We all run into problems with our furniture from time to time. But when it comes to fixing a table, many people would rather throw it away because the repairs could be expensive. However, what if I told you that there are a bunch of creative and cost-efficient ways to fix a wobbly table?
Creative Ways to Fix a Wobbly Table
There is often some sort of value attached to old tables, so perhaps holding onto it a little longer wouldn’t necessarily hurt. These solutions are precise, straight-forward, and super cheap. So here it is – a list of some solutions to fix a wobbly table:
Wine Cork:
For this one, secure the leg and straighten it. To secure the leg, cut the wine cork. This will ensure that the table does not wobble as much and remains stable for a significantly longer time.
Use a sealant or a glue gun and apply a generous amount of glue to the cork and stick it to the leg. The table should be as good as new in a few minutes once the glue dries.
A Deck of Cards:
As a quick fix, a deck of cards can also be used temporarily to fix the wobbliness of the table. You might need to buy another deck of cards to enjoy poker nights with your friends, but the table will not wobble anymore, so you can finally enjoy your game.
Glue Cube:
This is an efficient solution in terms of stability, but you will need a lot of patience and a glue gun. After plugging in the glue gun, take one stick of glue and insert it in the glue gun. Wait about three to five minutes until the glue is melted and ready to be used.
Now that the glue is liquified, shape it like a cube. Let the cube of glue harden, it should generally take about 30 minutes to an hour to solidify it. Once solidified, place the cube of glue under the table to support the wobbly table.
A Bunch of String:
To fix a wobbly table, you could make a loop around the wobbly leg. Do the same for the legs adjacent to it. This will ensure that the weaker leg is stable, and support it. This solution will not only support the wobbly leg but also your wallet, as it’s fairly quick and won’t cost you much.
A Caulk Gun:
With this one, you might need to make a run to your nearest home depot or another such DIY store. Using a caulk gun can be a little tricky but once you find your way around it, it should not take a lot to maneuver. For this method, you will need a caulk gun as well as a sealant.
Start off by sliding the tube of the sealant into the caulk gun and secure the tube by tightening the elongated metal screw. Once secured, start filling in the empty space between the weak leg and the top of the table with the sealant. This will secure the leg and ensure that the table does not wobble.
Newspaper:
This is by far the cheapest and super household-friendly hack there has been. Take one or two sheets of newspaper (or, to be honest, any spare paper or cardboard you might have lying around the house) and fold it up until it can be used as a wedge under the wobbly table leg.
Again, this is probably a better method for a quick fix, rather than a long-term solution.
An Old Cloth:
If you are looking for another quick-fix, because you just need to put your laptop on the table and work on your assignment, then you might consider this one. Anyway, this could also be used if your table leaves marks on the ground.
Take an old cloth – like a t-shirt that’s too small for you, or a tea-towel that has seen better days – and fold it up until it can be wedged under the wobbly table leg. If you want, you could use elastic bands to hold the cloth in place.
An Unused Bottle Cap:
If you have any bottle caps just lying around the house (which most of us do, even though we do not like to admit), just grab one of those and – with the help of some PVA glue – just stick them to the end of the leg that is making the table uneven.
Math:
Yeah, I know – it sounds unrealistic, but hear me out on this one…
I was reading about this German professor, Matthias Kreck, who found that a table can be easily rebalanced by turning it 45° in a circle.
Granted, this trick of his only works if the table is a square-shaped one, but it’s something, right? If you want to know how and/or why this works, check out the long mathematical explanation.
Ramen Noodles and Glue:
So, if none of these work for your table, but you are truly desperate and have nothing but a pack of ramen noodles and glue, then this just might work. Use your pack of ramen noodles to fix your wobbly table instead of cooking them. You’ll have to think of something else to eat that day.
Anyway, if the table is wobbly because of a gap in between the top of the table and the weak leg, fill up space with a cake of ramen noodles and some glue.
Once dried, get rid of the excess noodles, and use sandpaper to rub the surface of the table, in order to even out the surfaces. Later on, you can simply paint over it, so no one really has to know but you and me.
Now that you know all of these, you don’t have to worry about repairs when those unannounced guests show up and your table is hanging by a thread… literally.
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