Putting your workbench on wheels frees up your garage or workshop in minutes. But a bench that shifts while you're sawing, planing or hammering is frustrating and unsafe. The trick is choosing castors that roll freely when you move the bench and stay completely still when you work.
1. Start with the weight
Add the bench's own weight to the heaviest load it will carry: vices, power tools, timber and anything stored underneath. Divide that total by three, not four, because on a slightly uneven floor one wheel can lift and leave three doing all the work.
EXAMPLE
Bench 80kg + tools and materials 220kg = 300kg. 300 ÷ 3 = 100kg per castor minimum. Workbenches take knocks, so going a size up is always money well spent.
2. Go big on wheel size
Garage floors are rarely smooth. Expansion joints, cracks, cables and sawdust all stop small wheels in their tracks. For most workbenches, 100mm to 125mm wheels are the sweet spot: they roll over debris easily without raising the bench too much.
Our 125mm heavy-duty castors are a popular choice for bigger benches.
3. Locking castors vs retractable castors
Locking (braked) castors stop the wheel turning. They're simple and affordable, but a braked castor can still wobble slightly on its swivel under heavy side-to-side force, such as hand planing.
Retractable workbench castors work differently. Step on the pedal and the wheels drop down to lift the bench; release them and the bench sits back on its own legs. With no wheels touching the floor while you work, there's nothing to roll or wobble.
Our advice: for general DIY, four braked castors are plenty. For woodworking, metalwork or anything with heavy lateral force, choose retractable castors.
4. Don't forget the height
Castors raise your bench, typically by the wheel diameter plus the bracket. Measure your current working height before you buy. If the bench ends up too tall, trim the legs so the finished height still suits you. A comfortable bench height is usually around wrist height when standing.
5. Fit them properly
Mount plate castors to solid timber or a steel frame, not thin sheet material. For heavy benches, use coach bolts or through-bolts rather than wood screws, and fit castors as close to the legs as possible so the load goes straight down.
Build a bench that moves on your terms
Every GBL castor comes with our Lifetime Warranty.
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