How to Fix a Sinking Office Chair: 3 Ways That Work

A decent office chair is one of the best investments you can make in your workplace. It’s important for your comfort, and it makes it much easier to sit in a good posture through a long working day. Finding the correct height for your office chair is one of the most crucial factors in setting the most ergonomic position.

However, even the most expensive office chairs can experience a common problem: sinking. A chair that keeps sinking has almost always lost pressure in its gas lift, the sealed cylinder under the seat. A PVC pipe sleeve or a hose clamp will hold your chair at one height, but only a new cylinder brings back proper height adjustment. When faced with this frustrating issue of a sinking desk chair, thankfully you don't necessarily have to rush into buying a fancy new mesh office chair. If you need to, you can easily fix it yourself and continue to make the most out of your chair. In this article, we will guide you through two quick stopgaps you can do yourself, plus the permanent fix: a new gas cylinder.

Is It Time To Replace Your Sinking Office Chair?

You’ll know better than anyone if your chair needs to be replaced. One of the sure signs normally is when the pneumatics go, but if you’ve made it this far, you may be setting up to persevere a little further. We’re here to help you with that, but it is worth considering before you repair, that even the best bodge job won’t get your beloved office chair working fully: we can only help you find your best height and stay there.

If you want a fully ergonomic and adjustable office chair, now might be the time to start looking at some of the office chairs Desky has on offer.

Investigating the Chair's Consistent Sinking

To understand why your chair keeps sinking every time you take a seat, you need to comprehend the basics of chair mechanics. Ergonomic chairs typically contain a gas lift (also called a gas cylinder): a sealed cylinder of pressurised gas, usually nitrogen, that allows the seat to go up and down. But if your chair can't hold its position, it's likely due to a worn-out or defective cylinder.

Why Does Your Office Chair Sink?

‘Sinking’ in office chairs is often caused by a worn or broken seal in the pneumatic cylinder, which controls the chair's height using pressure. When the seal fails, it can no longer hold pressure, resulting in the chair continuously sinking.

This is obviously problematic, as it prevents you from maintaining the optimum position to work. Your chair won't hold a comfortable working height, so you end up re-adjusting it again and again, which is just plain annoying. It could be a sign you need to replace your office chair, but before you do, it might be worth trying one of our DIY methods to see if you can solve the problem yourself.

Hydraulic Chairs

Hydraulic chairs, also known as hydraulic lift chairs, are seating solutions designed with a lift mechanism that allows for easy height adjustment. Office chairs actually use a gas lift rather than a hydraulic fluid system, though most people call them hydraulic. The mechanism provides smooth and precise movements, enabling users to raise or lower the seat to their desired level effortlessly.

By pulling up or pushing down on the chair's levers, you can adjust the height of the chair to your preference. It's also vital to check the chair's tension knobs, which can be tightened or loosened as needed for the perfect fit.

Fixing Hydraulic Chairs

Is repairing the hydraulics an option for your office chair? It's indeed possible, but it's worth noting that problems with the cylinder could be expensive to rectify. Office chair cylinders wear out with use, body weight and time, primarily because the seals become too damaged to hold pressure. The cylinder is sealed, so it can't be refilled or repaired: when it fails, it is replaced as a unit.

Repair Solutions for a Drooping Chair

Consistent plummeting in your chair can be infuriating. Fortuitously, there are ways to resolve this issue. Below are key strategies for fixing a chair that continually sinks:

• Do a quick check first: If the chair holds its height until you touch the lever, the lever or its linkage is the problem, not the cylinder.
• Check the Adjustment Mechanism: If your chair's height lever isn't responding, it could mean there's a problem with the mechanism itself. You might need to replace or fix this part of the chair, but before that, use a bit of lubricant like WD-40 on the lever and linkage to see if it can get things moving again. Never spray it into or onto the gas cylinder.
• Replace the gas cylinder: If the seat sinking persists, replacing the defective gas cylinder, also known as a chair lift, might be necessary.
• Use a hose clamp: As a temporary solution, a hose clamp can restrict the chair's vertical mobility, preventing the chair from sinking.

