How to Choose Furniture Casters: A Guide to Sizing and Load Bearing Correlation

Furniture casters are integral to furniture, impacting its mobility, stability, and longevity. Selecting the appropriate casters for your furniture requires consideration of several factors, with the most critical being the correlation between the size and load bearing capacity. This article will guide you through choosing the right casters for your furniture based on size and load-bearing requirements.

1. Determine the Use Scenario and Load Requirements of the Furniture

Use Scenario:

• Home Use: Lightweight furniture like sofas and dining tables typically requires more portable casters for daily movement.
• Office Environment: Office furniture like desks and chairs need casters with higher stability and durability for frequent movement.
• Industrial Use: Heavy-duty furniture or equipment, such as workstations and tool carts, require casters with high load-bearing capacity to handle significant loads.

Load Requirements:

• Determine the weight each caster needs to support, considering the weight of the furniture itself and any items it may hold.

2. Choose the Right Caster Size

Wheel Diameter:

• Small-sized Wheels: Suitable for lightweight furniture, like small tables or chairs. Diameters typically range from 40mm to 75mm, ideal for smooth surfaces.
• Medium-sized Wheels: Good for medium-sized furniture, such as dining tables and bookcases. Diameters usually range from 75mm to 100mm, offering improved load-bearing and stability.
• Large-sized Wheels: For heavy-duty furniture or equipment, like workstations and tool carts. Diameters range from 100mm to 150mm, providing better load-carrying capacity and mobility.

Wheel Width:

• Narrow Wheels: Suitable for furniture that needs to be moved in confined spaces.
• Wide Wheels: Offer better stability, ideal for larger or heavier furniture, reducing pressure on the floor and risk of indents.

3. Calculate the Load Capacity of Each Caster

Single Wheel Load Capacity:

• Ensure each caster’s load-bearing capacity is sufficient to support the allocated weight. For example, if an office chair has five casters, each caster should be able to handle the total weight of the chair divided by five.

Total Load Calculation:

• Calculate the total weight of the furniture and compare it with the total load-bearing capacity of each caster. Ensure the total load does not exceed the casters’ total capacity.

4. Choose the Suitable Caster Material and Type

Material:

• Rubber Wheels: Suitable for most home and office environments, offering good grip and quiet operation.
• Nylon Wheels: Durable and suitable for rougher surfaces or industrial settings.
• Polyurethane Wheels: Combines the benefits of rubber and nylon, ideal for heavy-duty furniture and various surfaces.

Type:

• Fixed Wheels: Suitable for furniture that needs to be fixed in one direction for movement.
• Swivel Casters: Can move freely in any direction, ideal for furniture that frequently changes direction.

5. Consider Additional Caster Features

Braking Function:

• For furniture requiring stability, casters with braking function can prevent movement and offer additional safety.

Height Adjustment:

• Some casters have height adjustment features, suitable for situations where the height of the furniture needs to be adjusted, such as office chairs.

Conclusion

Choosing the right casters for your furniture involves finding the correct match in size and load-bearing capacity. By understanding the furniture’s use scenario, load requirements, and the characteristics of different casters, you can select the most appropriate casters to ensure the stability and longevity of your furniture. Hopefully, this guide will assist you in making an informed decision when purchasing casters.