Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with chair

Need a new desk chair!

Gideon — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:33:54 -0800

I need a new desk chair. My last desk chair is about 5 years old and on its last legs. It was a rather pricey chair, and I really can't afford that level of expense again. I need a good, ergonomic chair for around $200. So here's the nitty gritty.

I'm a big guy, so I need a chair that can both accommodate and not break under it.

I've also had some problems with sciatica so I'd like something that's a bit ergonomic.

Otherwise, my only other requirements are that it has wheels, arm wrests, and can lock into a "straight back" position as well as leaning back.

Thanks!

What kind of chair is this?

Flashman — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 07:10:41 -0800

Could anybody help me identify this old chair? I have a pretty good eye for furniture, and I've never seen another chair like this one. Has anyone else? I got it from an old house while I was working on a renovation project for Worcester College in Oxford (More info is on the Flickr page). I'm now considering a return to Canada and wonder if this chair has any value, either in its present state or re-covered (I have access to a sewing machine and am a pretty good seamstress). Or maybe, I'll ship it back with me; I am rather fond of it.
Any advice or information would be appreciated, or perhaps somebody knows of a specific forum where I could ask this question?

What's the best option for office chairs in the UK?

idiomatika — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:40:56 -0800

Does anyone have any recommendations for office chairs in the UK? When originally setting up my home office, I foolishly went for a cheap chair, and my back has suffered as a result. All the other questions I found on this topic were about chairs available in the US. I'd rather not go for something too expensive, but the cheaper end of the market probably isn't worth bothering with.

Thanks in advance!

Have a seat

doift — Sun, 11 May 2008 16:08:59 -0800

I scavenged a chair from the street (oh, how Brooklyn of me) with the overly-ambitious intention of refinishing and reupholstering it. I can figure out how to to remove the seat and replace the fabric, but I'm stuck on several other necessary steps, to the point that I don't even know what terms to Google. Pictures within. This is the chair. Taking off the seat seems to be straightforward, and I'm an old hand with fabric and foam, so replacing that shouldn't be a problem. However, I can't figure out how to take apart the back so I can replace that fabric. How is the back joined to the sides? What is that little wooden post called? Where should I look for information on how to take that apart and put it back together again? Here's a closeup of the intact post, and here's my best attempt at photographing what's inside the hole from the one that's half-missing. The other side of the back also has one intact post and one missing one.

The other step that I'm confused about is the refinishing. I know nothing about varnish, shellac, etc., so I was considering just leaving the wood as it is, but then the finish started to peel and I figured if I'm going to do this thing, I may as well go whole hog. Can anyone tell from these pictures what kind of finish that is, how best to remove it, what I can expect from the wood underneath, and what new finish I should use?

Any instructions or suggestions on where to look for good instructions are most appreciated. I have basic hand tools, and am happy to buy some specialized supplies, but seeing as how I'm broke enough to pick up a chair from the curb, if this is going to end up being expensive and hassle-y, I have no problem taking the thing back from whence it came.

Why won't my desk chair recline?

Pope Guilty — Tue, 06 May 2008 01:53:11 -0800

My desk chair has locked in an upright position- it won't recline at all. I've noticed this happening before- eventually I'll try to lean back and it'll go right back. But what causes this, and is there anything specific I can do to get it to recline properly?

Mesh-back ergonomic office chairs in Canada on a budget? (<$200)

tybeet — Fri, 02 May 2008 06:56:17 -0800

Mesh-back ergonomic office chairs in Canada on a budget? (<$200) Basically, I'm looking for an ergonomic office chair in the sub-$200 range that can be purchased in Canada, and on the cheap.

I've heard that mesh-back chairs offer the best support for the back (my concern is mostly upper/mid-back as I have a slight curvature of the spine and I tend to get problems around the shoulders) as they conform flexibly to one's back shape. As such I've been looking at chairs like this one from Costco, or these (one, two) from Staples, and finally these two (one, two) from Office Depot. I would prefer to purchase a recycled/used chair as the environmentalist in me would ideally avoid retail shopping, but Ebay turns up nothing in Canadian listings, and craigslist is likewise empty.

Any advice to aid my decision (or even suggestions for alternatives) is appreciated.

