How To Raise The Height Of An Old Swivel Chair? Comprehensive Guide

Helen Skeates
Helen Skeates
18 min read

An ancient swivel chair requires the user to rock back and forth until they find the ideal height. The elderly or those with mobility impairments may find this particularly challenging.

This post will show you how to add height to an existing swivel chair without having to purchase a new one. Read on to learn how to add an insert to your present swivel chair to make it taller for you. We’ll also give you some terrific advice on how to extend the life of your seats.

5 Reasons Why We Love A Chair That Swivels

Improve Productivity

A swivel chair is useful because it allows you to easily pivot in any direction. You can get documents from a nearby printer if you’re working from home or in an office with cabinets and drawers. Turning around in your swivel chair in the living room to reach for the TV remote, a drink, or a snack is a breeze.

3 Easy Steps on How to Raise the Height of an Old Swivel Chair - Krostrade

User-Friendly

As these seats must be moved around with relative ease, they are typically constructed from lightweight materials. You don’t have to be a powerlifter to carry your chair from room to room in your house or from one office to another. Anybody can utilize a swivel chair in any room because of its adaptability.

Comfortable

To avoid contorting oneself in an uncomfortable manner while sitting, swivel chairs are a great option. These chairs are designed to alleviate the strain placed on the lower back while getting up from a seated position, making them ideal for anyone with back problems. Plus, if you’re a breastfeeding mom, you can easily get around the house without waking up your little one.

Different Designs

Though you would assume that there is just one design for swivel chairs, that is not the case. Each gaming chair sold by Furniture Online includes a full 360 degrees of swivel movement, and we sell a wide variety of other seats with this functionality as well.

Here are our best picks for a living room or home office to help you narrow down your options:

  • This sleek fabric swivel recliner chair and matching footstool is the Berkeley. The Berkeley can be had in a number of basic tones that will complement a wide variety of interior design styles. Don’t forget to put your feet up on the convenient footstool when you’re done swiveling.
  • This chic and modern Tilbury Leather Swivel Recliner Chair with Foot Stool is upholstered in plush black leather and features a secret… The Tilbury chair provides excellent back support in addition to its 8-point massage mechanism. The included footstool adds to the comfort of this chair.
  • Rockingham Leather Swivel Recliner Chair with Massage and Heat– this chair has so many functions, it’s hard to know where to start! The Rockingham’s 8-point massage function, combined with its flexibility to rotate and recline, makes it ideal for those who suffer from chronic back pain or joint stiffness. The chair’s side pockets and drink holder make it tempting to never get up from your seat.

Affordable

Our swivel chairs start at just £149.99, and we ship worldwide!

All of our seats are made with the consumer in mind, as we don’t think quality should come at a hefty price. Each chair we make is crafted from the finest materials available.

Steps on Raising the Height of an Old Swivel Chair

First, locate a piece of 12″ by 18″ foam. About an inch in depth is ideal. This project calls for two of these, which you can find at any home furnishings retailer.

The second step is to install an insert on top of the seat cushion of your swivel chair, centered so that it does not protrude too far against the back or armrests, and with enough leeway around all sides to prevent it from moving.

Third, using a sharp utility knife or scissors, trim away any unnecessary material by rounding off any sharp corners; just be careful not to sever any of the screw holes from below the old swivel chair! If you don’t have access to knives or scissors, a straight edge may do the trick.

Step 4: Locate the exact middle of one of the legs of your previous swivel chair and create a hole in it. This hole should be about an inch above the point where the leg attaches to the underside/bottom component that goes in place when the chair is assembled and sitting on its feet.

How can I Raise the Height of my Chair Without a Lever?

How do you adjust the seat height on an ancient swivel chair if there is no lever? It’s not rocket science at all! Simply place some cushioning behind it, and you’re good to go.

What Kinds of Padding Should I Use?

Foam padding is number one because it prevents floor damage.

Carpet squares with padding on all four corners; these are made to go under chairs with wheels and prevent damage to your floors.

Cushions that move up and down, such those made of memory foam or an egg crate mattress, are our third option. For those whose thighs are too long to touch the floor while seated, this is the solution. They facilitate mobility by reducing the effort required to push the chair.

Fourth, a pillow or bean bag—if your feet don’t reach, consider setting something soft in front of them and then sitting on top of that to raise them so you can use them more effectively when seated (and eventually this will also help with circulation).

This is wonderful since it not only relieves your leg discomfort but also helps bring blood to your exhausted muscles.

How do you adjust a rotating chair?

A new chair can be bought that is tailored to the user’s preferred height.

If you have an older chair that spins freely, adjusting it won’t take long. To do this, just remove the bolts from either side (either by unscrewing them or cutting them off) and ratchet them up until they are no longer touching the ground. So easy!

How to Adjust the Height of an Office Chair | Overstock.com

How do You Repair an old Swivel Chair?

