Office Chair Height Extender-4 Easy Steps

Good sitting posture is very important for your health. If you don’t sit upright in your chair or can’t place your feet flat on the floor, you can experience all sorts of back issues like back pain. Chairs that are too low for tall people can also affect your blood circulation when you sit for extended periods and can result in text neck syndrome because you need to lean forward to compensate for your durable chair’s poor height.

Most modern task seating chairs can be adjusted in different ways. Height adjustment is one of the most common features of these luxurious chairs. But tall people still struggle to get proper seating comfort because most standard office seating chairs are designed for people of average height.

A desk chair height extender is a handy tool that can help you overcome any chair height issues because these devices can be added to your ergonomic task chair design to make your tall piston pneumatic chair taller.

These devices are especially handy for increasing the height of an older non-pneumatic office chair.

What Is The Perfect Chair Height?

Most tall office chairs are designed with an average seat height of 16 to 22 inches so you can sit comfortably at a standard 29-inch desk. 

A seat with the perfect height should allow your feet to effortlessly touch the floor. Your knees should be bent 90 degrees. If your knees bend too much then your chair is too low – a common issue for tall people. If your heels can’t reach the floor then your standard office seating chair is too high and you might need a footrest.

How to Adjust Your Office Chair Height Without Lever

There are quite a few different ways to increase the height of these “one-size-fits-all” office chairs an office chair with a broken lift or the height of a non-pneumatic chair. The best method might depend on the chair type you have and can be different for different models of office chairs. 

How to Adjust the Height of an Older Non-pneumatic Office Chair

Adjusting the height of an older chair model is not quite as simple. These chairs usually don’t have the pneumatic lift that allows you to pull a pneumatic lever and increase the seat height. Instead, they are designed with a threaded post that requires you to adjust the chair using the ratchet style adjustment or by turning the chair seat clockwise or counterclockwise to raise the seat. 

Here is a quick look at the steps for increasing the height of these chairs. 

First step

First, you need to determine the height of your ergonomic chair should be. The ideal chair height allows you to sit comfortably with your knees at a 90-degree angle and your feet flat on the floor. To find this distance, you can measure the distance from the floor to the middle of your knee joint while you are in a standing position. 

Now go and measure your chair seat height from the floor. The difference between these two measurements is how much your chair should lift.

Second step

A lot of thread post chairs have a small knob that keeps the chair from raising or lifting by accident. To find this knob, you might need to flip your office chair over. You will notice a small screw or turn knob at the base of the chair. This little screw needs to be loosened.

Third step

Flip your chair back so you can start adjusting the height. In most cases, the chair needs to be turned clockwise to lower the seat and counterclockwise to raise the seat. Keep the chair base pinned down while you spin the seat around and around. 

One full turn of your chair should raise the chair by about a quarter inch. Keep turning and measuring it until the chair has a suitable height. 

Fourth step

Once the chair has the correct chair height, you should return the lock to the chair base. It is better to return the little screw without flipping the elevated chair over again or you can alter the height. 

With the lock back in place, your chair should now be ready for use again.

How to Adjust the Height of Modern Office Chairs

There are three main ways you can adjust the height of a modern office chair that has a gas lift cylinder or pneumatic lift;

• Install an office chair height extender.
• Add chair accessories to increase your chair height.
• Try a couple of DIY methods to increase your chair height.

What Is An Office Chair Height Extender?

Desk chair height extenders are also referred to as chair height extension kits. These kits are designed to raise the height of an office chair that might be too short on the maximum height setting, that might have a broken pneumatic lift or office chairs that didn’t come out with a pneumatic lift.

You can find a wide range of these kits or devices online or at some local hardware stores. Most kits or extenders are pretty simple to install and some include an extra foot ring where you can place your feet for extra comfort. These are all ideal solutions for tall people who have trouble finding a good management chair.

How to Install an Office Chair Height Extender

To install a chair extender, you will need the following tools.

•  Screwdrivers
• Adjustable wrench
• Rubber mallet
• Extension kit

Here is a quick look at the most important steps of installing a heavy-duty office chair height extender.

•  First, you will need to remove the wheelbase from the gas cylinder or pneumatic cylinder. This can usually be done by loosening the safety pins and by gently hitting it with the mallet until it starts to slide out.
• When the wheelbase slides off, you need to insert the extension kit.
• Once the extension kit is on, you will need to reinstall the wheelbase and its bolts.
• It is important to refer to your user manual when you are adding an extension kit. Some chairs are different to assemble than others and some extension kits are more complex than others.
• There are also a few DIY methods that you can try if you need to make your chair higher.

Do I Need A Height Extender Kit?

With some chairs with a lightweight aluminum frame, you might not need a height extender. Your chair’s gas lift cylinder might just be broken. In this case, you only need to get a replacement office chair cylinder and your chair will work perfectly again.

A height extender is not the only method to help you raise your mesh office chair height. There are also other chair accessories that you can use for a personalized adjustment that will make your ergonomic task chair seat much higher. Many of these accessories offer additional benefits.

Chair Accessories to Make Your Chair Seat Higher

Tall office chairs come in all sorts of shapes, designs, and styles. Not all height extender kits will function with all types of executive office chairs. Here is a quick look at a few alternative ways to make your traditional task chair higher without a height extender kit.

