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5 Tips for Keeping Your Office Furniture Looking Like New

Your new office furniture looks great, it feels awesome, and you're ready to get to work! Unfortunately, your furniture won't stay new forever. Regular wear and tear can take its toll on even the finest furniture, causing it to depreciate quickly and forcing you to replace it prematurely. So how can you make the most of your investment? Follow these 5 tips to keep your furniture looking and feeling like new, and you won't need to replace those desks or chairs anytime soon.

1. Tighten Chair Screws Every 6 Months

Screws on ready-to-assemble furniture come loose over time, and this is especially true for office chairs. To prevent the breakdown of your furniture, we recommend tightening office chair bolts once every 6 months. To help you remember, simply turn your screws when you turn your clocks—once in the spring and once in the fall. Most can be tightened using a simple Allen wrench, which you can tape under the seat of the chair when you finish assembling it. Read more here to learn more about the proper procedure for tightening the screws on your office chairs.

2. Protect Your Desk Surface With a Desk Blotter

Writing on a piece of paper on top of your desk can cause unintended marks and scratches, especially if the desk is made of solid wood or veneer. To prevent this, use a desk pad or blotter under your notes. This layer of protection between the writing utensil and the desktop will keep it looking like new for much longer. We also recommend using coasters underneath cold and hot beverages. Read for more desk protection tips.

3. Avoid Wear and Tear on Flooring by Using a Chair Mat

Whether your workstation is positioned on carpet, tile, or wood flooring, the constant rolling around of your office chair can damage the surface of your floors over time. To prevent damage caused by chair casters, add a simple and affordable chair mat to your workstation. Chair mats come in a wide assortment of shapes, sizes, and styles to account for any workspace, so finding the right fit is easy.

4. Keep Out of Heat and Direct Sunlight

Direct sunlight and hot temperatures can cause irreparable damage to all types of furniture. This damage includes warping wood desks, discoloring chair upholstery, and melting certain plastic materials. Take care of your office furniture by keeping it out of harmful sun rays and in a cool atmosphere.

5. Keep It Clean and Organized

Keep your furniture clean and clutter-free. Regular dusting and thorough cleaning will keep desks and chairs looking like new for years to come. Likewise, keeping your desk clear of clutter and well-organized will make it appear cleaner and newer. To learn more about office furniture cleaning, read our guides to office desk cleaning and office chair cleaning.
Furniture Maintenance

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Tips for Keeping Your Office Furniture Looking Good & Working Smoothly

Office furniture is an investment. It’s important to protect this asset by performing routine maintenance. Let’s look at ways to keep your office furniture looking good and working smoothly.

Tips for Maintaining Office Chairs

Tighten screws and bolts on your office chairs every 6 months. A little maintenance goes a long way, and it’s easy to remember if you tie office upkeep to another event, like changing the clocks for the start and end of daylight saving time.

Many chairs have armrests that can break if you lean on them to lever yourself into or out of your chair. They are designed as a place to rest your arms, not to withstand a lot of pressure or weight. 

It’s also important to ensure the arms are adjusted to the right height. If you have armrests that are not movable, don’t get too close to your desk—bumping into a wood desk can create unsightly damage to both the desk and the chair.

Tips for Maintaining Desks

Whether your desk surface is wood veneer, laminate, or metal, you’ll have to clean and dust it to keep it looking good. For all desks, regardless of surface, use a dry cloth for dusting and a damp cloth for cleaning.

Mild soap is typically OK on all finishes. Be sure to check with the manufacturer before using any harsh chemicals. The wrong cleaner can ruin stains and finishes in seconds, which can be difficult or impossible to repair.

 

In addition to the basics, wood veneer desks can handle mild cleaners, like wood oil soap. Spray dusting and cleaning products can leave streaks or damage the finish.

 

Laminate finishes vary in how they are manufactured and how they are applied to the desk surfaces. Some can tolerate an ammonia-based spray window or multi-surface cleaner. Still, others cannot, so it’s important to read the care instructions included with your desk, ask the manufacturer, or stick with a cloth dampened with water only.

 

Steel or painted metal finishes are best-cared for with simple dusting and mild soap.

Standing Height Ergonomics

Standing-Height Ergonomics

You’ve added a standing desk to your workspace to help ward off the negative health consequences of sitting all day. You’re now consistently moving and incorporating a balance of sitting and standing. But have you forgotten about ergonomics? While a balance of sitting and standing is the most important, you’ll also want to consider the height of your workstation, the position of your monitors and keyboard, and your ergonomic chair adjustments to make sure that your body is fully supported whether you’re taking a stand or sitting for a bit.

Set Your Workstation at the Proper Height

Your workstation should not cause you to strain to reach something high or low. If you are reaching to look up or down, it can cause a lot of strain on your shoulders, neck, and back. An adjustable-height desk allows you to move the workstation up or down to accommodate your height. You will want to position your workstation (including your keyboard) so your arms are parallel to the ground while typing (no stress on elbows or shoulders) and you're not looking up or down at monitors but instead straight ahead, keeping your shoulders and neck relaxed. It's recommended that your monitor is placed about arm’s length from your face.  

Stand Correctly

Standing at your desk for the recommended amount of time isn't enough—you'll need to be sure you are standing correctly. Otherwise, you may still experience those aches and pains you’ve been trying to avoid. Having your monitor at the right angle and your workstation at the right height will help, but remember to keep your back straight and shoulders relaxed. Avoid reaching above or behind the shoulder line. Avoid crossing your legs in any matter when standing and avoid locking your knees—both of these movements can disrupt blood flow. Instead, keep your feet pointed toward your workstation and your knees loose and comfortable.

Consider Your Feet

Even if you stand for short bursts throughout the day, you’ll want to consider how your feet are holding up. If they are sore or uncomfortable after standing, evaluate your footwear and add an anti-fatigue mat to your workspace. Switching to practical footwear for standing is ideal, and anti-fatigue mats can make a huge difference in supporting your feet and legs.

Take a Seat

Sitting all day isn't good for you, but neither is standing all day. As a general rule of thumb, you should be standing 15 minutes for every 2 hours you sit. When seated, maintain proper posture to reap the health benefits of good ergonomics.

Get the Look for Less: Waiting Room Design on a Budget

Depending on the size of your front lobby and the type of business you're running, outfitting the waiting room can become an expensive task. You'll need a statement reception desk to use as the focal point in the room, occasional tables and décor to make the space feel professional and, of course, the right seating to keep your guests comfortable while they wait. Whether you're furnishing a large lobby or a little waiting area, here's how you can get the look you want in your reception area without busting your budget.

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