Glides vs. tube inserts

The differences between glides and tube inserts might appear subtle at first glance. Both of these components play pivotal roles in enhancing functionality and durability, while offering unique benefits. In this guide, we’ll look at the different facets of glides and tube inserts to help you understand when you should use each. We’ll cover:  

What are glides?
Other applications & industries 
What are tube inserts?
Applications & industries 
What’s the difference between glides and tube inserts?
Tube gauge chart

What are glides?

Furniture glides are small attachments placed on the feet or bottom of furniture legs to:
●    Move furniture easily: Glides create a low-friction surface, allowing the end user to slide furniture across the floor without much effort. 

●    Protect floors: The smooth surface of the glides helps prevent scratches, dents, and other damage that can happen when furniture is dragged across a floor.

●    Reduce noise: Glides reduce noise by allowing furniture to slide silently across the floor instead of catching and scraping, which creates annoying, screeching sounds.
 

Nail-in glides are another option, perfect for wooden furniture. Glides can also be screwed in. Another type of glide, called base caps, or press-fit glides, knock into place on the furniture legs, which can be made of any material. 

View our Range of Glides

Other applications & industries  

Glides are used across various industries, and not just furniture as we’ve already discussed. Let’s look at where else you’ll find them, and their uses.  

●    Machinery and manufacturing: Furniture glides are used on machinery parts that need to slide smoothly against each other to reduce friction and wear. They can be found in conveyor systems, drawers, and other mechanical components.

●    Consumer electronics: Furniture glides are used on the bottom of electronic devices such as laptops and keyboards to prevent scratches on surfaces and allow for easier movement.

●    Consumer appliances: The use of glides is limited here, but some toasters, blenders, and other small appliances on the countertop may use glides on the bottom to prevent them from sliding around easily. Some refrigerators, washing machines, and dryers may even have glides on their feet to allow for easier positioning during installation or maintenance.

All tube inserts serve two functions:
●    Finishing touch: Tube inserts provide a clean and aesthetically pleasing closure for the ends of tubes, often used in furniture like tables, chairs, and light-duty machinery. 

●    Protection: They can act as a protective cap, preventing dust, dirt, or debris from entering the tube. This is especially useful for applications where the tube might be exposed to the elements or used in dusty environments.

Some tube inserts incorporate additional features such as:
●    Threads: Threaded inserts, as shown here, allow you to attach other components, like levelling feet or castors, to the tube for a secure connection. 

●    Glides: Some inserts have built-in glides or pads on the bottom to protect floors from scratches and reduce noise when moving furniture.

You might find it helpful to check out our guide, What's the difference between glides and castors?
 

View our Range of Tube Inserts

Applications & industries

Let's explore how tube inserts contribute to functionality and aesthetics in different sectors:

Furniture industry: Tube inserts are commonly used in items such as chairs, tables, desks, and shelving units. They serve to provide a finished look to the ends of metal or plastic tubing, prevent damage to floors by acting as protective caps, and add stability to the furniture. Specific uses include chair leg inserts, table foot caps, and glides for easier movement.

Construction and building: Used in scaffolding, railings, handrails, and fencing. Their primary functions are to reinforce the ends of tubes, prevent debris from entering the tubes, and offer protection from wear and corrosion. Specific applications include end caps for metal posts, railing inserts, and protective caps for scaffolding pipes.

Manufacturing and industrial equipment: Ideal in machinery frameworks, conveyor systems, and industrial racking. Tube inserts enhance structural integrity, reduce vibration and noise, and protect internal surfaces from damage. Specific uses include inserts for machinery legs, caps for conveyor supports, and protective ends for industrial racks.

Automotive Industry: Tube inserts are used in automotive assembly lines and vehicle components. They provide protection, reduce noise and vibration, and improve the aesthetic appearance of exposed tube ends. Specific applications include inserts for roll cages and protective caps for exposed tube ends in vehicle frames.

