How Do You Lubricate A Swivel Chair?

Swivel chairs are great. They are immensely comfortable, super fun, and extremely convenient if you work in an office.

Swivel chairs are a staple in most offices, but they are something that tend to stick around for a long time. Due to this, it is not uncommon for swivel chairs to become squeaky. 


This style of chair will begin to squeak because a massive part of its construction is made using metal.

Over time, metal wears and rusts, and this can cause them to become squeaky, and irritating. You might be wondering how you can stop this squeaking, and the answer is simple.

All you have to do is lubricate your chair. 

If you are new to owning and maintaining a swivel chair, then you might not know how to do this.

But, in this guide, we’ll be taking a look at exactly what swivel chairs are, how to lubricate them, and why you should do this. So to find out more, keep on reading. 

What Is A Swivel Chair?

First things first, let’s take a look at what a swivel chair is. Typically, swivel chairs are used in offices by people who have desk jobs, and because of this, they are often known as office chairs.

In terms of design, swivel chairs tend to consist of a padded chair that envelopes the person sitting in it.

They also tend to have arm rests upon which you can rest your elbows in between typing. 

The main body of the chair is set upon a single upright central leg, it is this leg that enables the chair to spin a full 360 degrees.

Typically, 4 or 6 legs will sprout off of the central leg, and it is these that stabilize the chair, allowing you to sit upon it. 

On the end of these legs, there will be wheels, and it is these wheels that allow you to move around upon the floor, and this is why these styles of chairs are so commonly used in offices. 

But swivel chairs have one major drawback, and this is that they are primarily made using metal. Due to this, they can become squeaky. So let’s take a look at why this happens. 

Why Is My Swivel Chair Squeaking?

As we have said, swivel chairs are prone to squeaking, and this is mainly because of the metal that is used in their design. But why does metal squeak? Let’s take a look. 

The main reason why your swivel chair may begin to squeak is the metal springs located in it. Within a single swivel chair, there are lots of different springs.

There are springs beneath the base cushion of the chair, and springs in the back of the chair, and over time these can wear, tear and begin to squeak.

When metal wears, it tends to become stiffer, and this can be detrimental to springs. 

As the springs age, they will become stiffer, and every time that you use the chair, they will squeak. 

But it isn’t just the springs in the swivel chair that could be squeaking. There is a lot of metal in the design of these chairs, and all of this metal will age and become squeaky.

Thankfully, there is an easy way to stop this squeaking, and that is to lubricate the chair. 

How Do You Stop A Swivel Chair From Squeaking?

If your office chair is squeaking, then there is no need to worry. While this is an annoyance, it isn’t the end of the world, and it doesn’t mean that there is something structurally wrong with your chair.

The simple fact is that over time, metal squeaks. 

You will observe this in all areas of your life, from bicycles to doors, metal will squeak as it ages. 

Thankfully, it is actually really easy to fix the issue of squeaky metal.

When metal squeaks it is because it has either grown stiff, or it is rubbing against another piece of metal, and this is causing friction. 

Both of these causes can be easily solved by adding a lubricant to the squeaky joints and components. 

There are lots of different materials that can be used to lubricate things. There are silicone lubricants, oil-based lubricants, and spray-on lubricants (like WD-40), but none of these are the best option for your swivel chair.

If you want to stop your swivel chair from squeaking, we would recommend investing in a grease lubricant, such as Moly EP.

Once you have bought your lubricant, you can then begin to get to work on your swivel chair. Let’s take a look at what you need to do. 

How To Lubricate Your Swivel Chair?

Once you have purchased your lubricant, you are ready to get to work on your swivel chair. Here’s a step-by-step guide to talk you through what you have to do to stop your chair from squeaking. 

  1. First, you need to locate the location of the squeak. You might need an extra pair of hands for this as it will be difficult to sit on the chair, and also listen for where the noise is coming from. There are a few places where squeaking is common, these are the hinges, springs, and the swivel ball at the top of the central leg, so pay close attention to these.
  1. Once you have located the source of the noise, flip your chair so that it is on its side, this allows you access to the different components. 
  1. Apply a small amount of your grease lubricant to the affected area, and then move that component to ensure that the grease seeps into the joint. 
  1. Test the chair to see if the squeaking has stopped. If it has not, simply apply more lubricant to the affected area, or repeat these steps to locate the other component of the chair that is causing the squeaking noise. 

Summary

In short, lubricating your swivel chair isn’t as difficult as it first seems. In this guide, we’ve taken a look at why swivel chairs squeak and how to fix this problem. So to find out more, check out the guide above.