An office chair at the right height is a joy to use. It makes you comfortable and prevents longterm health problems. At times, however, you might not get the needed height right away especially if you share the chair, it’s a new one, or the adjustments available aren’t enough to raise it to the desired height. In these cases, knowing how to make an office chair higher is important.
To make an office chair higher, release the height adjustment lever below the seat, let the chair raise to the desired height then lock the lever in place. If the chair has a threaded post, turn it on its side then turn the base in a counterclockwise direction to raise the chair.
Other methods include using a longer gas lift cylinder, adding pieces of wood below the chair and others. Their differences will depend on the type of chair you have and your level of skill. Raise office chair height with these DIY methods instead of going for a new one. You can make many other office chair adjustments besides the height.
How to Make Office Chair Higher: The Steps
Increase office chair height in the following steps:
1. Determine the required height
First, you should sit on your chair then determine how high you need it adjusted. The right height of a chair means having the edge of the seat at the height of your knees. This means that your knees should be at right angles (90 degrees) with the thighs when you’re seated.
If the waist is higher than the knees, the chair is too high. If your knees are higher than the waist and the angle at the back of your knees is less than 90 degrees, the chair is too low. We’ll focus on the chair that’s too low as the high ones requires simple lowering by the lever.
There is also the height of the chair in relation to the height of the desk you have for your work. When seated, a chair at the right height should have your forearms (elbow to palm) horizontal to the ground. Essentially, the desk should be parallel to the armrests.
2. Check the type of chair you have
In this regard, there are 3 types of chairs namely the ones with a threaded post, the ones with a height-adjustment lever and others without either adjustment method. Adjusting each type of chair is slightly different although some methods are applicable across all the chairs.
3. Adjust chair height accordingly
After the above procedures, you will have a good idea of how much higher your chair needs to be to provide the most comfortable sitting posture. Some of the methods available for adjusting your chair height are detailed below.
How to Make an Office Chair Higher: The Methods
The methods you can use to raise your chair to the desired height are explained below. Knowing how to increase office chair height requires knowing the type of chair and deterring the right height adjustment procedures. If you want to raise office chair without lever, use the threaded post, a longer gas lift cylinder, pieces of wood, a height extension kit, bigger wheel casters and pillow or cushion below the seat.
1. Use the height adjustment lever
The height adjustment lever is the most common type of height adjustment feature on most office chairs that use a gas lift cylinder. For this type of chairs, you can increase the height by simply lifting the lever up then releasing it when it has attained the desired height.
2. Use the threaded post
If the chair you have has a threaded post under the seat, follow these steps to adjust the height:
a. Turn the chair upside-down such that the base is facing upwards.
b. Lubricate the threads on the post going directly into the base of the seat then wipe away any excessive lubricant. Wipe with a rug ensuring you clean away any dirt in the threads.
c. Secure the chair such that it doesn’t move around in any direction.
d. To raise the chair up, turn the base counterclockwise. Ensure that only the threaded post will be moving and not the part with the wheels.
After these steps, you can turn back the chair, try out the height and determine whether it’s the right height. If not, adjust again as needed.
3. Use a longer gas lift cylinder
The length of the gas lift cylinder determines how high the chair will go. Standard office chairs have a gas lift cylinder with a travel/stroke of about 5 inches. If fully extending such a chair doesn’t give you the right height, you can consider getting a longer gas lift cylinder with a higher stroke.
Look for a gas lift cylinder with a stroke of more than 5 inches for the best results. Some can go as high as 8 inches which is a great height for low chairs.
4. Use pieces of wood
Another method of raising your chair entails adding a piece(s) of wood between the seat and the base. This is only made possible with longer screws that can still make for a solid and reliable chair. It’s a simple solution although it needs some DIY skills on your end.
You can use this method as follows:
a. Overturn your seat such that its base is facing upwards and the seat downwards.
b. With a screwdriver, remove the chair tilt mechanism (or bottom of the chair if there’s no tilt mechanism) below the seat of the chair.
c. Mark out the position of the holes on the underside of the chair in line with the bottom of the chair.
d. Cut a piece of wood 2 to 3 inches thick and slightly wider than the bottom of your chair. You can also stack pieces of ply wood to attain the desired thickness.
e. Drill holes in the piece of wood to match with the holes on the bottom of the chair. Allow at least half an inch from each hole to the edge of the piece of wood for durability.
f. Place the piece of wood unto the bottom of the chair while aligning the screw holes with the screw holes on the chair, piece of wood and the base of the chair. Make sure that the screws chosen are long enough to pass through the wood and reach the base of the chair for a tight fit.
The added piece of wood will lift the chair by a height similar to its thickness. You should know that the chair’s controls will be a bit lower than norm but it’s worth the extra height.
5. Replace the wheels (casters) with bigger ones
The wheels of your office chair will also add some height when changed with bigger ones. Wheels can be bought online at an affordable price then fitted in a short time giving you a few inches of height on your chair. Make sure you get rubber wheels that won’t damage your floors. The Office Chair Caster Wheels are some of the best wheels for this task.
6. Use a height extension kit
Office chair height extension kits adds reasonable height on your chair while still allowing for height adjustment. They are simple kits to install and don’t cost a lot. They often have a foot ring that provides rest for the feet at the new height. One of the best height extension kits is the OFM DK-2 Drafting Kit.
7. Add a platform below your chair
One other simple method to make an office chair higher without tampering with its mechanics is to add a platform below it. This can be a flat piece of wood or other solid and flat item. You may need to lock the wheels for this one to prevent the chair from rolling off it.
8. Use a pillow or cushion on the seat
This is one is a straight one as you only need a pillow on the seat to give you a few more inches of height. The problem with this method is that it will misalign your body with the chair especially the lower back support and headrest. Make sure the pillow isn’t too large or uncomfortable to avoid injuries to your back.
9. Get a bigger chair
At times, the methods offered here to increase the height of the chair may not work since the chair would just be too small. You may also not find the right equipment and some of the solutions may not seem feasible.
In such a case, going for a bigger chair will be a good investment. You can find some of the best office chairs for guys in this review. Here, you’ll find good chairs at different price points but with larger than average sizes for better comfort.
As seen here, making your chair higher is quite easy depending on the chair you have and the height increase needed. If you don’t know what to do with the chair, don’t attempt changing its parts as you may end up with a broken chair. Knowing how to make an office chair higher goes a long way in making you comfortable at work.
