Which is better for smooth floors, rubber casters or polyurethane casters?

When choosing between rubber and polyurethane (PU) casters for smooth surfaces (such as ceramic tiles, marble, and epoxy floors), consider their quietness, load-bearing capacity, floor protection, and wear resistance.

Performance Comparison:

Rubber casters: Soft material (Shore A 60-80), excellent quietness, maximum scratch resistance, and excellent slip resistance (especially in humid environments). However, they offer moderate load-bearing capacity (≤ 200kg per wheel), average wear resistance, and resistance to oil and dirt.

PU casters: Moderate hardness (Shore A 85-95), excellent quietness, good scratch resistance, higher load-bearing capacity (50-500kg per wheel), excellent wear resistance, grease/corrosion resistance, and lower rolling resistance.

Applicable Scenarios:

Rubber casters are preferred for:
• Extremely quiet environments (such as hospitals and recording studios);
• Extreme protection of delicate floors (solid wood floors, marble);
• Wet and slippery environments (kitchens and bathrooms);
• Light loads (≤200kg, such as household carts and cleaning tools).

PU casters are preferred for:
• Medium-to-heavy equipment (200-500kg, such as shopping mall linen carts and workshop material racks);
• Balance of quietness and durability (office building tea carts and exhibition halls);
• Exposure to oily/chemical environments (food processing plants and laboratories);
• Large, smooth surfaces requiring effortless rolling (warehouse epoxy flooring).

Summary:
Rubber is recommended for short-term light loads requiring extreme quietness and floor protection; PU is recommended for long-term medium-to-heavy loads requiring a balance between durability and quietness. Rubber is preferred for light-duty applications in the home (tile and wood floors); PU offers more reliable overall performance for medium-to-heavy loads in commercial and industrial environments.