ᐅ Which type of riveting holds Malm drawers together most securely?

Hello everyone,

I have a somewhat specific question and hope to find some experience and solid knowledge here: What type of riveting holds the drawers of the IKEA Malm furniture together best?

I am currently assembling several Malm dressers, and I have noticed that the original rivets or fasteners quickly develop play with frequent use of the drawers, which may also affect the stability. I am looking for a durable, strong riveting method or alternative that can best withstand this kind of stress and can possibly be retrofitted later.

Do you have experience with different riveting techniques or special fasteners that work better than the original ones for Malm drawers? The most important factors for me are durability, stability, and easy applicability without significantly affecting the appearance of the drawer.

Thank you in advance for your opinions and tips!

Hayatomo schrieb:
The originally used rivets or fasteners can quickly become loose with frequent use of the drawers, which may in part affect the stability.

I know that all too well with Malm drawers – that slight rattling when the connection loosens is really annoying.

From my experience, a combination of blind rivets with a larger shaft diameter and high-quality, thick steel rivets helps. These simply hold better than the thin ones IKEA uses. It’s important to make sure the rivets are set cleanly and straight, since the stress when opening and closing mainly acts in tension.

I also once tried using so-called “semi-round rivets” on a Malm drawer, which are visually subtle but still hold well – kind of a small upgrade without having to take everything apart. Adding a drop of wood glue around the rivet area for extra security makes the drawer last a good while again.

Of course, it’s not a 100% replacement, but very practical for home use 🙂

bensau schrieb:
a combination of blind rivets with a larger shank diameter and high-quality, thick steel rivets

This is an important note.

To answer your question in detail: Malm drawers are usually made with press-fit rivets made of plastic or metal, which tend to fail quickly under stress and overload because they do not adapt well to tensile and shear forces.

For a durable and robust solution, I recommend retrofitting with aluminum or steel semi-tubular rivets (also known as pop rivets) with a diameter of 4 to 4.8 mm (0.16 to 0.19 inches). These rivets have higher tensile strength and are very resistant even under dynamic loads.

When installing, the rivet holes should not be too close to the edge—at least 1.5 to 2 cm (0.6 to 0.8 inches)—to prevent tearing out. It is also important to use a correctly sized riveting tool that compresses the rivet cleanly and straight.

Alternatively, you can also use bolt or screw connections with metal brackets attached to the inside of the drawer, although this may affect the appearance.

A small tip: a well-glued metal rivet connector combined with an additional cross brace on the drawer side also significantly increases stability.

If you like, I can provide more precise recommendations on suitable tools and materials, as well as on surface preparation to ensure the rivet holds properly.

glamo schrieb:
Fasteners or screws with metal brackets attached on the inside of the drawer, although this can of course affect the appearance.

I really like glamo’s compromise here – you want not only stability but also to preserve the charm of the Malm.

Some time ago, I had the same issue with my drawers, which are used frequently, and I combined blind riveting with galvanized pop rivets. This way, I could benefit from both methods: the rivets hold the sides together, while the pop rivets provide tensile strength and reduce looseness.

If the appearance is less important, you can also use sturdy screws with small washers, which minimize play but are somewhat more time-consuming for repairs.

Otherwise, the only real solution is to regularly tighten or re-rivet when you notice the joint becoming loose. This also depends on the thickness and type of wood – sometimes the chipboard used is less durable than solid wood options.

How often do you usually open your drawers? I sometimes suspect that heavy use alone makes all the difference 🙂

rickey schrieb:
How often do your drawers actually get opened? Sometimes I suspect that heavy use alone makes all the difference 🙂

For me, the Malm drawers are real workhorses—I use them several times a day almost every day. So my tip: use steel blind rivets, not just plastic ones, and possibly implement small metal plates as glamo suggests.

Also, a little trick I always use: after riveting, smooth the edges with fine sandpaper—this reduces stress in the wood, which helps the joints hold better.

What matters is what you want from your drawers—purely aesthetics or multifunctionality and durability? For the Malm range, investing a few extra hours is worthwhile to prevent the joints from coming apart :-)