Socket To Me! Adapting Casters To Fit Furniture and Fixtures
When you need furniture or fixtures to roll, it is not always a simple as just buying some stem casters and popping them into a chair leg or fixture base. First, you need a plan for how to install your casters. Most likely, part of that plan will include adapting your caster stems to fit your furniture or fixture. While there are a few common caster stems available including grip ring stems, grip neck stems, and threaded stems, there are countless ways a piece of furniture or a fixture can be made. Rather than making a caster to fit every type of furniture leg or fixture pedestal, a large range of socket adapters are available instead to make the task of installing casters easy. The image below shows just a few styles of sockets, along with the two most common caster stems to go with them:
By identifying a few key elements and measurements, you can select the right caster and socket for your project to make installation a breeze.
First, identify the material of the leg or pedestal where the casters will be installed. If it is wood, that usually narrows it down right away to a metal socket that will either be attached with bolts, or with a serrated flange built into the socket. If plastic, metal, or other, that usually indicates a tubular style leg that might be round or square. In this case, a plastic socket is ideal.
Second, measure the area where the socket and caster will be installed. If wood, you want to make sure there is enough surface area to drill into for a socket and/or bolt holes without splitting the wood. If metal or other, measure the inside diameter of the tubing where the socket will be installed.
Third, select the appropriately sized socket and caster/stem that goes with it. Plastic sockets come in either round or square shapes, and in sizes ranging from 7/16″ outside diameter to 1-1/8″ outside diameter, usually in 1/16″ increments. They are also available with either a 7/16″ inside diameter for common grip ring stems, or with a 5/16″ diameter for grip neck stems. Generally, if you can use the larger diameter stem, that is what you will want to do for added durability, but that options may not always exist.
Once you have the above information, selecting casters and sockets is easy, and installation will be as well. As always, we are here to help if you have any questions. Just call us at 1-800-325-2753, or email us at [email protected].