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I seem to have an issue with the table top and legs I have purchased from IKEA. For reference, the table top I purchased is here: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50106773/ and the legs I purchased are here: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30177912/

The tabletop came with predrilled holes for legs like the SJUNNE and putting them on was pretty easy. I noticed however that the table wobbles whenever I type or even just bump it which is pretty annoying. I want this thing to be solid.

What I've learned/tried:

I've done a lot of research on the issue and I've learned a few different things. Some people have used "L" brackets to attach the table to the wall to make it sturdy. While this might work, I don't want to really do that.

Other people have actually put sand in the legs to keep the desk weighted down.

However, this didn't really seem to be the problem with my table so I took a different approach.

When inspecting the legs I noticed that it was the leg screwed into the base that would wobble. For reference take a look at page 3 to see how this leg is assembled: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/assembly_instructions/sjunne-leg__AA-846721-2_pub.pdf

You see, the leg itself is screwed into a sort of base to make it one piece and then you screw that whole piece into the table. It seemed as though the leg that went into the base would wobble.

So on the base I put masking tape all around where the leg was screwed into and hammered in the leg to make sure it would be secure and not wobble around. This has reduced the wobble a little bit but not completely.

I even tried putting washers on the screws to make the table more secure as well. I am not sure if this has helped.

My table is on carpet, not a solid floor. I am not sure if this makes a difference or not.

The questions I have are:

  1. Is there anything I can do to reduce the wobble of my desk completely??
  2. Is the wobble something I can't avoid with a structure like this??
  3. I've seen some Trusses that IKEA sells, but they don't screw into the desk which lead me to believe I will have the same problem: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10118971/ ... Will this be better to reduce wobbling?
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  • To clarify, have you unscrewed the plates from the table top and made sure the bolts holding the plates to the legs are completely tight?
    – DA01
    Commented Jun 23, 2014 at 23:12
  • @DA01 I have, these things are in as tight as they can go. As I mentioned, when they are screwed into the table I can use my hand and move the legs a bit which I think is the source of the wobble.
    – Sethen
    Commented Jun 23, 2014 at 23:14
  • I think that's just a case of "IKEA". :) I think you tried some good options. You could also try smothering the bolts with something like JB Weld to make it is more of a 'permanent' connection.
    – DA01
    Commented Jun 23, 2014 at 23:18
  • @DA01 If I decided go to that route, what kind of JB Weld would you recommend? What is it for anyway?
    – Sethen
    Commented Jun 23, 2014 at 23:21
  • JB Weld is an epoxy that works well on metal. Any kind will work. But note that it's a fairly permanent solution meaning that once you install the legs, plate and bolts with JB weld, they won't easily be coming apart.
    – DA01
    Commented Jun 23, 2014 at 23:26

2 Answers 2

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As it appears the 'wobble' is between the metal leg, the metal bracket, and the bolts provided, I'd say this wobble is due to IKEA's ahem rather wide tolerance specifications.

In other words, sometimes you just get wobble when it comes to IKEA products. :)

I'd suggest using something to solidify the connection between the leg and the plates. JB Weld would be a possible option. Mix it up and put a generous amount between the leg and bracket, then tighten up the bolts. Let it set up for about 24 hours and you should now have solid material between the two parts to shim the wobble away.

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  • Thanks a lot! I am going to try it. I will let you know how it goes.
    – Sethen
    Commented Jun 24, 2014 at 4:24
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    I know it’s been years since I asked this question but I wanted to update and say that I tried this back in 2014 and it worked perfectly! The desks are still being used to this day with very minimal wobble thanks to JB Weld!
    – Sethen
    Commented Mar 11, 2020 at 7:52
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    @Sethen ha! Thanks for that update. I've been wondering! :)
    – DA01
    Commented Mar 12, 2020 at 15:02
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FWIW, hot melt glue is very useful for this sort of thing. It's a slightly less permanent solution than JB Weld/epoxy. However, it also requires you work fast, so YMMV as they say :-)

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  • Any brand you recommend in particular?
    – Sethen
    Commented Jun 24, 2014 at 0:25
  • I think hot glue might work but note that it's not a 'slightly less permanent' solution. It's pretty much at the other end of the 'permanence' spectrum from Epoxy. :)
    – DA01
    Commented Jun 24, 2014 at 3:58
  • @SethenMaleno all hot glue is pretty much the same. You're not going to find one particular brand any better than the latter.
    – DA01
    Commented Jun 24, 2014 at 3:59
  • @DA01 Could you post an answer to my question from your comments so I can give you an upvote for your contributions?
    – Sethen
    Commented Jun 24, 2014 at 4:01
  • I've used hot melt pretty successfully to fix wobbly dowels in wooden furniture. It has more flexibility than epoxy, which can be helpful in some situations. I would say that brand of glue does not matter as much as the type of glue and gun - you want a high temperature gun and glue to give you more working time, better bond, and more rigid glue when it does solidify. The reason i say "slightly less permanent" is because complete removal can be difficult.
    – aaron
    Commented Jun 24, 2014 at 11:51

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