How to Fix a Squeaky Office Chair

Have you ever been frustrated by the squeaking sound coming from your chair? A squeaky chair can be bothersome to both the person sitting in it and others in the room. Fortunately, these annoying noises don't mean your chair is beyond repair. If you can accurately identify the issue, fixing it can be quite simple.

Check the nuts, bolts, and screws. The first thing you should do is flip the chair upside down and examine all the parts. Use a screwdriver or wrench to tighten any loose nuts, bolts, and screws. Over time, screws and bolts can loosen, causing certain parts of the chair to rub against each other, creating the squeaking sound.

Lubricate the mechanical components. Apply oil to all the nuts, bolts, and screws to loosen the connection points. Simply spray oil directly onto the mechanical parts of the chair and allow it to dry. You can also apply oil to a soft cotton cloth and wipe the problem areas for easier handling.

• Humidity and air conditioning can often cause rust. Regular lubrication is necessary to prevent rust from forming and accumulating.

Completely remove the bolts and screws to lubricate. If the chair continues to squeak after lubricating and tightening the bolts and screws, remove all the parts, lubricate them with light machine oil, then reassemble them in place.

Ask someone to sit on the chair after lubrication. To identify the source of the squeak, ask someone to sit on the chair and swivel back and forth. This will help you pinpoint the exact area where the noise is coming from so you can apply the oil to the right spot. After each lubrication, ask them to swivel the chair to see if the noise has been fixed.

Repair the spring behind the chair. Sometimes the squeak only happens when you lean back, usually caused by too much pressure where the ends of the spring rub against the frame. You can lubricate the spring located inside the frame of the spring tube. Simply twist the knob, remove it, and spray oil inside the tube.

Push the chair back and forth to check the wheels. Office chairs often have wheels underneath that are used frequently. Over time, the axles inside the wheels will need some silicone oil to restore them. Flip the chair over and spray oil into the wheels. Then, place the chair back down and move it back and forth to evenly distribute the silicone oil across the wheels.

Sit down gently. If you have a habit of sitting down forcefully, your chair will soon start making noises. Like any object, a chair wears down over time. To keep your chair durable and reduce the squeaks, try sitting down gently so that the joints don’t loosen too quickly.

Inspect the legs, screws, or nails on the wooden chair. Check how the legs or backrest of the chair wobble by pushing and pulling the chair back and forth. If the chair is still sturdy, you shouldn’t notice any significant movement.

Flip the chair over to inspect. You can flip the chair upside down and place it on a table or another flat surface for easy access to the squeaky areas. This method also minimizes unwanted pressure on the legs or backrest while you make repairs.

Apply glue to loose joints. There are many strong wood adhesives available that you can use to reinforce any loose joints on the chair. Once you’ve identified the loose joint, apply the wood glue and let it dry before setting the chair back down. Wipe off any excess glue around the joint using a damp cloth.

• For a stronger adhesive mix, you can add wood filler to the glue. The thicker mixture will help stabilize any wobbly chair legs.

Expand the joints with wood expanding glue. If the chair legs are wobbling significantly, you should remove the legs and apply wood expanding glue. Sometimes, the joints of the chair can contract, causing parts to become loose. When you apply the expanding glue to the joints, the wood will expand, making the connection more secure.

Replace the nails or dowels in the joints. If the wooden chair seems loose or no longer in good condition, you can replace the necessary components. Even if you don’t want to disassemble the existing parts, you can still reinforce them by adding nails or a hinge frame to make the chair sturdier. When adding screws, be sure to check that the screws are long enough to go through to the other side.