Fixing the Sinking Problem: Two Methods

Before you start, a quick safety note. Never cut, drill, heat or try to open the gas cylinder itself, because it holds pressurised gas. Wear eye protection and gloves when you work near it, and stop using the chair if it drops suddenly, hisses or looks damaged.

Method One: The PVC Pipe Technique for fixing a sinking office chair

Step 1: Measure the Cylinder

Locate the metal cylinder, which is usually covered by a plastic tube, or something similar. Measure its length when the chair is at your ideal height. Measure (or estimate) the cylinder or plastic tube's diameter as well.

Step 2: Cut PVC Pipe To Length

Find a PVC pipe that is slightly wider than the cylinder's diameter and cut it to the appropriate length using a standard saw.

Step 3: Open the Pipe

Using a saw, cut the PVC pipe lengthwise on one side.

Step 4: Attach the Pipe to the Cylinder

Now, you need to apply the pipe where you have just cut: it should pop onto the tube so it fits snugly around the metal cylinder. If it's difficult to fit, you can cut the pipe into two smaller sections to decrease the resistance. Cutting the pipe into smaller sections can be a good idea anyway, as it may allow you to make adjustments to the chair's height to find the best position.

Step 5: Check and Adjust the Height

Sit back down on your favourite office chair and ensure the height is suitable for you. You can increase the height by adding more pipe or decrease it by removing some. As I pointed out above, if you have already cut the pipe into smaller sections this may be easier (though taking correct measurements in the first instance will save you a lot of hassle: measure twice, cut once, as they say!).

Raising an Office Chair Manually

If your chair refuses to cooperate, here's one way to manually rectify it: you can fit a hose clamp around the gas cylinder. Tighten this at the desired chair height. Although it lacks the convenience of adjustable height, it still secures your chair in a preferred fixed position. Below is a more detailed step-by-step guide on how to do this.

Method Two: Using a Hose Clamp and Duct Tape

Step 1: Expose the Cylinder

Uncover the metal cylinder as already explained in Method One. Slide the tube aside or remove it completely.

Step 2: Set the Height

Set the chair's height to your preferred height and desired level, as it can't be adjusted later in the process. Ideally, the seat height should let you sit with your thighs about level and your feet flat on the floor, which usually puts the seat around knee height when you're standing next to it. Imagine you are sitting on the chair and line it up with your desk and monitor if possible. As close as possible try to find the optimum position. Once set, nip down to the hardware store and pick up a hose clamp and some duct tape.

Step 3: Apply Duct Tape

Wrap duct tape around the area where the hose clamp will grip. This creates a better surface for the clamp to hold onto. Alternatively, you can key the metal surface using heavy-duty sandpaper.

This will help to increase the tape’s hold on the metal cylinder by increasing the surface area and therefore the grip. Either way, you need to ensure the surface is clean and free of grease or oil.

Step 4: Fit and Test the Hose Clamp

Position the hose clamp over the taped or sanded area, right where it holds the seat at your chosen height. Tighten the clamp until it’s as tight as seems safe, and check if it holds the seat in place. If it still slides, try tightening the clamp more. If this doesn’t work, you can try roughening the surface further. If you didn’t key it before, now would be the time to get the sandpaper out and get working on it.

Step 5: Test your desk Chair

With a properly tightened clamp, your desk chair should no longer sink below the set height. Although you won't be able to adjust the chair's height using the lever or mechanism anymore, you can at least work comfortably without a sinking office chair ruining your flow! Clamps can creep over time, so check yours now and then and re-tighten it if the seat starts to slip.

Should You Replace the Cylinder In Your Office Chair Instead?

