Make your dining chairs mobile with caster wheels.
Putting caster wheels on the legs of dining chairs not only makes them easier to maneuver, it also protects the dining room floor from scuffs and scratches caused by moving the chairs. There are several different kinds of caster wheels available for this purpose. They vary in size, style and the method by which they attach to the chair legs. The two most common kinds of caster wheel are "stem" casters, which attach to the chair leg with a metal spoke; and "plate" casters, which attach to the chair leg with a metal plate. With stem casters, the wheel size is not important, but with plate casters the plate must not be larger than the base of the chair leg. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Attach Stem Caster Wheels
1. Turn a dining chair over on its side. Determine the exact center point with a ruler and mark a pencil dot in the center of the base of each chair leg.
2. Choose a drill bit that is the exact width of the stems of the casters, or the size recommended by the wheel manufacturer. Drill a hole into the chair leg at each of the marked dots. Hold the drill perfectly parallel to the chair leg.
3. Remove the stem from the wheel. The two parts should come apart easily by pulling them in opposite directions. Insert each stem into a drilled hole, then tap into place with a hammer.
4. Push the wheel back onto the base of the stem. It should click into place securely.
Attach Plate Caster Wheels
5. Place one of the plate caster wheels over the base of one of the chair legs so that the edges of the plate are flush with the edges of the chair leg base. Draw a pencil dot through each of the four screw holes in the plate. Repeat with the three remaining chair legs.
6. Choose a drill bit that is a size or two smaller than the screws you use. Drill four holes into each chair leg at the pencil marks, holding the drill perfectly parallel with the leg. These are starter holes to help you insert the screws.
7. Place the first caster wheel plate on the base of one of the chair legs, matching the four holes in the plate over the four starter holes. Place a screw through one of the holes in the plate and into the hole in the chair leg, and screw it in about halfway with a screwdriver. Repeat with three more screws in the remaining three holes in the plate.
8. Tighten four screws all the way into the chair leg.
9. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 with the remaining three legs of each dining chair.
Tags: chair legs, holes plate, attach chair, base chair, attach chair with
