How to Use Furniture Gliders
Furniture gliders are little pieces of moving equipment that allow you to effortlessly move heavy household items – such as furniture and appliances. The small pieces of furniture gizmos are made out of hard and durable plastic or rubber on one side (for carpeted floors) or felt pads or soft spongy material on that other side (for hardwood, tile, vinyl, and linoleum floors).
Whether you’re moving into a new house, rearranging your current place, or simply need to move a few big and heavy things around the room for various reasons, furniture gliders are an invaluable tool in any home. Using them is simple – all you need to do is place one slider underneath each leg or side of the piece of furniture and push it along the floor.
The best ones are designed for gliding across different types of floors, including wood, ceramic tiles, and linoleum, as well as cement. While the most popular are made of felt pads, some furniture gliders are made out of hard and durable plastic as well.
Some of them come with an insulating layer of rubber, which helps reduce the noise of a sliding furniture item. If you’re concerned about the possibility of your flooring being scratched, consider a metal glide instead of a plastic one.
While many furniture gliders come with a weight limit, others are designed to handle exceptionally large loads. They also feature a sturdy base that makes it easier to balance the furniture item on the bottom.
Before you start moving any heavy object, make sure to remove any furniture or other accessories on top – such as vases and picture frames – because they may fall over and break while you’re trying to slide that particular big and heavy thing.
Next, you’ll need to get the right kind of sliders. You’ll need a pair of padded ones for hardwood floors and another pair of hard plastic sliders for carpeted floors.
Once you’ve found the correct kind of furniture sliders, it’s time to begin. You’ll need to position each of the sliders under the legs of each of your heavy and bulky furniture pieces or appliances – such as a sofa, dresser, or a table.
The first step is to measure the distance from the end of the slider to the base of each of the furniture legs. The sliders should be at least twice as wide as the legs so they can distribute the weight evenly and make it easier for you to move the heavy item.
After you’ve measured the distance between the sliders and the furniture legs, it’s time to place them underneath the legs of each of your heavy and bulky items. Remember to use only a few sliders per leg or side of the piece of furniture you’re going to move – the heavier the item, the more you’ll need.
Once you’ve placed all the sliders underneath your furniture, it’s time to start pushing that big and heavy thing – or the furniture pieces or appliances – in the direction you want it to go – usually towards the doorway. As long as you’re doing it slowly and gently, the whole process should be a breeze.
