Rolling Option for Large Cabinet?

[Joe Gorleski]

I built an entertainment center many years ago that is roughly 14 ft wide. Since it sits on a hardwood floor, I put rollers/casters under the base so that it can be moved away from the wall periodically for cleaning. The rollers are mounted in a way that keeps the base trim about 3/16" off the floor.

Now I want to move the entertainment center to a room that has carpet. I know the rollers I used will not work on a carpet with padding under it. Carpet sliders wont work because I can even lift this thing!

Any ideas as to what I can use to allow the whole thing to roll a bit on carpet?

[Jamie Buxton]

You ever heard of air sled appliance movers? It slides under an appliance like a big refrigerator, and lifts it with air pressure. When it is lifted, the appliance moves easily. The air source is compact -- like the motor portion of a vacuum cleaner. There are quite a few manufacturers, and they do come in different sizes. Here's a link to a video of one in operation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrJZGEd0X2g

[Lee Schierer]

I think your only option would be to put a shim under all the casters or replace them with taller ones. You cold move it into position on strips of plywood, but moving it again once the plywood is gone will be hard.

[Chris Parks]

You ever heard of air sled appliance movers? It slides under an appliance like a big refrigerator, and lifts it with air pressure. When it is lifted, the appliance moves easily. The air source is compact -- like the motor portion of a vacuum cleaner. There are quite a few manufacturers, and they do come in different sizes. Here's a link to a video of one in operation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrJZGEd0X2g

Air sleds will only work on smooth hard surfaces and certainly not carpet.

[Phil Mueller]

Never used one, but the video shows plastic shims that apparently will make it work on carpet.

[Joe Gorleski]

I'm thinking of putting a small system of air bladders under the whole cabinet and then inflating them to lift the whole unit so I can put carpet sliders under it to slide it out. Or, if I can lift it high enough with air bladders then I can slide some 3/4" plywood under the casters so it will roll out when I remove the air from the bladders.

Any one think that is a usable idea?

[Lee Schierer]

The problem you might encounter with air bladders is stability as it starts to leave the floor. Uneven weight distribution might result in tipping. You might want to only lift one end at a time.