If you have baseboards, how did you anchor your Expedit?

[gobadgers]

Here's my dumb question for the day.

I've gotten complacent about our Expedits - I haven't anchored them down because I wasn't sure they were in exactly the right place yet. Well, it's been a year and a half and they haven't moved yet so it's time to bolt them down. But... we have baseboards, and although they didn't seem too wide, the shelf is almost 2" away from the wall at the top.

So what to do? Do I just look for really long screws to hold it in place? I'm not handy at all (and neither is DH) so I don't know if this is a good solution or not... Any BTDT?

TIA!

[LMPC]

Are you using the anchors that came with the expedit? I thought they were more like straps...no? If not, i think they make strap like anchors for this very problem...since most people have baseboards.

[justlearning]

We have all of our kids' bookcases and Expedits anchored using straps that attach a bracket to the wall to a bracket to the back of the furniture. I believe that you can buy these at Home Depot or Lowes.

[gobadgers]

My Expedits came with the brackets, and the instructions show it as being attached to the wall with just a screw (not included). A strap makes perfect sense, but I would not have deduced that on my own. Like I said, not handy :p

Thanks for the responses - I think I need to make a hardware trip tomorrow!

[justlearning]

My Expedits came with the brackets, and the instructions show it as being attached to the wall with just a screw (not included). A strap makes perfect sense, but I would not have deduced that on my own. Like I said, not handy :p

Thanks for the responses - I think I need to make a hardware trip tomorrow!

Here's a link that shows you what it looks like: http://www.mypreciouskid.com/furniture-safety-brackets.html

We have the type of strap/brackets shown in the top picture.

[essnce629]

Hmmm, we have 5 Expedit units and baseboards and have never had a problem anchoring them using the brackets that it comes with. Yes, you use a screw but it is either screwed into a stud or you get those plaster anchors to screw it into and then the bracket has a metal piece that goes over the screw as well to keep it in place. We have the giant 5x5 unit in our playroom and it is extremely secure using the included brackets. I just pushed the back up against the wall and then anchored in place. Maybe my baseboards are not as thick as yours though?

[gobadgers]

Hmmm, we have 5 Expedit units and baseboards and have never had a problem anchoring them using the brackets that it comes with. Yes, you use a screw but it is either screwed into a stud or you get those plaster anchors to screw it into and then the bracket has a metal piece that goes over the screw as well to keep it in place. We have the giant 5x5 unit in our playroom and it is extremely secure using the included brackets. I just pushed the back up against the wall and then anchored in place. Maybe my baseboards are not as thick as yours though?

I don't know, I'm starting to think my whole world is crooked :-)

We have the same baseboards upstairs and downstairs, they are just a little less than 1" deep. The Expedit we have upstairs can definitely be bracketed to the wall with a screw, as is - there is 0.5" or less clearance between the shelf and the wall. But the one downstairs is almost 2" away from the wall! DH and I moved it further down the wall, but it was the same. So strange!

DS and I will hit the hardware store today. Our local one is pretty good, and they'd probably steer me in the right direction anyway, but it's nice to know to ask for straps. I'll feel a little less incompetent :p

[gobadgers]

Just wanted to update my Expedit issue. At the hardware store, they told me to get 'shims' to get the top of the bookcase closer to the wall. The shims are just thin plastic pieces that fit under the front of the bookcase. I haven't actually executed yet, but it sounds promising :) Thanks for all the help!