In a home office, a swivel chair is a must. Without leaving your seat, you may rotate to look over your shoulder or across the room to view what’s behind your desk.

Swivel chairs are convenient for working at a desk since their armrests allow you to rest your arms comfortably while typing. Is there any way to fix a broken swivel chair?

If you ever need to repair a broken component, you can do so by shopping for new ones online. Replace missing screws, maybe of insufficient length, with bolts and washers if possible.

It may help to put lubrication on all the metal parts so they can be moved around more readily. Prior to installing the metal washers, you should double-check the tightness of the bolts keeping everything in place to avoid constantly readjusting your chair.

Swivel chairs are convenient for working at a desk since their armrests allow you to type with ease.

Before installing the metal washers, make sure the bolts holding everything together are tight enough so that you won’t have to readjust your chair every time you sit down.

Replace missing screws, maybe of insufficient length, with bolts and washers if possible.

You can purchase new replacement parts online if needed or just replace the damaged pieces yourself.

A swivel office chair will break after many years of use.

You can purchase new replacement parts online if needed or just replace the damaged pieces yourself.

You can replace the broken parts yourself or get new ones from an online retailer.

To change the height of your swivel office chair, remove or tighten the screws at the point where each leg is attached to the rest of the frame.

The third step is to check for damage and replace it before putting the whole thing back together. As soon as you’ve put everything back together, give the four nuts a good, firm twist.

How to Clean and Maintain an Office Chair

Vacuum Dust and Debris

Use the wand attachment of your vacuum cleaner on your office chair once every few weeks to keep it clean and sanitary. If the wand attachment is smooth, it should be able to pick up most dust and dirt without scratching your desk chair. Using the vacuum’s wand attachment, move it around the seat, back, and armrests while the suction is set to low.

Vacuuming your office chair on a regular basis will help it last longer and keep it looking like new, no matter what kind it is. The wand attachment will vacuum up dirt and debris that would otherwise settle into the upholstery of your office chair and hasten its demise.

Look for an Upholstery Tag

Check the tag sewn into the fabric of your office chair if you haven’t previously. Most office chairs will have an upholstery tag, but there are always outliers. Instructions on how to clean the office chair are included on this label, sometimes called a care tag or care label. Check the upholstery tag to see what kind of fabric your office chair is made of so you can clean it in the safest and most effective way possible.

The upholstery label is typically located behind the seat of an office chair. Once you find it, see if there is a code there for a cleaning. One or two letters indicate the most appropriate cleaning method for the fabric of the office chair.

The various cleaning codes found on upholstery tags are explained below.

  • The most frequent cleaning code seen on furniture tags is “W,” which indicates that water or a water-based product should be used to clean the chair.
  • If the cleaning code for your office chair is “S” (which stands for “solvent only”), you should avoid using water when washing the upholstery. Many manufacturers advise against using water while cleaning office chairs upholstered in organic materials such as cotton, wool, or rayon.
  • Office chairs with the W/S cleaning code can be cleaned with either a water-based or solvent-based cleaning solution.
  • Last but not least, an X cleaning code indicates that the office chair needs just to be brushed or vacuumed. If your office chair has this cleaning code, you shouldn’t clean it with water or a solvent.

If your chair doesn’t have a label explaining how to clean the upholstery, you can always refer to the handbook that came with it. If a chair in the office doesn’t have a tag with care instructions sewn into the fabric, it should have an owner’s manual with the same information.

Spot Clean Using Soap and Warm Water

You can spot clean your office chair with soap and warm water unless the upholstery tag or owner’s handbook says otherwise. If you see any smudges or blemishes on your office chair, you may easily remove them by blotting the damaged area with a damp washcloth and a drop or two of liquid soap.

To clean your desk chair, you don’t need to buy a special kind of detergent. To clean the dishes, simply use a mild dish soap. Apply some dish soap to a clean washcloth and run it under running water to clean it. Then, blot the soiled area or areas rather than scrubbing them with a sponge or towel. Important since it removes the staining components from the cloth, blotting is a must. Scrubbing the stain will only push the stain-causing components deeper into the fabric. So, when you spot clean your desk chair, don’t forget to blot it!

Test Stain-Removing Products in a Discreet Area

Superficial stains on an office chair can probably be removed with just a little bit of soap and warm water, but more pervasive stains will require something stronger. There are several solutions on the market designed to remove stains, and many of them use strong cleaning chemicals. But if you’re thinking about using one of these products, you should test it in a discreet area of your office chair.

Apply Conditioner to Leather

It is recommended that leather furniture be conditioned every few months to keep it from drying out and cracking. Full grain leather, rectified grain leather, and split leather are all examples of the many types of leather available. The best quality leather is full grain, and the next best is rectified grain. However, the porous surface of all varieties of natural leather means that it absorbs and retains moisture.

Natural leather has millions of tiny holes that become visible under a microscope. These openings, also known as pores, are what allow moisture to be retained in the leather. When moisture condenses on a leather office chair, it seeps into the material and prevents it from drying out. However, after time, the pores will dry out and the fluid will be gone. When this happens, the leather might peel or even split open if not fixed.

