When it comes to selecting a caster for use with an office chair, smoothness of rolling is perhaps the most important factor. While office chairs do not typically have to travel long distances, you still want your employees to be able to move around comfortably, so it’s important that you select the correct casters.
The type of caster you choose really depends upon the flooring in your office or facility area. There is one simple rule to follow – if the floor is hard (i.e. hardwood, laminate, vinyl or tile) then you are going to want a soft caster. If the flooring is soft (i.e. carpeted) then you are going to want a hard caster.
You can use hard casters on hard floors, but the ‘roll-a-bility’ of the caster can be too much – a sudden push off from the desk can send an employee traveling across the floor at a relatively high rate of speed. Soft casters with soft flooring are a definite no-no – the caster simply will be too reluctant to budge!
The General Duty Series from Shepherd – Your Ideal choice?
Here at Douglas Equipment we recommend the swivel and rigid top plate models as engineered by Shepherd as the perfect office chair casters for a carpet workplace. For ease of comfort, we recommend the swivel top plate models as opposed to the rigid top plate, but if your budget is a concern you may be able to ‘get away’ with a rigid-fixed caster.
The swivel plate has a zinc finish and is RoHS compliant. It’s a very versatile caster and can also be used on material handling equipment for both institutional and industrial equipment items, as well as furniture. This caster can also be fitted with a brake, but that is often unnecessary for office chair casters.
The caster comes in a range of materials, but for office chairs it’s probably best you select polyolefin or hard rubber. Load capacities (per caster) are from 80 to 120 lbs.
Also Worth Your Consideration – The G Series from Colson Casters
If you’re looking for a durable caster that’s extremely functional and aesthetically pleasing, you might want to consider the G series from Colson. These casters are manufactured with a full double-ball hardened raceway that will give you a faultless, excellent performance for all kinds of uses.
These are extremely durable casters that will give you years (if not decades if you treat them properly) of service before they’ll eventually need to be replaced. The hard rubber options have enough capacity to deal with the wear and tear typically associated with a hectic office environment.
Still Stuck? Give our Friendly Douglas Equipment Support Team a Call!
We stock an amazing number of casters, but not every caster is going to be suitable for your needs, and unless you’re a caster expert it can sometimes seem a bit daunting to make a decision.
Have no fear, our team at Douglas Equipment is at your disposal and is only a phone call away. Just give us a call at 800-451-0030 and you’ll soon be receiving the support you desire. As an alternative, you can use our online contact form.
