The order our crew follows on a workstation floor, and what happens to tops, panels, pedestals and cables afterwards.
From the outside, dismantling a floor of workstations looks like controlled chaos. In practice it follows a fixed order, because the order decides how much gets reused and how fast the floor is cleared. Here is what happens on a typical dismantling and buyback job.
Step 1: power and data off
Before anyone touches a workstation, power is isolated to the seating area and the facility team confirms it. Then data and power cables are unplugged from the workstation raceways.
Step 2: loose items out
Chairs, pedestals, dustbins and anything left on the desks come out first. Chairs are stacked by model; pedestals are checked for keys and leftover documents, which we hand back to the admin team.
Step 3: tops off
Workstation tops are unscrewed and stacked flat, face to face, to protect the laminate. Good-condition tops from branded systems are kept together by size so they can be resold as sets.
Step 4: panels, frames and raceways
Panels and screens are taken off the frames, then the frames and raceways themselves. Screws, connectors and brackets are bagged per system. This is the step that decides whether a workstation can be reinstalled elsewhere.
Step 5: cables
Data and power cables are pulled out of raceways and floor boxes. Copper cable is sorted and bundled; it's sold by weight.
Step 6: sort, load, sweep
Everything is sorted into resale stock and scrap, loaded, and the floor is swept. If the scope includes carpet and ceiling, that work starts only now.
Where it all goes
| Item | Usual destination |
|---|---|
| Good tops, panels and pedestals | Resold as complete workstation sets to smaller offices, start-ups and institutes |
| Working chairs | Refurbished (new mesh or gas lift where needed) and resold |
| Steel and aluminium frames | Sold to metal recyclers |
| Copper cable | Sold to cable and copper recyclers |
| Damaged particle board | Sent for disposal or board recycling where available |
More on this in where your old office furniture goes.
How long it takes
A trained crew of eight to ten people can dismantle and load 60–100 workstation seats in a working day, depending on the system and how far the lift is. Night-only buildings stretch this over more shifts.
Quick questions
How long does it take to dismantle 100 workstations?
Roughly one to two working days with a full crew, depending on the system, lift access and whether the building allows only night work.
Can dismantled workstations be reinstalled?
Yes, if they are taken apart in the right order and parts are bagged per system. That is how good used workstations keep their resale value.
Adarsh Old Office Furniture Buyer
Old office furniture buyers and office dismantling crew based in Sector 94, Noida. Written from our own jobs across Delhi NCR.
