Last month, I answered the first half of this important question. I described which items should be secured to prevent a climbing toddler or an earthquake from toppling them. Now that we have agreed upon which items should be braced, I will address how to do so.
Regardless of the type of hardware used, it is critically important that it be secured to the framing members (or studs) of your home. Most homes in our area have sheetrock or plaster over wood studs. Anchoring a piece of furniture only to the sheetrock or plaster will not provide sufficient strength to hold under stress. It is equally important that the screws secured into the furniture are into a solid frame member as well.
There are several different types of hardware available to brace furniture. The simplest is an angle bracket. Available at any hardware store, screwing a pair of these "L" shaped brackets to the top of a piece of furniture and through the sheetrock to the wall studs provides excellent anchorage. Angle brackets work very well for tall bookcases that rest against the wall. They are not as appropriate for shorter furniture or for those that rest an inch or more away from the wall.
Shorter pieces with a finished top surface should be anchored from the back. This way the hardware will not be visible, and the furniture will not be damaged. My favorite hardware for this application is a cable brace made by Macaw. It is available only at ACE Hardware stores. Vinyl straps with Velcro connections are more widely available but are inferior. Bracing furniture from the backside is more time consuming, but the improved aesthetics are worth it.
People often hesitate to brace antiques and heirlooms, fearing damage or depreciation due to drilling holes to secure the hardware. However, if properly anchored from the unfinished backside of the furniture, the value will not be diminished. Furthermore, consider how much more valuable the piece will be if it survives the next earthquake without toppling.
China cabinets, desk and shelf combinations, and entertainment centers are often built as separate sections stacked on top of each other. It is very important to first brace the two sections together (using a flat joint bracket on the backside) prior to bracing the top section to the wall.
Finally, as I mentioned last time, televisions also need to be securely braced. Although special kits are available, I prefer using long lengths of industrial-sized Velcro with an adhesive strip on one side (available at Home Depot). Be sure to thoroughly clean the side surfaces of the TV with alcohol prior to applying the adhesive and then screw the other ends of the Velcro into the wall studs.
Living in earthquake country with young children in the house, there is really no excuse for not having our furniture properly braced.