How to Replace Your Office Chair Casters

Are you sitting on your office chair reading this right now?

Okay, good. Now, roll the wheels back and forth on the floor as you pay attention to how the wheels sound and how the motion feels. Glance down at the wheels and take a quick look to see how clean they are, if any parts are cracked, and whether they've caused any damage to your floor.

We rarely think about office chair casters throughout the day, but there are many reasons why they matter and could use a replacement.

Common reasons to replace your casters:

• Broken caster that poses safety concerns

• Damage to your floor or carpet

• Loud and distracting noises when rolled

• Excess dirt, hair, and debris stuck inside

• Poor mobility on carpet

 

Pro tip: You don't have to replace your entire chair just because your casters aren't working well!

 

In fact, you can save a lot of money and reduce waste by upgrading your casters and keeping your favorite office chair. Casters cost just a fraction of the cost of a new office chair and allow you to keep the comfy work setup you know and love.

 

 

Did you know?: There are two essential things to remember when you want to replace your casters for desk chairs.

1. Your current caster size

2. The floor material under your desk

 

Measuring Your Caster Size

Caster wheels are sized by diameter, so grab a ruler or measuring tape to check the width of the caster stem you have right now. Regardless of size, you can attach smaller or larger wheels to those stems to make your chair sit higher or lower.

To check the caster stem measurement, you'll need to remove a caster. The caster stem sizes are B stems, C stems, K stems, and W stems.

Wooden base chairs usually have W stems, while B, C, and K stems have a grip ring that lets you insert a replacement stem that's longer than your current one.

Here's a handy size guide to help you determine your type.

You'll also need to decide how many casters you need to order for your chair. Chairs typically have four or five, with five being the standard for a typical office chair. 

 

Removing Old Casters

Sometimes, removing an office chair caster is more challenging than you might think. The internet is filled with posts seeking advice about how to remove tough casters that are stuck on tightly.

Here are some tips from Reddit users:

"Pull harder," one Redditor advised  "They almost all just pull straight out of the bottom."

Someone who works in the office supply business said," I use a flat crowbar type prybar to remove them when stubborn."

"It can sometimes be easier to get them out using a long screwdriver between the caster body and the chair for leverage," was another piece of advice.

 

The Right Style for Your Floor

Whew, nice work. That was the hard part. Now for the easy part. What is the surface like under your chair—carpet, wood, tile, or linoleum?

If you have carpet: choose a hard wheel caster, like this:

If you don't have carpet, choose a soft wheel caster, like this:

 (for wood floors)

 (and chair mats)

 

What If You Can't Remove Your Casters?

What if you have a vintage chair with welded caster stems that can't be removed? Perhaps you found the chair at a thrift store, or it's a family heirloom you can't bear to part with even though a wheel has broken.

Don't worry, we've got you.

In many instances, broken chair wheels can be replaced with stemless casters. You can special order stemless casters from OnTimeSupplies by calling us at 866-501-6055. Our specialty casters fit 3/8" diameter welded stems up to 1-5/16" long, and we have options for carpeting, hard floors, and chair mats.

 

Pick Out Your New Casters Today!

So, how are you feeling about your office chair wheels now after learning about how easy and affordable they are to replace?

OnTimeSupplies offers a variety of caster wheels and chair glides, plus a top-notch customer service team to help you choose the right product for your chair.

With discounts on bulk orders and free shipping on orders of $75 or more, now is the perfect time to upgrade your office seating at OnTimeSupplies.com.