Add a Cushioned Seat

The easiest method for a height adjustment for a non-adjustable chair is by adding a throw pillow on top of your traditional task chair. This is a terrific solution for people with back problems or for those who struggle with tailbone pain.

There are lots of different types of ergonomic office chair cushions available on the market that can be sufficient if you don’t need extreme adjustment to your non-adjustable office chair.

Comfortable cushions like coccyx orthopedic memory foam cushions are specially designed to improve your poor posture and reduce back pain. Gel cushions are designed to reduce pressure sores or to promote healthy blood circulation to your legs. Simple foam cushions are terrific for making your seat a little bit softer.

All of these different seat cushions can help raise your seat height so you can sit more comfortably.

Replace Your Casters or Chair Legs

A different set of chair wheels or chair legs or office chair caster wheels can also help increase your chair height. For a cheap chair with wheels, you can look for casters for chairs with a bigger diameter. Replace your small casters for hardwood floors with bigger ones and your mesh office chair will be much higher. It will also roll much smoother since bigger caster wheels allow you to glide smoother across the floor. A height extension kit can also be installed along with new office chair caster wheels for taller people. 

If you have a legged office chair then you can replace your chair legs with taller ones. Chair riser lifts or a chair extender for legs can also be installed underneath your chair legs to make the chair higher.

Get an Office Chair Mat

Your executive office chair can feel lower if the castors are sinking into a thick carpet. Those fibers will also get stuck in your casters and can cause product damage. If you want to avoid constant office chair wheels replacement, you should get a chair mat for your floor. These mats will avoid product damage since they protect your carpets and your chair casters while giving you some extra height.

Get a Taller Gas Lift Cylinder

Is your height adjustment chair lever at maximum but your chair gas lift cylinder isn’t tall enough? You can always get a replacement cylinder that is longer. These cylinders are available in many different sizes. Be sure to check the dimensions in the product details before you buy. Some of these cylinders are just 5 inches tall and others can extend to an overall height of up to 22 inches. Replacing your gas lift cylinder with a taller product can give you that extreme adjustment you need for proper sitting.

DIY Alternatives for Making Your Chair Higher

DIY alternatives are usually not the best permanent solutions but they can be excellent quick fixes if you are in a difficult situation and need your chair but don’t have any accessories like a taller gas lift cylinder or height extender. Here is a quick look at a couple of creative methods other people have used to overcome emergency situations.

Make Your Own Height Extender

You can make your own chair height extender with just a saw and a piece of PVC pipe. Note that the PVC pipe should be wide enough to fit around the interior part of your gas cylinder but it should be so wide that it will slide over the entire cylinder. Here is a quick look at the steps for installing this makeshift device.

• Start by setting your chair at a good height and measure the distance of the thin cylinder pipe that is between the chair base and the gas cylinder.
• Now grab your PVC pipe and cut it to this same length. You also need to see one side of the type open so it can fit around the gas cylinder’s central pipe.
• Raise your chair to its full height, insert the PVC pipe around the thinner cylinder of the gas lift and lower the seat down. 

 Your chair should now stay in a better position and the DIY conversion won’t look too apparent either. 

Try the Paper Towel Fix

This is only a practical solution if your chair’s gas cylinder is actually broken. It isn’t the best solution for a functioning gas cylinder since it may cause damage to this delicate component. If your gas lift cylinder is already broken then you can grab a couple of paper towels and stuff them into the cylinder column. Here is a quick look at the steps for the paper towel fix;

• Turn the chair over and detach the spring section on the gas cylinder. 
• Now fill up the column with paper towels and compact them tightly so the gas spring can rest on a firm base inside the cylinder. 

Reassemble the spring. You should now notice a higher sitting height. If the chair is still too low, repeat these steps until your chair is at an adequate height.

Try the Wooden Block Fix

This DIY method might take some time to install but can be a good method if your chair castors are not working anymore and you don’t want to spend money on fixing an old chair. The main concept is to replace your worn-down casters with taller woodblocks. Here is a quick look at the steps for this project.

• Start by flipping the budget chair over and removing all casters from the 5-star base. This will create a stable base even though it might still be too low at this point.
• Next, you need to go and find 5 anti-slip elevation blocks that will raise your budget office chair to a more adequate height. You can secure these blocks to each of the 5 points with duct tape or secure them to the leg bases by drilling a hole through the base and securing the wooden piece with a nail or bolt.

With this DIY hack, your chair will no longer be able to move around in front of your desk but it should still swivel just fine. But you will be able to work at a much more comfortable height and can get your work done.

If you are not comfortable with making these alterations to your chair then you can also use this concept for desk elevation. With an increased desk height, you won’t have to alter your chair and you could save hundreds of dollars since you won’t have to buy a new high-end office chair.

Final Thoughts

The right seat height is very important for your health and for reducing back pain. We do hope that this guide helped you find a good solution to raise your seat height without spending too much on the costs of repairs. And if your ergonomic task chair still doesn’t feel comfortable enough after using these chairs then you should consider a new chair. You can find the desk office chair here.  You can find the best office chair here; Top 7 Best Serta Office Chairs – Ultimate Review. We also have quite a few other tips to help you fix other common mesh office chair issues.

Check out our other guides and learn how to fix an office chair that leans forward, backward, or sideways or find out how to fix a sinking office chair.

On our site, you can learn how to fix your office chair or get the best office chairs and chair accessories all on one site.