All modern office chairs come with five sets of rollable caster wheels. However, standard office chairs offer standard caster wheels, nothing fancy. Those caster wheels might leave marks on your premium carpeted or hardwood floors. Now, suppose you want to change those caster wheels to a premium one. In that case, the question arises, “are office chair caster wheels universal?
Office chair caster wheels are universal as almost 95% of modern office chairs have a universal standard stem diameter (11mm width * 22mm height) except for IKEA chairs. Other 5% have a threaded stem with a standard size of (10 mm width * 20 mm height).Â
Suppose you are using a modern office chair. In that case, you are most likely using the universal standard stem diameter caster wheels. Also, caster wheels come with a double caster option and a single caster option. I will talk about them in more detail.
Caster wheels also have different shapes and sizes. Standard caster wheel sizes are 2″, 2.5″ and 3″. However, all of them offer the same functionalities. Before purchasing the caster wheels, check your preferred caster wheel size and which stem it is using.
Size and Shapes of Caster Wheels
What is the Stem?
Grip ring stem is the circular cylinder-shaped element that holds the caster wheels into the office chair legs. The stem has that ring that actually grips the caster wheels.
From the picture, you can see the caster wheel has two common shapes. However, their stem diameter is the same that we can call universal standard stem diameter size for the casters.
The wheel diameter size varies; you will find some standard wheel sizes for the caster. The common sizes are 2″, 2.5″ and 3″ as I’ve mentioned above. Also, there are other sizes available as well. Keep in mind that if you purchase a large wheel size, it might increase the height of your chair.
Single Wheel Vs. Double Wheel Caster
Single wheel and double wheel caster do the same job. However, single-wheel casters are widely available in the market and have many options to choose from. At the same time, a double-wheel caster has only a few different design options.
In theory, a single-wheel caster should be easily rollable than a double-wheel caster because it has less friction while rolling due to the single wheel. On the other hand, a double wheel caster should distribute the body weight more efficiently. However, a single-wheel caster can lift heavyweight. So, I personally like and recommend the single-wheel caster.
Threaded Stem and Normal Stem caster wheels
From this picture, you can differentiate the threaded stem and standard stem from caster wheels. More than 95% of the modern office chair uses normal stem caster wheels. So, your current office chair most likely has the normal stem caster wheel installed.
Although both of the caster wheels work the same way and offer similar functionalities, the stem sizes differentiate.
Which caster wheels to choose?
There are many caster wheels in the market. You might get overwhelmed while choosing the right caster wheels for you. Caster wheels come at a very low price and offer premium quality for all types of floors.
Look for these features while purchasing the caster wheels:
- Ensure the wheels are encased with soft and high-quality material; in some cases, it can be polyurethane material. This polyurethane material is good for carpeted, hardwood or tile floors. However, after using them for a long time they might leave marks on your premium floor. You might want to use a chair mat to protect your floor. To learn more about the chair mats check out our article “Do you Need a Chair Mat on the Carpet?“
- Wheels should be rolled smoothly without making squeaky sounds.
- Check the size of the caster wheel before purchasing.
I am listing these two types of caster wheels from Amazon; you can purchase either of them, depending on your preference. But I really like the single-wheel caster rather than the double-wheel caster.
- Oasis Caster Wheels (Amazon Link) – Single Wheel Caster
- WBD Weibida Caster Wheels (Amazon Link) – Double Wheel Caster
Related Content
Can you replace office chair wheels?
Yes, you can replace caster wheels from your office chairs. To do that use the following steps:
- Lay the chair down and pull the chair casters out of the chair
- Pulling the caster might take a little bit of force, in that case using a flat-head screwdriver.
- If the casters are challenging to pull out. Use the screwdriver’s flathead between the caster and the chair’s base to pull out the caster.
Check this video out that has explained: “how you can replace caster wheels.”
Are all office chair casters the same?
All the office chair caster wheels are not the same. However, 95% of the caster wheel uses a universal stem diameter (11mm * 22mm), and the other 5% uses threaded stem and other sorts of the stem.
Can casters be added to any chair?
Yes, You can add casters to any chair as far as the legs are strong enough to support them. You are more likely to want to add the caster to your wooden chair or any other wooden furniture. To do this follow the below steps:
- You will need a Hammer, Drill with a 3/8″, Caster wheels and sockets.
- You will find the caster socket here. Any universal casters can be used with these sockers.
- Drill the legs of the chair with approximately 1-1/2″ deep and then insert the socket into the hole.
- You are ready to add caster wheels to your chair or furniture.
What are the best casters for office chairs?
Caster wheels have different shapes and sizes. They offer premium quality than the traditional caster wheels that come with the office chairs. I already added two types of caster wheels above that I really like. Those caster wheels are highly recommended and some of the best caster wheels in the market.
Final Thoughts
Caster wheels are one of the negligible parts of the office chair. But using a traditional caster wheel can make your sitting experience horrible. So, use the premium caster wheels that are available in the market.
I hope this article helps you understand the caster wheels and what to purchase for yourself. Thanks for reading this article.
