Young kids often get into things they shouldn’t. If you place something high on a shelf to keep it out of reach, your determined toddler may try to get it when you’re not looking.
Even if you put things that your child might find tempting in cabinets or drawers so they’re hidden from view, that may not be enough. Some kids think climbing on furniture is fun and don’t understand the danger.
An accident involving tipped-over furniture can happen in a second and seriously injure a child. Fallen furniture can also harm an adult who tries to prevent an accident or a pet that happens to be nearby.
A piece of furniture or a TV can tip over if an earthquake strikes. If you have kids or you live in an area that’s prone to earthquakes, furniture that could tip over should be anchored to walls.
How do Furniture Anchors Work?
Anchoring kits usually consist of two brackets. One is screwed into a wall and the other is secured to the back of a piece of furniture. A strap or cable connects the two brackets to hold the furniture securely against the wall.
Sometimes furniture is sold with an anchoring kit. If you have furniture that didn’t include a kit, or if the strap isn’t made of a durable material such as nylon webbing or braided steel cable, buy a separate anchoring kit.
Be sure to use brackets that are designed for securing furniture to a wall. Other types of brackets, such as those that are meant for anchoring artwork, aren’t strong enough to hold a heavy piece of furniture in place.
How can You Secure Furniture?
If your home has walls made of drywall, figure out where you want to place the furniture, then use a stud finder to locate a stud that runs behind that location. Mark the wall where the stud and the height of the furniture intersect.
Follow the instructions that were included with the anchoring kit to figure out exactly where to position the brackets. Use a wood screw to secure one bracket in the wall and attach an anchor to the furniture by screwing it into a thick piece of wood near the top of the furniture. Then, connect the two brackets with the strap or cable that came with the anchoring kit.
If your house has plaster walls, you may have to use a magnetic stud finder to figure out where to screw a bracket into the wall. Securing furniture to a wall made of concrete or brick is more challenging. If you don’t have the appropriate tools and training, hire a contractor.