Sports and recreation equipment: Used in gym equipment, playground structures, and outdoor recreational gear. They provide a safe and smooth finish, protect against injury from sharp edges, and prevent dirt and moisture ingress. Specific uses include end caps for gym equipment, inserts for playground swings and slides, and protective caps for outdoor benches.

Retail and commercial displays: Used in display stands, shelving units, and retail fixtures. They enhance the aesthetic appeal, provide stability, and protect against wear and tear. Specific applications include inserts for display rack ends, protective caps for shelving units, and glides for movable display stands.

Healthcare and medical equipment: Tube inserts are used in hospital beds, mobility aids, and medical apparatus. They ensure smooth and safe surfaces, provide protection from damage, and improve mobility. Specific uses include end caps for bed frames, inserts for walker legs, and protective caps for medical carts.

What’s the difference between glides and tube inserts?

This table provides a clear comparison between tube inserts and glides, highlighting their differences.
 

Feature	Tube Inserts	Glides
Primary Function	Sealing, reinforcement, providing threaded connections, finishing ends	Facilitating smooth movement, protecting floors, adding stability
Applications	Furniture, construction, manufacturing, automotive, various industries	Furniture, some light industrial applications
Examples	Chair leg inserts, end caps for metal posts, protective caps for industrial racks	Chair glides, table leg glides, furniture foot pads
Purpose	Multifunctional: sealing, protection, structural integrity, threaded connections	Specific: smooth movement, floor protection, noise reduction
Industries Used	Furniture, construction, manufacturing, automotive, sports and recreation, healthcare, retail	Primarily furniture, also in industrial settings where equipment needs to move without damage
Design Consideration	Designed for structural integrity, protection, and functional enhancements Threaded connections, press fit	Designed to minimise friction, reduce noise, and protect surfaces Press fit, self-adhesion, screw in, nail in
Installation	Threaded connections, press fit	Press fit, self-adhesion, screw in, nail in

Tube gauge chart  

The term "tube gauge" typically refers to the measurement of the wall thickness of a tube. It’s a standardised way to describe the thickness of the material from which the tube is made. The gauge number is inversely related to the thickness: the higher the gauge number, the thinner the tube wall. 

