How to Choose the Right Castor Wheels for Any Item
Castor wheels are often needed for a large and heavy item that will be moved quite often, including heavy items you have at home that are difficult to move without these wheels. They can also be good for a heavy piece even if you only need to move it on occasion; this might include heavy furniture pieces, toolboxes, and the like.
However, once you start shopping for castor wheels, you might be surprised at the options and choices you have, which is why you need to consider all their details when making your selection. Note a few of those important details here.
Load rating
The load rating refers to the weight that the castors can manage; when figuring this load rating, you need to remember to start with the weight of the item itself, and then add the weight of the items it will be holding. As an example, if you want to add castors to a large toolbox, start with the weight of the toolbox, and then add the weight of the tools it will hold.
Once you have this number, you then want to add a safety margin, in case an item is overloaded or you underestimated any of those weights. To do this, add at least another 20%-30% of these combined weights, and choose castors with this particular load rating.
Spinning or fixed
Spinning castors allow you to easily move items around a corner, as the wheels will spin with the item itself. However, these can also make it more difficult to control the castors, and especially for larger and heavier items, as the wheels may try to spin as the weight of the item shifts during its movement. Opt for fixed castors if you know an item won't need to travel around many bends, such as a large bookcase you'll only need to move when it's time to clean behind it.
Wheel size and material
Larger wheels will tend to disperse the weight of a very heavy item, but they will also absorb more vibrations from the item rolling along the floor. If you're adding castors to something that will be holding lightweight items, or items you don't want to move and shift around, such as knickknacks on that heavy bookshelf or small tools on top of that large toolbox, choose very wide castor wheels. Rubber will also tend to absorb more vibration, so opt for this material over plastic when you want to keep movement and vibrations to a minimum.