Castor wheels come in various sizes and types, suitable for a wide range of furniture. Nearly all office chairs are equipped with castors, and you’ll increasingly find castor wheels used under dining chairs. However, the quality of standard wheels on office or dining chairs often leaves much to be desired. To optimally protect your floor, it’s often best to replace them with high-quality castor wheels. In this article, we’ll explain how to choose, measure, and install castor wheels.
The Right Castor Wheel for Your Furniture
The type of castor wheel you need depends on the furniture you’re attaching it to. For office chairs, we offer various scratch-resistant sizes and colours. For dining chairs, which typically have smaller wheels, the 40mm castor wheel is ideal. For tables, a castor wheel with a brake can be convenient. In principle, all Scratch no More castor wheels can be used under any furniture. Your choice depends on the furniture type and your specific requirements.
Why Choose Scratch-Free Castor Wheels from Scratch no More?
Standard castor wheels that come with furniture are often too hard, risking damage to your floor. Scratch no More castor wheels feature a thermoprene tread. This soft material ensures the wheels are entirely scratch-free, allowing you to move your chair across any floor worry-free.
Choosing the Right Grip Ring Stem for Your Chair
When removing your current castor wheel, you’ll notice it is attached to the chair using a grip ring stem. This may be a threaded stem or a grip ring stem. Both ends of the stem can vary in size—the bottom part fits into the wheel, and the top part into the chair.
When ordering wheels from Scratch no More, we recommend purchasing new stems as well. This is because all our stems fit all our wheels. The bottom part of the stem has a size of 10mm, matching the hole in the wheel.
To determine the correct stem size, use a calliper to measure the diameter of the part of the stem that fits into the chair. This applies to both threaded stems and grip ring stems. The size corresponds to the diameter in millimetres. For example, a diameter of 10mm indicates a stem size of 10mm, or M10 for threaded stems.
How to Install a Castor Wheel in a Chair
When you order wheels with stems from Scratch no More, the stems are already pressed into the wheels for you, making the installation process easier. To install a wheel, first remove the old one. Often, the wheel can be easily pulled off. However, the wheel may come off while the stem remains stuck in the chair. The easiest way to remove the stem is to grip it with pliers and gently tap the pliers with a hammer. The stem will come loose. Finally, press the wheel with the stem into the chair leg.
Note: It’s crucial to ensure that castor wheels are mounted perpendicularly to the floor. If not, the pressure on the wheels will be unevenly distributed, causing the wheel to drag.
In the video below, we demonstrate how to measure a stem and install a wheel.
Installing Wheels on Furniture Without Stems
If you’d like to install wheels on furniture that currently lacks them, such as a small cabinet, you can use our grip ring stem with plate. The plate is screwed onto the furniture, and the wheel is then pressed into the stem. Keep in mind that the wheel must always be mounted perpendicularly to the floor. If not, the pressure will be unevenly distributed, and the wheel will drag.
In summary, the choice of wheel type depends on your preferences and the furniture in question. To measure the correct stem size, use a calliper to measure the diameter of the part of the stem that fits into the chair. When installing wheels, always ensure they are mounted perpendicularly to the floor. If you still have questions about castor wheels after reading this article, don’t hesitate to contact us!