The Loud Noise of Office Chairs

The loud noise of office chairs can be resolved by identifying the source of the abnormal sound, tightening screws and repairing worn holes, lubricating metal parts, and taking other measures.

Identifying the Source of the Abnormal Sound

• Check the connecting screws: Focus on the connection points such as the backrest, armrests, chassis, and chair legs. Shake these parts with your hands to feel for any looseness.
• Locate the sound by listening: Sit on the chair and sway slowly, bringing your ears close to different parts to listen. If the sound comes from under the seat cushion, it may be a problem with the chassis rotation axis or the gas lift. If it comes from near the chair legs, it may be due to friction between the chair feet and the ground or a loose tenon.
• Inspect special components: For chairs with a rocking and reclining function, pay attention to whether there is a dry friction sound at the metal springs and rotation axes. For lift-and-rotate seats, adjust them up and down several times to determine if there is any abnormal sound from the lift rod. Pay attention to the contact surface between the chair feet and the floor. Hard chair feet in direct contact with tiles or wooden floors can easily produce high-frequency noise when moved.

Tightening Screws and Repairing Worn Holes

• Tighten directly: Use an appropriate screwdriver or wrench to gradually tighten the loose screws in a clockwise direction. Be careful with the force to avoid stripping the screws.
• Repair worn screw holes: If the screw holes become larger, find a toothpick or a thin wooden stick, dip it in white glue, and then insert it into the screw hole to fill the gap. After the glue is completely dry, screw the screw back in.
• Dealing with loose tenons in wooden chairs: For old-style wooden chairs with mortise-and-tenon joints, if the tenons are loose, first clean off the old glue at the joints. Then, evenly apply white glue to the surface of the tenons and knock them back into place. Use ropes or clamps to fix and tighten them, and remove the fixtures after the glue is completely dry.

Lubricating Metal Parts

• Rotation axes and lift rods: For the rotation axes of the chassis of chairs with a rocking function and the lift rods of lift-and-rotate seats, apply an appropriate amount of lubricating oil to the surfaces of these metal parts. After application, lift or recline the chair several times repeatedly to evenly distribute the lubricating oil on the friction surfaces.
• Lubricating the tracks: If the sliding tracks of the office chair produce abnormal sounds, first use a vacuum cleaner to suck up the dust and debris in the tracks. Then, spray a penetrating lubricant such as WD-40 onto the tracks and slide the seat back and forth to evenly distribute the lubricant.

Other Measures

• Replace the casters: If the casters make a sound due to friction with the ground, replace all the casters with silent PU casters.
• Pad with adhesive tape: Pad a layer of adhesive tape between the chair frame and the hole wall to make up for the gap problem.
• Regular maintenance: Check all the components of the chair to ensure that all screws are tightened. Adjust the structure of the chair, such as the angle and tightness between the backrest and the seat cushion. Regularly clean and maintain the chair to prevent dust and debris from entering the interior and causing wear or abnormal sounds.