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Dec

Furniture wheels: essential for furniture handling and maintenance

Over the last decades, the spread of self-assembly furniture and, consequently, of the do-it-yourself sector, has experienced an exponential growth of wheels for domestic use, now available in different materials and sizes and with different brackets.

An availability that means that more and more people apply this type of wheels to furniture, in order to move it easily.

Iberruedas pays special attention to the market’s needs and produces ranges of wheels suitable for domestic and institutional contexts.

This article will cover the following topics:

Defining furniture and institutional wheels

Parameters to be assessed when choosing furniture and institutional wheels

         - Choosing furniture wheels according to the type of flooring

                   1 - Even and resistant floors

                   2 - Uneven floors

                   3 - Fragile indoor floors

         - Wheels according to the furniture type or to the load to withstand?

         - Type of attachments of furniture wheels

         - Aesthetic factor for institutional and domestic wheels

Conclusions

Definition of furniture and institutional wheels

The range of furniture and institutional wheels includes all the wheels that are used in domestic environments, as well as in canteens, hotels, shops and other institutional environments: house furniture with low and medium carrying capacities, house and office chairs, trolleys and carts for indoor domestic use, but also refrigerators, canteen trolleys, shop display units.

In such application fields, wheels are used mostly indoor, at controlled temperatures and without aggressive chemical agents.

Parameters to be assessed when choosing furniture and institutional wheels

It can be necessary to choose a type of furniture and institutional wheel in case of:
- Breakages and consequently replacement of the furniture’s original wheels

  • Choice of completely new trolley wheels for catering activities
  • Choice of completely new wheels to ensure the correct maintenance of furniture that is particularly heavy or bulky

Depending on the cases and on the specific uses, it may be more appropriate to use a swivel castor, that can rotate around its axle by 360 degrees, or a fixed wheel, that better maintains the direction of the trajectory in case of linear movements. In certain cases, it can be necessary to use a wheel featuring a brake, an accessory that can prevent the furniture displacement in case of accidental events.

Apart from these prerequisites, it is necessary to consider the main parameters: flooring, load, attachment type, aesthetics.

Choosing furniture wheels according to the flooring

The flooring is an essential factor when it comes to choose a wheel to be used in domestic environments, in particular for moving heavy furniture.

In fact, choosing a wheel that is not suitable for the floor of use can damage a fragile and expensive surface, the wheel itself and, sometimes, the object on which it is mounted. Finally, it can require an effort of the operator who moves the trolley that is exponentially greater than necessary.

For instance, using a wheel made of rigid material on a very fragile floor (such as parquet) can cause significant scratches and damage to the floor itself.

The main types of floors among which the user has to choose for domestic environments are: 

  1. Even and resistant floors, without obstacles: such as concrete-resin in garages and tiles with small grout lines
  2. Uneven floors or floors with obstacles: such as tiles with large grout lines
  3. Fragile floors: such as carpet, parquet, marble

1 - Even and resistant floors

All types of plastic wheels are suitable in the case of even and resistant floors.

A few examples:

Polyamide 6 institutional WHEELS of Series 32

Specially recommended for use on small catering and institutional trolleys having light carrying capacities and on shop display units.

LOAD CAPACITY: 30-90 daN
WHEEL MATERIAL: solid polyamide 6 
BRACKETS: zinc-plated 

Link: https://www.tellurerota.com/en/product-range/institutional/series-32-st

Transparent polyurethane furniture WHEELS of Series 39, methacrylate centre

Recommended for indoor use.
They can be used on fragile flooring, even carpet.
Example of recommended applications: house and office furniture with low carrying capacity.

LOAD CAPACITY: 20-40 daN
WHEEL MATERIAL: transparent methacrylate
BRACKETS: zinc-plated 

Link: https://www.tellurerota.com/en/product-range/furniture/series-39-st

Paired polyamide 6/polypropylene chair WHEELS of Series 34

Recommended for indoor use. They are available in different colours to meet different aesthetic and use requirements.
Examples of recommended applications: house and office chairs with low carrying capacities.

