Are you tired of lifting heavy tables when you need to move them? Do you see an increase in worker injuries every time they move a table? Consider purchasing casters for a table.

As a national provider of the best caster wheels, Caster Central knows how to choose the right type of caster for every occasion. Keep reading to discover why you should put your table on wheels and how to choose the best ones for your needs.

The Importance of Choosing the Right Caster

Casters are a type of wheel used in many industrial and commercial businesses because you can easily attach them to the bottom of furniture, equipment, and other heavy objects for easier movement.

Table casters provide the following two benefits:

Efficiency Enhancement

Putting casters on your table also boosts efficiency. Instead of lifting the table and slowly carrying it to a new location or moving everything on the table separately, your employees can just wheel it wherever it needs to go.

Table Mobility

Mobility solutions provide important support to workers and help them avoid injury from lifting heavy objects. When you fit a table with casters, you're providing a key safety factor that keeps them healthy, happy, and productive.

How to Choose the Best Caster

With so many options for casters, deciding which one is best for your table often feels overwhelming. To choose the best caster for your workplace tables, use the following tips.

Consider the Purpose

How will you use the casters? In particular, determine how much weight your table holds, as different types of casters can handle different capacities. While most tables can support four casters, divide the total amount of weight on the table by the number of casters.

For example, if your table requires a capacity of 500 pounds (including the weight of the table), each caster should support at least 125 pounds (500/4 = 125). Some tables can use six wheels, which means each caster bears less of the load.

Remember Flooring Matters

The flooring in your facility greatly affects how your casters perform. You'll choose a different type of caster depending on whether your flooring is soft or hard, and if your floor has a lot of dents, cracks, or bumps, you'll need a caster that can navigate these difficulties. Also, consider that casters can damage your floor further. If you need to maintain its condition, consider a softer caster material.

Decide on a Material

Caster material is one of the most important considerations. Each type of material has different pros and cons, including durability, conductivity, and life expectancy. The following are the most common caster materials, as well as their disadvantages and benefits:

• Stainless steel: Stainless steel casters cost more than most other options, but they're very durable against corrosion and temperature fluctuations. They're one of the longest-lasting casters; because they resist damage from bumps and impacts, they are a good fit for facilities with uneven floors.
• Cast iron: These wheels are both affordable and durable but can damage certain types of floor like vinyl or laminate. They can bear heavy loads, but they're not as strong as stainless steel casters.
• Nylon: Nylon wheels can bear considerable loads and won't damage the flooring. They're also very affordable. However, they can't handle extreme temperature shifts or corrosive chemicals.
• Rubber: Rubber casters provide an affordable option that resists corrosive chemicals and extreme temperatures. However, because they can't bear heavy loads, they're best for tables that transport lighter materials.
• Polyurethane: These wheels remain popular because they're strong and durable without risking damage to your floors. They can't handle extreme temperatures or high moisture levels.
• Aluminum: While aluminum wheels perform well in almost every way, including providing an affordable price point, they don't do well on uneven surfaces, such as gravel or damaged flooring. They also create a lot of noise, which can make them a distraction or annoyance for many workers.

Choose a Mounting Type

You can mount your casters to the table using either a plate-mount or a stem-mount. Plate mounts are stronger and required for tables bearing heavy loads. Stem-mounts are best for the medical and food-processing industries.

Determine the Best Size

Casters for a table come in many different sizes. In general, the larger the diameter of the wheel, the easier employees can roll it and the more weight it can bear. However, it also raises the height of your table, which could affect where you can store it. The caster's width also directly affects how much it can carry, but the thicker the wheel, the more you'll spend.

Decide on a Tread

The caster's tread is the part that circles the wheel and makes contact with the floor. You can use a different material for the wheel and the tread, such as a stainless steel wheel with a polyurethane tread. A donut tread is better for noise and ergonomics, but a flat tread (also known as slightly-crowned) can handle more weight.

Don't Forget About Bearings

Three types of bearings comprise the most popular options for casters. Roller bearings can carry the heaviest loads but don't roll as easily as ball bearings. Delrin bearings hold up well to moisture, making them a good fit for humid facilities, but they don't perform well in high heat.

Add Brakes

Brakes are an important safety feature for casters, and the following three options remain the most popular:

• Side-lock breaks consist of a single stopper you press down to tighten against the wheel and stop it from moving. Like tech-lock brakes, they allow the wheel to continue swiveling, but you can't use them as quickly as the tech-lock.
• Tech-lock brakes allow the wheel to swivel without continued forward movement, so you can rotate it without issue. They're easier to apply than the side-lock brakes, and you can usually operate them with your foot.
• Total lock brakes stop both the movement of the wheel and the rotation of the swivel. They improve safety while slightly limiting mobility.

Consider Ergonomics

Ergonomics deals with how easily a worker can manipulate the wheel. The more ergonomic the wheel, the less an employee has to force it, which increases safety and productivity. For casters, the most important ergonomic consideration is how easily you can push or pull the table.

Every factor, from size to material and weight capacity, affects the ergonomics of your caster wheels. If you choose the best options for your type of flooring, the weight of your load, and the tread type, it should remain easy for your workers to manipulate. However, sometimes the best decisions on paper aren't the most ergonomic in practice, so consider the feedback of your employees before you finalize your decisions.

Choose a Configuration

Once you know the type of casters you need, you should determine the best formation for them on your table. The most common and affordable arrangement is two swivel wheels in front and two rigid wheels in back. This allows maximum control over heavy loads and provides moderate flexibility in steering.

If you require sideways movement or more precision turning, consider installing four swivel casters.

Caster Central Has the Casters You Need

At Caster Central, we provide a wide variety of casters for a table. From several different types of materials, a wide range of treads and diameters, and even the perfect caster wheels for hardwood floors, our inventory has what you need. You can even shop by type, size, wheel, brand, and more.