Category: Statuary

Flagstone pavers make for a simple DIY patio or walkway solution. They are manageable for homeowners to install themselves as a weekend project, making them a common go-to option. Flagstone itself is available in a variety of colors and sizes, making it a suitable choice for any outdoor landscaping aesthetic. Use smaller flagstones for a brick-like look or larger, asymmetrical flagstones for an organic, natural looking walkway. Guarantee your flagstone pavers are perfectly installed by leveling uneven or wobbling stones with Wobble Wedges® plastic shims. Our patented wedges can hold up to 2,000 pounds and won’t rot or split when exposed to the elements.

Installing Level Flagstone Pavers:

The first step to installing flagstone pavers is to prep the yard surface. Any grass or plants should be removed, including the roots to prevent regrowth. Use a wide tooth gardening rake to level the dirt surface area as much as possible, removing any large rocks, roots, or sticks. Add a layer of sand and rake again to make the surface area level and smooth. Use the widest level you have available to check your consistency during the project. Now you can begin to place your flagstone pavers, making sure to nestle each paver into the surface material at least .5”. Once you have placed all of the individual flagstone pieces, walk carefully over the surface to detect any uneven stones. Use a rubber malet to push high sides into soil. Next pour another layer of sand over your new patio or walkway and use a fine tooth rake to pull it into the cracks between the pavers. This will hold your pavers in place and make for a smooth walking surface.

Fixing Wobbly or Uneven Pavers:

After your patio or walkway has some time to settle in the elements it is almost guaranteed that some of your flagstone pavers will start to wobble or will become uneven. At this stage you can use Wobble Wedge plastic shims to level and stabilize your flagstone pavers. Wobble Wedges are available in a variety of sizes and can hold up 2,000 pounds. These plastic shims won’t rot or split when exposed to rain, snow, or soil. Part of the beauty of flagstone pavers is it’s naturally inconsistent surface, which can ultimately lead to rocking and wobbling over time, especially if pavers are stacked. Use Wobble Wedge plastic shims to achieve a perfectly level flagstone paver patio or walkway.

How to Install Wobble Wedges for Flagstone Pavers:

First, take note of where the flagstone paver is moving. Where is the gap that is causing the stone paver to move? Once noting the location of the gap, carefully use a trowel to remove the stone paver from the soil and sand. Use one or multiple plastic Wobble Wedge shims to fill the gap area. Wobble Wedges patented interlocking ridges allow you to stack and combine Wobble Wedges to any height. Once you have placed the shims, replace the flagstone paver back into it’s hole and press firmly to ensure the wobble has been removed. Shake a small amount of sand around the edges of the paver to reincorporate the mended paver back into the patio or walkway.

Our Smallest Plastic Shim Has Many Uses

Wobble Wedges ® have unlimited uses, check out our many blogs to see just some of the many ways they’re useful to have in your toolkit. And our Mini Wobble Wedge ® is no exception! Below we’ve shared just 10 ways to use Mini Wobble Wedges ® to level, shim, shore up and stabilize all kinds of situations in your home.

1. Level Small Wobbles

Mini Wobble Wedges ® are a tapered shim that’s just 0.16” high, which means they are perfect for leveling any small wobble you find in your home. The flexible plastic version can be easily cut to size with scissors or a blade. The rigid plastic Mini is able to take +2,000lbs of force, even though it’s our smallest plastic shim. Mini Wobble Wedges ® also have our patented interlocking ridges that allow them to be safely stacked to whatever height you need. And they can interlock with our other larger wedges too, Standard and BigGap ™.

2. Level Antique Collectibles

Antique collectibles let you have a little bit of history in your home. From antique clocks to figurines, vases to antique lamps, all of them can be a little unsteady after so many years of use. Many antique items were handmade, which can also contribute to their uneven footing. Luckily our soft/flexible plastic Mini Wobble Wedges ® can level all kinds of items. And because of their soft texture they won’t scratch or dent wood, porcelain, or other delicate materials.

3. Secure Objects on Slick Surfaces

If you have something sitting on glass or polished stone, you might want to keep it from sliding around. The patented interlocking ridges on all of our flexible Wobble Wedge ®  plastic shims can gently grip the slick surface under an item to hold it in place. Use several Mini Wobble Wedges ® evenly spaced under the object to lift it and add grip. This will help it stay in place and can prevent marks on the smooth surface too.

