The work-from-home trend isn’t going away anytime soon, even as some areas begin to relax their social distancing and quarantine measures. If you are planning to upgrade your chair for better posture and productivity, remember to consider its casters as well.

Back, neck, and arm support are common considerations for work or office chairs. However, the casters are just as important. If your chair can’t freely move across your carpeted room, the overall comfort and usability of the chair are greatly reduced.

Finding the best office chair casters for a carpeted environment isn’t simple, though.

There is no “one size fits all” type of caster. Casters come in a wide variety of styles, shapes, sizes, and materials. And each one comes with its pros and cons.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when looking for the best casters for carpets.

Hard vs Soft Casters

The first thing to decide on is the type of tread the caster should have. Caster wheels can either have hard or soft treads.

One way to easily tell which type of caster goes well with certain flooring materials is to remember that opposites attract. Soft casters are best for hard surfaces, like tiles, hardwood, and laminate. Meanwhile, hard casters suit softer floor surfaces.

As such, for carpeted flooring, the best option to go with is hard tread casters. Hard casters require less force to roll and move around. Moreover, hard casters tend to be more durable and can handle heavy weights well.

All of these make hard casters much more suitable for carpets, which can be irreparably damaged from too much force or weight.

Check the Caster Material

Make sure to check the material of the caster wheel. Not all hard castors are made equal — some materials roll better on carpet flooring.

For the best casters on carpet, the best choices are caster wheels made of hard nylon and polyurethane. Both of these materials are suitable for heavy loads and have excellent wear and tear resistance. Nylon and polyurethane wheels can take occasional impacts without cracking, splitting, or completely fracturing.

Another great caster for carpets are metal ones. Metal casters can easily cut or roll through carpets, even those with thick piles.

Consider Ball or Rolling Casters

Sometimes, even the best hard nylon or metal wheel casters find it difficult to roll through thick carpets. Even twin nylon wheels can dig into carpets with deeper or longer piles.

In such cases, it is best to consider office chair casters made with metal or nylon balls. These casters have a spherical ball partially covered by a hood. These ball or rolling casters pass through high-pile carpeting easier.

One downside to using ball casters is its limited availability. Most commercially available and standard office chairs come with either nylon or polyurethane wheels. You may need to customize your office chair if you want it to glide seamlessly over your beautiful shag carpet.

If you’re planning on customizing your home office chair with metal or nylon ball casters, LINCO can help you find the best casters to fit your needs.

Look for Quality Fittings

It’s not enough to get casters with high-quality wheels — they need to have high-quality fittings as well.

Fittings are components that connect caster wheels and keep them in one piece. The best fittings are often those made of well-cast and sturdy steel. Although light aluminum has its benefits, it may not stand up to heavy loads as well as steel.

Plastic fittings are common for office chair casters. However, take note that these can be vulnerable to fractures. Even if the polyurethane or nylon caster wheel is intact, you may need to replace the whole caster when the plastic fittings break.

Size and Design of Caster Wheels

It is also important to consider the size of your casters. Larger caster wheels are great for both uneven and soft surfaces, like carpeted floors. Moreover, larger wheels form less of a depression or dip on the carpet, as the weight they carry is spread out over a larger surface.

However, large wheels also have their disadvantages. Office chairs on carpeted floors must be able to roll smoothly but still have a certain amount of resistance. If the caster wheel is too large and moves easily, the chair might roll away when you try to sit down.

As for the design, a dual or two-wheel caster is often preferred for carpeted floors, especially for low-pile or industrial carpets. However, these are not recommended for high-pile carpets.

Premium Casters for Everyday Use

Here at LINCO, we take our casters very seriously. If you ask us for the best caster for your carpeted room, expect a lot of questions from us — this is so we can help you get one that truly fits your needs.

Contact us today to learn more about the different types of casters we offer. Our team is always happy and ready to help. You can trust our expert staff for sound advice to make sure you make the right choice of casters.