Anchoring furniture and TVs against tip-overs

About 17,800 people a year go to the emergency room after a TV, a piece of furniture or an appliance tips over on them. Children are 44 percent of those injured and 71 percent of those killed. Anchor every dresser, chest and bookcase to the wall, however new it is, and every TV that isn't wall-mounted.

What you need

• An anti-tip kit for each piece, with brackets and a strap
• A stud finder, a pencil, a drill and bits, and a screwdriver
• Drywall screws, if the kit doesn't come with the right ones

In 2026, almost every kit costs under $20, and plenty of good ones are under $10. Good kits have metal or thick plastic brackets and a heavy nylon or braided steel strap. Many hardware stores rent drills.

Steps

1. 1

   Read the kit's instructions

   Check that the kit is rated for more than the furniture weighs. Most pieces take two straps.

   5 min

2. 2

   Find the stud

   Use the stud finder to find the stud nearest the piece. In most newer houses studs run floor to ceiling, 16 or 24 inches apart, so you may need to slide the furniture a few inches to line up with one.

   5 min

3. 3

   Mount the wall bracket

   Hold the bracket on the stud at the height you want, mark the screw holes, and drill with the bit size on the kit's package. You should feel resistance all the way in. If you don't, you've missed the stud. Screw the bracket on and attach the strap.

   5 min

4. 4

   Mount the furniture bracket

   Pick a thick, solid spot on the back or top of the piece, solid wood if you can. Stay off the thin back panel and any veneered edge. Drill a pilot hole smaller than the screw, then screw the bracket on.

   5 min

5. 5

   For a flat-screen TV

   Use the mounting holes on the back of the TV with the hardware from the kit. Set the TV on a stand or media cabinet, and anchor it to the wall or to the stand.

   5 min

6. 6

   Push it back and tighten

   Slide the piece into the exact spot where it will stay, close to the wall, and pull the strap tight.

   2 min

7. 7

   Tug both ends

   Pull the strap at the wall and again at the furniture. If there's no slack and nothing moves, it's done.

   1 min

When you can't anchor it

A TV that can't be anchored should sit on a low, sturdy base, pushed as far back as it will go, with the cords out of reach. Don't keep toys or remotes on top of a TV stand or dresser, where a child will climb for them, and keep heavy things on the bottom shelves.

Brick walls take a masonry bit, a hammer drill and masonry screws. You may want a contractor or the building super to do those. A standard wall mount for a flat-screen TV does the same job as a kit.

Moving out or renting

An anchor leaves a small hole that takes a few minutes to patch. Pull the drywall anchor out with pliers, fill the hole with spackle, sand it smooth once it's dry, and touch up the paint.