Whether you are getting a new office chair or moving into a new office, transporting an office chair into a new location is no easy task, especially if your car is a sedan. In fact, many people try to fit an office chair inside a sedan because they don’t want the hassle of renting a van just for the sake of moving a piece of furniture.

So, can an office chair fit in a sedan? In most cases, a fully-assembled office chair won’t fit into a sedan. However, you should be able to fit any office chair into a car or sedan by separating the cylinder and base from the chair seat and backrest. Most office chairs can be disassembled easily.

That being said, there are plenty of simple ways to go about this issue. You should also consider the size of your car and the size of your office chair. In this post, we will answer everything you need to know about fitting an office chair into a sedan, including how to transport it safely inside a car. 

Can An Office Chair Fit In A Sedan?

If you disassemble the standard office chair into two pieces (the lower part and the upper part), you should be able to fit it into any car, including a sedan. However, if you do not want or you are unable to disassemble the office chair, here are two important things to consider when fitting an office chair into a car:

Most office chairs are 40 inches tall and 20 inches wide.

When it comes to fitting an office chair inside a car, there’s no need to measure the chair inch for inch. You should probably have a general idea of how tall and wide the office chair is.

Most office chairs are 40 inches tall and 20 inches wide.

We’ve measured plenty of office chairs and found that the standard-size office chair has a seat height between 16 to 20 inches. Additionally, the average backrest height of an office chair is between 19 to 22 inches tall. Combine the seat height and backrest height, and you get a total height of about 40 inches.

As far as width goes, most office chairs are 17 to 20 inches wide, which is the industry standard.

Most sedan trunks are 50 inches wide and 40 inches deep.

Looking at the picture above and you may think that it’s easy to fit a standard office chair inside the trunk. However, take a closer look, and you’ll see a potential problem.

The opening of a sedan trunk is about 40 inches.

Because you will be inserting the office chair lying down, the height of the chair (which is around 40 inches) may not fit the opening of the sedan trunk. You can try to fit the office chair by lowering the height using the lever so it can fit the opening of the trunk. Once inside, the office chair should have plenty of space.

Another option you can try is to fit the office chair into the sedan’s back seat. In fact, one of our friends tried fitting a Steelcase Leap chair inside a 2002 Honda Accord Sedan’s back seat, and he did it successfully without taking the base of the office chair. In short, a fully assembled office chair may fit the backseat of the sedan.

To fit an office chair inside a sedan without dismantling it, lay the front passenger seat all the way back in the car, put the chair in through the front passenger door (which is bigger than the rear doors), and maneuver the office chair into the backseat. Once done, the office chair should be upside down with wheels up.

Just be extra careful to cover the office chair with bubble wrap to avoid scratches, bumps, and bruises along the way. And remember, drive carefully.

That being said, office chairs come in multiple different shapes and sizes, just like cars do. Some office chairs are way bigger than others, especially ones designed for big and tall people. So if you’re not able to fit the office furniture, here are some ideas on how to transport an office chair in a car…

How To Transport An Office Chair In A Car Or Sedan

1. Dismantle the Office Chair

Your first option is to dismantle the office chair. If you are not a savvy engineer, and this sounds intimidating to do, don’t worry — it’s simpler than you think. 

There are two major parts that make the height of an office chair. The lower part is made of the chair’s five-star base and the gas cylinder, while the top part consists of the seat cushion and the backrest. When you separate the bottom part from the upper part, you should be able to fit both parts inside a car easily.

You will need a pipe wrench to separate the gas cylinder from the upper part of the chair.

Using a pipe wrench, tighten it to the cylinder as close to the mechanism as possible. Once tightened to the cylinder, turn the pipe wrench a quarter turn until it comes loose. The cylinder isn’t screwed on, so loosen it until you can pull the base and the cylinder off. You don’t need to remove the cylinder from the base.

Once you remove the bottom part from the upper part, you can see how easily both parts can fit into any car, including a sedan. You can fit both parts inside the backseat or the trunk.

2. Rent a Van or a Trailer

If you don’t feel confident in disassembling your office chair, then your next best option is to use a bigger car. Ask for a favor from a friend or family member who owns a bigger car, like a van or a trailer, and inquire whether you can borrow it to transport your office furniture. As long as you pay for the gas, it should be fine. 

A van should work just fine if you are moving the office chair inside the city, but you may need a trailer if you are planning to transport several pieces of office furniture to another city or a different state. Not only does it provide better safety for your trip, but it also protects office chairs from unwanted damage.

3. Hire a Professional Mover

If you are not comfortable with borrowing a vehicle from friends or family, your last option is to hire a professional mover. This is also ideal if you are moving plenty of office furniture at once to another state. Additionally, hiring a professional mover is also perfect if you are planning to ship your entire office set.

According to uShip, shipping furniture locally costs $75 to $250, while the average cost to ship furniture state to state or across the country ranges from $300 to $600. Sure, it’s not cheap, but you are paying for a service that saves you both time and energy. Contact professional movers to find the best rate.

Bottom Line

And there you have it, everything you need to know about the question: can an office chair fit in a sedan? Some office chairs can easily fit inside a sedan without disassembly, especially if you lower the height. You can also separate the upper part from the bottom part of the chair to fit it inside any car, including a sedan.