Choosing new castor wheels for your wheelchair is an important decision, as it can end up having an effect on how well the chair functions. It can also affect the floors where you attempt to roll the chair, meaning you'll have to get castor wheels that work on your particular flooring without damaging it. One of the most important things when choosing new castor wheels is what material you want them to be to suit your specific needs. In order to do that, you need to be aware of the qualities of the different castor wheel materials.

Nylon

Nylon is a very common material used to create castor wheels. As it is common, it's quite easy to get a hold of wheels even for specialised castors. Wheels like these can have some rolling resistance you need to account for, which is why they're best used on hard, smooth surfaces. However, as nylon is resistant to moisture, you can use wheels like these outdoors without risking the quality of the wheels. A downside of nylon castor wheels is that the material in combination with plastic or laminate flooring can create some squeaking noises as you're using your wheelchair. This doesn't affect the quality of the wheels, but it can be annoying. 

Rubber

Another common material to use for wheelchair castor wheels is rubber. This is a durable and soft material that can be used on very hard flooring such as concrete, as the rubber makes the wheels shock absorbent. If you choose rubber wheels for your wheelchair, you need to be careful with what colour you choose for them. Black rubber can leave marks on light flooring, which is why you should pick a light coloured rubber. You should also avoid rubber if you need to use your wheelchair in moist environments frequently, as rubber can crack and distort if it gets wet.

Polyurethane

Polyurethane is another material often used to create castor wheels for wheelchairs. This is a rather expensive material, meaning you'll have to spend a little more for these types of wheels than other types. It is, however, good for most types of floors and can also stand to be used outdoors frequently. Another upside of this material is that it's soft enough to not create squeaky noises on hard floors, but hard enough to be operational also on soft or muddy surfaces. Wheels like these are also unlikely to create marks on any type of floor, regardless of what colour you choose for them.