What affordable office chair is the best for a disabled body? But

erleichda — Thu, 01 May 2008 13:12:45 -0800

I have an illness that caused severe arthritis and nerve damage. I would like an affordable office chair that would work the best with my challenges. I have an illness that causes severe arthritis and nerve damage. My cervical and lumbar spines are full of arthritis and bulged disks (I’ve had surgery for ruptured disks), and I have scoliosis in my thoracic spine, so back pain is an issue. I have radial nerve palsy and cannot move my left hand or fingers so I work on the computer with a mouse and speech recognition program. I have a similar pinched nerve under my leg which could easily turn into the same kind of thing, causing foot drop so I need to elevate my left leg to take the pressure off the pinch. My hips and knees are full of arthritis, and in two months time, my big toes have moved almost one full inch, going underneath my other toes, so I can’t have pressure on any of these. I use a lumbar pillow and a chair pillow that removes pressure from my tailbone. But my chair is not good… It is not adjustable, it has arm rests which are causing problems in my right shoulder. Please let me know what type of office chair would be the best, while also being affordable. Thank you very much for your help.

how do i remove plastic coating from chairs

darsh — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 11:29:36 -0800

Help me figure out how to get plastic coating off metal chairs! I recently recieved a set of wire outdoor chairs through freecycle which were advertised as 'rusty, but can be touched up'. Upon seeing them, I realized they were metal, but dipped in colored plastic, and the plastic had started to peel off (causing the metal underneath to rust. they look similar to this, but with thinner wire.
My intention had been to strip off paint and rust, and re-finish them. However, I cant figure out how to get the plastic off. Someone suggested melting off with a blow torch, but I'm not sure I want to do that. So, hive mind - help me figure out how to rescue these chairs!

Dark chair mats?

kindall — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:45:08 -0800

Is there such a thing as a dark-colored (black or brown) chair mat? Possibly woodgrain? If so, where can I get one?

Make my chair back four or five inches taller?

Clay201 — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 05:42:16 -0800

Is it possible to add an extension to a chair back to make it four or five inches taller? I have cervical dystonia, which means that a muscle or muscles in my neck contract continuously, pulling my head forward and to the right. I'm receiving medical treatment, but it'll probably be at least a few more months before we make a lot of progress on that front.

In the meantime, I've found a simple apparatus that helps quite a bit. It consists of an elastic headband connected to a nylon strap. The strap wraps around the back of my desk chair and the headband attaches to the strap. This rig holds my head up so that I don't have to, giving the muscles in the back of my neck some much needed rest. I've significantly reduced the frequency of my headaches.

The problem is that the chair in question isn't really tall enough. The seat back, at 28 inches, doesn't come all the way up to the top of my head. Consequently, the strap sits at about shoulder height and I have to slump down in my seat to use it. This is pretty rough on my lower back, an area where I've already had plenty of problems.

I need a seatback that's 32 to 34 inches in height. However, few office chairs can match this spec. I've found some with 30 or 31 inch backs, but they're obscenely expensive (300 to 1500 bucks.) The aforelinked web page does sell a sort of portable seat-back that straps to your chair, providing extra height. However, it's only about 30 inches tall. If all else fails, I'll try it and hope it does the job. But if it doesn't, I'm going to end up paying about forty bucks in shipping just to try it and then return it.

(Note: If you're googling up office chairs and checking the specs to see whether I'm high on crack, keep in mind that "back height," which we're discussing here, is different than "seat height" or "overall height." Sometimes, "back height" isn't listed and you have to subtract the seat height from the overall height to yield an approximation.)

I found an old wing-back living room chair that's tall enough but can't get it into my bedroom. And even if I could, I'm not sure about the feasibility of using something like that as a desk chair. I've googled for ergonomic chairs, wheelchair accessories, back support doodads, and everything else I thought might possibly help. A few items were interesting, but none took home the cupie doll.

However, I'm hoping there's another solution. I'm hoping I can make my own seat-back extension. It turns out the back on my current chair (a standard issue desk chair bought at Office Depot on sale for about 50 bucks) is made of a curved sheet of plywood with a little bit of cushioning and a fabric cover. Remember, the idea here is to add a net of about 4 or 5 inches in height. So suppose I got another piece of plywood about 18 inches long, positioned it about 13 inches below the top of the chair (allowing it to stick up about 5 inches), and then nailed it in place? I'd need to add some padding, of course, and it would look ugly as home made sin, but I think it would serve my purpose, provided it could take the strain I'd put on it.

From an engineering/carpentry standpoint, is this just a ridiculous idea? If the plywood-n-nails approach wouldn't work, is there anything else that would? We're talking about adding four or five inches. It just seems to me that there ought to be a way to do this. (I have someone who can help me with the physical labor). Just keep in mind that this hypothetical extension is going to be supporting the weight of my head, so it would have to be sturdy.

All suggestions are welcome, but I ask that if you're going to post to say that I should just get the portable seat back mentioned above, just save your keystrokes. If the modification attempt falls through, that'll be my plan B.

Thanks for reading.

Fun desk chair?

lemonade — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 08:38:18 -0800

I need a 'decorative' desk chair. It doesn't have to be too comfortable, it only gets used for occasional filing. But it is in a bedroom, so I'd like for it to be fun and modern. Ikea is the only place I could think of to look, and I'd like some more options. Thanks!

