Furniture anchors and TV straps: how to stop tip-overs at home
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- Screw-in furniture strap kit. Best for: Dressers, bookcases and cabinets. See options on Amazon
- Steel cable furniture anchors. Best for: A cable alternative to fabric straps. See options on Amazon
- TV anti-tip strap kit. Best for: Flat screen TVs on stands and dressers. See options on Amazon
- Stud finder. Best for: Locating a stud for the wall bracket. See options on Amazon
Types of anchors at a glance
| Type | What it secures | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Furniture strap kit | Dressers, bookcases, cabinets | Screws into a wall stud; bracket on solid wood, not the thin back panel |
| Steel cable anchor | Furniture with drawers, doors or shelves | Same mounting rules; tighten until there is no slack |
| TV strap kit | Flat screen TVs on a stand | Uses the standard mounting holes on the back of the TV |
| Masonry hardware | Furniture on brick or concrete walls | Masonry bit and self anchoring masonry screws, per CPSC |
Based on CPSC's Anchor It installation guide. Always follow the instructions in your kit.
Why tip-overs matter
CPSC estimates that U.S. emergency departments treated an average of 17,800 tip-over injuries a year from 2020 to 2022, and 44% of those injured were under 18, which CPSC says means a child is treated every 53 minutes. From 2013 to mid-2023, 217 tip-over deaths were reported, and 71% of those killed were children ages one to three. Most of the deaths involved TVs and furniture.
CPSC's childproofing guide puts it simply: furniture, TVs and ranges can tip over and crush young children, so anchor them to the floor or attach them to a wall. It adds that free standing ranges and stoves should be installed with anti-tip brackets.
What the STURDY dresser rule changed
A mandatory federal standard took effect on September 1, 2023, under the STURDY Act. According to CPSC's Anchor It tip card, it applies to dressers and other clothing storage furniture that are 27 inches or taller and made after that date.
- Stability tests. Covered furniture must pass three stability tests that reflect real world factors, including multiple open drawers, drawers holding clothes, a child standing on or pulling on the furniture, and carpeting.
- Anchor kit in the box. Covered dressers must include a tip-over warning and an anchoring kit.
- Older stock. Furniture made on or before September 1, 2023, can remain on store shelves.
- Still anchor it. CPSC says to anchor dressers and clothing storage furniture, including those that meet the new standard, plus other furniture with drawers, doors or shelves.
What you need and how to install
Anchor It lists a furniture or TV anchoring kit, a drill and bit, a screwdriver and a stud finder. For drywall or plaster, CPSC's steps are:
- Read the kit's instructions first.
- Find the nearest stud with a stud finder. In modern homes, studs are spaced 16 or 24 inches apart and run from floor to ceiling. Move the furniture closer to a stud if needed.
- Hold the bracket on the stud at the height you want, trace the screw holes and drill with the bit size on the anchor packaging. You should feel resistance the whole time, or you may be missing the stud.
- Screw the bracket into the stud.
- Attach the second bracket to a thick, sturdy spot on the furniture, ideally solid wood, avoiding the thin back panel. Drill a pilot hole smaller than the screw.
- Move the furniture into its final spot near the wall, connect the strap and tighten it.
For exposed brick, CPSC says to drill into the brick face rather than the mortar with a masonry bit and use self anchoring masonry screws, or consider calling a contractor or your building superintendent.
Anchoring a TV
- Flat screens: CPSC says to use the standard mounting holes on the back of the TV with the hardware that comes in the anti-tip kit.
- Older box TVs: without mounting holes, check the kit packaging for other attachment methods.
- If you cannot anchor: CPSC says to place the TV on a sturdy, low base, push it back as far as possible and keep cables and cords out of reach.
- Remove temptation: keep toys and remotes off high shelves where children may climb for them, and keep heavier items on lower shelves.
Check your work
CPSC says to pull on the strap near the wall and again near the furniture. If there is no slack and nothing moves, you are done. If a bracket shifts, try another half or full turn on each screw, but do not force it. Moving or renting? Anchor It notes that the holes left by anchors can be filled when you take them out.
Anchors work alongside the rest of the CPSC childproofing list. See our window guards guide, baby gate guide and outlet covers guide.
What to look for when you buy
Screw-in furniture strap kit
Best for: Dressers, bookcases and cabinets
Matches CPSC's method: one bracket screwed into a wall stud, one on the furniture, and a strap you tighten between them.
Watch out: Mount the furniture bracket on solid wood, not the thin back panel, as CPSC advises.
See options on AmazonSteel cable furniture anchors
Best for: A cable alternative to fabric straps
A cable version of the same bracket and strap setup for furniture with drawers, doors or shelves.
Watch out: Tighten until there is no slack, then pull both ends to check, per CPSC.
See options on AmazonTV anti-tip strap kit
Best for: Flat screen TVs on stands and dressers
CPSC says to attach flat screens through the standard mounting holes on the back with the kit's hardware.
Watch out: Check the kit fits your TV's mounting holes before buying.
See options on AmazonStud finder
Best for: Locating a stud for the wall bracket
Anchor It lists a stud finder among the few tools you need, since the wall bracket goes into a stud.
Watch out: Feel for resistance as you drill; none may mean you missed the stud.
See options on AmazonQuestions people ask
- Do I need to anchor a new dresser?
- Yes. CPSC says to anchor dressers and clothing storage furniture, including those that meet the 2023 standard.
- Where should furniture anchors attach to the wall?
- Into a wall stud for drywall or plaster, or the brick face with masonry screws for brick, per CPSC.
- Which furniture needs anchors?
- CPSC says all furniture with drawers, doors and shelves, plus TVs.
- How do I know the anchor is tight enough?
- Pull the strap at both ends. CPSC says there should be no slack and nothing should move.
- What if I cannot anchor my TV?
- CPSC says to use a sturdy, low base, push the TV back as far as possible and keep cords out of reach.
Sources
- Anchor It! (anchorit.gov), U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
- How to Install a Kit (anchorit.gov), U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (Anchor It)
- New Federal Rule to Prevent Furniture Tip Overs Effective September 1, 2023 (tip card) (anchorit.gov), U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (Anchor It)
- CPSC Urges Fans: Anchor TVs and Furniture Before Super Bowl LX (cpsc.gov), U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
- Childproofing Your Home (cpsc.gov), U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission