How To Level Furniture On An Uneven Floor

Nick Durante
by Nick Durante

Uneven floors are a nightmare both aesthetically and practically, especially in a room with lots of furniture. You will likely have a hard time positioning your furniture in a way that looks great when your floors are uneven. Many homeowners understandably struggle with how to level furniture on an uneven floor.

Place rubber coasters under your furniture’s feet to help elevate the piece on an uneven floor. Slide a wooden or composite shim under your furniture to level it. You can also level furniture on an uneven floor if you add adjustable feet to the piece or slide a rug underneath it.

If the problem is severe, you may need to hire a professional to level your floors. It costs an average of $4 per square foot, but it’s worth the cost if you plan on selling your home in the future. Follow along as we explore how to level furniture on an uneven floor.

What Can I Put Under Furniture to Level?

You can put everything from leveling shims to rubber coasters under furniture to level it. Even household items like rugs are great for leveling furniture, and this is a visually appealing option. You need to be careful anytime that you try to level furniture.

This is especially true if you have to level a heavy piece of furniture, such as a bookcase, cabinet, or couch. Luckily, each of these options is cheap and you can put something under furniture to level it for under $20 in most cases. Let’s take a look at the best ways to level furniture on an uneven floor.

Rubber Coasters

Rubber coasters are a cheap and easy way to level furniture on uneven floors. This is a great option because you won’t have to worry about damaging the floor whether it’s wooden or carpeted. They typically cost under $20 for a set of 4 so it’s easy to equip all of the furniture in a room with them if need be.

The grip on a rubber coaster means that you won’t have to worry about your furniture sliding. Check on them from time to time to make sure that they retain their grip. Rubber wears down over time so you may need to buy a new set of coasters for your furniture within a few years.

Furniture Feet

While this doesn’t work for everything, adding furniture feet can come in handy if you have uneven floors. They aren’t compatible with every piece of furniture, but they’re perfect for coffee tables. You can also add furniture feet to small chairs and couches, but not if they’re too heavy.

Some furniture feet levelers are more durable than others, so it’s important to do some research. Look for heavy-duty leveling feet if you need to use them on heavy furniture. Otherwise, the leveling feet won’t be able to support the weight of your furniture and they will break.

Shims

Leveling shims are wedge-like pieces that you can use to even out your furniture on uneven floors. Their shape gives you the freedom to position each shim at the right angle that you need to level your furniture. You can find shims that are either composite or wooden.

Composite shims are more durable than wooden shims, especially if you have heavy furniture. Generally, furniture shims aren’t meant for overly heavy furniture such as large dressers or cabinets. You can always try, however, but your shims may break depending on how heavy the furniture is.

A pack of wooden shims costs $2 or less, and composite shims cost under $10 for a multi-pack. It never hurts to keep leveling shims around if you have uneven floors. They also come in handy if you have furniture with feet and one of them gets damaged.

Use a Rug

You can use a rug to level furniture on an uneven floor. This is a temporary fix and it is unlikely to have results as good as using furniture feet. However, this method works wonders if you use a rug in conjunction with leveling shims.

This is a great way to level furniture if only one side of the piece is uneven. Find a thick rug if possible for the best results. Place the rug under the foot or corner of the furniture that is uneven.

You can also place the entire piece of furniture over the rug if it’s large enough. For the best results, you can slide a shim underneath the corners of the furniture and cover it with a rug.

How Do You Level a Bookcase on Uneven Floor?

You can level a bookcase on an uneven floor with composite shims. Wooden shims won’t likely be enough to support the weight of your bookcase. If composite shims aren’t enough, you can put a rug over the shims to help elevate a specific corner more.

Options such as rubber coasters can work well too, but you may need to replace them often. This can be inconvenient if you have a particularly heavy bookcase because you’ll need to move it each time that you replace the coasters.

How Much Does it Cost to Level Flooring?

It costs an average of $4 per square foot to level flooring, but it can be much more expensive. You will have to pay for labor and materials as well which add up quickly. Uneven floors can also be a sign of larger structural problems, so the cost may skyrocket if you need to address other issues.

After labor costs, it can cost over $600 to level 100 square feet of flooring in some cases. It ultimately comes down to how labor-intensive the process is. The cost is worthwhile because uneven floors can be unappealing to potential buyers when you try to sell your house.

Summing it Up

The best way to level furniture on an uneven floor is with rubber coasters. You can easily slide a rubber coaster under each corner of the furniture so that it is level. The only downside to this option is that you will likely need to replace the rubber coasters every few years as they will naturally wear down over time.

Another option is to slide a rug under the furniture or at least one of the corners if it’s on an uneven floor. Slide a furniture leveling shim under the rug as well to fortify it and elevate the piece of furniture more. Add adjustable feet to the furniture so that you can adjust each corner as needed if the floor isn’t level.

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Nick Durante
Nick Durante

Nick Durante is a professional writer with a primary focus on home improvement. When he is not writing about home improvement or taking on projects around the house, he likes to read and create art. He is always looking towards the newest trends in home improvement.

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