Are office chair wheels universal? No, they are not universal. All office chair wheels are universal in some ways but they may not be compatible in all aspects. This is because there were many types of chairs for different situations and could use different wheels.
Let’s find out when and how to select wheel rims for office chairs.
Why office chair wheels are not universal?
Different office chairs come in different sizes and therefore their wheels vary in size. For instance, some generic office chairs use 3″ wheels and others may use 4″ wheels. The bigger the size of the wheel the bigger is its diameter (the distance between the outer edge and the inner circle).
What are the different types of office chair wheels?
Before we discuss which office chair wheels you should buy, let’s have a quick look into the types of office chair wheels available in the market:
Some office chairs use “Chairmate” brand wheels that are made by Herman Miller Co. They cost less than 30 dollars per pair and are available in different colors like metallic silver, jet black, sandstone, etc.
Another kind of office chair rim wheels can be called “sprockets”. They have a wider diameter than Chairmate so they’re usually combining the use of two or three smaller ones to make up their width. Such an advantage is for example better stability on high pile carpets as opposed to wheels with narrower rims.
Sprockets cost from 50 dollars to 1000 dollars but you could avoid overestimating if you’ve considered all previous points I’ve mentioned above.
There is also something called “ball bearing” wheels and they’re very popular among office chairs. They have a ball bearing attached to the wheel which helps to move it easier and smoother. But be careful when you roll your chair as it will be harder to stop in mid-movement.
The best advantage of this type is that they are usually installed on gas spring chairs so you can adjust how firm or soft you want them to feel. Ball-bearing wheels could also be called “lazy boy” office chair wheels since their use with such chairs became very popular after the TV show with the same name was introduced into mass media.
The last but not least type of office rim wheels is “tire” ones. They are made from rubber (generally PVC) and look like ordinary tires for cars, except that they’re smaller and lighter.
Tire wheels are usually sold in pairs of 4 and their advantage is that they move more silently than the previous types but obviously they make less noise. They are also cheaper and last longer due to the rubber material used in their production.
What happens if your office chairs wheel break?
If you have wheels that seem to be broken, don’t worry. You can simply replace them with some other wheel rims from a set of 4 or more depending on how many types of office chairs are in your workplace. If the size is identical then they’re perfect for replacing your current office chair wheels.
Which office chair wheels should I buy?
So if you’re wondering if office chair wheels are universal or not, it’s a tricky question that could be responded better after reading this article and considering all the necessary points described above. It should have given you basic knowledge about office rim wheels so you can decide which one would be best for your needs.
If you’ve considered all aspects mentioned above then there is no doubt left on whether office chair wheels are universal, since basically they come in many different sizes and shapes with each one being designed specifically for certain situations/chairs.
How to turn office chair wheels into special designs?
Before we conclude, I’d like to mention that the wheels could be turned into special designs and styles according to your taste or needs. If you prefer colored ones instead of black/silver then you’re free not only to buy them but also to personalize their design by painting them with different colors.
For example, each separate wheel can have two small colorful patterns on it which makes this trend bright and appealing while using office chair wheels in real-life situations. Such a feature would make everybody (including yourself) distracted from everyday standard things so don’t hesitate to try something new even though others might think it’s strange at first sight.
Are office chair wheels universal? – Final words
We hope this article has helped you understand why office chair wheels are not universal, the different types of office chair wheels available in the market, and how to choose the best office chair wheels for your chair. If your office chair wheel breaks, don’t panic! You can always visit a store that sells replacement parts for furniture or do some online research on what kind of part you need before ordering it from an e-commerce website. Be sure to read reviews about any product before buying so that you know if other people had good experiences with it as well. Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments below!
