Enjoy the Silence! How to Fix a Squeaky Chair in 10 Easy Steps

Who could sit comfortably in a noisy chair? Oh, how to rid of that ear-shattering squeal whenever you lean back. How will you be able to concentrate on work when that’s all you hear with every move you make? It’s a good thing we know how to fix a squeaky chair in 10 easy steps.

Creaky chairs are a common occurrence in the office, especially with old seats. Not all of them are alike. But fortunately, there are a few things you can do to cure most issues regarding noisy chairs. In this post, we will be talking about steps you can take involving two types of chairs.

Here we go.

What You Will Need?

Office Chair

This type of chair uses a hydraulic mechanism, so fixing its whiny sounds is different than a wooden chair. The items you will need for this method on how to fix a squeaky chair are:

• Screwdriver
  
• Lubricating oil
  
• Machine oil
  
• Silicon spray

Wooden Chair

A wooden chair also squeaks. In building this type of chair, the carpenters typically use mortise-and-tenon joints or dowels. The glue that holds the joints is lost over time, which makes the tenons or dowels lose, creating an audible creak.

In fixing this, the materials you’ll need are:

• Wood glue
  
• Wood-swelling liquids
  
• Nails
  
• Dowels
  
• Wood for chair legs

Choose the method that applies to the type of chair you have.

Step by Step Process in Fixing a Squeaky Chair

Office Chair

Follow the steps below to fix your noisy office chair:

1

Check Screws, Nuts, and Bolts

The first step on how to fix a squeaky chair is to check all the hardware. Use a wrench or a screwdriver to tighten any loose screws, bolts, and nuts. Even if they don’t look loose, tighten them to be sure.

2

Lubricate the Mechanism

Sometimes, the mechanism squeaks when they are too tight. Take your lubricating oil and grease all the bolts, nuts, and screws. You can also spray the oil directly then pat dry. Spraying the oil on a cotton cloth then rubbing onto the problem also works.

3

Remove Screws and Bolts Before Lubricating

If the tips above didn’t work, remove the screws, nuts, and bolts first before applying a light machine oil. Pat them dry then put them all back in.

4

Have Someone Sit on Chair While Lubricating

Have a friend sit on the chair. Applying weight makes it easier for you to find the source of the noise. This way, you can apply the oil accurately to the problem area. Ask your friend to swivel the chair every time you lubricate it to see if you applied it correctly.

5

Fix the Seat Tension Spring

An office chair usually squeaks when you lean back because of too much tension on the seat tension spring. You can fix this by applying lubricating oil on the spring inside the turn-knob housing.

6

Check the Axles of the Wheels

Check if the wheels are working well by rolling it back and forth. For office chairs that move a lot, you’ll need to apply silicone spray to coat the wheels. Flip it over and spread the silicone all over the wheels.

7

Be Cautious When Seating

If you don’t want a noisy chair, then sitting down on it gently is a must. If you constantly collapse on it, your chair will eventually squeak because of the tension. You can keep your office chair silent by being cautious, given it goes through so much wear and tear.

Wooden Chair

Below are the steps on how to fix a squeaky chair made of wood:

1

Check the Wooden Chair

Start by checking where the loose parts or how loose the legs are. Do this by pushing the chair back and forth, so you can see how much movement they make. A good chair shouldn’t make any movement.

2

Apply Glue to the Loose Joints

Get to work by positioning the chair upside down for better access. Locate the loose joints then push wood glue into them. Allow the glue to dry before you flip the chair back. Adding a wood filler also helps to make a thicker consistency of the wood glue.

3

Use Wood-Swelling Liquids to Expand the Dowels

In the case of really loose legs, you’ll need to use wood-swelling liquid because the dowels likely shrunk. Remove the leg then apply the liquid directly to the dowel to make it expand. Put the leg back and glue it again.

4

Replace Parts that Need Replacing or Reinforce Them

If you don’t think the leg or any other hardware won’t work anymore, you can replace them. If you don’t want to replace the parts, you can reinforce it by adding bracket hinges or nails, making the chair sturdier.

Conclusion

Did you like this tutorial? Although it seems like a hard task, repairing your noisy chair isn’t too difficult. How to fix your squeaky chair and enjoy a comfortable silence? Just keep the steps above in mind!

Let us know what you think in the comments below!

The post Enjoy the Silence! How to Fix a Squeaky Chair in 10 Easy Steps appeared first on Lovewell Blog.

