When most people hear the word ‘furniture,’ one of the first things that come to mind may be an item like a couch or a chair used in the home. In reality furniture is all around us, and can be considered much more than just couches and chairs. In the residential setting, furniture can include items such as dining room tables, end tables, bookcases – even large entertainment centers. The office setting includes items like desks, conference room tables, office seating and even mobile filing cabinets.
At Douglas Equipment we sell casters, so one of the ways we look at furniture is to ask the question: does it move, or does it stay in one place? If it moves, then it probably moves on casters, and that’s where we come in. We are authorized representatives for the leading caster manufacturers, and we can quickly help you identify the best casters and wheels for use on mobile furniture.
Things to Consider When Selecting Casters
Selecting casters and wheels for use on furniture involves many choices. Do the casters need to have an appealing style to go with the design of the furniture, or will they be out of view? What type of floors will the furniture move on? Carpeted floors might require wheels with rigid treads while hard floors might require casters with a softer tread.
Load capacity is an important specification for furniture casters. For some items like a table with four legs, each caster might only be required to support one fourth of the total weight of the loaded table. For an item like a four-legged chair, however, casters should be chosen that can support extra weight – if a person sitting in the chair tilts back on only two legs, then each caster must support at least half the load.
In the sections below, we’ll describe three casters (in order of load capacity) that are great for use on furniture.
- Shepherd Ultima Series Casters
With their fully textured finish, the Shepherd Ultima Series casters have a contemporary design that works well with modern furniture. They are extremely tough twin-wheel casters, with riveted axles for positive wheel retention. The casters are rated for dynamic loads up to 180 lbs.
Nylon or urethane wheels are also available. The nylon wheels are very long lasting and work well on carpet and other soft flooring. The urethane wheels are durable, give excellent floor protection, and help absorb shock.
You can choose from numerous fastenings and mounting options. Fastenings include threaded stems, grip ring stems, grip neck stems, and top plates. To help mount your casters to your furniture, Shepherd makes numerous socket options for Ultima casters. Furniture frame, options are available.
2. Shepherd SofTech Series Casters
These twin wheel Shepherd SofTech Series casters are rated for dynamic loads up to 225 lbs., that are some of the highest load ratings available with twin wheel casters. They feature a special high-tech thermoplastic elastomer tread, which gives a cushioned ride and smooth mobility usually not available with twin wheel casters. The tread is non-marking, protects floors very well, and carries a soft 70-75/A durometer rating.
SofTech Series casters are able to handle heavy loads, thanks to their durable construction that features solid riveted axles for positive wheel retention. Optional brakes are available for all models.
The casters come in two finishes, gray or black. Numerous fastenings are available, including grip ring stems and grip neck stems, threaded stems, and top plates. You can choose from numerous socket options that allow you to mount your casters to wood, square or round tubes, PVC or threaded pipes. Corner brackets and weldable caster mounts round out the socket options.
Further specialized models of SofTech Series casters include SofTech MRI Conditional casters, which are rated for use on furniture and equipment in MRI exam rooms. (They use stainless steel and other non-magnetic components.) SofTech EZ-Clean casters are great for furniture that requires frequent cleaning to prolong caster life (such as shower chairs). You can remove the axle caps, then disassemble the nut and bolt axle to clean any entangling debris from the caster.
- Shepherd General Duty Series Casters
These Shepherd General Duty Series Casters are rated for loads as high as 300 lbs. They provide an economical mobility solution when it comes to moving furniture. They feature a nickel-plated kingpin that provides smooth swiveling and have a nut and bolt axle. General Duty Series casters have a single race and are available in swivel and rigid models. Friction brakes are an option on swivel models. The casters come with a zinc finish and are RoHS compliant that help them to meet environmental regulations.
Tread types include soft rubber, hard rubber, and polyolefin wheels. The soft rubber wheels have a soft tread on a hard rubber core; this combination provides a cushioned ride, quiet movement, and extra floor protection. The hard rubber wheels have good impact resistance and are rated for higher load capacities. Polyolefin wheels, thanks to their injection molded construction, have high impact strength and are the most economical option for General Duty Series casters. They are non-marking for floor protection. All three-wheel types are resistant to most oils and chemicals. If the furniture is subject to frequent wash-downs involving cleaning solutions, polyolefin wheels are a good choice.
To Make Furniture Move – Contact Douglas Equipment Douglas Equipment!
The three caster models described above are from Shepherd Caster. At Douglas Equipment, we are also authorized representatives for Colson Casters and many other caster companies that make great casters and wheels for use on furniture. We will be happy to help you select the best caster for your needs. All you have to do is contact one of the experts in our customer service department and describe the type of furniture you want to move, where it will be used, and its requirements for mobility.
You can reach our staff of experts at 800-451-0030, or 305-888-3700 in the Miami area. You can even contact us online through our contact form today!
