How To Raise Office Chair Without Lever

I always suggest people choose the best home office desk and chair for greater productivity while working since they reduce aches and pains. But what if you can’t adjust the height of the chair because the lever is broken or missing?

That’s why today’s guide looks at the best methods on how to raise office chair without lever to help you make a quick adjustment to the chair’s height when needed.

Different Types Of Office Chairs

I have decided the best way to answer the question about how to raise office chair without lever is to first look at the various office chair types. This will provide an idea of how to achieve the correct chair height, depending on the model you are using. 

1. Pneumatic Chair

This is the most common type of office chair and consists of a single-acting chamber or gas spring filled with air. You will find a lever on the side to raise the height of the office chair, which works in accordance with the air chamber.

In other words, when you pull or push the lever, the piston and plunger mechanism draws air into or expels it from the chamber. With this office chair, you can easily pull the lever and raise the model to the desired height before releasing the lever to lock the chair in place.

2. Non-Pneumatic Chair

A Non-pneumatic office chair is an old office chair that doesn’t have pneumatic lifts. If you are one of the unlucky few using these chairs, you will have to change the seat height manually.

3. Hydraulic Chair

A hydraulic chair doesn’t use a height adjustment lever to change the chair height because these models come with release buttons along the sides. All you need is to push the buttons to lower or raise the chair’s height and sit comfortably. Keep pushing the button and pull yourself up or down before releasing it to lock the chair.

4. Non-Adjustable Chair

This office chair isn’t as common anymore due to the availability of more advanced models. There is no mechanism to adjust these chairs, so most people opt to alter the desk height. But I have found some effective techniques to help you change a non-adjustable office chair height – more on that in the next sections.

Why Raise The Height Of An Office Chair Without Lever?

When choosing the best home office desk height, you might wonder why it’s important to raise the height of an office chair. Most people ignore the benefits of an ergonomic chair, not least of which is that it promotes good posture and helps you work for extended periods.

It has been seen that employees sitting in a high-quality office chair fixed to the desired height show greater productivity. In many cases, it also reduces throbbing pain associated with improper sitting posture.

I have narrowed down the common advantages of adjusting office chair height in this section.

1. Reduced Neck/Back Pain

When sitting in an office chair with low elevation, people tend to incline more toward the table, resulting in back pain and hampering their posture. Most people who sit in the wrong posture for extended periods develop musculoskeletal issues, which raising the seat height can help avoid. 

2. Greater Comfort

When the office chair is lower than the desk height or for shorter individuals, it is recommended to raise the office chair height for greater comfort while working. This helps improve productivity and reduces the chance of health issues. 

How To Choose The Correct Height Of An Office Chair Without Lever?

To determine what seat height would be suitable for your needs, it’s important to consider the following factors – 

• Height of the backrest
• Height of the person
• Seat depth
• Seat height while wearing different shoes
• Width of the seat
• Height of the armrest.

You should also look at the height of the desk and the workplace setting to choose an ergonomic office chair of the correct height. Moreover, check the type of office chair you have and whether it has pneumatic levers.

While it’s easier to alter the chair height with pneumatic levers, you can still make the most of an old office chair by following the techniques mentioned in this guide.

How To Raise Office Chair Without Lever?

To know how to raise office chair without lever, choose the type of chair you sit on and follow the steps mentioned below –

A. Non-Pneumatic Office Chair

1. Chair’s Height

When you have a non-pneumatic office chair, the first step is determining the correct seat height, which will vary from one individual to another. I have seen that the ideal office chair is adjusted at a height similar to the table height and office layout. 

In my experience, the best office chairs have a height that is equivalent to the distance between the middle of the knee joint and the floor. Therefore, for such chair types, use a tape measure to calculate the distance between the middle of the knee joint and the floor when standing up.

After that, determine the distance between the floor and the seat of the chair to calculate the difference between these measurements. Keep your feet flat against the floor and thighs horizontal while maintaining an upright position to guarantee proper posture.

When you can maintain this posture naturally, mark the height of the chair at that point. This ensures you will have proper lumbar support every time.

2. Anticlockwise And Clockwise Adjustment

You will need to rotate the chair in an anticlockwise or clockwise direction when it doesn’t have an adjustment lever to change the seat’s height. So, stand up and start rotating the chair while pulling it up or pushing it down until it’s at the proper level compared to the table’s height.

