Why Furniture Safety Matters
Furniture tip-overs are a leading cause of household injuries, particularly for young children. Every year, thousands of Australians are injured by falling furniture, a risk that is almost entirely preventable with the right precautions.
Australian safety standards require certain categories of furniture to be properly anchored to walls. DeRUCCI Perth recommends anchoring all tall freestanding furniture regardless of whether a legal requirement applies to your specific piece.
- Unsecured furniture can tip over under relatively small amounts of force
- Children climbing on drawers or shelves are at particular risk
- Even on level flooring, tall furniture can become unstable over time
- Wall anchoring is a simple, low-cost step that significantly reduces risk
Which Products Require Anchoring
The following categories of furniture should always be anchored to a wall stud or appropriate wall fixing:
- Wardrobes and armoires of any height
- Tall bookshelves and display cabinets
- Chest of drawers with a height above 90cm
- TV units where a television is mounted on or above the unit
- Any tall freestanding furniture piece over 75cm in height
- Storage cabinets with doors that may be pulled open forcefully
If you are unsure whether a particular DeRUCCI piece requires anchoring, please contact our showroom team before use.
Anti-Tip Hardware
DeRucci includes anti-tip hardware in the packaging of most tall furniture pieces. This hardware is specifically designed for the product and should be used as the primary anchoring method.
- Check the packaging for anti-tip brackets, straps, or wall fixings before assembly
- If hardware is missing from the packaging, contact us immediately and do not use the furniture until it is secured
- Do not substitute generic hardware, always use the components provided or approved equivalents
- Professional installation is available through our White Glove Delivery Service
If your product did not include anti-tip hardware and you believe it should have, contact our team and we will arrange replacement hardware at no cost.
Wall Anchoring Instructions
Proper wall anchoring is straightforward when you follow the correct steps. If you are not confident performing this yourself, our White Glove Service team can assist.
- Locate wall studs using a stud finder before drilling, anchoring into a stud provides significantly stronger support than plasterboard alone
- Use appropriate wall anchors for your wall type, requirements differ for brick, double brick, plasterboard, and rendered walls
- Anchor points should be positioned at a height of at least two-thirds of the total furniture height for maximum stability
- Do not over-tighten fixings, excess torque can crack or compress the furniture panel and reduce holding strength
- After anchoring, test stability by applying gentle forward pressure at the top of the piece before loading with contents
- Re-check anchors every 12 months as timber and plasterboard can shift seasonally
Safe Use Guidelines
In addition to wall anchoring, the following safe use practices will help protect your household and extend the life of your furniture:
- Do not allow children to climb on furniture at any time, even when it is anchored
- Distribute weight evenly across shelves and place heavier items on lower shelves to keep the centre of gravity low
- Do not open multiple drawers simultaneously on a tall chest of drawers, this dramatically shifts the centre of gravity forward
- Keep furniture away from windows, external walls, and heat sources such as vents and radiators to prevent warping
- Ensure all feet and legs are level on your floor surface, use adjustable glides where provided and check levelness with a spirit level
- Do not exceed the recommended load capacity for any shelf or drawer as specified in the product documentation
Professional Assembly
DeRucci strongly recommends professional assembly for all large furniture pieces. Incorrect self-assembly is one of the most common causes of structural weakness and instability in furniture.
- Our White Glove Delivery Service includes expert in-home assembly, placement, and levelling by trained technicians
- Professional assembly ensures anti-tip hardware is installed correctly as part of the delivery process
- Self-assembly of large pieces without professional assistance voids the toppling warranty coverage
- If you have already self-assembled a piece and are concerned about its stability, contact us, our team can arrange a professional inspection
