Casters make your shelving rack mobile for use in your home, office and in an industry setting. You can use them in your kitchen or basement to easily move your kit for use and for cleaning. The Shelving Store is in the business of making your life easier with storage and organization. You are not just buying a caster; you are buying something that needs to work for you, so read below to find out which caster is the perfect fit.

We carry three different kinds of casters: rubber, plastic and polyurethane

• Rubber casters: The most widely used caster and most versatile which can hold 600lbs – 1000lbs depending on diameter. We carry 3", 4" and 5" rubber casters. These casters roll easier across floors, especially traversing over different surfaces. Our 3" rubber casters can be a great choice to aid in cleaning by making it easier to move your shelving kits. Weight capacity is for four casters.

• Plastic casters: The most basic caster simply made from plastic and can only hold 250lbs. These 2" casters are made for indoor use and are most commonly used on computer chairs and small desks. Also great in the kitchen as they look less "industrial" than the rest. If all you want casters for is to make it easier to move shelves for cleaning than plastic is also a great bet. Weight capacity is for four casters.

• Polyurethane casters: The caster with the highest weight capacity of 1200lbs is most widely used in a warehouse for transporting heavy-duty materials. We only carry polyurethane casters in an 5" diameter. The best option when the environment you are working in prohibits all other materials. Health care uses these casters because they are sterile. Weight capacity is for four casters.

*Please be aware that adding casters to your shelving kits may change the weight capacity. Our shelves are rated to withstand 800lbs per shelf and our highest rated caster only holds 1200lbs for a whole shelving kit.


Once you decide the kind of caster, that best fits your mobile situation, you will need to consider if you want a threaded or stem caster.

• Threaded casters: The threaded caster simply screws into the bottom of your post. Our threaded casters are specifically made to fit our post and may not fit other brands post. To remove the threaded casters just unscrew from the post.

• Stem casters: The stem casters can also be referred to as threadless casters. They are considered to be universal casters that can be used in any brands post. In order to use them with our post, you must remove the threaded plug to insert stem caster. These casters lock securely into the post and must be removed with tools.

*Our threaded casters are only available with brakes with the exception of plastic casters. The stem casters are available with brakes or without brakes


Tips to help you make the best decision possible

• Always take into consideration what kind of terrain you will be rolling over. For instance, if you are rolling over gravel choose rubber casters or if you are rolling on a flat surface go with polyurethane.

• The larger the wheel diameter, the easier the caster rolls. Ergo the easier a caster rolls the less obstruction is caused thus eliminating the risk of injury.

• You always want to pick a caster that is ergonomically designed meaning that certain design factors contribute to the productivity.

• Choose a caster that will not cause damage to your floors. Rubber casters would be the ideal choice.

• Keep in mind that the weight capacity does not take into account the effort required the move the shelving kit which means loading your shelves to their limit does not mean you may be able to roll the kit after.

• At weight capacity, rubber casters glide easier across the floor than polyurethane because there is more give to rubber than the “hard tread” of polyurethane.

• As a general rule, rubber casters are also going to roll over obstructions better than polyurethane casters.

• Don't choose a caster based on weight capacity alone. Capacities are based on ideal conditions, like when rolling over a smooth surface. Conditions are not perfect so always pick a caster with a higher weight capacity than needed

• Capacities don’t take into account the environment they are being used in. For instance in you have a crack or hole in the floor and you have casters the are rated at 1000lbs, hitting that obstruction may cause damage.

• Depending on what you are using the casters for, certain conditions like heat and dirt may reduce the capacity and performance of your castes.

• Having floor obstructions require you to consider selecting larger, like our 5” casters, stronger wheels, than if you were just rolling on a flat surface. For instance if you are rolling over a transition strip or carpet trim, there is going be a weight shift that occurs and you want to have a strong caster that can withstand it.

• Keep in mind that debris on the floor can become imbedded in the rubber and polyurethane casters, so always remember to keep floors clean for basic safety and for the longevity of the casters.

• All of our casters are swivel casters which means they can rotate 360 degrees.

To sum up, choosing a caster requires knowledge to make the best purchase possible but if you are still feeling unsure about which caster is right for you, please don't hesitate to call our customer service number at 1-800-637-9508.