ᐅ How can I carry out MALM repairs myself?

Hello everyone, I am planning to carry out some small repairs on my Malm dressers myself and am looking for tips and advice from you. Specifically, it involves adjusting the drawer slides, replacing damaged side panels, and repairing loose screw connections.

Does anyone have experience with disassembling and safely reassembling Malm components? Are there any special tools that work particularly well? Any advice on how to properly handle particleboard surfaces to avoid damage during repair work would also be very helpful.

How can one especially avoid compromising the stability or appearance permanently after a repair? Thanks in advance for your support!

For most MALM repairs, a screwdriver, an Allen key, and possibly a small hammer are sufficient.

When adjusting the drawer slides, simply loosen the screws slightly, adjust the slide, and then tighten the screws again. Handle the chipboard carefully to avoid creating holes.

The MALM series from IKEA primarily uses particleboard, which often has poor edge durability. When repairing side panels, I recommend filling damaged areas with a specialized wood filler and then sanding them smoothly. For drawer slides, it is important to clean the metal runners and rails before adjustment to ensure smooth operation.

Tools such as a precise Phillips screwdriver and, if necessary, a cordless drill with torque control help reduce the risk of damaging screws or denting edges.

For surface treatment after repair, fine sanding pads are suitable to minimize surface roughness, followed by an appropriate furniture care product. This helps maintain both appearance and stability.

It's great that you're taking on the MALM repair! 🙂

I would be especially careful with loose screws and avoid tightening them more than necessary – otherwise, you risk the particleboard breaking.

reni45 schrieb:
Handle particleboard with care

I can only agree with that.

If the drawers stick, often simply cleaning the runners and possibly applying a dry silicone spray to make them glide more smoothly helps – this is good for the MALMs and also protects the annoying chips. 😉

Important for screw connections: Always use a suitable screwdriver to prevent the heads from stripping.

If side panels are damaged, insert small repair wood panels with wood glue and clamp them. This helps maintain stability better.

Thanks in advance for the tips!

One thing I'm still unsure about: When repairing loose side panels, I suspect that screws can easily strip out of chipboard.

Does anyone have recommendations on how to secure screws again without having to replace the entire furniture parts?

Would solutions involving wooden dowels, insert nuts, or special repair kits make sense?

I’m looking forward to any experiences or advice regarding the durability of such methods.