While working in your home office, you spend most of your time in an Office chair. Thus, an Office Chair plays a very significant role in your workspace.
It would help if you always had an office chair with ideal Height and adjustability. A perfect office chair helps to improve your posture and ensures comfort.
This article will provide helpful information on standard office chair height and some factors to consider while measuring the ideal size.
Furthermore, we will discuss why office chair height matters and some of the top brand office chairs with their features.
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Is There a Standard Office Chair Height?
Different office chairs have different heights. Therefore, there isn’t anything as a Standard Office Chair Height.
A typical office chair generally ranges from 15.5 to 22 inches. However, there are also some office chairs as low as 14.5 inches. These chairs can be helpful for short people.
Usually, tall people may require an office chair that can adjust beyond approximately 21 inches.
To choose an office chair with an ideal size, it is essential to ensure the user’s feet firmly touch the ground. Moreover, the user should bend the knees at 90 degrees.
If your upper and lower leg forms a right angle and your feet are flat on the ground, then your office chair has the right Height for you.
Also, ensure you have occupied the seating space and that the backrest fully supports your back.
Why does an Office Chair Height Matter?
You generally spend most of the time in an office chair. Therefore, it is essential to have office chairs that ensure comfort and support simultaneously.
Moreover, it is essential to have a good position while working at a desk for long hours.
To have a good body position, one must consider the chair height.
If your chair is too low, you must bend your upper body once you get up.
On the contrary, if your office chair is too high and you cannot touch the ground while working, it creates discomfort.
You also have to raise your arms to reach the keyboard.
If your office has an ideal height, it helps to reduce strain on the arms and legs.
Thus, considering the ergonomics while purchasing an office chair is very significant.
Research conducted on Office chair to influence sitting behavior of workers says that Office Chairs in workplaces directly influence the employees’ sitting behaviors and productivity.
Factors to Consider While Measuring the Ideal Height of an Office Chair
An Office Chair with an ideal height helps the user to sit comfortably.
It leads to an improvement in posture and also enhances work productivity.
It is very significant to consider a few important things if you are about to calculate the ideal Height of an Office Chair.
Let us go through some of the significant considerations in brief.
1. Two Feet must be Touching the Ground Firmly
While Sitting
While sitting in an office chair, both feet must firmly touch the ground.
Make sure your knees adjust at a 90-degree angle. To prevent knee strain, you may bend your knees slightly.
Moreover, your thighs should be parallel to the floor and entirely in front of you. Ensuring that your computer or laptop screen does not incline upwards is essential.
Throughout the process, your neck should stay in a neutral state.
The main objective of choosing the right chair is to achieve comfort. Thus, make sure you are at ease while sitting in this position.
While standing
You can also determine the ideal office chair you require while standing.
You can easily apply this technique for a quick check if you are looking for a suitable chair in the store.
Follow the simple steps given below:
- Stand in front of the office chair
- Adjust the seat height so that your forearms are just above the table.
- Check whether your forearms are parallel to the Desk. They can be slightly sloppy towards the Desk.
2. Forearms should be Parallel to the Desk
If you spend a lot of time in front of a screen, you must ensure your forearms are parallel to the Desk when you are seated.
This position at work prevents injuries and decreases wrists’ fatigue. You need to adjust the Height of an office chair so that your elbows form a 90-100 degree angle.
Ensure you keep adjusting the Height until your forearms rise above the Desk. Your forearms must be parallel to the Desk or slightly slopping towards the Desk.
Achieving a proper height while sitting in an office chair can help your shoulders relax and work for long hours at ease.
How to Calculate the Ideal Office Chair Height?
You must be wondering how we can calculate the Ideal Height required for our Office Chair.
There are some simple steps to follow, and in no time, you will know the Ideal Office Chair height for your work desk.
The first step is to measure the Height (inches) from the top of your work surface to the floor. This Height is considered your work surface height.
The next step is to calculate the optimal seat height.
To attain the optimal seat height, you need to subtract 10″ from the work surface height.
Now, this will be the mid-point of the chair’s height range. The seat height range must be 2.5″ above and 2.5″ below the midpoint.
Remember to consider adjusting the height range based on your workstation.
You can always use Office Egonomics Calculator to measure the ideal Height required for your office chair.
What should be the Ideal Height of your Office Chair?
While calculating the required Height for your office chair, do not forget the Ideal size of your Desk.
It is also important to prioritize other adjustments like the armrest, lumbar support, and backrest.
Your hips should be visible just above the level of your knees after you’re seated in an Ideal height chair.
Here is a list of suggested Desk and Chair Heights recommended for people with different height ratios:
| Your height (inches) | Desk Height (seated position) (inches) | Chair Height (seated position) (inches) | Monitor height (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4'10"-4'11" | 21"-23" | 12"-14" | 53"-56" |
| 5'-5'2" | 22"-24" | 14"-15" | 55"-58" |
| 5'3"-5'4" | 23"-25" | 15"-16" | 57"-61" |
| 5'5"-5'7" | 24"-26" | 16"-17" | 60"-64" |
| 5'8"-5'9" | 25"-27" | 16"-18" | 63"-66" |
| 5'10"-6' | 26"-28" | 18"-19" | 64"-69" |
| 6'1"-6'2" | 27"-29" | 18"-20" | 67"-70" |
Office Accessories to Help you Achieve an Ideal Chair Height
Here are some accessories that help you achieve the ideal chair height.
