How To Make A Dining Room Table More Stable

You have a gorgeous dining room table—as long as no one sits near it. Then it wobbles, tips and appears as if it's about to fall over at any moment. Rather than relegating the table to the trash heap, you can make a dining room table more stable with a little effort and items you probably have around the house. A few simple steps will put everyone who sits at it in less danger of being crushed by it.

Step 1

Place it on a flat, level surface. One of the easiest ways to level out furniture is to make sure it's on a level surface. As flat as your floor may appear, it may have downward dips or weak spots. Move the table slightly forward, back and side to side to see if a simple repositioning takes care of your problem.

Step 2

Even out the legs. If the dining room table is still wobbly, check to ensure all the legs are an even length. One may be missing a knob, caster or other piece that makes it shorter than the rest. Use a matchbook, folded carboard, small pieces of wood or other objects to make sure the legs are of equal length. You can wrap decorative scarves or drapery fringe around the bottom of the legs if you need to hide the items you used to stabilize the table.

Step 3

Add additional leg support. If your table is still rickety, create some additional leg support by making braces for the legs. You can use something as simple as garden stakes as long as you make sure the ends are wide and flat enough to sit securely on the floor. Wire, nail or glue the leg braces into place. Paint it the same color or finish as the table so it doesn't look stupid.

Step 4

Cover the top with a heavy, flat object. A large mirror, heavy piece of glass or solid chunk of wood will add stability to a tabletop that has seen better days. You can place paraphernalia under the glass to make it a collage table, paint the wood a similar or contrasting color with a funky design or just throw a tablecloth over the whole thing and call it a day.

Step 5

Put pillars of support underneath the table. For tables that just won't get stable with the simpler steps, you can always pile things underneath. If yours is a table with a center pillar, use decorative shelving units, end tables or even spray painted milk crates around the edges, the same height or a little higher than the pillar. Use wood blocks to add smaller height additions. If your table has legs around the perimeter, you can add these items in the middle of the table as a central pillar. Pack the crates and such with knickknacks, books or other items so it looks like you wanted your table to be this way.