These are the small wheels which are attached to the furniture. There are a lot of different styles and shapes, which make them very versatile. Using casters for any of your furniture helps them to move from one place to another very easily and as such saves on time and efforts. They keep your floors safe from scratches and damages as well. Furniture casters not only provide utility to most equipment but they can also give your furniture a fashionable and classy as well. This guide discusses the various categories of furniture casters. It will assist you in selecting the one based on requirements and preferences.
What Are Furniture Casters?
Casters: wheel wheels to which you attach furniture. They can be of various materials; metal, plastic, or rubber. These materials are selected depending on how tough and sturdy it has to be. This is also why casters are so practical in many situations. Firstly, they allow you to move heavy furniture very easy so you don’t have to life it. Secondly, they minimise friction so that you do not damage your carpets or hardwood floors. Finally, casters can also give a brand new, fun look to your furniture.
Considerations When Selecting Gear Casters
There are a few things to keep in mind whenever you are selecting furniture wheels. A few notable features to note are:
Weight Capacity: Ensure that the casters you select can handle the weight of the furniture you're trying to move. The casters can also break or get damaged if they are not strong enough.
The type of flooring — Varying floors require a different type of casters. If you have hardwood floors, for instance, you need softer casters that will not scratch the floor surface. However, concrete floors can only accommodate harder casters.
Style: Casters are available in various styles and colors, allowing you to select one that complements your furniture and personal preference. Thus, your furniture is not only easy to handle but also aesthetically pleasing.
Durability: Consider how frequently you will moving your furniture. If you need to move it quite a bit, then a more robust, heavy duty caster which won not break on you after a lot of use over time is ideal.
Types of Furniture Casters
There are many varieties of casters, each for a different purpose. The following offering shows the most typical styles of casters you will stumble upon.
Swivel Caster: The most common type of caster. They can spin 360 degrees around, helping you move furniture around in any direction. This is excellent for when you are in a compact area and have to navigate carefully.
Rigid Casters — As opposed to swivel casters, rigid casters can only roll forward. These work well for furniture that you want to move only one way, like a heavy bookshelf that doesn’t get turned around very much.
Capped: Capped casters have a hard plastic shell that prevents your floors from scratches and scuffs. They are usually comprised of soft materials like rubber or plastic that help protect your floors.
Ball Casters — These casters are special anyway as they can break down wherever These help to slide easily on various surfaces, and they play a major role in the distribution of the overall weight of the furniture to avoid floor damage.
Wheels: The Big Picture
Furniture casters consist of a wheel as one of its parts. The three main types of wheels that you really need to know of are:
Rubber Wheels: Rubber wheels can be referred to as soft and flexible type and this makes them a great fit when you talk about hardwood floors. This makes them great for heavy furniture that may scratch the floor because they are gentle on surfaces and absorb shock well.
Polyurethane Wheels: Also highly robust and durable. They can hold plenty of weight and are great on rough floors. Great if you want or have furniture that needs to move around a lot as these wheels are tough and can handle rough use, especially for heavier materials–similar to polyurethane wheels.
Nylon Wheels: These are suitable on carpeted floors. They are tough and resilient, and they will not harm the carpet strands, a priority when maintaining the cleanliness and appearance of your carpets.
How to Choose the Right Casters for Your Floor
Not every caster can be used on every type of flooring. Given your flooring, here are a few tips to help you pick the correct one;
Hardwood Floors – For hardwood floors, you should use rubber or polyurethane casters. These materials are softer and wont hurt the floor as much and will help in scratching.
If you have a carpeted floor, choose casters with nylon wheels specifically for carpet. They are engineered to slide nicely on top of carpet without really harming the carpet fibers. Plus, they can hold the weight when you set heavier furniture on them, which is good.
For concrete or tiled floors, select casters with metal or polyurethane wheels. Those tougher wheels are ideal for rough surfaces and can endure moving around furniture in this kind of floors.
How to Pick the Best Casters
When selecting the right caster wheels for your furniture, you need to know exactly what you want. So before you purchase something, ask yourself these questions:
How heavy is the furniture? Choose casters that can support the weight of the pieces. Thus, if you do not select appropriately regarding the weight capacity, the casters may break.
What flooring do you have? You also have to consider your type of floor, since that will help dictate what type of caster you need. All surfaces prone to their own type of damage may require specially designed casters.
How frequently are you going to shift the furniture? If you intend to move the furniture around a lot then you need a caster that is appropriate for continuous movement without wearing down.
What kind of style are you searching for? Castors are available in many styles, from modern to vintage. Matches your furniture and your home decor, just think about it.