Although many chairs are without wheels, adding casters to your office chair is an easy way to improve the mobility of your furniture. They can help you move around the room without straining your back or legs.
Twin wheel casters are the most popular type of caster for office chairs. Their dual design creates a wider surface that effectively distributes weight, prolongs its lifespan,, and prevents damage to your floors.
Increased Mobility
Whether collaborating on a project with colleagues or simply sitting in your chair, mobility is necessary. Chair casters allow users to maneuver their seats quickly, helping them stay focused and engaged. They’re also excellent for offices with tight corridors or standard office carpets.
Most casters are made of plastic or rubber material, while heavier-duty ones tend towards metal materials. They can either have a swivel kingpin, meaning they pivot and roll or a rigid caster with a fixed frame that only rolls.
Adding swivel casters lets you keep your feet flat on the floor, reducing stress on your hip and back muscles. It also eliminates the need to strain your legs or arms when reaching for objects that are out of reach. Some safety brake casters contain brakes triggered when weight is applied and released when no weight is present.
Increased Productivity
The right office chair can have a significant impact on workplace efficiency. Studies have shown that uncomfortable workers spend more time moving, take breaks more frequently, and lose focus throughout the day. Choosing casters for your chair that roll smoothly on various floor surfaces allows you to move about without getting up, making it easier to stay on task and complete your work.
Rigid casters are more stable than swivel casters and are ideal for long, straight distances. They are also better for heavy loads because they distribute the weight of a large load more evenly across a larger surface area.
Rigid casters with polyurethane wheels are designed to offer an effortless, frictionless roll on most floor surfaces, including low-pile office carpets and many types of hard flooring materials. High-precision ball-bearing swivels and axle bearings allow for smooth operation and long-lasting durability.
Increased Comfort
Office chairs equipped with caster wheels allow users to more easily maneuver and change positions without standing up and moving their entire bodies. This helps keep them less tired throughout the day and improves their posture.
In addition, caster wheels reduce friction between an office chair and the floor. This helps to prevent damage to the flooring from physical movement and makes casters ideal for any work environment.
Selecting one that will fit properly on your chair’s legs is essential when choosing a caster. Check for a stem fitting (grip or threaded) to ensure the wheel will stay securely in place. Also, choose a caster with a suitable material for your floor type. A polyurethane wheel, for example, offers superior rolling on hard surfaces and doesn’t leave scuff marks like metal wheels do. Alternatively, choose a kingpinless caster for greater durability. This type has no kingpin and features an inner raceway, an outer raceway attached to the vehicle, and ball bearings between them.
Increased Durability
Adding chair casters to an office chair makes it simple for individuals to change positions, reducing the time they spend straining their legs. They also help prevent flooring damage caused by typical chair movement.
A common caster type has a wheel that rotates around the vertical shaft. A more complex caster, called a total lock caster, has a mechanism that engages the swivel casters, preventing both shaft and wheel rotation.
The actual wheel of a caster is made from various materials, including elastomers, nylon, and stainless steel. Some caster wheels are also constructed using pressed metal.
Keeping caster wheels clean and properly lubricated reduces friction and wear. Routine inspections should also include the examination of the caster’s bearings for signs of fraying, rust, or bent metal. The bearings are typically located inside a wheel attached to the swivel caster’s vertical shaft. Some casters have a kingpin, but most feature a kingpinless design with an inner and outer raceway with ball bearings between them.
