How to Use Plastic Wall Plugs to Secure a Bookcase to the Wall Street

Bookcases and other tall furniture pieces may seem very sturdy, but at an earthquake, a tall bookcase can easily fall over and cause substantial harm. Even in places where earthquakes aren’t common, it is a fantastic idea to secure a tall bookcase to a wall for security. Vinyl wall plugs into drywall will not be nearly strong enough to secure the bookcase, since the unit will need to be anchored to the wall studs. If the wall adjacent to a bookcase is masonry, however, you may use plastic wall plugs to secure a bookcase to the wall at about an hour.

Place an L-bracket on the top left corner of this bookcase or earthquake strap just above the rear left edge of the bookcase and the wall. Mark the hole locations throughout the strap or bracket onto the bookcase and the wall with a pencil. Then mark hole locations for an additional strap on the right side and at the center of this unit.

Slide the bookcase from the wall. Insert a 1/8-inch drill bit into the chuck of a power drill, then drill a pilot hole at each marked place on the bookshelf. Attach the L-brackets or earthquake straps to the bookshelf with 2-inch timber screws.

Insert a 1/4-inch masonry bit into a hammer drill, and drill a 2-inch-deep pilot hole at each marked location on the masonry wall. Harness a plastic wall plug in to each pilot hole with a hammer. Clean any masonry dust made by the drilling on the floor with a damp cloth or vacuum cleaner.

Reposition the bookcase against the wall, and push an anchor screw through the holes at every one of the L-brackets or earthquake straps and into the plastic anchors to secure the bookcase to the masonry wall.

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