It is possible to fit a replacement cylinder, and in some cases this will be preferable. Though you may be able to hold your chair in the perfect position with the techniques above, it’s not much use if you need to adjust your height for any reason, and replacing the cylinder would restore your office chair to full functionality.

When you put it like that, it does seem like a pretty convincing idea. However, depending on the chair in question, you may find it hard to find a suitable replacement part, especially one that’s cost effective.

If you replace the cylinder yourself, you'll need:

• a pipe wrench
• a rubber mallet
• gloves and eye protection
• a replacement cylinder that matches your chair's part number or measured size

Lay the chair on its side and remove the base. Loosen the old cylinder with the pipe wrench and a little penetrating lubricant, then twist and pull it free. Fit the new cylinder following the instructions that come with it.

If you’re not practical, a specialist repair shop can fit the part for you, and that’s a fine option. If you want to return to full functionality, you might find that you’re better off replacing the chair, especially if your chair is showing other effects of age, wear and tear.

Before you decide, check your chair's warranty, as a failed cylinder may be covered. If you're in the market for a new office chair, the Desky Pulse Supportive Desk Chair is a good place to start. You can also browse our full range of ergonomic chairs.

Pros and Cons of Fixing Instead of Replacing Your Chair

Now that you know how to fix a sinking office chair, let's weigh the pros and cons of choosing to fix it rather than investing in a new chair.

Pros

1. Cost-effective: Repairing your chair is usually going to be cheaper than buying a new one or replacing a major part.
2. Speed of Repair: These DIY fixes can be implemented immediately, so you can keep working with no break in play.
3. Suitable for short-term use: if you are going to be replacing your chair, these fixes are a great way of carrying you through until the delivery date!
4. Super Easy To Pull Off: You definitely don’t need to be a dab hand at DIY to hose clamp a chair, so even the least technical can keep their chair operational in the short term.

Cons

1. Aesthetics: Let’s face it, a clamp isn’t the prettiest solution. It might be fine at home, but in a client-facing office it could give the wrong impression altogether.
2. It’s only temporary: our DIY methods on how to fix a sinking office chair are probably not a permanent solution, and you may need to repeat the repairs over time.
3. Repeat danger: There's a possibility that the sinking issue may resurface, requiring additional fixes, and you may find yourself buying a replacement in the long run anyway.

A sinking office chair can be a frustrating problem, but at least with these easy DIY fixes, you can extend the lifespan of your chair, if only until reinforcements arrive! Whether you choose to use the hose clamp method and duct tape or opt for the PVC pipe method, these solutions offer a practical way to address the issue (for now).

We’ll trust you to consider the pros and cons of fixing, versus replacing and make the best decision for your situation. Remember though: investing in a high-quality ergonomic chair with a robust cylinder and pneumatics could help you avoid that sinking feeling altogether. Whatever you decide, we hope this might help you squeeze a little more life out of your chair before the scrapheap!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I keep myself from sliding off my chair?

Apart from constantly lowering itself, your chair could be giving you a literal run for your money by making you slide off. Smooth surfaces on your chair, like silk or nylon upholstery, might induce sliding. To eliminate the slipping, you can reupholster your chair with a grip-friendly fabric.

Can a gas lift be refilled?

No. A gas lift is a sealed cylinder, so it can't be refilled or repaired. When it stops holding pressure, the whole cylinder is replaced as a unit.

Is a sinking chair dangerous?

Usually it's just annoying. Stop using the chair, though, if it drops suddenly, hisses or the cylinder looks damaged.

How to take care of different desk tops?

These tips apply for all our desks but especially our hardwood desks, softwood desks and bamboo desks. Make sure you always use a coaster for beverages, hot plates and bowls. Avoid eating at your desk whenever possible to prevent crumbs and liquid spills from entering your keyboard as well. If you do have any drips or if you spill water, make sure you dry your desk immediately. You can keep your desktop clean with a soft towel that is absorbent but non-abrasive when it comes to regular cleaning.