A classic scenario will be a silly man hacking away inch-by-inch to evenly distribute the weight of the dining table. There are plenty of ways to stop the wobble-wobble. And it does not involve the use of heavy machineries.

By experience, we have this pine gateleg table that wobbles and we had stuck some newspapers underneath to balance it off and it worked wonders but only for a couple of weeks only. If you’re still using such method, I advise that you read on.

First you have to identify the problem. Is the problem due to a loose leg or a missing cork, a low spot or a bump on the floor? In our case, we discovered that it wasn’t just the pine gateleg table, it was the floor too.

If it’s the table, make your way up the joints and see how it holds together. Can you see some wood screw or wood glue? If it’s the former, one can easily tighten or replace the screw. If it’s glued, get an L bracket and extra strength industrial glue. Tip over the table apply the glue and screw the bracket.

There are also instances that the problem is caused by a worn out cork found under the legs. These are the padding used to avoid friction and scratches between the table and the floor. Visit your local hardware store and buy a set. More often than not, if one is already deteriorating, soon the other corks will be heading on the same path too.

If one leg is clearly longer, you may opt to purchase a wood file. Start filing because this will take a while and don’t dare use a saw, you don’t want cutting off more than necessary. To be frank, this was the method my dad used on our pine gateleg table. He kept on tipping the table to check the level. He did it again and again and again. And finally he was able to level the table.

These tips worked for us, I hope it’ll work for you too.