Office chair creaks

During use, an office chair may produce an unpleasant squeak. It interferes with concentration or is simply annoying. There are several sources of unpleasant sounds. You can fix all problems yourself by finding the source of the sound and doing the necessary work.

Why does an office chair squeak?

There are several reasons why an office chair may squeak:

1. Creaking is created when metal elements rub against plywood parts. Most likely the problem is related to the fasteners. Either the screws were loose or they were installed incorrectly during the manufacture of the chair.
2. The source of the squeak may be the connection between the back and seat. It is made of metal and assembled in production. The problem is unlikely to be related to improper assembly, and metal lubricant can eliminate the unpleasant sounds.
3. Another source of squeaking is the junction of the crosspiece and the gas elevator. It is necessary to check the bearing and lubricate it if it is the source. This problem is less common than others.
4. Squeaks may occur while the wheels are moving. Most likely they are not installed correctly.

Most often, the reasons for the appearance of a squeak are as follows:

1. Incorrect or prolonged use (lubricant disappears over time and parts may be damaged).
2. Low-quality materials were used to assemble the chair.
3. Errors were made during the assembly process.

Attention! In order for the chair to last longer, it must be used for its intended purpose. Do not twist it or ride it unnecessarily.

How to get rid of a squeak

If unpleasant sounds appear while using the chair, you need to find their source. After determining the epicenter of the sound, you need to do the following:

1. If the source of the creaking is the backrest or seat, you need to separate this part from the others. If the reason is in the seat, first remove the backrest. The mechanism that connects these parts of the chair is called permanent contact. Mounted into it, the securing screws are easy to remove even without the use of tools. Now we turn the chair over and unscrew the screws that connect the metal insert and the plywood. After this, a plastic cover will remain. Let's remove it. Now you can see the plywood in its entirety. At its edges there are fastenings for handles. Most often, 6 screws are used as fastenings. They need to be unscrewed. Now we assemble the structure in reverse order. Particular attention should be paid to screwing the fasteners.
2. If the squeak is directly related to the permanent contact, you need to buy a metal lubricant. It is necessary to unscrew the screw fastenings and apply a coating to the mechanism. The ideal option would be WD-40 or any similar lubricant.
3. If the source of the squeak is located at the junction of the gas lift and the crosspiece, the same lubricant will help us.

Attention! If the cause of the sounds is the back, then the work will be even easier. First, unscrew the permanent contact fasteners. We look for screws or self-tapping screws in the lower part of the back plastic. We unscrew them. In the central part we will find a part that regulates flexibility. It is necessary to tighten the screws located there. We assemble the structure in reverse order.

Operating errors leading to squeaking

There are a number of operating errors that can lead to unpleasant sounds or damage to the chair:

1. All metal parts of the chair should be lubricated regularly. It disappears over time, and the creaking appears from the thorns of the parts.
2. Periodically, all parts of the chair need to be disassembled to remove dust accumulated inside. It absorbs lubricant and can cause damage to parts.
3. Incorrect use of the chair. Children can ride on it like a carousel. This may cause damage to the wheels.
4. Heavy load on the back area. Try not to apply force when stretching back or leaning against the backrest, as there is a risk of damaging the permanent contact.

Important! Protect the chair from water (especially on metal parts and fastenings) and from mechanical damage.

Most often, squeaks are created by the metal parts of the chair due to rocking on it. Therefore, when they appear, you need to check the places where the fasteners and other metal parts are located.