One of the main reasons wardrobes tend to tip over is the phenomenon of the “center of gravity.” If your closet is front-heavy, then your wardrobe has more chances to tip over.
Why does my wardrobe lean forward? The reason behind your wardrobe leaning forward can be a lot of things. Typically, it’s due to uneven floor tiles or unequal legs on your wardrobe in more cases.
You may face the same problems if you have stuffed more things at the top of your closet and have less weight below to hold them further in place.
What Causes A Wardrobe To Lean Forward?
There are many reasons why a wardrobe can lean forward, but the most common ones are the uneven distribution of weight and the weak structure of the cabinet. You may rectify these errors quickly by rearranging your wardrobe and anchoring your wardrobe to the floor with L brackets.
Besides the typical reasons why wardrobes tend to lean over, there are a few other reasons why your cupboard might be leaning forward.
Some are mentioned below:
- Uneven legs of the wardrobe
- Poor design and construction of the wardrobe
- Climbing up on the drawers of the cabinet to reach the top
- Keeping heavy items on the dresser or closet without proper placement
- Unstable floors or uneven tiles
- Uneven carpets beneath the wardrobe
- Natural calamities like earthquakes that shake up the structure of the wardrobe
Are Leaning Wardrobes Dangerous?
Any furniture that is not standing the way it should is a cause for concern, including leaning wardrobes. The primary concern is the wardrobe’s liability for falling or tipping over at any point.
Everyone is at risk of getting hurt from a tipping wardrobe, but the most at risk are senior citizens and little children. Toddlers go through a phase of wanting to climb on top of anything they see, so if you have a wardrobe leaning forward in your house, you need to be very vigilant. If the child decides to climb the furniture at any point, it can tip over from the excess weight.
Senior citizens are also at risk because they might not be mobile enough to quickly move out of the way before the wardrobe falls on them. Natural disasters like earthquakes can put anyone at risk if you have sturdy furniture at home.
How To Stop My Wardrobe From Tipping Over?
You can take many steps to prevent a leaning wardrobe from tipping over. The most common solutions are to make sure your floor is even and anchor your wardrobe to the floor by evenly distributing the weight of the items in the cupboard.
If the cause for your leaning wardrobe is external, like children or pets climbing on top of it, you may have to supervise whenever they are in the same room.
Here are some of the steps you can take to prevent a leaning wardrobe from tipping over:
- Make sure the wardrobe passes the tip test before you purchase it. Do in-depth research to ensure that your closet is not prone to leaning forward or becoming unstable.
- Lock the drawers to your wardrobe to prevent little children or even pets from climbing on the furniture and causing a weight imbalance.
- Talk to your children about the dangers of a tipping dresser or wardrobe. This will ensure that they do not exert too much pressure on the wardrobe by climbing on it.
- Keep your wardrobe as organized as possible, so you don’t need to climb the closet to search for things you need.
- If your wardrobe has a lot of drawers, open only one at a time so that the center of gravity remains stable.
- If you have drawers that are hard to open or stick to the furniture when you close it, so it becomes difficult to slide out, you should get them replaced. Exerting too much pressure on your drawers may cause the wardrobe to lean forward and even cause it to fall on you.
- If you live in an earthquake-prone area, it is best not to have very high wardrobes that lean forward and topple over.
How To Fix A Leaning Wardrobe?
There are various ways to fix a leaning wardrobe. But the solution will depend on what is causing the furniture to lean forward in the first place. Usually, the cause is uneven floors and weight distribution, so your wardrobe should stand stable and upright if you take care of these errors.
However, if you need maximum safety, you can follow some of these tips to ensure that your wardrobe is always secure and has no chance of leaning forward or tipping over.
Use Safety Straps Or Brackets
You can employ a professional for this job or do it yourself. You need a couple of L brackets, screwdrivers, and a drill. Make sure you secure the wardrobe to the wall as proportionately as possible.
You can also find different straps and restraints specifically made for securing wardrobes at any home improvement store.
Even Distribution Of Weight
Make sure that you don’t keep your wardrobe top-heavy. The center of gravity needs to be stabilized to have an upright wardrobe. Hence, try to maintain the balance of heavy things in your closet by evenly distributing them through the different closet sections.
Fix The Uneven Or Broken Legs
Another common reason for a leaning wardrobe is uneven legs or broken legs. This can happen due to prolonged use, wear and tear or too much weight on the cupboard. Fix these errors as soon as possible to avoid any mishaps.
Use Drawer Stops
You can prevent the risk of weight imbalance by using drawer steps so you don’t pull out the drawers too far. This will also prevent you from overstuffing your drawers and adding unnecessary weight.
Final Words
Leaning wardrobes are more common than you think, mainly because of unsupervised use of the cupboards to store anything and everything. Wardrobes are made to sustain specific use and weight, so when you exceed this mark, it can cause the wardrobe to collapse under pressure, causing injury in some cases.
Although the primary reasons for a leaning wardrobe may be uneven legs or weight, you may have to replace the whole wardrobe itself. If you’ve already fixed the legs of the closet and reorganized it many times but still are facing the same issue, the problem may be the whole wardrobe and its structure. If this is the case, it may be time for you to buy a new wardrobe.