Question on fixing bookcase

[Stephen Clem]

I recently built a bookcase for my second project and have already completed the finish. First problem, it wobbles. I wanted to get some feedback from you all to come up with the best method of leveling a piece of furniture. In my case, the bookcase wobbles from the front right corner to the back left corner; those two corners never touch the floor at the same time.

My next question relates to safety. This is going in my son's room and I want to secure it to the wall to make sure it doesn't get tipped over. The bookshelf consists of three 3/4" Pine shelves and the top is doubled, so it's 1 1/2" thick. The back is 1/4" oak plywood rabbeted flush with the rear. What would be a good way to fasten the piece to the wall?

Thanks!

By the way--the $19.99 Harbor Freight Trim Router and Holbren Bits (20 bits for $20 + free shipping) worked great in making the dados in the sides for the shelves. I was very impressed with their quality as well as the price.

[Carl Eyman]

I don't know what sort of legs the case has, but put it on a flat, even,level floor tilt it so it is plumb, and block the short legs so they hold the piece plumb temporarily. Then with a thin piece of wood approximately the thickness of the temporary shims you can mark each leg with a pencil line along the top of the piece. However, you may find it easier to make permanent shims for the short legs and glue them on permanently.

To fasten it to the wall I'd not rely on the quaetyer inch plywood. Can you get a knee brace (a flat iron piece bent to 90*) screw one leg to the under side of a shelf and have the vertical leg hanging down on the inside of the plywood. If you locate this over a stud, you can then screw into the stud through the knee brace, plywood, and sheetrock.

[Andrew Williams]

I would use a block plane on the two points that it rides on. Be careful not to plane all the way across. Planing end grain all the way to the edge causes bad chipout. Start again from the other edge.

Maybe the case is not square? Twisted during glue-up? I would attempt to push it up against the wall the way you are going to fasten it, and then measure the gaps to the floor. If you level it and it is twisted, once you screw it to the wall, the feet will no longer be flush.

I am not sure on what an expert would say about attachment, and I am not an expert by a long shot, but my first thought would be making a strap across the back along the top, inside the cabinet to screw through to the studs. There are also hidden fasteners that you can mortise in to the back, but I think the strap would work best for a bookcase that might be used as a jungle gym.

[Al Wasser]

If your sibling is old enough to know better you might not attach it to the wall. Finding a level place to mark the legs might be easier said than done. I have built things that were fine in one place but not another. Having said that I would adjust/cut/plane/ the case bottom so that it leans against the wall, perhaps only one degree. Depending on how you attached the plywood back you might only need one screw into a stud to prevent the accidental tipover. Of course, put the heaviest book load on the bottom shelf.

[Eric Wong]

Just a thought, but if you attach it to the wall you don't really need to level the legs, unless the gap is so big that you would notice it.

When attached to the wall, is it the front corner or the rear corner that would be off the floor?

[glenn bradley]

Yeah, your choice is to shorten a leg(s) or shim one. If it doesn't make the shelf lean away from the wall I would shim in the rear where it would show least. As described; use a wedge to get the height required and then cut yourself a small piece to attach.

There are straps marketed to secure tall furniture to the wall in toddler's rooms (and any room out here in earthquake country). Rockler sells them. I prefer to attach through the back with a crew and fender washer into a stud if it won't show.

[Al Killian]

If you post a pic or to showing the legs you used it would be easeir to tell you waht the best method would be.
For hanging on the wall a couple of "L" brackects attached to the sides of the case going into the studs would be best. The 1/4" ply would more then likly pull out if it is tiped over, so do not use the back to fasten.

[Mark Engel]

If you don't like the look of the metal brackets to attach the bookcase to the wall, you could add a cleat. Attach the cleat to the underside of the top with screws (&glue) then run screws through the cleat and the 1/4" back into the wall studs.

[Dell Littlefield]

How about installing adjustable feet? They are really cheap at Lowes or Home Depot.

[Stephen Clem]

Sorry about the lack of picture. I'm at work and don't have it on file here. I will put one up next week, hopefully with your suggestions added. The Oak Plywood has really nice looking grain.

I appreciate all of the ideas and I'm glad I asked the seemingly dumb questions. I probably would have just screwed through the 1/4" plywood had I not. I think my son is part monkey so this will probably double as a jungle gym as Andrew pointed out. He would have ripped it out in no time.

I like the metal angle fastener (L bracket) idea than Carl and Al suggested. I'm not too familiar with the others but I will look into them. I don't think adjustable feet would go well with the design. The Sides don't go to the floor--there are aprons that go all the way around the bottom (front back and sides) which is what touches the floor. I think I will try to either plane or belt sand the high points. For now, it will be on carpet. As Eric pointed out, the wall atachment might solve both problems, so I will do that first. Thanks again everyone! It's 4:30 so I'm going home for another sawdust filled weekend!

[Ben Grunow]

I saw (on This Old House) some one use the same angle bracket idea on the bottom of a bookcase to attach the back to the floor which was carpeted in their case. THe brackets were placed against the wall and screwed to the side of the case and the floor. No hole in drywall.

Is the floor you have it on flat? Just a thought.

Ben