The right access equipment depends on the height you need to reach, how long you will be up there, and how often you move Castors look simple, but the wrong choice leads to flat spots, damaged floors, hard pushing and early failure. Four decisions get it right: the load each castor must carry, the tread material, the fixing, and whether you need swivel, fixed or braked. Here is how to think about each.
Take the total weight of the equipment plus its heaviest load, then divide by the number of castors, and add a safety margin because floors are rarely level and loads are rarely centred. A common approach is to divide by three rather than four, so three castors could carry the load if one is unweighted on an uneven floor. Then choose a wheel rated comfortably above that figure.
Tread choice is a balance of floor protection, rolling resistance and durability. Soft treads such as rubber are quiet and kind to floors but wear faster and roll a little harder. Hard treads such as nylon roll easily and resist debris but transmit more noise and can mark soft floors. Polyurethane is a popular middle ground: hard-wearing, floor-friendly and good under heavy loads, especially on a cast iron centre for high-capacity work.
A plain bore wheel is simple and economical, fine for lighter loads and occasional movement. A ball bearing wheel rolls more easily under heavier loads and frequent use, which reduces operator effort. For anything moved often or loaded heavily, the bearing is worth it.
Plate-fixing castors bolt onto a flat surface through four holes and are the most common. A single bolt hole castor fixes through one central bolt, which makes fitting and replacing quick. For function, swivel castors steer, fixed castors track straight, and braked castors lock the wheel so equipment stays put. A typical trolley uses a mix: swivel castors for manoeuvrability with two braked to hold it steady while loading.
Add the equipment weight to its heaviest load, divide by the number of castors (dividing by three rather than four gives a safety margin on uneven floors), then choose a wheel rated comfortably above that figure.
Rubber and polyurethane treads are kinder to floors than hard nylon. Polyurethane is a strong all-rounder because it protects floors while still being hard-wearing and good under heavier loads.
Plate castors bolt onto a flat surface through four holes, while bolt hole castors fix through a single central bolt. Bolt hole castors are quick to fit and replace; plate castors spread the load over a wider fixing.
Western Industrial Products supplies thousands of stock lines with certified UK manufacturing and guarantees of up to 10 years on selected lines, backed by over 45 years of experience. Contact our team or request a quote to order.
