If the thought of flat-pack furniture makes you break out in a sweat. Or if you’re simply planning to buy a kneeling chair and want to know are kneeling chairs easy to assemble? Well, you’ve come to the right place. In this very article, I look at the most popular types of kneeling chairs to see how easy they are to make along with how long with it will take you.
Plus, I divulge 18 expert tips from professionals which will make assembling your furniture a walk in the park!
Did you know? Most kneeling chairs tend to require assembly; following the instructions in order can slash the amount of time involved in assembling it. Source
Are kneeling chairs easy to assemble?
Kneeling chairs tend to be smaller and have fewer components than most standard furniture which makes them easier to assemble. It takes an average of 30 minutes to assemble kneeling stools, however, the length of time depends on factors including the experience of the user in assembling furniture, quality of assembly instructions, size and type of kneeling chair.
Tip: Some companies offer lower shipping costs if the product is flat pack. This will reduce the overall cost by a sizable amount.
Type of kneeling chair
The type of kneeling chair will influence how long it takes to assemble.
X-frame kneeling chairs and rocker chairs can be assembled relatively fast, however, backrest kneeling chairs feature more components and generally take a little longer to assemble as a result.
Kneeling chair are primarily available in the below formats which are listed in order of most popular types of kneeling chairs on the market:
- X-frame kneeling chair
- Rocker kneeling chair
- Backrest kneeling
- Saddle kneeling Chair
Assembling a kneeling chair
Many kneeling chairs come in flat packs meaning that you need to grab your toolkit and assemble it yourself or else find a chair that comes ready-built.
Based on reviews of consumers who assembled them, you should set aside approximately 30 minutes for assembly.
I had a look at a number of the written instructions, and they looked somewhat rudimentary. They tend to be visual images arranged in a sequence. In each step, arrows point in the direction a part should go with the number of the part included next to it.
No written step-by-step instructions are provided in the majority of cases.
This is common practice across all types of furniture nowadays, probably since visual diagrams can abridge languages barriers.
Fortunately for you, if it’s a popular brand of chair, there are often videos on YouTube or on the website demonstrating how to assemble it. This is one of the watch outs that you should pay attention to when choosing a kneeling chair.
Fully Balans Kneeling Chair without back assembly instructions:
How long does it take to assemble a kneeling chair?
Some users are able to build their kneeling chairs within 15 – 35 minutes, however, it could take longer if you don’t frequently assemble furniture.
The length of time it will take to assemble your kneeling chair will depend on:
- how familiar you are with assembling furniture
- how well you layout the parts
- the type of kneeling chair
- the quality of the instructions
- if instructions are written or in a video format
- if tools are provided
- time spent sourcing tools to assemble it
- testing the kneeling chair once it is assembled
- adjusting the kneeling chair to your requirements
- extra time involved in troubleshooting
If the weight of a kneeling chair gets heavy, you might need to seek assistance with lifting or supporting the weight while you move it or screw in the necessary components.
Tip: Clear a decent size desk or area of floor to allow you space for assembling and laying out all the parts neatly.
How to assemble an X-frame kneeling chair?
Most X-frame kneeling chairs follow a similar assembly process. This seems to be the case regardless of whether they are wooden or a metal frame. If castors or accessories, such as backrests, are included, this is where variation occurs.
Steps include:
1. Fitting the X-frame legs together
2. Attaching the seat to the X-frame
3. Attaching the knee cushion to the X-frame
4. Fitting the castors to the X-frame
How to assemble a rocker kneeling chair?
The majority of rocker kneeling chairs follow a very similar sequence of steps for assembly. Variations tend to relate to extra crossbars which are included in some brands and not in others.
Assembling a rocker kneeling chair involves:
1. Attaching the brace to both rocker legs
2. Securing the rocker legs with the crossbars
3. Attach the seat to the rocker
4. Attach the knee cushion to the rocker
How to assemble a backrest kneeling chair?
A backrest kneeling chair will follow the general principles of either the X-frame or rocker kneeling chair, depending on the type of base that is on your backrest kneeling chair. The addition of a backrest tends to be left towards the latter half of the assembly process.
Since it’s an extra component to be fitted, it will need an extra little bit of time to fit and secure it into place. Once the steps 1-4 above are complete, the backrest and any additional components are attached.
Some backrest kneeling chairs are rather heavy, therefore, you should seek assistance for lifting and assembling these.
What tools will I need for assembling furniture?
You’ll generally need little to no tools to assemble kneeling stools as they are usually provided in the packaging. However, it may be useful to have the below at hand to make the process of opening packaging and securing parts easier:
1. Scissors
2. Hammer
3. Allen key/hex key
4. Multi-bit screwdriver
Tip: If possible, opt for quality furniture company which offer a lifetime guarantee on products.
Tips for assembling furniture
1. Allocate enough time, including extra time for troubleshooting so that you don’t rush and run the risk of making errors.
2. Open the packaging carefully. Don’t allow items to fall out of the box and break or get damaged.
3. Read the instructions from start to finish (yes, before you have it 70% complete and realize you missed a step!).
4. Check websites and YouTube for video tutorials which tend to be easier to follow.
5. Read the instructions as you assemble, don’t rely on memory or assuming the next steps.
6. If additional tools are provided, have these readily available before you commence.
7. Find a large open and comfortable space to complete assembly.
8. The assembling location should allow you to make the furniture without damaging or scratching existing or new furniture or surfaces, such as walls, tables.
9. Watch out for queues which indicate the correct orientation of parts, e.g., holes for screws, arrows pointing a certain direction, finished surfaces facing outwards.
10. If the object is heavy, assembly should be completed as close to the destination as possible.
11. If there are a large number of parts, stooping can be avoided by assembling at a table.
12. Lay out all the parts and place duplicate parts in a bunch beside each other.
13. If parts are heavy, have a second person on standby to assist with moving or balancing it.
14. Count out the parts to ensure the correct number of parts is provided.
15. Once the furniture is assembled, there should be no extra parts left, unless spares are provided.
16. Hold onto the Allen key as you may need it for tightening or loosening parts in the future.
17. Store the instructions along with the tools and spare parts together.
18. If in doubt, ask for help or leave it to the professionals.
Conclusion
Assembling a kneeling stool is an achievable task for the majority of people. This is particularly true for X-frame and rocker kneeling chairs. Fortunately, some of the more established manufacturers provide video tutorials to walk you through the process.
If you want further in-depth information on choosing a kneeling chair, and want to find out the 4 critical factors that will determine whether the kneeling chair you choose is even suitable, then this article will certainly be a game changer: How to choose a kneeling chair? 21 watch outs
If a standard office chair sounds more appealing, then perhaps a multi-functional office chair may be more what you’re looking for. My personal favourite office chair is the CoolMesh Pro Multi-Function Chair.
My aim with this website is to help you on all matters related to your home office and your work area. With that in mind, if you have any questions or comments on the above, please drop them in the box below. I’d love to hear them!
