One of the best ways to increase the mobility of industrial or medical equipment, all without damaging more delicate flooring materials, is to choose a caster with a soft rubber coating. These casters come in a number of varieties, but they all have at least one thing in common: Their sturdy underlying materials are protected with a layer of high-quality rubber, designed to reduce damaging scuffs and scratches that could permanently mar the quality of hardwood flooring, marble or granite surfaces, or even more run-of-the-mill vinyl flooring alternatives. Douglas Equipment carries these casters in a number of different forms, each with their own benefits.
Before opting for a rubber caster, however, prospective buyer should educate themselves about the many options available to them during the buying process. From rubber-coated wheels to ball casters and more, each option suits a different use and a different environment perfectly. Understanding these differences and the available choices will make shopping easier, raise the value of each caster purchase, and lead to better results over the long-term.
1. Understand the Difference Between Stem Casters and Bracketed Options
Rubber casters available to today’s consumers typically come in two varieties, differentiated by how the caster attaches to the equipment itself. The first of these, and perhaps the most popular among current buyers is the caster that uses a stem attachment method. The caster’s “stem” is a long metal extender that actually inserts into a pre-drilled hole on the bottom of the equipment. This pre-drilled hole is found in everything from office chairs and hospital beds to industrial equipment and benches. Typically, these casters are purchased as an aftermarket replacement for wheels or fittings that have become excessively worn over time. They’re a great way to extend the life of older equipment, especially if the only thing wrong is one or more caster wheels.
Bracketed casters, on the other hand, feature no such stem. They’re perfect for equipment that never came with pre-drilled holes, either because it wasn’t originally intended for use with casters or because the original casters were simply stem-free. Casters that feature these brackets typically come in a variety of sizes and shapes, designed to fit into narrow spaces and easily retrofit onto all kinds of third party objects. Whether it’s an office desk, a makeshift utility cart, or something else entirely, these casters are limited only by the size of the attachment bracket.
Both of these options make sense in different scenarios, and they’ll easily appeal to different types of buyers. For retrofitting, there’s nothing better than a caster paired with a strong, narrow bracket. On the other hand, replacement casters for older equipment almost always require a stem for maximum compatibility and long-term durability.
2. For Stem Casters, Research the Stem Size
Though all stem casters might appear to be the same, this is hardly the case. In fact, these casters are perhaps the most varied of all. That’s because different types of equipment, and even different equipment manufacturers, use casters with varying stem size. While it’s true that the stem itself is usually the same diameter, this actually has nothing to do with how the caster will fit into a piece of equipment and maintain stability over the long-term. When choosing casters, it’s extremely important to opt for a rubber caster with a stem of the appropriate length.
The stem actually is responsible fro sliding into the equipment and interacting with a small locking mechanism that keeps it in place and ensures minimal damage to both the wheel, the stem, and the equipment. If the stem isn’t the right size, it will not be able to lock into place. If it’s too long, the caster could actually stick too far outside of the equipment, leading to extensive damage over a very short window of time.
The best way to avoid these headaches is to simply be prepared when purchasing new or replacement casters. Come with the stem measurement on hand, or be ready to show an existing caster to one of our friendly salespeople so that they can locate and order the proper replacement caster for your needs.
3. Choose the Right Rubber Coating
The great thing about today’s heavy-duty rubber casters is that they leverage the power of modern technology to use a number of different rubber styles and coatings. Each of these coatings has a different best use scenario, whether it’s protecting sensitive flooring, reducing the impact of bumps and jolts, or simply reducing the noise associated with longer movements over warehouse floors. The sales team at Douglas Equipment can help consumers make the best choice for their unique needs, generally by guiding them toward a few major differentiations in rubber composition and coating style:
– Softer, Thicker Rubber Coatings
Is the caster designed to roll over hardwood floors? Is the wheel going to come into contact with granite or marble surfaces on a regular basis? If so, the caster wheel needs to be coated in a softer, more forgiving rubber surface. This will allow even heavy loads to leave the floor free of scrapes, scratches, and scuffs, extending the useful life of the flooring material in a way that can produce dramatic savings over time.
Softer rubber coatings are also perfect for reducing the impact of sudden bumps and jolts to any piece of equipment being wheeled around on an uneven surface. This is especially important when equipment is carrying medical equipment, high-tech peripherals, or something else that might experience a great deal of damage simply by coming into contact with a small divot or a broken floor tile.
– Harder, Thinner Rubber Coatings
While softer and thicker rubber coatings are perfect for reducing damage to the floor and eliminating the negative impacts of uneven surfaces, they’re not necessarily the best option for those customers primarily interested in noise reduction. While softer rubber surfaces do effectively reduce noise, they’re generally considered overkill. Furthermore, there’s a premium attached to casters with a thicker coating that most customers won’t need to afford if they’re simply interested in a quieter work environment.
For these concerns, the best option is a thinner and harder rubber surface. This still allows the caster to “respect” the floor and avoid damaging it, but the thinner and harder surface creates a lower noise level and a maximum level of savings for buyers.
Why Choose Douglas Equipment for Rubber Casters in Miami?
When consumers consider the “where” of buying rubber casters in South Florida, they’re almost always drawn to the Douglas Equipment name. There are a few key reasons for this, each of which will benefit caster shoppers at the outset and over their casters’ long period of use after purchase. Consider a few of the biggest reasons to choose our professional sales team over the competition:
– Decades of Local Experience
Douglas Equipment has been in the caster and industrial equipment industries for more than a half-century, helping multiple generations of Miami-area business owners effectively manage their equipment needs and secure the right casters for their unique operation. This allows us to recommend better products to our customers more quickly, and our extensive industry connections allow us to get the right inventory into the hands of our customers quicker than our local competitors.
Because we offer decades of experience in casters and industrial equipment, and we’ve had time to learn about each brand, material, and unique product, even our newest customers can learn a great deal of new information about their purchases.
– A Better Selection
As a seasoned veteran of the industrial equipment industry, we understand just how important it is to offer our customers an unparalleled selection of casters and other equipment options. In terms of rubber casters, that means we offer wheel-based items, ball casters, numerous finishes, stems, and brackets. This array of options means that our casters can more easily adapt to the look and feel of existing equipment, hiding the fact that they’re an aftermarket replacement in the first place.
Our selection also means that customers can choose from a number of different brands and price points, picking the option that best meets their budgetary concerns now and in the future.
– Easy Methods of Contact
Our customers in Miami and the greater South Florida area like to know that they can count on us to be available throughout the day. To that end, we’ve made sure that customers can contact us both via phone or electronically, choosing whichever method better fits their business’ needs. Representatives can help with everything from sales to delivery and technical support, making it easy to build a long-term relationship with Douglas Equipment.
To experience the difference that personal contact, great selection, and decades of experience can make, be sure to get in touch using our contact form or call us today using our toll-free number. We can be reached at 800-451-0030 throughout the day for any inquiries related to sales, product support, or technical questions. We look forward to helping your business meet new challenges and support old equipment with rubber casters and numerous other, highly durable options for sale through our company.
