Shepherd Hardware 9091 2-Inch Carpet Base Furniture Cups, 4-Pack,Brown

Why I reached for these

Protecting hardwood and vinyl floors from the slow grind of everyday furniture use is harder than it should be. Stick-on felt pads wear down, rubber grippers can leave residues, and caster wheels are notorious for tiny scratches. I picked up a set of Shepherd’s 2-inch furniture cups to see if a simple, drop-in solution—rigid cups with a carpeted base—could handle both protection and ease of movement for heavier pieces in my home.

Design and build

Each cup is a dark brown metal saucer with a gray, carpet-like underside that makes contact with the floor. The inside diameter is 1-3/4 inches, so anything you rest in the cup needs to fit within that footprint. The metal construction is the key difference from plastic or felt-only options: it doesn’t compress, it spreads weight well, and it doesn’t deform over time under heavy loads. The carpeted underside is dense and tightly bonded, acting as a buffer between the metal and hard surfaces while providing a low-friction layer that slides more easily than rubber.

Aesthetic-wise, they’re understated. The brown blends reasonably well under darker furniture and flooring, and the low profile keeps them from drawing attention. You’re not buying these to showcase, but they don’t look like shop hardware either. They come in a four-pack, which is perfect for a sofa, credenza, bed frame casters, or a small stand.

Setup and fit

There’s no adhesive, no screws, and no fasteners to fiddle with—you simply place the cups where you want the feet or casters to sit and lower the furniture into them. The most important task is measuring. Because the inside diameter is 1-3/4 inches, you’ll want feet or casters that are a hair smaller than that dimension for a snug, centered fit.

A couple of quick fit tips:
- For square or rectangular legs, measure diagonally; that’s the dimension that has to fit inside the round cup.
- For tapered legs, make sure the point of contact lies within the cup’s well so the leg doesn’t rest on the rim.
- For casters, these work best with hard-wheel furniture casters or bed rollers that drop neatly into the cups.

Performance on different floors

I tested the cups on sealed oak, matte-finish engineered wood, and click-lock vinyl plank. In each case, they did exactly what I wanted: they provided a stable base that didn’t mark or scuff, even under heavy weight.

• Hardwood: Under a sofa and a steel-frame aquarium stand, the cups prevented the micro-scratches that typically appear as finish haze along traffic paths. The carpet undersides glided enough for small adjustments without catching grit and dragging it across the surface. I still recommend wiping or vacuuming the floor before placement to keep abrasive particles out of the equation.
• Vinyl plank: The cups distributed weight well and didn’t leave telltale denting or rings. I liked the subtle “float” you get with the carpet layer; you can nudge a heavy piece without the violent jerk that rubber can cause.
• Tile: The cups sit flush and slide less on grout lines than you’d expect, but they won’t correct an uneven floor. On very slick tile, they still behave predictably—no sudden “skate”—but expect a little more glide compared to wood.

One immediate quality-of-life change: moving a loaded couch for cleaning became a one-person job. With the cups in place, I could slide the couch a few inches at a time without worrying about gouging.

Mobility versus grip

These cups strike a clear balance: they’re more “slider” than “gripper.” If you want your furniture to be easy to reposition on hard floors, the carpeted underside shines. The trade-off is that they don’t lock furniture in place. If you need a non-slip solution—for example, dining chairs that are constantly being pushed and pulled—these aren’t ideal. Chairs lift and shift frequently, and because the cups aren’t attached, they can get left behind or misaligned. For seating, I’d opt for rubber-bottomed protectors that adhere directly to the legs.

For stationary or semi-stationary pieces—sofas, credenzas, beds, aquarium stands, pianos, file cabinets—these are excellent. They reduce friction enough to reposition when needed, without turning heavy furniture into a runaway sled.

Load handling and stability

The rigid metal construction is confidence-inspiring under heavy loads. I parked a steel aquarium stand (with tank) on four cups and saw no deformation or creeping over time. The dish shape centers legs and casters reliably, and the metal rim is stout enough that feet don’t “chew” into it. Because the underside is carpet rather than foam, the interface doesn’t compress into a permanent groove, which helps preserve stability and height.

One small watch-out: if your furniture has rubber feet with a high coefficient of friction, you may need to lift rather than drag the piece to seat the feet into the cups. Once nested, they’re rock solid.

Durability and maintenance

Compared to stick-on felt pads that start shedding in weeks, the carpet base here is far more durable. It doesn’t peel or migrate, and the surface fibers don’t mushroom out the way cheap felt does. Long-term, the biggest risk is trapped grit. Check and clean around the cups occasionally—especially after moving furniture—to keep sand or debris from becoming a scratching hazard. A quick pass with a handheld vacuum and a damp microfiber cloth around the cup’s footprint goes a long way.

The metal finish resists dings, and even if you do scuff a rim, it’s unlikely to impact performance since the underside stays carpeted and in contact with the floor.

Where these shine

• Heavy or valuable pieces on hardwood, laminate, vinyl, or tile
• Bed frames and casters that tend to track or scuff
• Sofas and cabinets where occasional repositioning is useful
• Situations where adhesives aren’t desirable (rental units, antique finishes)

Limitations and gotchas

• Not ideal for frequently lifted or shifted chairs; they’re not attached and may get left behind
• The 1-3/4-inch inside diameter limits compatibility with wider legs; measure carefully
• They offer modest glide; if you need ultra-low friction for frequent sliding, dedicated furniture sliders with PTFE or polymer bases may move more freely
• If you want anti-slip, look for rubber-bottom cups instead

None of these are dealbreakers—just a reminder that the right protector depends on how you use the furniture.

Value and alternatives

As a simple, reusable, drop-in protector, these are hard to beat. They’re more robust than felt pads, cleaner and more floor-friendly than bare casters, and they avoid the mess and imprecision of adhesives. If your primary goal is stationary grip, consider rubber-bottom cups. If you’re rearranging rooms weekly, look at PTFE sliders. For most everyday scenarios—especially for sizeable pieces—these cups hit a sweet spot of protection, durability, and convenience.

Practical tips

• Measure before you buy; for square legs, use the diagonal dimension to ensure fit
• Clean the floor under each cup before placement to prevent trapped grit
• Seat each leg fully into the cup to avoid rim contact
• For long-term setups, mark positions with painter’s tape, then remove once placed to keep everything aligned

Bottom line

The Shepherd 2-inch furniture cups do exactly what I needed: they protect hard floors from scratches and wear while making heavy furniture manageable to move. The rigid metal body gives them a load-bearing confidence felt pads can’t match, and the carpeted underside is kinder to finishes than bare metal or rubber. They’re not the right tool for chairs or situations where you need non-slip anchoring, and the 1-3/4-inch inside diameter requires some attention to sizing. But for sofas, stands, bed frames, and other substantial pieces, they’re a straightforward, durable solution.

Recommendation: I recommend these cups for anyone looking to protect hard-surface floors under medium to heavy furniture without resorting to adhesives or rubber grippers. They offer reliable protection, make occasional repositioning easy, and hold up well over time. If you need non-slip performance for frequently moved seating, choose a rubber-bottom alternative; otherwise, these are a smart, low-maintenance upgrade.