Easily Choose Casters: Material Differences and Buying Guide
Time：Sep 01,2025
Casters are like the "shoes" of furniture or equipment. Choosing the right material makes moving easy and protects the floor. In the next 3 minutes, we'll teach you how to distinguish the pros and cons of the three main materials: nylon, polyurethane, and rubber, and provide scenario-based purchasing advice.
1. Material Overview
1. Nylon (PA)
• Keywords: Hard, Heavy-duty, Noisy
• Features: High hardness, excellent load-bearing capacity, but loud rolling noise; wear-resistant but not "gentle," long-term pushing and pulling may scratch wooden floors or tile surfaces.
• Visual analogy: Like an off-road vehicle's off-road tires, can carry heavy loads but rumble loudly.
2. Polyurethane (PU)
• Keywords: Elastic, Quiet, Versatile
• Features: Elasticity between plastic and rubber, low noise; oil and hydrolysis resistant, suitable for dust-free workshops, laboratories, hospitals, and other environments with strict requirements; floor-friendly, leaves no black marks.
• Visual analogy: Like the cushioned midsole of a sneaker, stable and quiet.
3. Rubber (NR/SBR)
• Keywords: Soft, Grippy, Affordable
• Features: Naturally anti-slip with strong grip, does not slip when pushing heavy loads; built-in shock absorption, quiet and economical. Drawbacks include aging under prolonged sun exposure and deformation under heavy loads.
• Visual analogy: Like the quiet tires of a family car, pushing "silently," but avoid long-term "overtime" overload.
2. Understand How to Choose with One Table
| Scenario Needs | Recommended Material | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy factory loads, cement floors | Nylon | Strong load-bearing, floor resistant to scratches |
| Hospitals, laboratories, hotel corridors | Polyurethane | Quiet + floor protection + corrosion resistance |
| Home storage cabinets, office push cabinets | Rubber | Quiet, anti-slip, does not damage wooden floors, cost-effective |
| Outdoor sun and rain exposure | Polyurethane (modified UV resistant) | Aging resistant, rubber easily cracks under sun |
| Requires brake positioning | Any material, focus on brake structure | Brake pad lifespan is more critical than wheel surface material |
3. Three-step Purchasing Mnemonic
1. Check the floor: For wooden floors and tiles, choose PU or rubber; for cement or steel floors, nylon is suitable.
2. Listen to the environment: For offices and hospitals requiring "zero noise," avoid nylon.
3. Weigh the load: Single caster load capacity ≥ (total equipment weight ÷ 3), leaving enough safety margin.
Summary in one sentence
Heavy loads without noise concerns—choose nylon; want quiet and clean—choose polyurethane; want to save money and be quiet—choose rubber. Match the material to the scenario, and casters will no longer be a difficult choice.
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Universal Caster
FOSHAN Globe Caster Co., Ltd.
Telephone: 86-757-86692299
Mobile:86-137 0966 5707
E-mail:sales@globe-castor.com
Fax: 86-757-86690681
Website:www.globe-castor.com
Address: 599 Yangxi Avenue, Yanghe Town, Gaoming District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, China
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