1. Footrest
While raising the seat height to ensure your forearms are parallel to the Desk, your feet may dangle.
A footrest is an office accessory that prevents your feet from dangling and elevates them to a certain height. It will always ensure comfort to your body at work.
You can easily purchase a footrest at amazon.
2. Monitor Arm
With a monitor arm, you will quickly adjust the monitor as needed. This accessory can be attached to the office desk with a bolt-through or a clamp mount. You can work at a preferred height range with the help of a monitor arm.
You can easily adjust the accessory to a required position to ensure the comfort of your eyes and neck while working.
3. Keyboard Tray
A keyboard tray is an office accessory that helps bring your keyboard to you so that you do not have to put in the effort.
Generally, a keyboard tray does not require you to adjust your chair or Desk at work. Keyboard Tray is considered an essential part of an ergonomic setup.
4. Adjustable Desk at Work
A Height Adjustable Desk can be commonly seen in most workspaces. A height-adjustable desk helps raise or lower the keyboard and monitor to a preferred height.
You can quickly lower or raise the Desk to attain the height requirements. Make sure to choose the adjustment at which you feel comfortable and relaxed.
Adjustable Desks help you achieve a comfortable position while working. A comfortable position at work prevents several health issues due to prolonged sitting.
Height Adjustable Desk is also considered an essential part of an ergonomic setup.
Top Brand Office Chairs with Standard Height in 2024
Are you purchasing a new Office Chair for yourself? Choosing the Best Office Chair can be a tiring job for some people.
Here are a few Office Chair Models with the respective height ranges offered. You can go through them.
| Chair Model and height offered | Features |
|---|---|
| Sayl Chair by Herman Miller 16-20.5" | Comfortable, fully assembled and adjustable with a twelve year warranty |
| Sihoo Office Chair 16.5-20" | Seat adaptable lumbar support, adjustable for multiple work purpose and suitable for long time sitting. |
| Steelcase Series 2 Office Chair 16-21" | All day comfort and back support, fully adjustable and quality with durability. |
| Steelcase Leap Chair 15.5-20.5" | Personalized support, wheels for carpet flooring and upholstered back and seat. |
| Cramer Triton Max 18-22" | Ergonomic task chair with weight capacity of 350lb,waterfall edge and molded foam for extra comfort. |
| Ergo Human Eurotech 17-21" | Synchro tilt, back angle adjustment, tilt tension control, comfort and seat height adjustment. |
How to Add Height to your Existing Office Chair?
Having a chair on your workstation may not be completely fulfilling. It is essential to know whether or not the chair has been adjusted to a preferred position.
Some chairs are designed not to be able to increase their Height. You can try on some DIYs for such chairs to make them taller.
Here are some considerations you can go through to add Height to your existing office chair.
1. Add Seat Cushions
You can always consider adding a cushion to increase the Height of your Office Chair. It is one of the easiest ways to add the chair’s Height.
Make sure to add a high-density cushion made of foam. A cushion wrapped in soft clothing adds extra comfort to your sitting.
If you have a chair with a removable cushion, you can put a firm pillow under the original one. A fabric cover with a coordinating and matching color helps make the added cushion less visible.
You can buy this Seat Cushion on Amazon.
2. Screw-in Legs
Some chairs, such as recliners, are often upholstered and have screw-in legs. For such chairs, you can always buy replacement legs.
Replacement legs are available in various styles and lengths and help increase the existing office chair height.
Make sure to choose a leg design similar to your original chair leg. If you replace a comprehensive portion with a narrow one, your chair is more unstable. Rickety chairs increase the risk of accidents and injuries.
3. Use of Casters
You can also use casters or replace the existing chair casters with larger ones. Replacing the original casters with larger ones helps to add Height to your current chair.
Casters that consist of brakes ensure the stability of chairs. Make sure to drill in the center at the bottom of each chair leg. You may also need wood glue to add the castors.
Heavy-duty casters are highly recommended to use in office chairs.
4. Adding a Platform
You can add a platform under your chair to increase its Height to some extent. For this purpose, you may place a flat piece of wood in your office and have your chair on top. Make sure not to mess with the chair’s mechanisms throughout the process.
Another way you can consider is to cut five wooden pieces and place them in place of the casters. You can screw the pieces of wood on the chair’s bottom.
Once you have placed a wooden platform, do not lock your casters. Otherwise, they may roll all over the edges and cause injuries.
Also, watch the video to learn more about office chair ergonomics,
Final Verdict
Since there is nothing particular about Standard Office Chair Height, you should always make the calculations before purchasing a chair for your Desk.
Each person has a different body and a different workspace. Therefore, the preferred chair height varies from one person to the other.
It is always better to sit on a chair with adjustable Height from an ergonomic view.
An office chair with an Ideal height helps achieve a comfortable position at work and eliminates the difficulties related to body pain and stiffness.
A good ergonomic chair with adjustable Height, lumbar support, backrest, armrest, and swivel is considered the best for your office.