4. Fix Loose Antique Furniture Legs

If you have an antique table that’s got a loose leg, you likely don’t want to damage it further by using nails or screws to fix it. So what’s a way to fix the issue without causing more damage? Use our Mini Wobble Wedges ® plastic shims to fix the loose leg, no one will be able to tell and no nails or screws needed. Get the instructions on our blog “How to Fix Loose Legs on Antique Furniture”.

5. Level a Glass Tabletop

If you have a glass table top that doesn’t sit level or that rocks back and forth, you’re probably not sure how to fix it so it still looks good. We recommend using our flexible plastic Mini Wobble Wedges ®. The very translucent and clear plastic will be hard to notice. Additionally the soft plastic shim will cushion the glass and hold it in place while also stopping the wobble.

6. Stabilize Tabletop Decorations

Decorative items on side tables and coffee tables are highly visible, so if they wobble and lean it can be an eyesore. Shimming them with a wad of paper though isn’t going to look good in such a visible location. This is why Mini Wobble Wedges ® plastic shims are perfect to shim these items. Our plastic shims come in a clear plastic that won’t be visible, especially if you trim the shims to size. They will discreetly stabilize all of your tabletop decorations.

7. Prevent Scuffs Marks From Hanging Frames

What do you do when your hanging frames leave scuff marks on your wall? It doesn’t just look bad to have a scuffed wall, if you rent it can mean you’ll get charged for repainting the rooms when you move out. This is a perfect situation to use Mini Wobble Wedge ® plastic shims! The soft/flexible plastic of our shims makes for the ideal buffer between your hanging art and the wall. Read more on our blog “Stop Scuff Marks from Hanging Frames”.

8. Level Houseplants

Don’t let an unsteady houseplant take a tumble from a stray elbow or a curious pet. Most houseplants will survive a fall, but that beautiful pot it was planted in probably won’t! Mini Wobble Wedges ® or our Standard plastic shims can do the trick of stabilizing and leveling plants. Read more in our blog “How to Stop Wobbling Potted Plants”.

9. Level Decorative Ceramic Objects (Bowls, Vases, Sculptures)

Handmade ceramic pieces often have a little wobble from being made by hand. This can mean the special object is less steady, and could be knocked over more easily. Luckily Mini Wobble Wedges ® plastic shims offer a solution, their soft/flexible plastic will delicately hold the ceramic and still keep it level. Cut the plastic shims to the right size to hide them from view.

10. Stabilize Decorative Collections

Lining up decorative collectibles on shelves or in cases is a great way to show off your prized collection. If the items are delicate or unsteady, using a small tapered plastic shim to stabilize them will make it easier to feel safe showing them off. Or if you want to just slightly tilt the items forward to show them off better on a higher shelf, our Wobble Wedges ® are perfect for giving them the best visibility. Simply place a couple of our Mini Wobble Wedges ® or Standard plastic shims underneath the backside of the item and it will gently tilt it into view. This works particularly well for items that are still in their original boxes!

Plastic Shims will Help Your Planter Garden Look Beautiful

Spring planting season is a great time to build and fill planter boxes! Flowers are such a nice reminder of the rejuvenation of spring and summer. If you’re going to build your own planter boxes we have a tip for getting them squared up. We also explain how Wobble Wedges® can help with planter drainage. And how to use plastic shims to keep window boxes level and from scraping your siding. Here’s how to fix 3 common issues with planter boxes.

Fill Gaps When Building Your Own Planter Boxes

Most wood is warped, it’s just what it naturally wants to do. So when building your own planter boxes, you might discover that it’s harder to get them squared up than expected. If there’s a gap between two of the boards, you can always place a plastic shim in between to help them meet. Wood shims that you buy at the home improvement store aren’t treated. So they can rot and deteriorate when in contact with water outside. Wobble Wedge® plastic shims won’t rot, warp or be affected by water. This makes them a great option for outdoor projects, like building planter boxes. Use our plastic shims to fill gaps, and bring boards up to level, making it easy to get beautiful planters for your flowers and vegetables.

