibe” to any space — office or home.
Although these types of chairs can cost a lot upfront, they can last you a good 12 to 15 years, if used well.
Mesh office chairs don’t last as long, but they offer the same comfort and ease of use. They also allow for better ventilation and way more affordable prices, making it a popular choice for many office spaces.
Depending on the frequency and the environment that it’s used in, mesh chairs can last from as little as 1-2 years to as long as 5-8 years.
Both chair types offer ergonomic benefits that protect your back from experiencing pain and discomfort from prolonged use.
Environment
It goes without saying that an office chair used in a dusty and dirty environment may not last as long as a chair used in a cleaner space. To prevent early deterioration, you may need to perform more frequent cleaning and maintenance tasks.
Frequency of Use
Standard office chair warranties are often calculated on an 8-hours per day, 5 days per week basis. If you use your chair more frequently than the set warranty, it may not last as long and may require earlier repair or replacement.
Poor user habits like swinging the chair or leaning too far back on the backrest can also lead to earlier deterioration.
How do you know when you need a new office chair?
While there are no hard and fast rules to determining when you should get a new office chair, there are a couple of considerations to keep in mind.
Chair Parts Are No Longer Working
While office chair parts like caster wheels and gas lift cylinders are widely available in many repair stores/shops, there comes the point in a chair’s life when simple maintenance and repair just won’t work anymore. If that’s the case, it may be time to start shopping around for new office chairs.
A Worn Appearance
Appearance can be an important factor for many agencies and organizations. An office chair that’s showing obvious signs of wear and tear should be replaced to preserve the agency’s image and reputation.
Lack of Comfort
Sometimes it isn’t just the appearance of the chair parts that you need to watch out for to determine if your chair needs replacing. There are times when comfort should be your top priority.
Making sure that you have an ergonomic setup not only protects your health and wellbeing, it also improves your overall productivity and focus.
If sitting on your office chair gives you aches that you don’t know how to relieve, it’s an obvious indicator that you need to buy a new office chair.
How often should I change my office chair?
The frequency at which you replace your office chair will depend on a variety of factors.
For high-quality chairs that are used less frequently and in clean or safe environments, you may need to replace them between 10 to 12 years. Alternatively, for office chairs that experience frequent and heavy use in dirty and hazardous environments, the time between each replacement will be shorter.
If you plan on extending your office chair’s lifespan, following proper maintenance and practicing proper user habits can greatly extend your chair’s life expectancy level.
Office Chairs vs Gaming Chairs: Which lasts longer?
Many people buy gaming chairs nowadays because of their aesthetic features. While gaming chairs look “cool,” that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the best.
On average, gaming chairs can last you around 2 to 3 years. These are the mid-range brands like Noblechairs , DXRacer , and Vertagear . They often come with a 1-year to 2-year warranty.
For higher-end brands like Secretlab and AKRacing , you can expect their chairs to last around 4 to 5 years.
Compared to the lifespan of your average office chair, you could say that office chairs have the upper hand. Office chairs like the Steelcase Think v2 and the Haworth Fern can last you around 5 to 8 years, depending on use.
Conclusion
There are plenty of factors that affect an office chair’s lifespan, such as the materials used to make it, the environment the chair is used in, as well as how often it is used. By practicing proper office chair maintenance, you can increase your chair’s lifespan and delay the need to replace it soon.
Figuring out when to replace an office chair is not as simple as you might think. There are plenty of things to consider, such as whether or not its parts still work, if it has a worn appearance, or if it still offers the same comfort as it once did when it was still brand new.
If your chair is showing any of the following signs, it might be time to consider retiring your chair for a new one.
My name is Vance, and I am the owner of To Ergonomics. Our mission is to improve your workflow by helping you create a supportive and welcoming environment. We hope that you’ll find what you’re looking for while you’re here.