Office Chairs for Short Girls?

arnicae — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 22:57:24 -0800

Are there any office chairs out there for petite women? I have a short inseam and rarely can touch the ground when I'm sitting all the way back in my seat. I'm 4'11 and have never sat in an office chair that worked for me. If I sit back in the chair I cannot touch the ground. I have a ~28" inseam which means that even with shoes with high heels, my feet often dangle an inch or two above the ground.

I tried a kneeling chair, but they really don't work for me. Are there any traditional office chairs designed for short people? I looked at BodyBilt 756 which is designed for short people, but they have pretty indifferent reviews on the internet. I'd love to get one that I could try out at a store rather than buy sight unseen but I'll take what I can get!

Any advice? What do you have that you like (or hate?)

How to buy an affordable chair that's good for my back.

Simon! — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:00:39 -0800

How to buy an affordable chair that's good for my back. I realize that this question has been asked many times before. Unfortunately, the consensus answer - purchase a Steelcase Leap off Craigslist - doesn't work in Toronto. Neither Steelcase nor Humanscale nor Herman Miller have sold enough chairs in Canada, at least not in bulk, for there to be a real second-hand market.

So, questions:

A) What should I be looking for, if I can't just count on a well-reviewed brand? I know it needs to be adjustable, but once I've ruled out the ones without sliding backs, I can't tell no-name bargain from no-name rip-off.

B) Where should I be looking? If I'm limited to the $200-$250 range and won't get any love from eBay, is there an option better than going to Staples and buying the first chair with 'ergo' in the name?

How come my office chair stopped reclining?

tremspeed — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 22:45:24 -0800

I have one of those pretty standard, leather, 'executive' chairs that you buy at Staples. it has the L-shaped yoke on the right hand side, and the phallic tube extending from the base. Recently it stopped reclining, like, all of a sudden. I remember playing with the Phallus until it reclined again, but that's not working. What do I do?

But my inbox is right there!

subbes — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 13:01:48 -0800

What's the meaning/rationale behind putting paperwork on someone's chair rather than their desk? Some of my co-workers (I do not know which) will leave paperwork on my chair rather than my desk if I'm not in my office. So I come back from a meeting or whatever, sit down, and realise I've sat on an invoice and crumpled it with my big ol' butt, which is arguably my own fault for not checking first.

Is there a meaning or reason behind this placement? I have a large desk that is usually empty of paper, so there is space to put the paperwork there rather than on my chair.

I'm a foreigner in the US and my interpretation is to feel a wee bit demeaned. The chair is where the ass goes, not the work.

I don't know how on earth I would bring this up with my co-workers, especially since I don't know which of them does this. Help me allay my anxious ruminations!

Outstanding online furniture stores for medium to high end furnishings?

Bob Dobbs — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 18:50:23 -0800

Hi All, I just moved and have a new job that will, fortunately, give me the opportunity to purchase nice furniture for the first time in my life. I'm more into modern designs, but with a quality touch. If there is a manufacturer that makes super high quality, modern stuff that would be the ticket for me. Anyway, I'm looking for online stores to shop on. I'm looking for literally everything a typical two person home needs. We currently have no furniture save a recliner, so we need a lot! I'll admit I don't know the first thing about design, furniture history, etc. But I do want to learn. The ideal shops will offer quality and education. I'm not looking for IKEA or super cheap options. Basically, just give me some links of some kick ass online furniture and furnishing joints!

Leather chair restoration

jmd82 — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 07:00:46 -0800

How do I repair a leather chair with a hole and significant cracking? Someone recently gave me the World's Most Comfortable Leather Chair with one small problem: the leather is ripping in the middle and is cracking a lot (Link for picture). The leather is soft and while the holes/tearing is not uncomfortable, I am concerned with things getting worse.

Two questions- and assume I know nothing about this subject:
1) Is there any good way to repair the tear already in the seat? I don't care about looks and am only concerned with comfort. I don't want this to continue tearing over the next couple years to the point where I'm just sitting on foam.
2) For the existing cracking, I'm aware of this thread. Will the suggestions there help prevent further cracking and ripping, or do I need a new approach since the cracking is already so prevalent? I'm fine with the present cracking so long as it doesn't get worse.

Also keep in mind I got this chair for free and don't have a lot of money to blow on restoring it so bringing it to a professional is out of the picture.

Captain's chair, not dentist's chair.

ceribus peribus — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 13:33:46 -0800

How do I adjust this office chair? No, not an ergonomics question - I need a control manual. My office was reorganized recently and someone stuck me with their unwanted chair. It's just like all of the others, but it's been adjusted poorly and noone here knows how to put it back.

The seat is tilted backwards, so that your knees are elevated, and the backrest has also leaned back to maintain the 90 degree angle between back and seat. It would be a nice seat for the front row at the cinema, but it's a real pain to ~~sit in~~ perch on at a desk.