Lift Boxes for Drainage

It’s important for planter boxes to drain so that your plant’s roots aren’t sitting in water. If the planters are located on concrete or decking the bottoms might not be able to wick moisture away. An easy solution is to take two BigGap™ hard/rigid Wobble Wedge® plastic shims in a “flat stack” (see below image). Place the shims under each corner of the planter to lift it .48in off the ground. This will allow for the planter to drain and create air flow. If you’d like this solution to be permanent, you can screw the plastic shims to the bottom of the planter, creating feet that will stay in place. Place screws on either end of the plastic shims, using the pre-drilled holes to make it easy.

Level Under-window Planter Boxes and Protect Your Siding

If you have under-window planters they can sometimes lean away from the house too much, making the soil come pouring out when you water. Depending on how the boxes are attached to your house, you can wedge BigGap™ plastic shims between the house and the box to bring it up to level. The weight of the box can hold the plastic shims in place, or you can screw them into position. You can also use our plastic shims to keep the window box from rubbing against your siding. This works well if the window box is removable. Use some soft/flexible Wobble Wedge® plastic shims to act as a buffer. Place them between the box and the siding, and use the weight of the box to hold them in place. This is an easy solution to protect your house from scuff marks on the siding.

Wobble Wedges® Make the Ideal Outdoor-Use Plastic Shims

Outdoor projects need to stand up to the elements, and if you need shims for outside, your best bet is a plastic shim. Wobble Wedges® are the perfect shim for everything from installing precast concrete to stabilizing potted plants. Made from sturdy, weather-proof plastic, our shims come in both hard/rigid and soft/flexible plastics, and 4 sizes. This makes Wobble Wedges® versatile and the ideal plastic shims for outside use.

Plastic Wedges for Deck Stair Installation

When installing deck stairs there is a lot of math involved, and sometimes you’ll need to correct for a miscalculation. Plastic shims offer a great solution. If you need to adjust the tread tilt or step height on your stairs, or fix the angle where the stringers meet the deck, reach for a plastic shim. Read how Wobble Wedges® will help with these issues in our blog “Why Use Plastic Shims to Level Deck Stairs.”

Shim and Clean Your Grill

Having a level grill is important for safety; instability plus flames isn’t a good combination. Use Wobble Wedges® to level and stabilize your grill on your patio or in your yard. They also work as chock blocks to keep castors from rolling. And a hard/rigid plastic shim works great for scraping off gunk that’s stuck to your grill. Read more in our blog “Stabilize Your Grill with Wobble Wedges®.”

Stabilize Patio Furniture and Keep Your Table Umbrella in Place

Old deck boards and uneven concrete can mean wobbling furniture while you’re sitting on your deck or patio. As with indoor furniture, Wobble Wedges® make great furniture levelers for your outdoor needs too. And if you have a table umbrella that spins or moves out of position, a soft/flexible Wobble Wedge® can keep it in place. Learn how in our blog “How to Stop Wobbling Patio Furniture.”

Hide Outdoor Electrical Cords

Electrical cords that aren’t tucked away look unsightly and easily become tripping hazards. There are three ways that Wobble Wedge® plastic shims can help solve this problem. Use them to tuck cords away across doorways, around siding, and even to hold cords in place along eaves. Read how in our blog “Hide Electrical Cords Outside.”

Level and Lift Potted Plants

Whether you’re moving indoor plants outside for summer or planting beautiful flowers in outdoor planters, sometimes you’ll need to level them. Your plants will love the fresh air and sunshine, but if they wobble they can be at risk of falling over, breaking your planter and making a mess. Wobble Wedges® are great for stabilizing your pots outside. Use them to lift your planters so they can drain more easily, preventing root rot. Learn more on our blog “How to Stop Wobbling Patio Furniture.”

Concrete Projects in the Backyard

If you’re working with concrete you shouldn’t use metal or wooden shims. This is because they can discolor the concrete over time with water exposure (unless you live in a very arid climate this is bound to happen). Wobble Wedge® plastic shims are perfect for building a precast concrete wall, creating a precast concrete walkway with paving stones, or installing a concrete fountain. Our plastic shims won’t discolor, warp, deteriorate or affect concrete, which makes them the best plastic shim for the job.