Overview
A caster is a wheel on a swivel or pivot that lets a piece be rolled. On furniture the common forms are the cup caster (a brass cup the leg foot sits in, with a small wheel beneath), the stem caster (a post driven or screwed into a bored hole in the leg) and the plate caster (a flat plate screwed under a leg or plinth). Wheels are brass, steel, nylon or leather-faced wood.
Types and sizes
- Brass stem caster, polished or antique, for turned and tapered legs on tables, chairs and sofas.
- Plate caster for cabinets and trolleys; steel or zinc plate, nylon or rubber wheel.
- Locking caster has a wheel and swivel brake; needed on any piece used as a work surface.
Wheel diameter 1 to 2 in (25 to 50 mm) is typical for a table; the larger the wheel, the better it crosses a rug edge.
Where it is used
Sheraton, Federal and Victorian pieces (dining tables, sofas, library chairs and work tables) were commonly fitted with small brass casters on the leg feet, and Eastlake pieces list casters as common. They add to the height of a leg, which the design must allow for.
Choosing and sizing
Add the caster's overall height to the leg length: the compiler example sets the caster height as a parameter so the legs can be shortened to suit. Use four wheels, all swivel, on a table; on a heavy cabinet, two fixed and two swivel steers better. Check the sum of ratings against the heaviest realistic load, then halve it.
Installation
- For a stem caster, bore a hole of the stem's diameter into the end of the leg, centred, 25 to 40 mm (1 to 1-1/2 in) deep; a square-section tapered leg may need a tapered socket.
- Drive the stem in; for loose fits fix with an epoxy or a pin through the leg, never rely on friction in end grain alone.
- For a plate caster, drill pilot holes into the underside of the leg or base; use wood screws a little shorter than the thickness (see Wood screw) and a thicker block under a thin plywood base.
- Check that all wheels touch the floor; shim under a plate if one does not.
Wood movement and species
Stems seated in end grain hold poorly and loosen as the leg dries, so use a snug fit with a metal ferrule or Threaded insert on valuable furniture. Brass is compatible with oak where steel would stain (see White oak).
Common mistakes
- Stem seated in end grain without any ferrule: it pulls out on the first heavy shove.
- Caster height forgotten: the table ends up 25 to 40 mm (1 to 1-1/2 in) too tall.
- Wheels too small for a rug or thick floor edge: the piece catches.
Related
- Leveling foot: when the piece should stay put.
- Hanger bolt: a threaded post for metal-plate casters.
Styles it suits
Suitable for
Fixes into: hardwood, softwood.
In our designs
Our example designs model this as BrassCaster, drawn with the round shape, placed with a hardware_mount join.
Sources
Updated 2026-10-03. Sizes and ratings are typical trade figures drawn from the sources above. A load rating is the maker's rating for one product, not a property of the type: check the maker's own sheet, and test a fit on scrap before cutting good wood.