The office chair is an essential item from our home and office, as it has managed to make it easy for us to stay hours in front of the desk without feeling a lot of strain on our bodies. Many of us have a beloved chair – that one item which manages to make us feel just perfect and to concentrate on the work in front of us without having to shift from one place to another because of the chair. The question is: what do we do when that chair gets broken? Some would say that the answer to this question is as simple as buying a new office chair, but with prices still high on these items it is normal to search for alternatives. In the following we will go over the main aspects of buying office chair parts as to direct the buyer in the direction he/she needs to go as to make a good acquisition.
Which are the main elements of the office chair?
Knowing the parts of the office chair is a must if you aim at fixing it yourself, but without any knowledge of the internals of a chair there is no point to go shopping at all. The following elements are the ones which generally get broken at a chair, so if your chair seems to have a problem which can be found in the list below then that item is to be replaced first. Asking for a professional opinion on this matter is not so important at first, but if you replace one or two parts and things don’t get going then the problem must be a deeper one.
The mechanism is the heart of the office chair and the most expensive and complex part of it. It is usually found just under the chair and has the shape of a metal box with some buttons and leavers coming out of it. The mechanism connects all the parts of the chair and is usually harder to replace, but as long as it is bolted to the chair there is still hope. There are two types of mechanism: gas and manual, so finding out the model from your chair would be the starting point here.
Signs of a broken mechanism:
- the chair doesn’t go up or down
- the back-rest is not working
- the chair gets stuck from time to time and it takes some effort to get it going again
- leavers or buttons don’t budge unless forced
The cylinder or post is considered another main element of the desk which costs a little more to replace. The good thing here is that you can change the cylinder on most of the chair available on the market, so it will probably not be hard to fix yours. Depending on your chair, this item is called a post for manual chairs or a cylinder for a gas one; knowing this is important when one sets out to buy a replacement office chair cylinder or post. The multitude of office chair suppliers on the market makes it possible to choose a good-quality post for around $50, a bargain when compared to the price of the chair.
Signs of a broken cylinder or post:
- the chair will not modify its height
- the chair’s height does not remain the same over time
- the post makes strange sounds when one sits on the chair
- the elements of the chair are not fixed and tend to wobble
If the part which gets broken is the one touching the floor, then you have great luck. The base is the arm-shaped piece of the office chair which is responsible for distributing the weight evenly and talking care of how stable your product is. Ranging from four to six arms versions, this item can easily be found in local stores or online and is not expensive at all. While searching for replacement office chair parts, you should always choose a high-quality office chair parts base as it could send the user flying on the floor if it is not able to keep the chair stable.
Signs of a broken base:
- a visual inspection shows problems with the base: ware or broken plastic parts
- the chair is not stable anymore and always lands on the ground with the smallest weight attached to its back
- the wheels get stuck and cannot be easily turned
A caster is the term used for the wheels of the office chair. They are small wheels which are connected with a small mechanism to the base. You can find ware signs on the wheels themselves or on the connection mechanism, but the good thing here is that you will easily find places to buy replacements. Shopping for casters on Amazon.com is a good way to start, but there are also other stores out there. If you have used the chair for a long time in places where there is dust, cleaning them would be a good idea before going out to buy others.
Signe of broken casters:
- the chair is hard to push around
- some wheels get stuck while turning the chair and while changing movement direction
- the wheels make a roaring recurring sound
Cover/cushion – this is the element which directly comes in contact with the user, so it is a must to have a good cover for maximum comfort. With time the cover can get old and start to wear while the cushion gets harder and lacks its normal softness. Available in a lot of colors, the cover is a cheap element of an office chair. You can also buy a cover and a cushion together, as to save some money, but it is a must to change this from time to time.
If you find yourself with a broken computer chair arm, then there is nothing to be scared off. While this element is important, it often gets broken in time, so you will be able to shop for a office chair parts arm and change it in no time. Being bolted to the body, the arm can be replaced in about 10 minutes. The important thing is to know where to acquire the computer chair arm from.
Which are the best places online to buy office chair parts from?
As with the introduction of the age of computers, there are a lot of places where the buyer can get an office chair part from. The web enables you to get your chair fixed in no time, but services such as Amazon are considered the best to go for here. With free shipping, you should be able to save some money when compared to the local retail store, but opting for a new chair is never too late.
To conclude this discussion about computer chairs, the number of items which can get broken on a computer chair can seem overwhelming for you if this is the first time you are in front of this problem. By carefully looking and inspecting the problem, it will not be so hard to make up your mind on buying parts or just another chair. If in need of some advice here, feel free to drop a comment or two and I can help in any way I can.
