Choosing the right piece of furniture is essential for any place or room that you want to redecorate. However, choosing the one that best suits the needs of your customers is the determining factor that will make your business stand out as the best in the sector.
However, the structure, colour and quality of the furniture is not the only thing to consider, but also the most suitable castors and supports for them.
At Emuca we are specialists in all the existing components of the different types of furniture and, therefore, we are going to offer you some advice so that you know exactly how to choose the ideal furniture castors for each occasion. Let’s go! Keep on reading!
What should I consider when choosing furniture castors?
Choosing the ideal furniture castors for each occasion must be done keeping in mind the needs and the uses that each specific piece of furniture will have.
Weight
It is essential to identify the exact weight of the furniture itself and what it will support throughout its life. Once this is clear, we must decide how many support points it needs to be able to guarantee that it can carry out its function correctly and distribute these points across the base to support it in the correct way.
As a general rule, four castors placed in each corner will suffice, although if the piece of furniture is very large and there is too much separation between the castors, it is ideal to reinforce it with some more.
To calculate the load capacity of each castor, we can use the following formula:
A= (B+C)/D) x F
Where:
- A is the load capacity of each castor
- B is the weight of the furniture itself
- C is the maximum load
- D is the number of castors to be installed
- F is the safety factor that indicates the variation from normal application.
Material of the castors
Furniture castors can be made in various materials. We have to choose the most suitable one according to how it is going to be used.
- Rubber castors. They can support an intermediate load, are water resistant and allow for correct movement. They also absorb impacts and are quiet when moving.
- Polyurethane castors. They are very similar to the rubber ones but they can support a little more weight. They are recommended for more delicate furniture, as they leave stains if the furniture is moved. They have a medium load capacity and their movement remains simple and silent.
- Polyamix wheels. These are the ideal furniture castors for medium to high load capacity. They are easy and smooth to move, resistant to shocks and scratches and repel moisture. They are also very easy to clean.
- Nylon castors. This type of castor is ideal for furniture that needs to support heavy weights. In addition, this material incorporates all the advantages of the other materials we have mentioned: easy to clean, silent, shock resistant, agile and simple to move…
- Plastic or wooden castors: ideal for use on carpets or rugs.
Use of the furniture
Of course, depending on the use to which the furniture is going to be put, the castors to be chosen can be:
- Fixed or mono-directional
- Rotating or multidirectional
- With a brake to ensure that they are securely immobilised
Types of castors for furniture (decorative, industrial, etc.)
Another decisive factor that will help us to choose the supports for our furniture is the location for which they are intended.
That is to say, for example:
- For home. The decorative castors are the best option for our homes. This is because it is likely that we only want to create a specific decoration with them, and that the castors are not going to be used to move the furniture often, if at all. Moreover, they should not damage the floor they are on and avoid any kind of dragging noise. There are multiple styles, colours, materials, shapes and designs. You only need to select the one that best suits the taste and style of each client.
- For industrial use. In this case, we need functional castors that allow easy and agile movement and, furthermore, are capable of supporting a great amount of weight and movement.
- For the office. The load capacity of office furniture is usually lower. However, they need to be comfortable and practical to move around on the surface at the customer’s convenience. The furniture in an office is frequently rearranged, so we should aim to reduce noise to a minimum.
So, there you have it! Follow our guide to choose the ideal furniture castors and achieve the exact results you were looking for. At Emuca you can find everything you need to offer the best experience to your clients.
