Have you ever had a shaky computer desk? What causes a desk to wobble and become unstable? How to fix a wobbly desk? Find out answers with FittingChairs now!
What Causes A Desk To Wobble?
Have you ever had a shaky feeling at your desk? If this is the case, you are not alone, wobbly desks are a common issue.
It can be extremely inconvenient to be in a restaurant or bar and have a table which does not sit flat. Because of a loose joint or bolts coming undone, your desk sways from side to side.
A wobbly desk is a common issue that can be caused by a number of factors.
So, before you give up and throw out that old desk, let’s first discuss what causes a desk to wobble in the first place to know how to how to fix a wobbly desk.
Here are some reasons:
Your Desk Legs Are Not All The Same Length
A wobbly desk can have several causes, but the most common is an uneven surface, which means your desk height is uneven or off.
It’s essential to apply how to stop a table from swaying, esspecially when desks are typically made of wood or a wood composite, such as particle board, which can warp or bow over time.
This can cause one side of the desk to be higher than the other, resulting in uneven leg lengths.
Your Floor Is Not Completely Flat
Because your floor is not completely flat, your desk may be unstable and wobbly.
This can occur if your desk is against a wall and there is a carpet tacking strip underneath causing the legs to sag. It could also be caused by rug being pulled away from the wall.
An unflattened floor surface can significantly affect how wobbly or stable your desk is. Frankly, it’s the most likely cause of a wobbly desk.
If your home office floor isn’t completely level, your desk will feel wobbly and unstable.
The Leg Attachments For Your Desk Are Loose
The bolts that hold the legs in place can become loose over time, causing the desk to become unstable.
Motions from mouse movements, as well as movements from elevating and lowering a standing desk, can all cause the nuts and bolts that hold your desk together to gradually loosen.
If your desk is wobbly, you should probably tighten the leg attachments.
The Joints In Your Desk Have Become Loose
Different parts of your desk are sometimes joined together by dowel rods or other fixtures that hold different parts together. But, these rods can become loose over time, causing your desk to wobble.
Also, the deterioration of the wood glue used to construct your desk is sometimes the source of the problem.
When your table legs deteriorate, they can cause your desk to sag and eventually fall apart, depending on the material used to construct your desk.
You may also notice that the screws are becoming loose causing legs wobble.
In other cases, constant movement wears down the frame of your desk, causing parts that used to fit together easily to become loose.
The Adjustable Feet On Your Desk Are Not Properly Adjusted
If there is a wobbly desk, it’s most likely due to improperly adjusted adjustable feet.
Many desks have adjustable feet that allow you to level your desk against the floor, but many people overlook this basic feature.
How To Fix A Wobbly Desk
In fact, it’s easy to take our everyday items for granted until something breaks and we have to repair it.
About how to fix a shaky desk?
The quickest and easiest way to stabilize a wobbly desk is to use shims to balance out the leg length. You can also use shims which are thin pieces of wood or other material that are inserted beneath the legs of your desk to keep them from wobbling.
But what if you’ve already tried that and a shim doesn’t work? A desk that wobbles up and down or side to side can quickly become irritating.
Here are some methods you can consider for applying how to fix a wobbly desk:
Identify The Source Of The Wobble
Nothing is more irritating than a wobbly desk. Especially when you’re trying to concentrate on your work, but every time you move, the desk shakes.
Keep in mind before you start throwing things, you should figure out what’s causing the wobble. Is the issue with the desk, or is it something else? It’s the first and foremost step on how to fix a shaky desk!
Start By Tightening The Screws Or Bolts On Your Desk’s Legs
If the problem is with the nuts and bolts, simply grab a wrench and tighten them up.
When you have a standing desk wobble, loose screws are frequently to blame. If that doesn’t solve the problem, you may need to add some additional desk support.
This also means putting a board under one side of the desk or adding more screws to the legs to secure them.
Add Lateral Bracing To Stop It From Swaying
How to fix a wobbly desk leg? Adding lateral bracing to your desk will keep it from swaying.
Once cross support, it will help to stabilize the desk and keep it from wobbling. By adding a cross beam to the legs of your desk, you can stabilize this lateral movement.
Then, turnbuckles are sometimes used on desks to tighten two sections of a span and you need to get a steel clamp-on stabilizer bar to add even more support for fixing a table.
Add A Shim To Lengthen A Short Leg
As previously stated, many desks include adjustable feet to keep your desk level and stable. But they don’t always.
Ignoring that your floor may not be as flat as you thought, if your desk lacks adjustable feet, you can use a shim to equalize the height and stop the wobbling.
So, what exactly is a shim? To level out furniture, use a thin piece of wood, cardboard, or even a folded up piece of paper.
They’re available at most hardware stores and are simple to install. Simply place the shim under your desk’s short leg until the wobbling stops.
Adjust The Feet Of Your Desk To Make It All Level
It’s now time to apply on how to fix wobbly legs on a table. Find a level surface to place your desk on first. Then, look at your desk’s feet and determine which one is higher than the others.
To raise or lower your desk, almost all adjustable feet use a screw mechanism. To ensure that they’re all the same length, flip your desk over with the feet facing up and tighten them all the way down.
Don’t forget to count how many times you turn each one.
Next, with your feet down, return your desk to a flat surface and look for the one that is shorter than the others. Once you’ve identified, simply rotate the foot until it is level with the others.
If your desk remains wobbly, repeat the process until it is level. You can have a desk that is both level and sturdy with more effort.
Replace Worn Out Parts
If your bolts, nuts, or other hardware have simply worn down over time, it may be time to replace them.
New parts are available at your local hardware store or even online. Simply ensure that you get the correct size and threading to match your existing hardware.
If All Else Fails Replace The Desk
If your desk is still wobbly and unstable, it may be time to replace it. After all, there’s only so much you can do how to fix shaky table. Tightening the screws, using shims to level it out, or even placing a heavy object on one of the legs to weigh it down are all options.
However, there comes a point when you have to accept that some desks are simply beyond repair.
So, if your desk is constantly creaking and wobbly, it may be time to replace it. We’ve made recommendations on choosing a good standing desk to help you if you’re in the market for a new desk ergonomically.
Try some of the solutions of how to fix a wobbly desk FittingChairs has discussed to keep it stable. Just keep your desk to be stable so you can focus on what needs to be focused on rather than being irritated by the constant movement.
