How to Fix a Wobbly Wood Chair

Guide

The wear and tear of everyday life can make even the sturdiest chair unsteady. But don't get mad, get even--get your chair's legs even, that is. Simply sand away the unevenness, and it's almost as good as new. See <a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_116005_fix-wobbly-table.html" target="_top"

>How to Fix a Wobbly Table</a> for more ideas.

  • Place the offending chair upside down on top of a plastic tarp or drop cloth.

  • Carefully measure the length of each leg to determine the wobble maker and its length (see A).

  • On the other three legs, make a pencil mark at the same length as the wobbly one.

  • Gently sand each of the longer three legs until you reach the pencil mark, starting with coarse (80-grit) sandpaper and ending with fine (220-grit) sandpaper (see B). It's best to sand outdoors to keep the fine wood dust particles from permeating your home.

  • If the chair has metal, cork or plastic glides, check the legs to make sure one is not missing. If a glide is missing, buy a replacement one at a hardware store. Glides are small disks used to protect floors from furniture.

  • If one chair leg is 1/4 inch (6 mm) shorter than the other three, consider placing a glide on the shorter leg to make up the difference instead of sanding down the other three legs.

  • Examine the chair joints--loose ones will cause the chair to wobble. Reinforce a loose joint with wood glue (see <a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_116623_reglue-joints-chairs.html" target="_top">How to Reglue Joints of Chairs and Tables</a>).

    • Things You Will Need

    +
    • Wood Glue
    • Plastic Tarp Or Drop Cloth
    • Replacement Glides
    • Pencil
    • 80- To 220-grit Sandpaper
    • Tape Measure

    Tip

    If the chair is painted or stained, plan to have matching paint on hand for a touch-up once you've finished the job.

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