8 Signs It’s Time To Reupholster Your Office Chairs

Aug 1, 2022

Office furniture reupholstery has quickly become one of the primary ways offices update and maintain heavily used items such as task chairs. From cost savings to reducing landfill waste, there are several key benefits that reupholstery provides. Knowing exactly when you should consider updating furniture can be tricky. Should you do it now while seating is still in decent shape, or wait until furniture is inoperable? Here are eight signs it’s time to reupholster your office chairs and why you shouldn’t ignore these indicators for too long.

Worn-Out Cushions and Fabric

One of the first major signs to be on the lookout for is visible wearing along the seat cushions or fabric. Since office chairs may experience heavy use by several different individuals throughout the years, the materials are susceptible to losing elasticity. When this happens, they may start to form a misshapen appearance or lose their ability to provide support. It’s not uncommon for fabrics to discolor and warp, resulting in a blotchy appearance. You may even notice fraying around seams or larger tearing in the seating material. This type of damage leaves your seating looking old and dirty. Ultimately, worn-out task chairs are uncomfortable and send the message to employees that you don’t care about their health and wellbeing.

Visible and Unremovable Stains

Along with tearing and cushion breakdown, it’s also important to watch for any old stains that you can’t remove. Whether it’s sweat or spilled coffee, stains are commonplace on well-used seating items. Just like wearing, these dark, irregular splotches can leave your office chairs looking much older than they actually are. We always recommend attempting to clean upholstery first. If a professional fabric cleaner is unable to remove staining, reupholstery is the next best option. We offer a variety of fabrics that are intended for heavy traffic and even have some commercial-grade materials to choose from. Selecting something designed specifically for high traffic is a great way to ensure the longevity of your furniture. Aside from being more hygienic, freshly upholstered seating will also improve the overall aesthetic of an office space.

Lack of Physical Support

Even if your office chairs appear fine on the surface, you may also need to think about getting them reupholstered if they aren’t properly supporting your team. Ergonomic support is vital to ensuring your team members remain comfortable, focused, and productive during long workdays. If you notice employees complaining of back, neck, or shoulder pain, it could be time to get your seats refurbished. At Rework, we offer full refurbishing services, specializing in restructuring seating so to promote proper ergonomics. Ergonomically sound furniture not only ensures that team members avoid pain when sitting in their chairs for prolonged periods, but it also helps prevent future injuries from occurring.

Faulty Parts

In addition to failing support and aesthetics, you may also want to reupholster your office chairs if you notice that some of their parts are failing. What might start out as a loose wheel or two can quickly become a hazard for your team if you let the problem persist. So, if your employees confide that their chairs are uneven or difficult to adjust, act right away to get the parts replaces. Reupholstery services deal with more than just fabrics; rather, they assess the entire piece of furniture and replace any broken components, even mechanical, to ensure it meets your needs moving forward.

An Outdated Style

Another key sign it’s time to reupholster your office chairs is whether your seating compliments the overall style of the office. If seating is mismatched or looks terribly old, it will send a message to employees that your company is behind the times. An outdated look can make it difficult to project the corporate culture you’re striving for. Therefore, employees may not feel like they’ll get the support and amenities they want from your office space. The older aesthetic might also fail to match the more modern ideals and solutions you’re trying to present. Stop and take a good look around your office. If you feel as though it could use an upgrade in style and general appearance, reupholstery is the perfect option to refresh your space with a minimal budget.

You’re Looking for Sustainable Solutions

A lot of businesses are starting to place an emphasis on sustainability. As larger corporations have an enormous impact on the environment, finding new ways to conserve resources and keep materials out of landfills is vital. Believe it or not, office furniture makes up a large portion of standard office waste. At Rework, sustainability is at the core of who we are and we are passionate about our landfill diversion statistics. Luckily, many businesses are also seeking ways to improve their carbon footprint and support sustainability. Purchasing preowned furniture and reupholstering older pieces can help you transform your space while diverting thousands of pounds of landfill waste. It’s a win-win!

You Want To Save Company Money

For those looking to create a workspace on a dime, reupholstery services are a great option. Furnishing your office space with all new pieces can be pricey and lead times are often extremely lengthy. Reupholstering furniture results in a truly custom aesthetic for a fraction of purchasing something brand new. This will leave you the extra funds to do what every business strives for: hiring and overall growth.

It’s Time for a Change

Sometimes there’s no other reason other than wanting a change to go the reupholstery route. While productivity and focus are key in any business environment, it’s also vital that you and your team feel comfortable and happy within that space. A cohesive, thoughtfully designed office environment can boost employee morale, encourage productivity and support teamwork.

When it comes to updating and modernizing old and worn office chairs, Rework has your back! We offer quality commercial furniture upholstery services that provide old pieces with a completely new look at a fraction of the cost of brand-new ones. Our lead times are some of the best in the industry, and we offer local curbside pickup in the Chicago metro area, as well as fast nationwide shipping. Let Rework’s team of expert refurbishers do the heavy lifting while our designers help you select fabrics and finishes that work perfectly for your space. We can’t wait to get started!