How to fix wobbly Patio chairs

[RandyHamilton]

Bought a patio set from Sam Club last weekend. 6 chairs, 2 of them swivel rockers. The table and chair frames are cast aluminum and the table top is a 40x72 slab of granite. The problem I have is that 1 of the chairs came with these slip on rubber "leg protectors about 1/4 in thick with a flat base about 2inches by 1inch. These "booties" are in addition to the normal hard plastic inserts in the bottom of each of the chair legs. 2 of the four chairs wobble and my thought was to go back to Sams and get the other three "booties" and insert shims of some sort to level the chairs. Went to Sams and they tore open another box and we found that there was only one set of these "booties" in that box as well. I looked online for a solution and didnt' find anything. Went to Lowes and while I didn't find a solution I found that it is normal practice to put these "booties" on the bottom chair in the set to keep it from punching a hole in the cardboard box.



So, does anyone know where something like this might be obtained and if not how to fix the wobbley chairs some other way.



PS,, I was all ready to use duct tape and a few metal washers but THAT idea was quietly, but firmly over-ruled by "the look" if ya know what I mean... .

 

[DaveN]

Try moving the chairs around to different positions, i. e. swap the wobbly chair with a chair that doesn't wobble. If the problem moves with the chair then your chair is warped. You may be able to gently "massage" it to sit flat with some pressure and some blocks.



If the problem is the location, then the problem with four legged chairs is that if your ground is uneven, they will always wobble unless they are flimsy enough to deflect when you sit on them.

 

[RandyHamilton]

Thanks Dave,,



The patio is 20 or more years old,, I did move them around a bit to no avail. . I was wondering if I might put the two stable legs on a 2x4 and apply pressure (set in the chair) to influence the wobble?



IF I can't get this fixed soon the whole set is going back,, 1,000 bucks for wobbly chairs has but a bee in my skivvies,,,

 

[Bill Lins]

Could it be that the "booties" are for levelling the chairs? Like if you have a chair with 1 short leg, you're supposed to put the bootie on it to lengthen it?



For a grand, you ought to get square chairs, I agree.

 

[ACoyle]

I suggest that you put one of the wobbly chairs in your kitchen. If it sits flat there, The wobble is not from the chair. If it wobbles there, it goes right back immediately.



If it is the deck's problem, then measure the gap between the leg that is off the deck and the deck. You will then know the thickness of the "politically correct" spacer that you must design. Depending on the thickness, caster cups come to mind. Also maybe one of those screw in and out leveling pads.



If the chairs are moved a lot, it becomes a fresh chalange every time.



HTH



AC