Attaching furniture to walls

Cactus_Flowers

I have just bought a bedside table and an under-sink shelving unit, and they both came with instructions and fittings for attaching them to the wall. I am used to buying tall bookshelves and wardrobes with this instruction, but I'm sure I've never seen it on smaller/lower bits of furniture before. Does anyone actually do this wall-attaching? I've never felt the need to, as I don't have any kids or pets that can accidentally pull things over and I like being able to rearrange rooms easily, but am I missing something somehow and it's a higher risk than I think?

Eldi_Dos

Bedside cabinet one's probably just made for multiple markets and fittings put in as some markets might require them. Bit like rear view mirrors in some countries have signs telling you you are looking in a mirror.

casper_gutman

I don't think you're missing anything. I think certain furniture manufacturers have just managed to get the cost of wall-fixing fittings down to a level where it's easier to just chuck one in every box than to pay someone to think about whether it actually makes sense.

Nobody, so far as I know, is screwing bedside table or squat shelving units to the wall. I would be astonished if anyone did. I also suspect that very few people fix wardrobes or bookcases to the wall, especially in rented properties.

An unfortunate side effect of including the fittings and instructions with furniture where it makes no sense to use it is that people get used to ignoring them and become more likely to ignore similar instructions in situations where wall fixings would be really sensible.

TELLIT01

Probably an 'Elf 'n' Safety' thing.  If the manufacturer doesn't tell you to screw it to the wall and it falls on you, they'd get people taking them to court.

John_the_Boy

They are covering their backs. If I remember there was a case where a young child pulled some furniture over and got injured and then the now-normal legal action followed. I have quite a few bits of furniture with these and only ever use them if I feel the furniture may be unstable because of its height etc. If you have young enquiring children then it may be worth using the wall attachments.

Alanp

I’m not sure but it may be that fixing points are used in case the furniture is taken to a care home , stuff has to be screwed to the wall especially wardrobes which can be pulled over if one of the residents is challenging, most homes have their own matching furniture, but in some, certainly the one I work in, residents are allowed to bring  some of their own in.

kdotdotdotdot

I've got a tv stand/shelf that's barely 1m high and that came with a thingy to fix it to the wall.  Sod that for a game of soldiers, says I.  

Cactus_Flowers

Thanks for the input, all! I'm not a particularly reckless person usually, and I was wondering if ignoring this instruction was making me a daredevil somehow but it seems like most people do the same so it's now all fine

Jaybee_16

John_the_Boy said:

They are covering their backs. If I remember there was a case where a young child pulled some furniture over and got injured and then the now-normal legal action followed. I have quite a few bits of furniture with these and only ever use them if I feel the furniture may be unstable because of its height etc. If you have young enquiring children then it may be worth using the wall attachments.

This is the reason those brackets are supplied.

DRP

i've also noticed that IKEA have put a big block of chipboard in the bottom of their drawers these days, presumably as a weight to lower the centre of gravity.

andyf1980

There have been several child deaths worldwide from furniture tip injuries. We have a toddler and most things attached to the wall but not bedside tables.