Once you’re satisfied, test the chair and make sure it’s comfortable for the desk job. Depending on some chair models, you must make multiple adjustments before finding the sweet spot.

3. Under Chair Bolt Adjustment

Some older models have an under-chair bolt adjustment whereby you will have to wind a bolt to the lower end of the office chair. Like most office chairs without a lever, you can’t change the seat height in the sitting position, and it’s necessary to turn the chair upside down.

But instead of rotating the chair clockwise or anticlockwise, turn the screw left and right to raise or lower the seat. After you achieve the desired height, screw the bolt and check whether the seating position is comfortable.

You can usually tell when your feet are flat against the surface and thighs are at a 90-degree angle which is regarded as the most comfortable sitting position.

4. Back Height Movement

Any new office chair will feature back height adjustment, allowing you to tweak the armrest and lumbar support. To guarantee optimum comfort, you will notice that many office chairs have a backrest that tilts forward or backward, while other models allow all-around movement.

If you like a more open sitting posture, opt for office chairs that permit lean-back change without compromising the performance of the armrest. In most cases, changing the back and armrest according to your preference will reduce exhaustion to allow sitting for extended periods.

B. Non-Adjustable Chair

So far, I have explained how to raise office chair without lever for non-pneumatic models, which still feature some mechanism for raising the office chair higher. But what about non-adjustable units that aren’t equipped with specific components for changing the height? 

That’s what I’ll discuss in this section to help you derive maximum comfort from older office chairs. 

1. Desk Elevation Blocks

When you need to lower the office chair without lever but don’t want to make structural alterations, it would be best to use desk elevation blocks. This will help align the chair with the work desk, as you can raise or lower the desk at will. 

It would be even better to use anti-slip elevation blocks to reduce the chance of accidents, as they are made of durable plastic, which makes it easy to stack them. However, I always check the size and height of the blocks beforehand to know how many I need. 

So, calculate how many you need to add before stacking the blocks.

2. Seat Cushions

When thinking about how to raise office chair without lever, most people often ignore the easiest step, which is using a seat cushion. Seat cushions present an affordable and effective option, while you can use multiple items, such as rich foam cushions or throw pillows.

Like elevation blocks, you can use cushions with anti-skid pads to raise the office chair without lever. Also, make sure that the seat matches the desk’s height, ensuring you can work in the most comfortable position. 

Some people even prefer an orthopedic memory foam cushion to prevent tailbone issues without compromising height adjustment.

3. Wood Pieces For The Right Height

In certain instances, when you need to raise the seat by a couple of inches, an effective technique would be using a wooden piece. In such a case, you can place them between the bottom half of the chair and the seat to work in the normal position. 

But you will need to do some DIY work like drilling and screwing, so make an insertion around midway for a 2×2-inch wooden piece. This will help screw the pieces together, but the number of holes you make will depend on the available screws.

C. Damaged Office Chair

These were some techniques on how to raise office chair without lever when you have an old non-pneumatic chair. But I have also decided to answer how to fix tilt lock on office chair or help you with seat raises when units have a broken lever.

Note that these techniques are for pneumatic chairs and will only make sense if you have some DIY experience.

1. Lever Replacement

This technique offers a more permanent fix, but you must opt for a new chair mechanism because a pneumatic lever isn’t available separately. After you find a suitable replacement, the next step is taking apart the office chair and adding the new mechanism.

2. Makeshift Adjustment Lever

Knowing how to create an adjustment lever is essential, especially when the tilt lock gets stuck or you cannot move the lever. In such situations, reach for the top of the cylinder located on the pneumatic lift.

The tip of the cylinder has a pin, which you must push down to extract the piston at the bottom of the pneumatic lift. Releasing the piston helps raise the height of the office chair, so use any long object, like a ruler or screwdriver, as the lever.

Remember to secure it with duct tape, and you can use the chair without hassle.

How To Raise Office Chair Without Lever Conclusion

There are other techniques on how to raise office chair without lever, such as using extension cords or a threaded post. But I have highlighted the most common and easy methods among them in my guide. 

It’s important to remember that whatever method you choose, working in a low chair for long hours is not advised. You don’t want to end up with back pain and muscle disorders down the road just because you weren’t using an office chair with a lever.

So, stop looking for excuses even if you are sitting on an old or damaged chair because everyone can be more comfortable at work with my techniques.