Phenolic Wheels

Standard phenolic ratings

Rated -50 to 250°F, 90 Shore D where listed. Several bore-specific listings (3, 3-1/4, 4 and 5 in) show bore and bearing but no load rating; check those listings or call [S1].

Heat ratings by material

Product fields [S1].

Acorn's selection guide gives a similar -65 to 250°F range for standard phenolic [S2]. Above 250°F, step to the hi-temp phenolic or glass-filled nylon rows above.

Where phenolic works, and where it does not

• Works: heavy carts on smooth concrete, die and parts carts, bakery and food racks near ovens, and areas with oil and grease. Hamilton lists phenolic as a low-cost way to carry heavy loads without damaging floors in intermittent service, and notes it is non-marking and resists oil, grease and common solvents [S3].
• Avoid: wet floors and washdown. Colson does not recommend phenolic where moisture is present [S4]. Use nylon or polyolefin there.
• Avoid: rough floors, floor plates and dropped loads. A hard resin wheel can chip or crack under shock.
• Avoid: continuous use at high speed. Hamilton frames phenolic for intermittent service [S3].

Choosing a phenolic wheel

1. Pick by temperature first: 250°F standard, 475°F hi-temp phenolic, 550°F glass-filled nylon.
2. Then pick width for load. At 6 in, going from 2 in to 3 in wide lifts the rating from 1,200 to 2,000 lb.
3. Match the bore and bearing. Several listings are sold by bore size (3/8, 1/2, 3/4 in) with roller bearings.

Whole casters for ovens are in bakery and oven casters.

Phenolic wheel questions

Jordan Wilson, CasterHQ · reviewed October 26, 2026 · 844-439-4335 · info@casterhq.com

Sources

• [S1] CasterHQ product fields (rated load, diameter, width, wheel and core material, temperature range, mount) and product descriptions for the items on this page, pulled October 26, 2026.
• [S2] Acorn standard wheel selection guide PDF (acornindprod.com): mold-on rubber 140 to 2,800 lb, soft rubber 125 to 360 lb, phenolic -65 to 250°F, cast iron -40 to 800°F, forged steel 1,400 to 20,000 lb.
• [S3] Hamilton Caster, Industrial Caster Wheels overview and Phenolic & Polyolefin page (hamiltoncaster.com/Wheels): capacity range and use notes for each wheel family; phenolic is resin with macerated canvas, polyolefin is blended polymers such as polyethylene and polypropylene.
• [S4] Colson D4 Defender stainless datasheet (colsoncaster.com): rubber is floor protective, shock absorbing and quiet; nylon handles temperature and moisture; phenolic is not recommended where moisture is present.