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Gilbertmeo16 Sep 2019 08:43Hello everyone, some time ago I purchased a Malm nightstand from Ikea and noticed that the screws on the drawer fronts tend to loosen relatively quickly, sometimes after only a short period of use. I am curious to understand why this happens.
My understanding is that with furniture like this, the screw fittings should remain secure over time, especially from a well-known manufacturer. Could this be due to problematic material quality, an issue during assembly, or perhaps structural weaknesses?
Are there any experiences with retightening the screws or special techniques to prevent them from loosening again? I use the nightstand normally, without excessive force. Maybe the movement from frequently opening and closing the drawers also plays a role?
I would appreciate well-founded assessments that are not just based on intuition but explain technical or product-specific backgrounds.
My understanding is that with furniture like this, the screw fittings should remain secure over time, especially from a well-known manufacturer. Could this be due to problematic material quality, an issue during assembly, or perhaps structural weaknesses?
Are there any experiences with retightening the screws or special techniques to prevent them from loosening again? I use the nightstand normally, without excessive force. Maybe the movement from frequently opening and closing the drawers also plays a role?
I would appreciate well-founded assessments that are not just based on intuition but explain technical or product-specific backgrounds.
Screws often come loose if they are not tightened with enough torque or if the material they are anchored in is too soft.
In the case of Malm nightstands, the type of particleboard used can also be a factor, as it does not always hold screws securely over time. Regular retightening is usually necessary.
In the case of Malm nightstands, the type of particleboard used can also be a factor, as it does not always hold screws securely over time. Regular retightening is usually necessary.
Hello Gilbertmeo,
your observation is quite understandable. The reason why the screws come loose in Malm nightstands often lies in the combination of the materials used and the construction method.
Ikea uses particleboard or engineered wood for many pieces of furniture like the Malm nightstand. While these materials are cost-effective and visually appealing, they do not provide the best base for screw connections. Over time, and due to mechanical stress—such as frequently opening and closing the drawers in your case—the wood can slightly expand, contract, or deform. This causes the screws to gradually loosen.
Another possible reason is that the screws were not tightened with enough torque or were assembled without thread-locking compounds (such as threadlocker or adhesive).
If you tighten the screws once and possibly apply a small amount of threadlocker, the problem should be significantly reduced.
I hope this helps. Such issues are unfortunately common with furniture made from engineered wood but are easily manageable.
your observation is quite understandable. The reason why the screws come loose in Malm nightstands often lies in the combination of the materials used and the construction method.
Ikea uses particleboard or engineered wood for many pieces of furniture like the Malm nightstand. While these materials are cost-effective and visually appealing, they do not provide the best base for screw connections. Over time, and due to mechanical stress—such as frequently opening and closing the drawers in your case—the wood can slightly expand, contract, or deform. This causes the screws to gradually loosen.
Another possible reason is that the screws were not tightened with enough torque or were assembled without thread-locking compounds (such as threadlocker or adhesive).
If you tighten the screws once and possibly apply a small amount of threadlocker, the problem should be significantly reduced.
I hope this helps. Such issues are unfortunately common with furniture made from engineered wood but are easily manageable.
anno58 schrieb:
Over time and due to mechanical stress, in your case from frequently opening and closing the drawers, the wood can expand and contract slightly or deform minimally.This is an important point. One should not underestimate that even small fluctuations in temperature and humidity can affect the dimensions of this furniture. Particleboard has lower moisture stability, which affects how well the screws hold.
Marion schrieb:
Regular retightening is usually necessary.Exactly, but retightening alone is not a permanent solution if the screw mounting surface is already damaged or swollen. In such cases, using dowel sleeves or insert nuts can provide a secure hold. Using longer screws or thin washers can also help distribute forces more effectively.
I also wonder if Ikea is optimizing for minimal material use here rather than a long-lasting construction. Are there any official recommendations from Ikea regarding assembly or maintenance? I would be interested, as the instruction leaflets are often quite brief.
I can understand how frustrating it is to have a new bedside table and the screws keep coming loose.
I had a similar experience with my Malm, and I eventually decided not to worry too much when using the drawers, as it seemed like the furniture just wasn’t designed to hold up permanently.
I had success by applying some wood glue into the screw holes after the first retightening before screwing them back in. This gave me a feeling of greater stability. It might sound like a simple DIY fix, but for particleboard furniture, this was the best and most cost-effective solution for me.
Maybe give it a try? 🙂 And don’t hesitate to check the screws more often, especially on frequently used parts.
I had a similar experience with my Malm, and I eventually decided not to worry too much when using the drawers, as it seemed like the furniture just wasn’t designed to hold up permanently.
Gilbertmeo schrieb:
Does anyone have experience with retightening or special techniques to prevent screws from loosening again?
I had success by applying some wood glue into the screw holes after the first retightening before screwing them back in. This gave me a feeling of greater stability. It might sound like a simple DIY fix, but for particleboard furniture, this was the best and most cost-effective solution for me.
Maybe give it a try? 🙂 And don’t hesitate to check the screws more often, especially on frequently used parts.
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