LOAD CAPACITY: 10-40 daN
WHEEL MATERIAL: polyamide 6/polypropylene
BRACKETS: polyamide 6 brackets; steel connections 

Link: https://www.tellurerota.com/en/product-range/furniture/series-34-st

2 - Uneven floors

In case of uneven floors with small obstacles it is recommended to use wheels with thermoplastic polyurethane covering of Series 36 (thermoplastic polyurethane and polyamide 6 centre) or grey rubber wheels of Series 37 and 38, that can overcome the obstacles along the path without requiring a particular effort of the operator.

Models of wheels suitable for uneven floors:

Institutional thermoplastic polyurethane WHEELS of Series 36, polyamide 6 centre

Suitable for use on different types of trolleys within the institutional sector, particularly for catering activities and to move furniture.
Good load carrying capacity in relation to small wheel diameters.
Good resistance to frequent washing.

LOAD CAPACITY: from 40 to 140 daN
WHEEL TREAD: red thermoplastic polyurethane
CENTRE: polyamide 6
BRACKETS: zinc-plated 

Link: https://www.tellurerota.com/en/product-range/institutional/series-36-st

Rubber institutional WHEELS of Series 37, polypropylene centre with threadguards

Suitable for use on different types of trolleys within the furniture and institutional sector, as well as for shop display units.
They can be used also on fragile flooring and in case of
obstacles along the path.

Threadguards ensure the protection of running gears against soiling and dust.
Example of recommended applications: shop display units and windows, tool trolleys with low carrying capacities, supermarket trolleys.

LOAD CAPACITY: 35-80 daN
WHEEL TREAD: non-marking grey rubber tread
CENTRE: polypropylene core with threadguards
BRACKETS: zinc-plated

Link: https://www.tellurerota.com/en/product-range/institutional/series-37-st

Grey non-marking thermoplastic rubber WHEELS of Series 38, polypropylene centre

Suitable for use on different types of trolleys within the furniture and institutional sector.
They can be used also on fragile flooring and in case of
small obstacles along the path.

They are completely made of plastic material and therefore resistant to humidity and washing.
Example of recommended applications: shop display units and windows, tool trolleys with low carrying capacities, supermarket trolleys.

LOAD CAPACITY: 30-70 daN
WHEEL TREAD: non-marking grey thermoplastic rubber
CENTRE: polypropylene
BRACKETS: zinc-plated 

Link: https://www.tellurerota.com/en/product-range/institutional/series-38-st

3 - Fragile indoor floors

In case of fragile indoor floors, it is recommended to use wheels that do not damage the floor by leaving traces and grooves in the medium to long term. 

In this scenario, non-marking grey rubber wheels (series 37 and 38) but also rubber ball and rubber tyred ball wheels (series 33 and 35) and transparent polyurethane wheels (series 39) are definitely preferable.

For further information:

Rubber institutional WHEELS of Series 37, polyamide 6 centre with threadguards

Suitable for use on different types of trolleys within the furniture and institutional sector, as well as for shop display units.
They can be used also on fragile flooring and in case of
obstacles along the path.

Threadguards ensure the protection of running gears against soiling and dust.
Example of recommended applications: shop display units and windows, tool trolleys with low carrying capacities, supermarket trolleys.

LOAD CAPACITY: 35-80 daN
WHEEL TREAD: non-marking grey rubber tread
CENTRE: polyamide core with threadguards
BRACKETS: zinc-plated 

Link: https://www.tellurerota.com/en/product-range/institutional/series-37-st

Grey non-marking thermoplastic rubber WHEELS of Series 38, polypropylene centre

Suitable for use on different types of trolleys within the furniture and institutional sector.
They can be used also on fragile flooring and in case of
small obstacles along the path.

They are completely made of plastic material and therefore resistant to humidity and washing.
Example of recommended applications: shop display units and windows, tool trolleys with low carrying capacities, supermarket trolleys.

