How to disassemble an office chair - a detailed guide from nice-office

Nowadays, an office chair or a so-called computer chair is found not only in every office, but also in every home. It is convenient, light, compact and most importantly, mobile. But precisely because it is comfortable to sit in, it wears out faster than other types of chairs and armchairs. And it doesn’t matter at what price you bought it, whether it’s upholstered in leather or fabric. After a year or two, it begins to look quite “shabby” and the chair needs to be repaired, well, if only the upholstery is reupholstered.

If you have just such a case when you need to disassemble and reupholster a chair, then this article will help you save on the services of specialized furniture repair shops. An experienced craftsman will tell you how to properly disassemble a chair, how to change the upholstery made of leather or fabric materials, and what tools and materials are required for this.

Tools and materials needed to repair the chair

To repair or reupholster a chair, you will need, first of all, fabric, and not necessarily the same fabric that was on the chair. If you have a leather chair, we even recommend using woven material. For example, furniture tapestry fabric used for upholstering sofas. It is quite dense and drapes well (corners are laid). In addition, the price of such fabric is quite affordable, especially since the fabric only needs 70 cm and a width of 150 cm. At least this chair needed exactly that much fabric. But it should be taken into account that fabrics with a geometric pattern or stripes need to be “adjusted”, so their consumption will be higher. But in any case, a 1 meter long piece is enough for any standard office or computer chair.

From the tools you will need screwdrivers (flat and Phillips), a tape measure, wire cutters and, without fail, a stapler and staples for it, 6-8 mm long.

Varieties by material

The following materials can be used as coating:

Genuine Leather.
Faux leather.
Mesh material.
Textile.

Of course, a leather cover will cost an order of magnitude more than others, but the quality will also be higher and the chair will be more wear-resistant. Basically, the leather covering provides rest. However, the office option makes the place comfortable, but not intended for relaxation. The advantages of a leather chair cover can be highlighted:

High strength eliminates the risk of abrasions and tears.
Ease of care for the material. Leather coverings do not require frequent cleaning and rarely become dirty.
Softness and warmth. It is these qualities that provide comfort to the user.
Leather is resistant to low temperatures, so there is no risk of the material cracking.

Faux leather is actually a great substitute and budget option. This material is almost no different from its original and has all the same properties as natural material. Therefore, do not underestimate chairs covered with artificial leather.

The mesh material will provide the user with additional ventilation. The backs of chairs are mainly made from this material. However, the seat can also be produced with such a covering. It is worth paying attention to the mesh material, as it is hygienic due to ventilation.

Fabric chairs are budget furniture, so they are suitable for people who cannot afford leather. The fabric makes the chairs soft and does not absorb odors.

How to disassemble an office or computer chair

There is no need to completely disassemble an ordinary standard office chair to reupholster the seat and backrest. Disconnect the backrest (photo below), unscrew the four screws securing the seat with a powerful karst screwdriver, and also disconnect the handles on both sides. Naturally, different models of chairs may have their own fastenings, but the principle is the same for all. After this, the upper part of the seat, covered with fabric or leather, can be easily removed and can be reupholstered. But sometimes problems arise with the back.

Tools

Even for superficial repairs or restoration, it may be necessary to disassemble the office chair.

The position of the armrests can be adjusted with screws or a screwdriver.

To do this you will need the following tools:

Screwdriver;
Hammer;
Chisel;
Pliers.

If the repair work concerns a gas lift, then to the above points it is worth adding technical lubricant and a bolt with a minimum diameter (about 10 mm, perhaps a little more).

If your office chair drops down, or the position adjustment mechanism does not work, and the chair is stuck, the gas lift may be the cause of the problem.

By the way, when manipulating the gas lift, it is better to use a screwdriver rather than a screwdriver. And after disassembling this unit, immediately put all the parts in a separate box, because the loss of one small nut will not allow you to use the entire mechanism in the future. You'll have to buy that too.

Almost all chair failures are associated with gas lift.

Thanks to the use of technical lubricant, the parts will move away from each other more easily. After all, if the chair served you faithfully for many years, did not break, and was not disassembled, then the parts became compacted, as if they had grown together.

Old chairs are difficult to take apart.

It will be extremely difficult to disconnect one from the other. Therefore, do not forget to also prepare a soft flannel cloth so that after completing the repair work, you can wipe all the parts and remove greasy marks.

A piastra is a block with a lever that controls the position of the gas lift.

If the crosspiece of an office chair is made of plastic, then if it breaks, you will simply have to replace it; this part cannot be repaired. If the base is metal, then there is often a need to replace the rollers. According to experts, the most reliable crosspiece is the one made of aircraft-grade aluminum.

The chair's wheels may fall off.

This design can withstand heavy loads without deforming or breaking. Unfortunately, the cost of chairs with a similar design is much higher. An important nuance, according to statistics, it is the gas lift that most often fails. Probably the reason is that it bears the maximum load.

Gas lift breakdowns occur for several reasons.

New parts can be purchased at specialized office furniture stores. As a rule, there is a sufficient range of not only office chairs, but also consumables for them.

