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So long as it’s not an Aeron. The Aeron came with the aforementioned corporate redesign, which turned the gloomy, grotty corridors of TIME into a glaringly well-lighted, somehow soulless space. Don’t get me wrong. I wasn’t one of the many who squawked when they separated us from our tea-stained desks and paperclip sculptures. In general I prefer our newly poshified workspace, if only because we no longer need night goggles to find the bathroom. It’s true I desperately miss my tweedy old couch, but the new glass doors would have made naps tricky anyway. The Aeron was the first thing I saw walking into my new office. At first, I was dazzled by the work of art that is this most famous of office chairs (seriously, how many can you name by brand?). Its design is smooth yet innovative, its materials practical yet handsome. Sure, the Aeron defined the ’90s, but newsrooms aren’t known for cutting-edge cool. By our standards, it bespoke hip. I sat down and took a spin.
Seat: bouncy yet firm. Back: firm lumbar support. Mobility: wheels all move in same direction. I loved my Aeron. Office furniture is at its best when it doesn’t require much contemplation. You want a stapler that staples, not one that states by its color and shape the very essence of your personality (unless, of course, you do). But soon I was thinking way too much about my Aeron–or rather about the throbbing pain in the backs of my thighs. I’d heard the Aeron, or rather Herman Miller, its design company, prides itself on the chair’s easy adjustability. But hours of twisting and pounding and kicking the various knobs and levers resulted in absolutely no adjustment–not in its tilt, its armrests, its now-annoying lumbar. It turns out the Aeron has a hate club. My colleague Unmesh had the same unprintable comments about the pain in his thighs, apparently caused by the hard frame with what’s called a waterfall edge. My brother George, a bond broker, says the mesh material I’d earlier thought so practical tears his pants.
“The Aeron Chair Sucks” features hilarious videos of a worker’s battles with hers. To be fair, the dozens of heated comments on that site prove the Aeron still has a lot of defenders, too. It is at this point in my rant that I realize I am going to have to make like a reporter and actually do some reporting. Designers Don Chadwick and Bill Stumpf first introduced the Aeron to the world in 1994. Dot-com bajillionaires stocked their new offices with the $600-$900 chairs. It was named design of the decade by the Industrial Designers Society of America, and remains Herman Miller’s best-selling chair. Stumpf died in September. So I called Herman Miller to share my misgivings with the very patient company spokesperson, Mark Schurman. When I began my rant about my thighs, he immediately asked, “Do you think it’s properly sized?” The Aeron apparently comes in three sizes befitting various body types. As far as I know, my chair is the same as my sumo-size brother’s. When I mentioned that same brother and his complaint about the mesh material (which is called Pellicle) ripping his pants, Schurman was again a step ahead of me.
Chuckling, he said, “Well, we hear that very occasionally–always from men of a certain size wearing chinos with large wallets in their pockets.” Okay, so he nailed George–but doesn’t that description also fit a lot of other men? True, says Schurman, adding that newer versions of the Pellicle weave are softer and more pliant. Then there’s the adjustability, or impossibility thereof. Here Schurman dances a bit. “I wouldn’t say we’ve ever promoted its ease of adjustability, but rather the ability to finely tune it to your individual need,” he says. “Once you’ve set it–the arm heights, tilt tension–if you’re an individual user, the likelihood is you’ll never have to make those tailored adjustments again. “I concede,” he adds, “it will take a few minutes, and you’ll probably have to consult the manual.” Which is too bad. I think mine is still attached to the chair. How To Refurbish a Herman Miller Aeron Task Chair Fortune smiled on me recently.
I was on the hunt to upgrade my task chair and I happened upon a used Herman Miller Aeron chair for around $300 on Craigslist. Since Herman Miller dealers provide new replacement parts, I set out to refurbish the old Aeron chair to nearly new condition. Here's a step-by-step guide for replacing a worn-out Aeron seat and back rest... What You'll Need:3/8" Craftsman clicker-style Microtork wrench with hex bit setWrench for removing B-LinksAllen wrench keys (for reaching tight area of B-link)4, 5,and 6 mm hex bitsPreparation: I first contacted Herman Miller to discuss my plans and get some technical assistance and information before dismantling my new prized seating possession. Carla at Herman Miller gave me a tools list and the specifications for removing and tightening the hex bolts used to hold the Aeron together. A handy tool like this can aid you in removing the seat back's hex bolts. Removing Back Frame: 4 seat back bolts are simple to remove with a 5mm hex wrench, but tightening them correctly requires a torque wrench.
The torque wrench allows the greater control over the amount of tightening pressure being exerted on a bolt, highly recommended so you don't damage the chair. Once the torque wrench reaches the set tightness, it clicks into place. Now that the seat back is off, the Aeron seat underside B-Links will be more accessible (see below pic). So, move onto replacing the seat before securing a new seat back. When ready, you can replace the old seat back with a new one using the same 5 mm hex bolts. For securing the seat back, 70-100 inch pounds of torque is required. Removing Seat Frame: In order to remove the Aeron seat itself, a total of 4 bolts must be removed. I recommend removing the underside seat B-links first . Using a 4 mm Allen wrench hex key, hold the bolt in place with pliers while using a wrench to remove the locking nut (first upper left picture above). Then remove the underside B-link from the seat and do the same for the other side (a total of 2 B-Link bolts and nuts).
Now, you may remove the two B-Links under the seat. The B-links will swing free and can be placed down on the Aeron wheel caster base. The hip bolts will require a 6 mm hex bit, and a long wrench will make removing these easier (i.e. the Craftsman torque wrench). Remove both hip bolts (a total of 2 of these) on either side of the Aeron seat. The hip bolts design did change around 2003-2004, so I recommend contacting Herman Miller for help in determining your model and if a replacement bolt may be necessary. You may now remove the Aeron seat from the metal frame. Replacing Seat Frame: So, now you have an Aeron skeleton. When you are ready to replace the seat, start with the hip bolts. Before anything, set the torque wrench to click at 200 inch pounds of tightness. Inserting each bolt one side at a time seems to work best. Afterward, determine that both hip bolts are secure and tightened correctly, then move onto the underside B-links. These only requre the 4mm Allen-style hex wrench and a hand wrench.
Just as in removing, hold the 4mm B-link bolt steady with the Allen key, and tighten the nut with a wrench. These underside B-link screws provide a little give from side to side, this is normal as the seat flexes when in use. The company Office Designs ships Herman Miller Aeron parts at very competitive pricing. I was able to purchase a seat for $166.00 and a seat back for $139.00. Even replacement carpet casters are available for 19.95 (for all 5). Lumbar support, touchup paint, the list goes on. Just remember to make sure you order the right size seat frame and back frame, as the Aeron comes in 3 sizes (A, B, & C).All you have to do now is reverse the process listed above to put your chair back together with your new parts, and voila, you've got a practically new Aeron for a discount! Reversing the disassembly process and installing brand new replacement parts, the chair is almost as good as new.While Aeron chairs are an expensive investment, buying a used one and slowly replacing parts can be a bit more financially viable than buying all new.