Casters are a great choice for just about any piece of commercial or industrial equipment, and even for furniture. You can typically buy replacement casters for those that are broken or damaged or opt for ones you add to furniture pieces yourself. When you do shop for casters, you may be surprised to find a wide variety available. Note a few features to look for so you ensure you get the right specialised casters for your equipment or piece.
Pneumatic
Pneumatic casters are typically soft, air-filled wheels rather than being made with solid rubber or plastic; the wheels can flex slightly as the casters roll, like the rubber on your car tires. These provide added noise absorption, so they're good for hospital settings. The air and soft rubber also provide more cushioning and support than other casters made with a solid material; for fragile or delicate items where you need more shock absorption or for when you're rolling something over an uneven surface such as gravel or pavement, choose pneumatic casters.
Two wheels or wider casters
Many casters are just a few inches or centimeters wide, but you might consider overly wide casters or those with two wheels on one plate for very heavy loads. The wider width of oversized casters helps to disperse the weight of any equipment and keep it steady and balanced, especially when going over rough or uneven pavement. Wider wheels or sets with two wheels are also better at managing gaps or grooves in pavement or flooring. These can be good for indoor concrete flooring which may have large pits or cracks, or for rolling over sidewalks and other outdoor surfaces with joints and open areas.
Stem casters
Stem casters are those with a bolt on the plate which screws into an opening on your equipment or other piece. This stem can help to absorb shock that might otherwise cause casters to come away from the piece. Some stem casters will have the stem already attached and you need to ensure there is a hole drilled into your equipment or furniture piece to fit. Some stem casters will have a hole in the caster itself for holding your own bolt. You might note if the equipment for which you're buying replacement casters has a bolt already attached at the bottom and if so, purchase a stem caster with the same size opening needed for this bolt to slide into place.
