How to Add Casters to a Chair

Chair casters, more commonly known as chair wheels, enable you to move and roll your office chair or gaming chair with little effort. There are several different types of casters, most of which can be installed on or removed from practically any piece of furniture. The surface you wish to secure the casters to will directly affect which type you are able to install.

If your piece of furniture has wooden legs, then post casters can be a viable option. Post casters have a metal stem that contains a grip-ring or threaded rod that comes out of the metal mounting which is inserted into a hole in the chair or furniture item. Make sure that the leg you wish to attach the caster to can support a hole 1 1/2 inches deep.

Using a power drill with a drill bit that corresponds to the size of your caster post sleeve, drill a hole in the bottom of the wooden leg. Grip-ring post casters should have a type of metal sleeve into which the post is inserted. Remove the sleeve and insert it in the hole you just drilled. The sleeve will most likely need to be secured in place using a rubber mallet. Finally, insert the caster into the sleeve. Push the wheel, or gently hit it using the mallet, until the grip-ring is secured in place. Repeat these steps for each chair leg.

Threaded stem casters have a threaded rod and need to be matched with a threaded nut sleeve so they can be held in place. These types of casters are simple to install and follow the same installation method as the grip-ring process. Drill a hole in the bottom of the chair legs using a drill bit corresponding to the size of the nut sleeve. Tap the nut sleeve in place using a rubber mallet. It should fit very snugly; if it slides in too easily, it will be difficult to screw in your caster. Insert the caster in the nut sleeve and twist it clockwise to engage the threads. Continue turning until the caster hits maximum resistance.

Some threaded stem casters come with a nut between the stem and the metal support around the wheel. This helps screw the caster in place without applying any pressure to the wheel itself. Using a wrench, turn the nut counterclockwise while holding the wheel immobile. If your caster is of the swivel variety, make sure to tighten the caster nut strongly so the stem does not begin to come loose.

While less likely to be used on chairs, another option when selecting casters is the screw-on caster. These casters have a metal plate that are attached to the metal mounting. The plate is secured in place using screws, and the installation process is quick and easy. Flip your item over and line up a caster wheel on each corner of the item. There should be four holes on each metal plate and a screw needs to be screwed into each hole. Repeat for each corner of your item.

Lining up the casters with the corners of the item will prevent the furniture item from being unbalanced and at risk of tipping over. These types of casters are usually used on furniture pieces with a full bottom such as dressers, as they can support more weight than post casters. Casters are easy to remove if you wish to keep your piece of furniture securely in place.