How to fix wobbly flat-pack furniture

• Allen key or screwdriver
• Tape measure
• Spirit level
• Felt pads or adjustable glides
• Small hammer

Before you start, lay everything out on a soft surface (the flattened box works) and check it against the parts list in your manual.

• All bolts, cam locks and screws
• The back panel and its nails or clips
• Feet or glides

1. 1

   Step 1: Check the floor first: put the piece somewhere else, or check the floor with a spirit level. If it only rocks in one spot, the floor is the cause.

2. 2

   Step 2: Tighten every bolt, screw and cam lock, using firm but not maximum force.

3. 3

   Step 3: On cabinets and shelving, measure the diagonals across the back. If they differ, loosen the back panel, push the frame square and refix the back all the way around.

4. 4

   Step 4: Add any missing nails or clips to the back panel; a back fixed at only a few points does not brace the frame.

5. 5

   Step 5: Fit adjustable glides or felt pads under the feet, and adjust them until the piece stands firm.

6. 6

   Step 6: For tall pieces that still sway a little, fix them to the wall.

• Wedging folded paper under a foot when the real problem is a loose joint.
• Overtightening cam locks, which cracks the chipboard and makes the joint looser.
• Ignoring a back panel that has come loose.