How to Fix an Office Chair that Won’t Stay Up in 2 Easy Ways

It is not only annoying if your office chair won’t stay up. The worse thing is it affects your productivity. When you leave it alone, it looks perfectly fine, but as soon as you sit on it, the chair sinks. How are you going to work when your chair is like this? 

Your first thought must be to get a replacement. Replacing your old office chair would be easy, but if you don’t have the budget yet, why not try fixing it? Let me share with you at least two ways on how to fix an office chair that won’t stay up.

What You Will Need?

For Hose Clamp or Jubilee Clip

• Hose clamp/jubilee clip long enough for the whole cylinder
  
• Duct tape
  
• Screwdriver

For the PVC Pipe Method:

• PVC pipe (must be the same size or larger as the cylinder of your chair)
  
• Tape measure
  
• Vice
  
• PVC-cutting tool or saw

You can easily find the materials for both methods in your house or the nearest hardware. Both methods are simple enough to do on your own. But it might be a little hassle to have to cut the PVC on your own. In that case, you might want to choose the hose clamp/jubilee clip method. 

How to Fix an Office Chair that Won’t Stay Up – Step by Step Instructions

Follow the steps below on how to fix your office chair that won’t stay up.

• Hose Clamp/Jubilee Clip Method

1

Slide off the Cylinder’s Plastic Skirt

Office chairs often have a plastic tube wrapped around the cylinder. Take this off, so that the metal cylinder is now visible. 

2

Adjust the Chair to Your Preferred Height

Before fixing the chair, adjust it first to your preferred height. Remember to make this right as you won’t be able to adjust it again unless you undo the work. When setting the height, the chair should be around the level of your knees when standing. 

3

Wrap the Hose Clamp/Jubilee Clip Around the Cylinder

Once you set your preferred height, loosen the hose clamp or jubilee clip’s screw, pulling out the belt end. After this, wrap the device around the metal cylinder without tightening it yet.

4

Wrap Duct Tape or Rubber to Improve Clamp Grip

It is likely the clamp isn’t the exact size, which means it won’t be tight enough to hold up the chair. That’s why I strongly recommend that you improve the clamp’s grip by wrapping up some duct tape or strip of rubber around the cylinder. 

Don’t forget to clean or scuff up the cylinder first if it is dirty or greasy. Otherwise, the rubber or duct tape will not work well in giving the device a better surface. Also, wrap the rubber or duct tape only on the cylinder’s highest visible point. 

5

Tighten the Hose Clamp/Jubilee Clip 

After improving the surface, slide the clamp to the cylinder top. Make sure that the chair is the correct height before you pull the clamp tight. Rotate the screw as far as possible to fasten it, ensuring it will hold the chair really well. 

6

Test Your Office Chair

When you are done, the chair shouldn’t be able to slide down past the hose clamp. It also means the height adjustment won’t work. It is why I said that your chair has to be the right height. If it isn’t, you will have to redo the steps above, moving the clamp higher or lower as desired. 

• PVC Pipe Method

1

Measure the Cylinder

Start by sliding the cylinder’s plastic cover off. Get a ruler to measure the cylinder horizontally to estimate its diameter. Also, measure how long the cylinder is after adjusting it to your ideal height. The diameter doesn’t have to be precise, so don’t worry about it too much. 

2

Buy Enough PVC Pipe

The pipe will cover the pneumatic cylinder, so its size should be about the same or a bit larger. Make sure to buy enough PVC pipe, probably well over the length of the wheelbase to the chair seat. Buying smaller pieces of a pipe is ideal, so you don’t have to cut them yourself. 

3

Saw through the Pipe Lengthwise

Use a vice to secure the pipe. Cut it from tip to tip using a saw or any PVC-cutting tool. Make sure that you only cut the pipe on one side. Cutting the pipe should result in a PVC with a slit in it.

4

Snap the Pipe Around the Cylinder

Take the pipe and push the slit side against the metal cylinder. Doing so should snap the pipe around the cylinder, wrapping it. With that, the pipe will be able to hold the seat in place and prevent it from sinking. 

5

Add Another Pipe to Adjust Height

Cutting the pipes in a shorter height is ideal for easy snapping. Also, it makes it easier to add more pipe when adjusting the height of the chair. Remember you won’t be able to lower the height again unless you remove the pipes. 

Conclusion

As someone who works at home, I find this a useful and cost-effective repair for my office chair. I hope you enjoyed this step by step procedure on how to fix an office chair that won’t stay up. Let me know what you think in the comments below!

The post How to Fix an Office Chair that Won’t Stay Up in 2 Easy Ways appeared first on Lovewell Blog.