Position of castors/legs help

[Alison556]

I have a corner unit that I'd like to put on either small legs or castors - just to raise it slightly off the floor and make it easier to move. I'm having an awful dilemma trying to work out where I'd place the castors/legs. I've done a very basic shape of the unit and put red dots where I think they'd go. Am I right or should the castors go elsewhere?

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[Symptoms]

alison - how tall is the unit? Too tall might mean top-heavy and therefore unstable. Another consideration is the type of floor covering; wooden floor/castor combination may mean the unit will roll out of control. Carpets may grab/bind castors and allow the unit to tip. You might consider using 'glides' on the base to allow you to ease the unit across the floor.

If you're going to use legs don't make them too high as the leg/unit interface/fixing may not be substantial enough to resist the force of you moving the unit (broken off leg = toppled unit). Consider low-level blocks glued to base as a better option.

Most of these units are supported by a plinth running around the base (I suspect that's what you have) so maybe a combination of blocks (fixed inside the plinth) and glides might be a plan. I also reckon your positioning is about right for the 'supports' with maybe to 2 front ones back a little along the returns; you could try a 'dry run' with the unit empty to check for stability.

 

[Alison556]

alison - how tall is the unit? Too tall might mean top-heavy and therefore unstable. Another consideration is the type of floor covering; wooden floor/castor combination may mean the unit will roll out of control. Carpets may grab/bind castors and allow the unit to tip. You might consider using 'glides' on the base to allow you to ease the unit across the floor.

It's 87cm tall and is 77cm, corner to edge both sides. It's going on carpet.

If you're going to use legs don't make them too high as the leg/unit interface/fixing may not be substantial enough to resist the force of you moving the unit (broken off leg = toppled unit). Consider low-level blocks glued to base as a better option.

Most of these units are supported by a plinth running around the base (I suspect that's what you have) so maybe a combination of blocks (fixed inside the plinth) and glides might be a plan. I also reckon your positioning is about right for the 'supports' with maybe to 2 front ones back a little along the returns; you could try a 'dry run' with the unit empty to check for stability.

What I've done already on the drawers and wardrobe is to put a false base (for want of a better description) of ply screwed to the bottom of the unit then screwed the castors into the false base. I positioned the castors about 2inches in from the side and front/back.

It's not for moving a lot. It's mainly so that air can circulate a wee bit and to move it to vaccuum behind it every now and again. But, embarrassing as it is, the main reason is that if I get a spider in the room, I can move the furniture relatively easily to get rid of it