LOAD CAPACITY: 30-70 daN
WHEEL TREAD: non-marking grey thermoplastic rubber
CENTRE: polypropylene
BRACKETS: zinc-plated 

Link: https://www.tellurerota.com/en/product-range/institutional/series-38-st

Rubber tyred ball furniture WHEELS of Series 35

Recommended for indoor use, without aggressive chemical agents.
They can be used on fragile flooring, even carpet.
Example of recommended applications: house and office furniture with low carrying capacity.

LOAD CAPACITY: 20-40 daN
WHEELS: rubber tyred ball wheels
BRACKETS: zinc-plated

Link: https://www.tellurerota.com/en/product-range/furniture/series-35-st

Transparent polyurethane furniture WHEELS of Series 39, methacrylate centre

Recommended for indoor use, without aggressive chemical agents.
They can be used on fragile flooring, even carpet.
Example of recommended applications: house and office furniture with low carrying capacity.

LOAD CAPACITY: 20-40 daN
WHEELS: transparent methacrylate
BRACKETS: zinc-plated 

Link: https://www.tellurerota.com/en/product-range/furniture/series-39-st

Rubber ball furniture WHEELS of Series 33

Recommended for indoor use, without aggressive chemical agents.
They can be used on fragile flooring, even carpet.
Example of recommended applications: house and office furniture with low carrying capacity.

LOAD CAPACITY: 10-30 daN
WHEELS: rubber ball wheels
BRACKETS: zinc-plated 

Link: https://www.tellurerota.com/en/product-range/furniture/series-33-st

With regard to chair wheels in case of fragile floors, it is recommended to use the grey version of series 34, that features a grey rubber coating around the polyamide wheel body.

Information on products:

Paired polyamide 6 furniture WHEELS of Series 34

Grey paired polyamide 6 wheels.
Plain bearing bore. The plain bearing bore is made of the same material as the centre and directly contains the axle.

Link: 

Wheels according to the furniture type or to the load to be withstand?

Apart from the specifications depending on the flooring type, are there parameters to assess which type of wheel is most suitable for a specific furniture, such as for a wardrobe or a sideboard, or a chest?

The type of furniture is irrelevant in this case; it is instead necessary to calculate the wheel capacity in relation to the load to be withstood.

For furniture and institutional wheels it is applied the same principle applied for industrial wheels.

The exact capacity has to be calculated in the following way:

In case of a trolley or furniture with 4 wheels:

Capacity = (solid load weight + trolley tare weight)/3

Capacity = (liquid load weight + trolley tare weight)/2

Why divide by 2 or 3, although the trolley/furniture has 4 wheels?

Because the 4 wheels are not always all in contact with the floor!

Type of attachments of furniture wheels

To choose the correct wheel+support assembly for furniture wheels, it is necessary to carefully select the type of attachment that is more suitable for the application.

In case of the range of furniture and institutional wheel, the user will have to choose among the following types of attachments:

  • Square or rectangular plate
  • Plug-in or threaded stem
  • Bolt hole

Iberruedas wheels are available with all the described three types of attachments.

Aesthetic factor for institutional and domestic wheels

Last but not least, in order to choose the right institutional and domestic wheel it is necessary to consider the aesthetic factor.

In fact, in most cases, the wheel chosen is the one that, based on the centre and coating colour, better matches the colours and shape of the object on which it will be mounted.

Rubber ball wheels of Series 35 for instance, with chromate supports, transparent methacrylate of series 39 and paired polyamide 6 wheels offer a colour range that makes them the most versatile solution for those who are looking for aesthetically satisfying products. 

Conclusions

In the previous paragraphs, we have seen how wide and complex the furniture and institutional wheel and castor scenery is.

It is impossible to decide a priori which is the most suitable wheel for moving a specific furniture if the conditions of use are not first analysed and noted down, namely: on which type of surface the furniture will be positioned (and moved), which load will be withstand by the wheels, which are the most suitable attachments, which is the aesthetic solution that - once the previous requirements have been met - make a certain option the best choice.