ᐅ IKEA Malm Dresser Wobbles After Assembly – How to Stabilize It?

Hello everyone, I recently assembled an IKEA Malm chest of drawers, but the piece wobbles slightly when shaken. It is placed on a relatively flat laminate floor, and I tightened all the screws according to the instructions. I’m wondering if some wobbling is normal for this model or if I might have missed something during assembly. Are there effective ways to make the chest more secure and stable without damaging its appearance? I’d prefer not to simply wedge blocks or similar items under the legs. Does anyone have experience with the stability of the Malm chest and tips on how to secure it permanently? Thanks in advance for your help!

padeo schrieb:
I tightened all the screws according to the instructions.

Sometimes you think that’s enough, but the Malm is notorious for its narrow base.

In my opinion, the whole construction simply isn’t designed for excessive shaking. Sure, the stops are there, but the piece still wobbles occasionally. The only solution is wall mounting. IKEA itself recommends this, but it’s very often ignored.

Why IKEA doesn’t provide better stability solutions from the start remains a mystery to me. Maybe they expect you to “adjust” everything anyway with washers or rubber pads. By the way, I believe furniture shouldn’t wobble – and if it does, then something is fundamentally wrong.

Install wall brackets.
Stick rubber buffers under the legs.
Check the floor and, if necessary, level out any unevenness with felt pads.

Hello padeo,

I can understand your problem well, as the Malm dresser, as ottilie already mentioned, can be somewhat sensitive to wobbling. This is mainly due to its design: a narrow base with a relatively tall piece of furniture. Based on my experience, the following steps can help:

1. Make sure your floor is completely level. Often, laminate floors are slightly warped or uneven, which causes instability.

2. Install wall anchors. IKEA usually provides a set with screws and brackets for mounting at the top, which significantly improves stability.

3. If you don’t want to make holes in the wall, you can also use corner furniture connectors that are less invasive.

4. Rubber or felt pads under the feet reduce slipping and can compensate for minor unevenness.

5. Check that all screws are tightly secured and that there is no damage to the connectors.

If you follow these points, you can usually eliminate wobbling completely.

I hope this helps!

Wall mounting is the best solution. If you don’t want to do anything to the wall, try placing small anti-slip mats under the legs. They provide grip and reduce wobbling.

I have also secured my Malm dresser with self-adhesive felt pads and wall brackets – no problems since then.