How to Fix an Office Chair That Won’t Stay Up: 5 Simple Steps

There are enough distractions working from home without your office chair giving you a hard time. One common issue for office chairs is that they won’t stay up properly for one reason or another. Constantly adjusting your chair into the right position throughout the working day can be frustrating, so we have put together a quick fix guide.

Find our step-by-step guide on how to fix an office chair that won’t stay up below.

Why won’t my office chair stay up?

There can be a few reasons why your office chair won’t stay up, but the most common reason is the gas cylinder is worn and needs replacing. If chairs lose gas they won’t stay up properly and will need adjusting regularly. There can be health risks if you sit for long periods on a chair that isn’t the right height for you. It can lead to neck tension and other aches and pains if you’re not at an ergonomic level with your desk and screen.

Luckily, there are different things you can do to fix an office chair that won’t stay up.

Use a hose clamp

One way to fix your chair that won’t stay up is to use a hose clamp. There are a few easy steps you can follow to do this.

1. Remove the plastic cover from your chair

Many chairs have a visible plastic cover over the metal cylinder. You will need to access the metal tube so you can fix the hose clamp.

2. Adjust the chair to the height you want

This step is important because you might not be able to adjust it later. Your chair should be level with your knees when standing up for maximum comfort.

3. Grab the cylinder and fix the hose clamp

You can buy a hose clamp from any hardware store. Once you have it and you’ve followed the previous steps, pull on the end that has a belt and wrap the clamp around the metal cylinder of the chair.

The clamp is going to need to be tight to hold up the chair, we recommend wrapping a strip of duct tape around it to improve the grip.

4. Tighten the hose clamp

Once you’re sure you’ve set the chair to the right height, you can tighten the hose clamp. Grab the top of the metal cylinder and slide the clamp up. Finally, pull the hose clamp and rotate the screw to tighten it.

5. Test your chair

You can now test your chair. The clamp should stop it from sliding down and keep the chair at the correct height. If you feel you’ve set it to the wrong height, you might be able to adjust it by grabbing the clamp and moving it higher or lower.

If it fixed the problem and your chair still won’t stay up, there is something else you can try.

Use a PVC Pipe

A PVC pipe is something else you can use to help keep your chair upright. This might require more work than the hose clamp, so we recommend trying that method first.

1. Measure your chair's cylinder

Remove the plastic cover over the metal cylinder and use a ruler to estimate its diameter. You shouldn’t need an exact measurement but can work it out if you’d prefer.

2. Buy a length of PVC pipe

The purpose of the pipe is to fit over the metal cylinder of the chair and provide extra support. So, you want to be looking out for a pipe roughly the same diameter as the cylinder. Buy enough pipe to extend from the wheelbase to the chair seat.

3. Fit the PVC pipe

You have two options here. You can saw the PVC pipe lengthwise to create a slit that will snap onto the chair cylinder. We recommend wearing a mask when cutting PVC to avoid inhaling irritating particles. Your other option is to remove the chair base and slide the pipe on that way.

4. Add more pipe to adjust the height

To increase the height of your chair, raise it and add more PVC pipe. This should stop the chair from lowering and fix the problem.

5. Test your chair

You can now test your chair. The PVC pipe should act just as the hose clamp does and stop your chair from lowering to an uncomfortable height.

If this doesn’t fix the problem, it might be worth investing in a new office chair. Furniture At Work have a fantastic range of office chairs perfect for different professional environments.