TUBE GAUGE CHART (WEIGHT PER LINEAR FOOT)
Round:	19GA .042 Nom	18GA .049 Nom	17GA .058 Nom	16GA .065 Nom	15GA .072 Nom	14G..083 Nom	13GA .095 Nom	12GA .109 Nom	11GA .120 Nom	10GA .134 Nom	9GA .148 Nom	8GA .165 Nom	7GA .180 Nom
5/8″ O.D.  .6250	.2615	.3014	.3512	.3888	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
3/4″ O.D.  .7500	.3176	.3668	.4287	.4755	.5214	.5913	.6646	.7462	-	-	-	-	-
3/4″ O.D. .8400	.3580	.4139	.4844	.5380	.5096	.6710	.7559	.8510	-	-	-	-	-
7/8″ O.D.  .8750	.3737	.4323	.5061	.5623	.6175	.7021	.7914	.8917	-	-	-	-	-
15/16″ O.D.  .9375	.4017	.4650	.5448	.6057	.6655	.7575	.8548	.9645	-	-	-	-	-
1″ O.D.  1.0000	.4297	.4977	.5835	.6491	.7136	.8129	.9182	1.0372	-	-	-	-	-
1″ O.D.  1.0500	.4521	.5238	.6145	.6838	.7520	.8572	.9689	1.0954	-	-	-	-	-
1 1/8″ O.D.  1.1250	.4858	.5631	.6609	.7359	.8097	.9237	1.0450	1.1827	-	-	-	-	-
1 1/4″ O.D.  1.2500	.5419	.6285	.7834	.8226	.9058	1.0345	1.1719	1.3283	1.448	-	-	-	-
1 1/4″ O.D.  1.3150	.5710	.6625	.7786	.8678	.9558	1.0921	1.2378	1.4039	1.531	-	-	-	-
1 3/8″ O.D.  1.3750	.5979	.6939	.8158	.9094	1.0020	1.1453	1.2987	1.47738	1.608	-	-	-	-
1 1/2″ O.D.  1.5000	.6540	.7593	.8932	.9962	1.0981	1.2561	1.4255	1.6193	1.769	-	-	-	-
1 9/16″ O.D.  1.5625	.6820	.7920	.9319	1.040	1.146	1.311	1.489	1.692	1.849	-	-	-	-
1 5/8″ O.D.  1.6250	.7101	.8248	.9707	1.0830	1.1943	1.3669	1.5523	1.7648	1.929	-	-	-	-
1 5/8″ O.D.  1.6600	.7258	.8431	.9923	1.1072	1.2211	1.3979	1.5878	1.0856	1.934	-	-	-	-
1 3/4″ O.D. 1.7500	.7661	.8902	1.0481	1.1697	1.2903	1.4777	1.6792	1.9103	2.089	-	-	-	-
1 7/8″ O.D. 1.8750	.8222	.9555	1.255	1.2565	1.3864	1.5885	1.8060	2.0558	2.249	-	-	-	-
1 7/8″ O.D. 1.9000	.8334	.9687	1.1410	1.2739	1.4057	1.6107	1.8314	2.0849	2.281	-	-	-	-
2″ O.D. 2.0000	.8783	1.0210	1.2030	1.3433	1.4826	1.6993	1.9328	2.2014	2.4094	2.6705	2.9273	3.2336	-
2 1/8″ O.D. 2.1250	.9344	1.0864	1.2804	1.4301	1.5787	1.8101	2.0596	2.3469	-	-	-	-	-
2 1/4″ O.D. 2.2500	.9904	1.518	1.3578	1.5168	1.6748	1.9209	2.1865	2.4924	-	-	-	-	-
2 3/8″ O.D. 2.3750	1.0465	1.2172	1.4352	1.6036	1.7709	2.0317	2.3133	2.638	2.890	3.207	3.520	3.894	4.220
2 1/2″ O.D. 2.2500	1.1026	1.2827	1.5127	1.6904	1.8670	2.1425	2.4401	2.7834	3.0502	3.3864	3.7177	4.1147	4.460
2 3/4″ O.D. 2.7500	1.2147	1.4135	1.6675	1.8639	2.0593	2.3641	2.6938	3.0744	3.3706	3.7438	4.1128	4.5553	4.941
3″ O.D. 3.0000	-	1.5443	1.8224	2.0375	2.2515	2.5857	2.9474	3.3655	3.6910	4.1016	4.5080	4.9958	5.421
3 1/4″ O.D. 3.2500	-	-	1.9773	2.2110	2.4438	2.8074	3.2011	3.6565	4.0114	4.4594	4.9031	5.4364	5.902
3 1/2″ O.D. 3.5000	-	-	2.1321	2.3846	2.6360	3.0205	3.4722	3.9620	4.5296	4.9726	5.5327	6.0886	6.7580
4″ O.D. 4.0000	-	-	2.4418	2.7317	3.0205	3.4722	3.9620	4.5296	4.9726	5.5327	6.0886	6.7580	7.344
4 1/2″ O.D. 4.5000	-	-	2.7516	3.0788	3.4050	3.9154	4.4693	5.1117	5.6134	6.2483	6.8789	7.6391	8.305
5″ O.D. 5.0000	-	-	3.0613	3.4529	3.7894	4.3586	4.9766	5.6937	6.2542	6.9638	7.6693	8.5202	9.266

Our experts explain how to measure for tube inserts and also present a tube gauge chart in our helpful Guide to Tube Inserts. 

Try before you buy

You can request free samples (some exclusions apply) to make sure the tube inserts and glides you’ve chosen are exactly what you need. If you’re not quite sure which solution will work best for your application, our experts are always happy to advise you.

Whatever your requirements, you can depend on fast dispatch. 

Request Free Samples

 

Depending on your application, you might find it helpful to learn about other components you’ll need. Read our helpful Guide to Furniture and Cabinet Locks.

Questions?

Email us at sales@essentracomponents.co.uk or speak to one of our experts for further information on the ideal solution for your application 0345 528 0474.