Dismantling your home office chair is not something you might consider necessary until the need arises. However, many chairs require assembly before using them, particularly ergonomic chairs. 

There are many reasons you may need to disassemble your chair, including moving to a different office or needing to grease the parts or repair the worn or damaged components—whatever the reason, you need to know how to take your office chair apart.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on dismantling the office chair:

Start with the Wheels

Most chairs come with wheels that you can easily remove. Ensure that the chair is still stable and no damage is done to its parts before disassembling it. If your chair does not have wheels, you can skip this step.

The wheels can cause disturbance as you remove the chair or attempt to move it, so removing them first can minimize the amount of movement. To do this, you’ll need an apex tool and flat-head screwdriver. 

Begin by moving the chair onto its side. You can remove the wheels separately or in a unit. Hold the chair’s leg with one hand and the caster in the opposite hand as you pull it out. A pry bar may be helpful to take the caster out easily. It is also possible to push or pull the lever inside the wheel to release the wheel from the office chair base.

Remove the Starbase

Removing the starbase can be a challenging task. All you need is a hammer, a 2×4 piece of wood, and an extra set of hands. First, turn your office chair upside-down and have your helper hold the base of the chair. Place the wood over that gas lift so that the chair is stable and you can be sure it’s not going to move. Next, use the light hammer to increase the pressure, and then let go.

Don’t strike the gas lift as it’s a highly compressed gas that can explode open. Also, if you want to replace any worn-out components, this is the time to do it. Removing the chair’s wheelbase could give you the access you need to install new chair parts.

Doing so not only saves your money but also helps you personalize your chair to your preferences. It is also possible to remove the base and put in a new one that you think is more practical. It may be part of that same office furniture, or you could purchase a brand new one.

Remove the Chair Cylinder (Optional)

If your office chair is equipped with a gas cylinder, it’s pretty simple to take it off. You need an adjustable wrench or spanner along with a screwdriver and rubber mallet. Use the wrench to take off the bolts holding the piece in place under the chair. Then, remove the top part and put it aside. Ask someone for help if you cannot keep the gas cylinder upright safely on your own.

Make sure to hit the gas cylinder gently using the mallet and gradually increase the force each time. Continue this process until the gas cylinder comes out. Alternately, you can heat the mallet and repeat the procedure. You can do this by holding it over a stop, blowtorch, or placing it in hot water.

Wear gloves to protect yourself. Sometimes, the gas cylinders do not come out, and removing them requires a special device that is often included in the chair, but you may need to purchase it separately.

Detach the Armrest

The armrests are separated to minimize distractions or to remove secondary structures. Check to see whether you can detach them as some chairs have detachable armrests. If you can separate the armrests, use a screwdriver to detach them. Loosen the screws and remove the armrests without causing any damage to the chair.

Remove the Office Chair Body

The desk chair‘s body consists of the seat and back part of the chair. The goal is to divide the seat from the back support and keep them with the rest of the office chair’s removed components, but the process is complicated. Begin by determining if the chair’s seat is equipped with any hydraulics and verify if the hydraulics are attached. If not, then you can easily remove the seat from the hydraulics, leaving only the cylinder. If the hydraulics are attached, look for bolts and screws, and loosen them so that you can disconnect the back of the chair from the seat.

Storing the Screws

It is crucial to ensure that you don’t lose any screws that hold the chair in place. Use Ziploc bags, and mark them accordingly, so that when it’s time to put your chair back together, you’ll have all the materials organized and ready to go. If you lose a few screws accidentally, you can purchase them from the company that manufactures the chair.

Things To Consider When Disassembling An Office Chair

Source: RawPixels

Don’t disassemble what’s not necessary

When preparing to disassemble the office chair, make sure you do so as minimally as possible to avoid any potential damage to the chair. In the ideal scenario, you will only remove the necessary pieces.

For example, you don’t usually have to remove the backrest or remove it from the cylindrical structure. You can always reach out to the manufacturer for advice on which components you should or shouldn’t remove. We do not recommend disassembling any working parts inside the mechanism. 

The way things connect and disconnect

The parts with screws will be easier to remove from the office chair, such as headrest armrests or backrests. However, the parts attached to the mechanism without using screws might be more complicated. For instance, removing a cylinder from the mechanism may be challenging, particularly when the chair has been used for many years. The cylinder is linked via tension, and getting it released isn’t easy. In addition, there are office chairs that cannot be removed from the cylinder.

Things you shouldn’t get rid of

There are some parts in your chair you shouldn’t take off due to the possibility of damaging the chair. For instance, there are chairs with backs or arms built into the frame, and you cannot remove them.

Additionally, we do not recommend taking out the chair’s mechanism; it can cause it to malfunction. If the chair was assembled that way, there’s likely to be a reason behind it. You may also damage the chair by removing the cylindrical portion.

Set of tools for disassembling

When preparing to disassemble the office chair, you’ll likely require tools. If you’re looking to remove the cylindrical part of your chair, then you’ll need an enormous pipe wrench as well as a mallet made of rubber. If you’re taking out other components like the backrest, arms, or seat, you might require the use of an Allen wrench or a screwdriver. Make sure to have all the equipment needed to remove an office chair before you get started.

Conclusion

The whole process of taking apart an office chair is straightforward. We hope this article is of help to you! If you want to figure out where to get the most comfortable office chair, you can look up some decent options at thegoodchoice.ca.