How to Attach Casters to Workbench Legs

Only the ones possessing a jam-packed workroom can understand the pain of cleaning that room.

No matter how hard you try, your furniture keeps being obstacles in front of your goal, and bits of dirt and dust keep clinging to odd corners. What a mess!

Imagine what if you can move out the furniture from the room for a while? It would be so easy to give the room a superior cleaning.

And what is even better? Achieving this dream is not too hard at all!

Just learn how to attach casters to workbench legs, attach them, and get an excellent, movable worktable! Find all you will need to know from here.

First thing, first! Choose the Right Caster:

Before you start working on attaching your casters, you need to make sure that the casters are suitable for your needs. Better take some time to be safe than be sorry later, right? [Read Also: 4 Workbench Top Protector to Protect workbench Topper.]

a) The weight of the workbench

The most important part of choosing the casters is determining their weight-capacity. To understand which casters you will need, you first need to find out the workbench’s weight.

For that, first, determine the weight of the table itself. Then, add the weights of the accessories, tools, and pieces of equipment you are likely to place upon the table to the found-out weight.

And don’t forget to consider the weight of the usual materials necessary for your craftsmanship.

It is quite realistic that you won’t be able to measure the load down to the last pound. But its OK. Just make a very generous guess while estimating the weight.

After you are done with the calculation, divide it by the number of casters to be attached.

For example, if your calculated weight is 300 pounds and you are to attach four casters to the bench’s four legs, then the casters’ minimum weight capacity should be 300/4=75 pounds.

So, it is safe for that bench to use casters having a load capacity of more than 75 pounds.

But there are more factors to be considered. What if one side of the workbench weights more than the other side? You can’t go with your even number then.

In such situations, don’t divide the weight by four. Instead, divide it by two or three. Or to be safe, choose heavier-duty casters.

b) The mounting method of the caster

There are generally two types of mounting systems for casters. One uses stems while the other uses plates.

Choose the ones you find suitable for your needs.

c) The diameter of its wheel

The wheel’s diameter is also crucial for ease of movement, especially for worktables where there are likely to be debris and dirt on the ground.

The bigger the wheel’s diameter, the more comfortable for the caster to move around. So, skip the small wheels and use the ones having a diameter of at least 2 or 2.5 inches.

d) The wheel type

Casters usually have rubber, plastic, or metal wheels. The first two typed wheels are best for smooth, hard grounds or carpet-covered floors.

The metal ones are best for uneven surfaces like workshops.

e) Stability

Yet, it will be counterproductive if your workbench keeps moving while you are working. So, to prevent the issue from occurring, try to attach some rigid casters and easy-to-maneuver swivel casters.

Or, attach swivel casters with built-in double locks. When the double lock is in action, it will keep the caster completely immobile. Thus, you won’t need to buy two different types of casters.

The necessary pieces of equipment:

Aside from getting your ideal casters, you might need some equipment to attach them safely and correctly to your workbench legs.

Most of them should already be in your possession. Otherwise, you can quickly get them from nearby hardware stores.

• Blanket/Carpet
• Plywood/hardwood
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Saw
• Clamps => Check on Amazon=>
• Strong wood glue => Check on Amazon=>
• Bolts, nuts, and washers => Check on Amazon=>
• Drilling machine, etc. => Check on Amazon=>

Safety Tools:

• Safety glasses
• Dust mask
• Safety gloves
• Noise-cancelling earmuffs

How to Attach Casters to Wooden Workbench Legs- in 4 Ways:

Now that we have chosen our caster, let us begin attaching them to the worktable legs. Most of the workbenches are generally made of wood. So we will cover that part first.

How to Install Stem Casters to wood [1]

Stem casters are popular choices for wooden workbenches. We prefer not to put any holes directly within the table legs, but to attach a separate piece of wood to the legs and join the casters there.

When you attach a stem caster, it generally does not matter what the table legs’ size is. Whether it is 2×4 or 4×4, the procedures are the same.

