In this article, we will teach you how to take apart your office chair. Remember that not all office chairs are created equal. The instructions here will help you take apart the most basic type that’s commonly found in company offices and home offices.
There are several reasons why you might want to take apart your office chair. You may be working on a repair project and you need to replace some of its parts.
Or maybe you need to transport the chair and want it packed down to a more convenient size.
Whatever your reason is, the process of taking apart your office chair will be the same.
Before we start taking our office chair apart, let’s first learn the different components that make up an office chair.
Office Chair Components
A typical office chair will have 3 main components: the top, the gas cylinder, and the base.
The top includes a cushioned seat, a backrest, and armrests. Some office chairs come with a detachable headrest as well.
The middle section of your chair is where your gas cylinder is located. The top of the gas cylinder is a mechanism that connects the cylinder to the seat. This mechanism also has a lever to control the height of your chair.
The base is usually a star-shaped base with casters on each end.
Tools You Will Need
Before you start taking your office chair apart, make sure you have the required tools. Without these tools you could end up damaging your chair.
You will need a set of screwdrivers, an adjustable wrench, and a rubber mallet. Depending on the design of your chair, you may also need a set of allen wrenches and a special cylinder removal tool.
We recommend getting this handy 100-piece tool kit that has all the tools you need for this job.
If you have trouble removing the mechanism from the cylinder, you may also need a torch.
If you’re getting a torch, make sure you get a high quality one for safety. We recommend the refillable butane torch below. It comes with a high quality handle and an electronic ignition.
Taking the Chair Apart
The first thing you will want to do is remove the casters from the base. This will prevent the chair from rolling away as you work on removing the other components.
To remove the casters from the base, you simply need to pry it out with your hands. If you have difficulty, you can use your rubber mallet to gently tap on it downward until it comes off.
Set your casters aside before proceeding with the next steps.
The next step is to remove the seat from the mechanism that connects it to the gas cylinder. This is done by unscrewing the four bolts under the seat with your adjustable wrench.
The seat will come right off when all four screws are removed.
You can proceed to dismantle the seat using your screwdrivers. On some office chairs, you will be able to separate the backrest from the seat with just a couple of screws.
You may also remove the armrests from the seat.
After dismantling the seat, you can go back and remove the base from the gas cylinder. To do this, take the cylinder with one hand and hold it upright. Then with your free hand, gently hit the base downward using your rubber mallet.
Hit as close to the center as possible.
The base should eventually fall off with several hammer taps. Don’t use too much force as you might damage the base.
The final step is to remove the mechanism from the gas cylinder. Similar to removing the base, you take the cylinder with one hand and hit the mechanism with your rubber mallet. This time the cylinder should be upside down.
If the mechanism refuses to come off, you can apply heat to it before continuing to hit it with your mallet. Apply heat very carefully using a torch or placing the mechanism over a stovetop.
The mechanism should eventually come off after repeating this process several times.
Once the mechanism comes off, you will have successfully taken apart your office chair. Congratulations!
Conclusion
We hope that this article provided enough information for you to take your office chair apart like a pro!
It may seem like a daunting task, but if you follow all the steps carefully, you’ll get it done in a breeze.
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.
Rhondia L Hammons
Friday 13th of November 2020
My chair is maybe 8 mos old the hole that the caster fits into broke so now the caster will not stay/ What can I do?