Anchoring furniture and TVs to the wall: why it matters and who should do it

Updated November 10, 2026 · KeystoneProGuide editorial team

Why anchor furniture and TVs at all?

Because tip-overs injure thousands of people a year, most often young children. The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that U.S. emergency departments treated an average of 17,800 tip-over injuries a year from 2020 to 2022, and that 44 percent of those hurt were under 18, which works out to a child every 53 minutes. From 2013 to mid-2023, 217 tip-over deaths were reported, and 71 percent of those who died were children aged one to three. Most of the deaths involved TVs and furniture.

The commission also notes that older adults are among those injured. Its advice is the same for every household: anchor TVs and heavy furniture such as bookcases and dressers securely to the wall.

What does the CPSC tell you to do?

Its Anchor It campaign gives a short list:

• Use sturdy furniture. Put a TV only on furniture designed for one, such as a TV stand or media center.
• Secure the TV. A TV that is not wall-mounted should still be anchored to the wall. Flat-screen TVs can be mounted to the wall or to the furniture.
• Secure top-heavy furniture. Existing furniture can be anchored with inexpensive anti-tip brackets. New dressers are sold with anti-tip devices; install them right away.
• Follow the manufacturer's instructions for securing TVs and furniture.
• Remove temptations. Take toys, remote controls and similar items off the tops of TVs and furniture, where children may climb to reach them.
• Recycle older CRT televisions.

If anchoring is not possible, the CPSC says to put the TV on a sturdy, low base, push it as far back as it will go, and keep cables and cords out of reach. Heavier items belong on lower shelves.

Does this matter if you have no young children?

Yes, for two reasons the CPSC gives. Its tip-over figures include older adults as well as children, and children visit. The commission's reminder is to anchor TVs and heavy furniture whether you are hosting, watching at a friend's house or staying at a vacation rental.

Are new dressers safer now?

A federal standard helps. The STURDY Act's mandatory standard, which took effect in September 2023, requires clothing storage units such as dressers and armoires to meet stability requirements. It does not reach furniture already in your home, and it does not replace anchoring: the CPSC still tells people to install the anti-tip devices that come with new dressers.

Can you anchor furniture yourself?

Yes, and the CPSC's advice is written for households, not trades. The CPSC's own suggestion for existing furniture is inexpensive anti-tip brackets. Two cautions apply to the drilling:

• Wiring inside the wall. The National Fire Protection Association notes that a nail driven into a wall to hang a picture can hit a wire and cause an arc fault. It pays to know what is behind the wall before you drill.
• Paint in an older home. In a house built before 1978, drilling disturbs paint. The EPA's small-job exemption for paid work covers up to six square feet of paint per room in 30 days, and the EPA counts the area of the holes, so a few anchor holes stay far below it. The EPA still says any repair in a pre-1978 home with lead paint can create lead dust. If a handyman does it, the exemption applies to them; if you do it, the EPA's do-it-yourself advice to mist before drilling and clean with a HEPA vacuum still makes sense.

What does a handyman charge?

The published cost surveys give separate figures for the jobs that usually go with anchoring. For TV mounting, HomeGuide gives $100 to $300, HomeAdvisor $150 to $350 and Angi $300 to $400. For childproofing a home, HomeGuide lists $200 to $700, and for furniture assembly $85 to $200. Because many handymen have a minimum charge, HomeGuide's being $75 to $200, it is cheaper to anchor every heavy piece in the house in one visit than to call for each.

Does mounting a TV need an electrician?

Sometimes. Mounting the TV itself involves no wiring. Adding an outlet behind it to hide the cord adds wiring, and the state's building code regulation says adding to or relocating electric wiring is not an ordinary repair. In Philadelphia, electrical work needs a city license; in many suburban townships, a local license. Running low-voltage cable is different again: the state exempts communications wiring from permits, but Philadelphia's electrical license covers low-voltage wiring.

What if a dresser or TV stand is already unsafe?

Report it. The CPSC takes reports of dangerous products and injuries at SaferProducts.gov and on its hotline, 800-638-2772, and it says federal law bars selling products under recall.

Where do you go from here?

Anchoring is one of several small jobs that protect children and older adults at home. The warning signs guide covers others, the cost guide explains handyman charges in detail, and local businesses are listed on the handyman services page.

Sources

1. How Much Are Handyperson Hourly Rates?, HomeAdvisor
2. How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Handyman?, Angi
3. Electrical Home Fire Safety, National Fire Protection Association
4. Frequent Questions About Renovations Covered by the RRP Rule, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
5. Lead-Safe Renovations for DIYers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
6. Get an Electrical Contractor License, City of Philadelphia
7. Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
8. CPSC Urges Fans: Anchor TVs and Furniture Before Super Bowl LX, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
9. AnchorIt.gov, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
10. Handyman Hourly Rates, Price List and Average Job Cost, HomeGuide
11. 34 Pa. Code § 403.62. Permit requirements and exemptions., Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania Code)