I've eliminated most of the controls except a round one under the front right side. It shows the numbers 1,2,3,4 in a circle, with a thickening line running from 1 (thin end) to 4. I've tried turning it both ways, pulling it out, pushing it in, and trying combinations of push/pull while turning. It's got about a quarter turn of play but doesn't do anything. Does anyone know how to drive this thing?

Ergonomic Counter Chair?

JJ Jenkins — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 08:50:20 -0800

Can anyone recommend an ergonomic work/office chair that can accomodate a counter-height (36") desk? The usual chair height is 24". It would be nice if it could roll and swivel but mostly I'm just looking for comfort and a sleek design. Thanks!

looking for a comfy 'kneeling' chair.

psyward — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 01:44:15 -0800

Can someone help me locate a certain type of chair? I'm looking for a certain type of chair that i've seen quite a long time ago. I've drawn it from memory in mspaint, and a few of you are probally sitting on one.

I'm in australia, so if someone can recommend a vendor or atleast give me the name of the type of chair so i can track it down, ill be grateful.

Need to find seat covers -- not slipcovers -- for dining room chairs.

scody — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 16:03:38 -0800

I have a great mid-century dining set that I finally have the room to use (yay!). However, I don't like how the chairs were reupholstered in the '80s, but won't have the chance to (re-)reupholster them till next year. So I need seat covers -- NOT slipcovers! -- in the meantime. This has turned out to be surprisingly difficult. Help! Again, I am not looking for a slipcover like this, though that seems to be nearly all that's available. I want something to simply cover the seat itself -- but this is so far the only example I can find, and I'd like to have a little more selection to choose from. Any other resources?

Also, I hate crafts projects -- so please, no suggestions that I sew or otherwise make anything myself. I would rather stick a glue gun in my eye.

Unidentified Furniture Object: Huge reclining chaise. Help!

Phyltre — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 20:23:14 -0800

Help me find this currently-in-stores chaise recliner online! Visited a sort-of-local Rooms To Go today, and saw a huge chaise that reclines. Asked the attendant who made it, but she had no idea, so I'm hoping someone here can help me find a listing online--it doesn't appear at the roomstogo.com website, but somebody has to make it.

Here are some helpful details: It is a reclining chaise; it has a push-button release to control the recline. A motorized version is available. It's almost a futon turned sideways, it's so huge. Two adults fit on it with room to spare. There is no cushion shaping beyond a squaring pattern. It costs $749.99 and is part of a set (but can be purchased separately, and was on display alone.) We saw it in a darkish brown but the saleslady said an olive version is also available...both fabric, no leather. No indication this is a discontinued item. Help!

Cheap Aeron chairs?

mmoncur — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 05:19:27 -0800

Looking for a cheap Aeron chair, or something better. Or at least something cheaper. I'm looking for a good deal on an Aeron chair. Apparently I missed the great Dot Bomb deals and the best prices I can find are $900-1200. Any tips for good mail-order dealers?

I'm in Utah so walking into a shop to find one is unlikely. Driving to Las Vegas or maybe LA is possible, though.

I'd prefer a brand new one with warranty, not used.

Alternately, cheaper chairs that are "just as good"? The qualities I'm looking for are:

1. Adjustable. Very.
2. Available in different sizes. I am somewhat large and have long legs, and most chairs don't fit me well. Aeron size C does fit.
3. Mesh or other breathable material. No leather.
4. Preferably $600 or less.

I have yet to find a good chair at Ikea or Office Depot. Help!

Free your mind, and your ass will follow.

Krrrlson — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 22:55:10 -0800

Chairfilter: Does anyone have positive or negative experiences with the Stance computer chair? Are there cheaper alternatives with similar functionality (i.e. a partially standing reclined position)?

chair for a bad back

schwap23 — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 15:05:55 -0800

I have a bad back and I am looking for chair recommendations. Further specifications and I just have a bad back, simple as that. It's hereditary, and I've had serious injuries to both of my shoulders and my lower back. As I hit my mid to late thirties, this kind of thing is becoming more and more important! Finding a good chair is long term, but serious project.

What I would like is essentially a desk chair that reclines significantly. A lazy-boy on stilts would be excessive, but along the lines I'm thinking. Obviously, good support is important. This is going to be my primary use chair when I'm at home. I would prefer no wheels, which is probably a given with the kind of reclining that I'm thinking about! My personal tastes tend to run towards early modern, like Craftsman, Greene and Greene, and Nakashima, but I'm not glued to how it looks. Function is far more important.

As a final note, I am a not-half bad carpenter, so building something myself is not at all beyond the pale. I'm just not sure where I would find the hardware or design something truly ergonomic. I would be happy to find about ways around these problems, if anybody has any ideas...