Toppling furniture is a real hazard, especially around small children. The fix is cheap, quick and permanent.
What the safety regulator says
Product Safety Australia (the ACCC) advises securing furniture and TVs to walls or floors, keeping heavy items low, not placing heavy things on top of furniture, and discouraging children from climbing it. It has also warned that drawers pulled out as steps can tip a chest forward. Suppliers are now required to warn buyers about the risk, and anchoring kits are cheap and available at hardware stores.
What needs anchoring
- Tall bookcases and shelving
- Chests of drawers and tallboys
- Wardrobes
- TV units and TVs on stands
- Anything top-heavy, or likely to be climbed on
How it's done
A bracket or strap goes from the furniture to the wall, fixed into a stud or masonry with anchors suited to the wall. Stud fixings are strongest. In brick and concrete, masonry anchors do the job. Fixings in thin plasterboard without a stud behind them aren't reliable.
Renters
The ACCC advises renters to ask the landlord or agent for permission. Fixings leave small holes, which can be filled and painted at the end of the lease. Our rental checklist covers patching.
Other tips
- Put the heaviest items in the bottom drawers and shelves.
- Fit drawer locks if there are young kids around.
- Don't put a TV on furniture that wasn't designed for it.
We wall-fix furniture as part of flat-pack assembly and wardrobe and bed assembly, or as a stand-alone job.
What to send
A photo of the furniture and the wall behind it, plus what it's made of. For a rental, add whether you have permission to fix it.