Fastening the back cover of an office chair

It is these four latches that secure the back cover. Remove it carefully, as these latches can break and even burst the lid itself. Pull firmly on one corner with your hand, do not use an additional tool. Then disconnect the next corner, etc. Put the casing back on by tapping it with your fist in the area of the latch, but not with a hammer.

Design features

Despite the variability of designs and functional content, almost all chairs consist of one set of elements:

Five-beam cross (base). This part is made of metal or plastic. The first option is better quality and more expensive
Rollers . Just like the crosspiece, the wheels can be made of metal or plastic. However, the mount and internal hinge of any roller are metal
Pneumatic cartridge (gas lift). The part serves as the leg of the chair and is responsible for its “elasticity”
The swing mechanism contributes to the axial deflection of the chair and its fixation in one position. On expensive models, a mechanism with an offset axis is installed, ensuring the smoothest swing possible.
Piastra . This element is a metal platform with a lever. Serves to change the height of the seat relative to the cross
Permanent contact is an element that connects the backrest to the seat and is responsible for changes in its position

Most office chair models have armrests. In cheap models, these elements are made of plastic; in more expensive ones - made of anodized or stainless steel.

How to reupholster a chair and replace the upholstery

Well, now you have everything prepared for repair, or rather reupholstering the chair. You bought the fabric, disassembled the back and seat, all that remains is to remove the old upholstery and install a new cover. By the way, you don’t need to make a pattern for the new seat and back cover. Just roughly divide the piece of fabric into two by eye. Take one of the pieces and place the back or seat exactly in the center. The photo clearly shows how to perform the constriction using a stapler. Don't worry about the seat shell being plastic. The stapler easily hammers staples into such material, not just wood. Therefore, buy brackets for it that are 8mm long, no more.

Step-by-step instruction

So, dismantling furniture is a gradual disconnection of the main components. Then the breakdown is repaired and the interior element is reassembled. Disassembling an office chair is a rather labor-intensive process and not as simple as it might seem at first glance. Especially if you are new to this business.

The quality of the upholstery will affect how long the chair will be used.

To disassemble an office chair at home, you need to do the following:

Place the furniture with the cross up, unscrew the fastening connecting the piastrum and the seat. To do this you will need a Phillips screwdriver. Once the bolts are removed, the seat will be removed.
Unscrew the armrests from the metal plate they are attached to.
Hit the piastre with a hammer (just do it carefully so as not to damage the surface) or a mallet in order to disconnect the gas lift. If the chair above has never been disassembled, and you have been using it for a long time, this can only be done with the use of serious physical force. Be careful not to bend the part while working.
Unscrew the bolts that ensure the connection of the permanent contact with the back and piaster.
Gently but firmly tap the crosspiece with a mallet so that it moves away from the air chuck.
Remove the rollers from the spider housing using a slotted screwdriver.

If you are replacing a gas lift in the cold season, do not use it right away.
In order to remove the gas lift at home, it is recommended to use a ring drift. It is worth noting that the fasteners are quite fragile, and in order not to damage them, it is recommended to securely fix the cross so that it remains stationary.

Gas lift is responsible for the elasticity of the stool.

Although an office chair is a rather complex mechanism, it can be repaired. And some problems can be easily treated at home. The minimum skills and necessary tools will guarantee the success of your event.

Buy quality computer chairs.

Well, in order to resort to repairs as rarely as possible, purchase chairs from well-known companies that have earned a reputation in the consumer market. In addition, it is important to use the chair in strict accordance with the recommendations, and then you can extend the life of your office furniture.

Handle your office chair with care.

Seat and backrest reupholstery diagram

Perhaps the most difficult thing in this type of chair repair is to properly stretch the leather or fabric. For an inexperienced person, the fabric will either be too tight or not stretched. The corners turn out especially “badly”, because the fabric needs to be stretched so that no folds are visible from the front side. In order to evenly distribute the tension of the fabric, you must first secure the sides with paper clips in the center (arrows), crosswise. Then in the corners diagonally and then lay out each corner separately. And only after this the sides, and in parallel.

If errors occur, the parentheses can be removed. Pry it off with a flathead screwdriver and remove it with wire cutters. After the fabric reupholstery is completely finished, trim off the excess sections of fabric with scissors and assemble the chair.

Varieties by mechanism

The solution to the main question of how to disassemble a computer chair will also depend on the mechanisms present in the chair. Designs can be either conventional or improved. Modern models include the following devices:

Wheels. They allow the chair to move in any direction.
Adjustable ride height. It is regulated by a special lever, which is located under the chair. This mechanism is designed in the form of a piston. He either raises the tube, increasing the height, or lowers the tube, decreasing the height.
Backrest tilt adjustment. This mechanism is very useful, since it can be used to configure the chair as a work chair, and also change it into a resting place by tilting the backrest.
Mini pillows for head and back. Some models are equipped with such amenities. With the help of these pillows you can relieve stress from the spine and neck and provide yourself with maximum comfort.