Stop a wardrobe or bookcase wobbling — HomeGraft

Fix a wobbling wardrobe or bookcase to the wall safely, using the right anchor for your wall type.

AB-01Check the real cause firstMost wobbles come from an uneven floor or a loose flatpack joint, not a wall problem. Stand a spirit level against the side of the wardrobe or bookcase and check it is upright. Tighten every visible screw, cam lock and back-panel fixing. If it still rocks after this, you need a wall fixing to stop it tipping.

1 each · Spirit level

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 each · Screwdriver set

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 pack · Furniture shims/wedges

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

AB-02Choose the right anti-tip kitBuy an anti-tip strap or bracket kit made for furniture. Check the label for a weight rating and pick one rated for the piece fully loaded, not empty. Kits usually include screws suited to timber, but you'll need to add your own fixings for masonry, metal stud or dot-and-dab walls.

1 each · Anti-tip strap/bracket kit

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

AB-03Clear and prepare the furnitureEmpty the top shelf or any heavy items near the top, since the piece may tip while you work on it. Move the wardrobe or bookcase a short way from the wall so you can reach the back. Ask someone to help steady it if it's tall or heavy.

1 each · Dust sheet

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

AB-04Work out what's behind the wallRun a stud detector or a magnet over the wall where you plan to fix. A magnet sticks to the screw heads that hold plasterboard to a stud, so tracking a neat vertical line finds the stud's centre. Tap along the wall: solid brick or block sounds dull and solid throughout, a timber or metal stud wall sounds hollow between studs and solid at each stud line, and dot-and-dab sounds hollow like a stud wall but has solid masonry behind it a little further in. If you're still unsure, drill a small 3mm pilot hole - timber dust means a timber stud, fine grey swarf means a metal stud, and brick or block dust means solid masonry.

1 each · Stud detector

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 each · Small magnet

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 each · 3mm drill bit

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

AB-05Safety check before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere in a wall, not just in the zones you might have heard of. Use a cable and pipe detector, but still treat the wall as live until you prove otherwise - detectors miss deep cables, cables in metal conduit, anything behind metal-backed plasterboard, and a metal stud frame can confuse a cheap detector further. Find your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns before you start, so you can shut off the water fast if you hit a pipe. If you have any doubt, isolate the circuit at the consumer unit before drilling.

1 each · Cable and pipe detector

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

AB-06Mark and drill: timber or metal stud wallsFor a timber stud, drill a 3mm pilot hole into the centre of the stud and drive a 50mm wood screw through the bracket. For a metal stud, never use a wood screw or plastic plug - they strip straight through 0.5mm steel; use a self-drilling metal-stud screw or a toggle-type hollow-wall anchor rated for the strap's pull load instead. If you can't land on a stud at all, use a toggle or hollow-wall anchor sized for the board thickness and rated for the weight, fixed into the plasterboard itself. A metal stud fixing alone won't hold a heavy piece that pulls away from the wall - for a tall, heavy or fully loaded wardrobe, fix through to a noggin between the studs, or through the board into solid masonry behind if there is any.

4 each · Wood screws 50mm

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

4 each · Self-drilling metal stud screws

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

4 each · Toggle/hollow-wall anchors

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

AB-07Mark and drill: solid masonry, dot-and-dab and lath and plasterFor solid brick or block, drill a 6mm hole 50mm deep with a masonry bit, push in a wall plug, then drive a countersunk screw through the bracket. For dot-and-dab plasterboard, use a fixing long enough to pass through the board and the dab bed and bite into the masonry behind - usually 75-90mm - or a plasterboard anchor rated for the load if you land between the dabs. For lath and plaster, don't trust a plug in the plaster alone; find the timber laths or a stud behind with a pilot hole and screw into solid timber, since old lime plaster crumbles under load.

4 each · Wall plugs (red/brown)

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 each · Masonry drill bit 6mm

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

4 each · Long fixing screws 75-90mm

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

AB-08Fix the strap or bracket to the furnitureScrew the other end of the bracket or strap to the back panel or top rail of the wardrobe or bookcase, following the kit's instructions. Use the screws supplied with the kit where the panel is solid timber or thick MDF, since flatpack backs are often thin hardboard. If the back panel feels flimsy under a screwdriver, fix into a solid side panel or the top rail instead.

AB-09Test the fixing and tidy upPush and pull gently on the top of the wardrobe or bookcase to check it no longer rocks or tips forward. Push the furniture back against the wall so the strap sits with a little slack, not stretched tight. Put shelves and belongings back, then vacuum up any dust from drilling.

1 each · Vacuum cleaner

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

Some links may earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Save this as a project

Back to all guides