• First, take appropriate safety measures to protect yourself.
• After you are ready, flip the workbench over a blanket or carpet to make the bottom part face up.
• Then measure the size of the side of the table leg and cut a piece of plywood or hardwood to the same measure using a saw.
• Now, drill a hole similar to the size of the stem-screw’s outside diameter into the bottom of the wood.
• If the caster comes with sockets or sleeves, the hole’s diameter should be proportional to the sleeve. And remember to drill 0.25-inch more than the stem’s length.
• Put the stem inside the hole and fix it there.
• Then use wood adhesive and clamps to carefully attach the woods’ pieces at the sides of the table’s legs.

Done! [Read Also: Radial Arm Saw vs Miter Saw: Which One Is Ideal For Your Use]

How to Attach Plate Casters to Wood Table of 2×4 [2]:

If you plan on using plate mount casters, you should consider the size of the bottom part of the leg. The dimensions and the shapes of the bottom part of the table legs differ when the table is 2×4 of 4×4.

While the sizes are somewhat standard, we suggest a measurement just in case.

• After you finish your measurements, use a saw to cut plywood or hardwood pieces to a similar size.
• Then mark the mounting holes in the pieces of woods.
• After that, diagonally drill to the appropriate measures and attach the casters using the screws, bolts, and washers.
• Lastly, use strong wood glue to join the wood-pieces attached to the casters with the table legs.

Attach Casters to End Grain [3]:

Not only attaching casters directly to the end of the table leg is tricky, but we also strictly advise against it, mostly if the table legs belong to a workbench subjected to bumpy movements.

Why? Because when you attach a caster to end grain by drilling holes and the table gets subjected to regular rough movements, the strain put on the caster transforms to the screws.

Gradually, the drilled hole attaching the screw starts to get more expansive due to the grinding movements. In the end, a perfectly suitable workbench gets ruined due to the ruined legs.

But if you are still determined, then try to use plate mounted casters as they are best for spreading the load.

Just place the caster to mark the mounting holes at the end of the table legs, drill them, and use the nuts, bolts, and washers to attach the casters and be done.

[Read Also: How to Seal MDF Workbench Top: 5 Ways to Get Smooth Finish]

How to Attach Casters to Metal Legs s [4]:

Until now, we have discussed putting casters to wood workbench legs. But what is your workbench is not made of wood, but something different, say like metal? Then should you feel discouraged? Of course not!

Actually, if you have a solid idea of how to attach casters to metal workbench legs, you will notice that it is pretty simple.

a) To solid metal legs:

If the metal legs are made of solid metal, then follow the procedure given below:

• First, measure the distance between the legs according to the width of the table.
• Then cut two pieces of hardwood boards according to the measurement.
• Attach two plate casters at two ends of the bottom of one wood-piece and do the same for the other one.
• Then attach the pieces of the wood under the table legs with strong adhesives.

And here it comes! Your mobile metal workbench!

b) To hollow metal legs:

If your table legs are made of hollow metals, we fear that the casters suitable for woods will not work.

Try using grip ring casters or expandable stem casters. These casters’ stems expand inside the hollow tube and attach firmly at the inside of the tube.

Before buying the caster, measure the hollow part of the tube leg’s diameter and buy one proportional to that diameter.

Insert the caster inside the hollow leg and continue to compress it to a tight-fitting. Try to pull the caster out of the pipe. If you can’t, then you are done.

Read Also: How to Round Edges on Wood [without Router]

Final Thoughts:

While a workbench with casters might seem like something prone to moving and thus unstable, the reality proves to be very different.

In fact, if you know how to attach casters to workbench legs properly, not only will your workbench not move needlessly, but also it’s capacity of movement will be extremely helpful! You should apply the same process for creating any type of furniture in the cabinet or workbench that is made of plywood or hardwood. To install casters on wood properly, you must have some tools, with the help of the right tools it’s easy to put casters on anything.

Last Updated on December 14, 2020 by Rogers Weber

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