Manufacturing furniture is a very specific business that largely caters to two distinct, and sometimes opposing needs. The first of these is to create a piece of furniture that is both aesthetically pleasing and aesthetically uniform, while the second is to create furniture that’s easy to assembly, deliver, maneuver, and put into regular use either at home or at the office. These two needs have many divergent parts, but one particular piece of hardware can bring them both together. The caster, when its large number of functional materials and aesthetic enhancements, can blend with virtually any furniture style or color and turn it into something that is truly intuitive, functional, and even mobile.
Manufacturers who are considering creating furniture that’s attractive enough for the home but versatile enough for the office almost always need to include casters as part of the finished product. While this choice is logical, it’s certainly foreign to startup furniture companies and those who have not yet ventured into the world of portable furniture for daily use. Selecting the right caster, and indeed the right supplier of those casters, can be a challenge. Before heading out to find the perfect caster finish, wheel material, and attachment type, here’s what furniture manufacturers need to know about the hardware and the businesses that are dedicated to supplying it.
One Size Does Not Fit All When Pairing Casters with Home or Office Furnishings
It can be tempting to assume that every caster for the home or office is roughly the same, separated only by things like wheel size or color. This could not be further from the truth. There are a number of different caster finishes, styles, and materials, each of which should be paired with a distinct type of furniture. Depending on that furniture’s ideal use, optimal weight, and degree of portability, furniture manufacturers will have a different choice for each piece they sell. Among the considerations:
– Furniture and Occupant Weight
If the furniture is something like a desk chair, businesses need to keep in mind where the desk chair will typically be used, who will be sitting in it, and what the maximum weight is that the chair should support. That maximum weight will almost directly dictate the type of caster used on the bottom of the chair, since some types are better than others at supporting 100, 200, and even 300-pound thresholds.
For lighter weights up to about 200 pounds, most desk chairs or other office furnishings could probably be paired with a caster made from nylon or urethane. These casters are easily the most common in office settings, characterized by their double-wheel architecture and the small metal shield that typically attaches over top of those wheels. They’re most often seen in black, though they’re certainly available in white, gray, and a whole host of other colors that will blend perfectly with modern office furnishings.
– Furniture Aesthetic
Nylon or urethane casters almost always come with nylon, urethane, or plastic materials on the surface that are sold in a number of neutral colors. This is great for furniture that appeals to a modern sensibility, but this might not be what furniture manufacturers have in mind for their specific desk chairs, tables, and more. In fact, many furniture companies prefer a much older look or one that is decidedly more timeless than these materials generally permit. There is a solution to this problem for furniture companies.
Though not seen nearly as often as their more modern counterparts, plenty of casters exist with polished or brushed metal finishes. This includes the yellow hues of brass and the silver appeal of nickel and aluminum, all designed for either an ultra-modern or nearly antique furniture aesthetic. Both materials are highly durable, which is an added bonus for pieces that will be placed in the office or in all-weather rooms like screened-in porches and more.
– Flooring Material
Here’s a challenge that most furniture makers confront on a daily basis: What is the typical flooring material that will be used in conjunction with a specific piece of furniture? The optimal flooring choice has all kinds of implications, from ideal furniture weight to the way that the furniture meets and interacts with the ground. When it comes to choosing casters, this is a very serious consideration. Pairing the wrong caster with a furniture item that sits on a fragile surface can cause damage and customer outrage.
That’s why casters are sold in a large number of varieties that feature soft external materials. perhaps the most popular of these is polyurethane, which comes in several great accent colors and protects hardwood, tile, granite, and marble surfaces from being damaged by a more abrasive caster wheel surface. For an even gentler approach to delicate flooring types, furniture manufacturers can choose neoprene rubber treatments. Offered in a variety of thicknesses and hardnesses, this material keeps even extremely heavy furniture from damaging the floor when it’s rolled to a new location. It’s a great safeguard against damage, and one that furniture buyers will appreciate for years after the big buy.
– Caster Style
Casters might be most commonly perceived as wheels, but that’s not where things stop. In fact, there are several key caster styles available to today’s furniture manufacturers who need a way to keep their furnishings light, mobile, and attractive. Perhaps the best caster for home furnishings is the ball caster. Instead of a wheel, the ball gives the furniture a bit of extra symmetry and allows it to move in virtually any direction without a wide turning radius or other considerations. This is also a great match for a tight room.
Casters with wheels can be secured in single-wheel or double-wheel varieties, and buyers typically have their choice of small, medium, or large wheels. These wheels should be chosen based on expected furniture weight, ideal furniture environment, and the typical distance that the furniture will be moved. Larger wheels are great for medical furniture, while smaller ones are ideally suited to desk chairs, office desks themselves, and other smaller pieces that typically will be moved only a short difference on an infrequent basis.
Choosing the Right Supplier: What to Know Before You Go
Choosing the right caster supplier can be a pretty difficult task, especially with so many new companies entering the industry with each passing year. There are a few telltale signs of a great supplier, however, and furniture manufacturers should be sure to understand these before they beginning purchasing the product in bulk for inclusion with their latest models.
1. Choose a Supplier with Experience
There is simply no substitute for experience when it comes to picking out the right caster for any new piece of furniture. In fact, this experience is an asset that can help manufacturers avoid selecting inadequate casters for furniture weight, aesthetics, and flooring concerns. If the company is new, it might be a good idea to wait for them to prove their merits before contacting them for a caster buy.
2. Suppliers Should Have a Great Selection
The most important thing for a furniture buyer is that they must offer a robust selection to their clients. If they don’t, furniture manufacturers will have to sacrifice their creative vision and their furniture’s appeal to consumers. That can lead to long-term financial headaches that no company should have to take on simply to increase the product’s mobility. A bigger selection is a bigger selling point when choosing any supplier, and it should be greeted with open arms.
3. Find a Supplier that Values Customer Relationships
Most companies are in the business of selling a product, but very few are in the business of following up, offering support, and making sure that the casters were attached to furniture without a hitch. Great suppliers go the extra mile to ensure customer satisfaction during and after the sale, valuing the creation of long-term relationships rather than short-term sales numbers. Find a supplier with these values and the furniture company itself will be set for years of successful business transactions.
4. Find a Company on the Bleeding Edge
New innovations are always transforming how casters perform, how long they last, and how well they respect the flooring material that they interact with. Find a company that appreciates new materials, new technological developments, and the pursuit of continually better products.
Douglas Equipment is the Caster Supplier that Furniture Manufacturers Need
For more than half a century, Douglas Equipment has been the go-to supplier of casters and heavy duty equipment in Florida. Our vast experience means that we offer a better selection of the most popular casters, from brass options to heavy-duty rubber wheels and much more. And our sales team, with extensive experience, knows exactly how to relate to today’s furniture companies and recommend the best caster material, appearance, and weight limit, for any particular piece of furniture.
To get started with our superior commitment to durable casters, be sure to contact us online right away or call our toll-free number at 800-451-0030. Our team is standing by, ready to be a major ally for businesses that are working to create better, more mobile furniture for home, office, and industrial environments.
