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Make sure your furniture doesn't tip over

No one wants to experience an accident at home. Overturning furniture, such as a chest of drawers, can cause serious or even life-threatening injuries to both children and adults. That's why they must be attached to the wall. Here you can read more about tipping accidents and how you can prevent them simply by fixing your chest of drawers to the wall.

Illustration of an unsecured chest of drawers tipping over a child who has pulled out all the drawers.

What causes tip-overs?

Some causes are illustrated below. Remember also that an uneven or leaning floor, the edge of a carpet or rug, and soft or thick carpets and rugs can also cause instability and tipping accidents.

Illustration of an unsecured chest of drawers tipping over a man who has pulled out all the drawers.

Opening all the drawers at the same time in search of something. This makes the centre of gravity of the chest of drawers shift outside the base of the furniture and it tips over.

Illustration of an unsecured chest of drawers with a TV and a toy on top, tipping over a child climbing the drawers.

Using the drawers as a ladder to reach an object. Putting a toy or some other attraction on top could tempt a child to climb up.

Putting a heavy object on top of a chest of drawers increases the tip-over hazard.

Illustration of an unsecured dresser tipping over a child hanging from a drawer.

Pulling or hanging from a drawer for fun.

Illustration of an unsecured dresser tipping over a child sitting in a drawer.

Sitting in a drawer during play.

Illustration of an unsecured chest of drawers tipping over a child who has pulled out all the drawers.

Opening all the drawers at the same time out of curiosity. This makes the centre of gravity of the chest of drawers shift outside the base of the furniture, and it tips over.

Illustration of an unsecured chest of drawers tipping over a kneeling woman pulling a drawer.

Leaning on a drawer for support or to rise up from the floor.

The science behind tipping accidents

Illustration showing how the center of gravity of an unsecured dresser shifts, causing the dresser to tip over.

When we develop furniture, we do everything we can to make it as stable and safe as possible. But we can’t outsmart the laws of physics. Like the fact that when the centre of gravity of a piece of furniture shifts outside the base of the furniture, it will tip over if it is not secured. Or the fact that a pulled-out drawer works like a lever.

Illustration showing how a lever works. It shows a large and a small child playing on a seesaw.

Because of the physics of levers, even a small weight can shift the centre of gravity a lot if the weight is applied to a pulled-out drawer (or an open door). So a small child who stands, sits or climbs on an open drawer can make a large chest of drawers tip over if it’s not secured – despite the child’s low weight.

Illustration of an unsecured chest of drawers with a TV and a toy on top, tipping over a child climbing the drawers.

Children and tipping chests of drawers

Children are curious and creative, always learning and discovering. This helps make children aged 1-7 years more accident-prone. And the smallest ones, aged 1-4 years, are most at risk of serious injuries. That’s why a chest of drawers – no matter what model or size – can be a hazard if it isn’t secured to the wall. There are many examples where children have pulled out one or several drawers and pulled themselves up, climbed up, hung on or climbed into them.

Illustration of an unsecured chest of drawers falling over a man and a woman.

Adults and tipping chests of drawers

We adults are at risk, too, not just children. We sometimes open several drawers at the same time. Other times we put too many or too heavy things in the front of the drawers. In these cases, the centre of gravity shifts outside the base of the furniture, and it tips over. Leaning on a drawer for support or when we get up from the floor can also cause tipping.

Secure your chest of drawers, simple and safe

When you buy an IKEA chest of drawers you must always follow the assembly instructions and secure it with the accompanying attachment devices. They’re easy to mount, and screws and plugs are included. Just fill the holes with putty when you want to move your chest of drawers, or are moving to another home.

If you need new attachment screws and plugs for your IKEA product, you can order them for free here. The part number of the mounting kit is 326949.

Illustration of a screw screwed through a layer of material, such as plaster and wood.

Drywall with available studs

Fastener:
Screw directly into studs. For example, 5 mm wood screw from the IKEA FIXA screw and plug set.

Illustration of a screw screwed into a wall made of a solid material, such as brick. The screw is inside a wall plug.

Masonry

Fastener :
Solid wall: Plug with screw. For example, the 8 mm plug from the IKEA FIXA screw and plug set.
Hollow wall: Screw with barbs.

Illustration of a screw inside a wall plug that has been screwed into a drywall or other material.

Drywall without available studs

Fastener:
Plug with screw. For example, the 8 mm plug from the IKEA FIXA screw and plug set.

The screws and plugs that come with the IKEA product can be used for most solid and hollow walls. For solid wood, use screws without plugs. If you need extra screws and plugs, you will find various sets in the IKEA range. Contact professionals if you are not sure what you need.

See how easy it is!

Do you want to know how to attach your furniture to the wall?

Watch this short film.

If you’re finished here and want to get back to finding the right chest of drawers for you, use the link below.

See all chests of drawers