If you use a leather conditioner on your office chair, you can keep it in pristine shape for years to come. Mink oil and saddle soap are two examples of leather conditioners that can be used to give moisture to the material. Water and other elements are contained inside, and they prevent leather from drying out and cracking. Applying a leather conditioner will help keep your office chair’s upholstery soft and supple.

Additional advice on taking care of your leather office chair:

  • Avoid spilling drinks or other liquids on your leather office chair.
  • Keep the humidity in your workplace between 40 and 55 percent. Your leather office chair could crack if the relative humidity is below 40%. On the other hand, if it’s over 55%, it could get too wet and rot.
  • You shouldn’t maintain your leather desk chair more more than once every few months. If you condition leather too much, you risk oversaturating it with water.
  • A leather protectant may be useful, so keep that in mind. Protectants are intended to create a protective layer over the surface of leather, and should not be mistaken with conditioners.
  • Put your leather office chair away from any heat sources like vents and heaters.

Clean and Lubricate Casters

Your office chair’s casters, if it has any, will benefit from regular cleaning and lubrication to ensure smooth mobility. Wheels of an office chair are housed in metal or plastic components called casters. The wheels can be constructed from a wide range of materials, including plastic, rubber, steel, aluminum, cast iron, and polyurethane. In contrast, the actual house units are typically metal constructions.

Most modern office chairs glide easily and with no effort. However, if you’ve used your office chair for more than a year, dirt and dust may have settled inside the wheels, making movement difficult.

Cleaning the casters is as simple as turning your chair upside down and removing any lint, hair, or dirt from the wheel housing units. A vacuum cleaner can be used to remove any excess particles from the casters, and bottled air can be used to replace the force of a vacuum.

The casters on your office chair need to be cleaned and then lubricated with something like WD-40. To make your office chair glide more easily, simply spray some lubricant into each housing unit. Clean and lubricate the casters on your office chair at least once every six months.

Tighten Fasteners

Naturally, you should also check the bolts on your office chair and make sure they are secure. If you don’t regularly tighten the screws or bolts (or both) on your office chair, it could become unsteady and even fall over. If a screw or bolt is missing, for example, your office chair will wobble.

The location of all fasteners may be found in the user handbook. The number of attachment points on an office chair might vary widely. Locate the screws or bolts that hold your office chair in place, then tighten them using a screwdriver.

Turn the screwdriver to the right to tighten a screw. On the other hand, if you turn a fastener to the left, you will loosen it. Righty-tighty, lefty-loosey is a handy mnemonic for remembering which way to turn a fastener.

9 Ergonomic Tips for Synchronizing Your Work Station and Office Chair

Replace Gas Cylinder

When you raise your chair, does it immediately return to the floor? If this is the case, the gas cylinder may need to be replaced. Typically, a gas cylinder is used to generate pneumatic lift in chairs that may be adjusted in height. The compressed nitrogen gas within this cylinder is what actually does the lifting and maintaining of the office chair’s raised position.

You won’t be able to elevate your office chair if the gas cylinder is leaking or malfunctioning in any other way. The good news is that most gas cylinders are readily available for replacement. To change the gas cylinder in your office chair, you just to invert it, remove the old one with a screwdriver, and insert the new one. After the new gas cylinder has been placed, you can test its functionality by lifting your desk chair.

Keep Away From Direct Sunlight

Having your workplace chair in the middle of a window is a bad idea. Most textiles and materials, including those used to make office chairs, degrade when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) sunlight. That sort of thing doesn’t occur instantly. A desk chair may discolor and dry out if left in the sun for too long.

It is not necessary to work in complete darkness to prevent solar damage to your office chair. Consider putting your desk chair in a shady spot instead. To reduce the amount of direct sunlight reaching your office chair, you can also partially close the blinds or drapes. Taking these measures will prevent your office chair from fading or drying out as a result of exposure to sunlight.

Replace When Necessary

It is possible that your office chair will need to be replaced at some point, even if you keep it clean and well-maintained on a regular basis. One study found that office chairs typically last between seven and fifteen years. Whenever your office chair reaches the end of its useful life or is damaged beyond repair, it is time to get a new one.

Ideally, a warranty would accompany a high-quality office chair from a well-known manufacturer. During the warranty term, the manufacturer will fix or replace any defective parts at no cost to the customer. When shopping for a new office chair, it is important to find one whose manufacturer stands behind its product with a warranty.

To get the most out of your new office chair, keep it clean and in good condition by following these steps after each use. If you do that, you can prevent its early demise. Equally important is the condition of your office chair, which can greatly affect your productivity.

Conclusion

The old swing chair can be made taller with only three easy steps, and the post also includes advice on how to keep it clean and well maintained. You should check out the piece and give us feedback on what you think.

Helen Skeates

Helen Skeates

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