Plastic Caster Wheels

June 14, 2022

Plastic wheels commonly come in two colors: black and white. The black colored wheels are commonly referred as plastic or polyolefin. The white colored wheels are commonly referred as plastic or retort wheel in food industry, where they are most commonly used.

Plastic is an economically priced wheel that offers great durability, resilience, and more. 

Wheel Characteristics

Plastic wheels are resistant to water, grease, oils, solvents and most chemicals. Plastic wheels are some of the most common wheels found in kitchens where there's an abundance of water and cleaning solutions.

However, plastic wheels don't do well with hot grease as they have a tendency to melt.

Plastic wheels are impact and abrasion resistant. These wheels will not develop a flat spot in the wheel's tread if its sitting for long periods of time bearing weight. Great choice for tool boxes and shelves in the garage that get moved every now and then.

Plastic wheels are among the lightest wheels you can find for a caster. They are great for minimizing added weight to an object, especially in larger sizes.

Capacity

A caster wheel's capacity is primarily dependent on the composition, width and diameter of the wheel. Because there are so many combinations of different sized plastic wheels, we will focus on the most common size widths of casters wheels which tend to have less options. A good rule of thumb is that larger-diameter wheels carry more capacity.

Plastic caster wheels 1-1/4 inch wide to be on the higher end of capacity for wheels the same width. 2 inches wide plastic wheels tend to be on the lower end of capacity when compared to other 2 inch wide caster wheels.

Most customers will substitute plastic for phenolic (hard resin) when they are looking for a similar wheel in characteristics, but need more capacity.

How Well Does Plastic Roll?

Plastic wheels roll well on smooth surfaces which are great for most warehouses. Since these types of wheels are hard, they have no give in the tread and require more effort to roll over rough surfaces. The smooth tread of a plastic wheel makes it great on carpet because it will not snag on the carpet fibers.

Do take caution when choosing this wheel for hardwood or tile. While plastic wheels are non-marking, the dirt and debris under its hard tread may be dragged leaving scratch marks. We always recommend thermoplastic rubber or polyurethane for those who are conscious of their floors. 

Applications

Below are just a few commonly recommended applications that are great with plastic wheels.

• Automotive
• Arcades
• Kitchens
• Restaurants
• Toolboxes
• Warehouses
• Wet environments
• Welding
• Work Benches

Final Thoughts

Plastic in general has a notion of being considered "cheap" in terms of quality. In the caster world, plastic carries a considerable amount of weight and qualities that has made it an industry standard wheel to go to.

Need some help on your next project? Give us a call at 800-345-0425 (Mon-Fri 7:00am - 4:30pm CST).

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