ᐅ Malm dresser squeaks despite wall mounting – how to identify the cause?

Hello everyone,

I have an IKEA Malm chest of drawers that I mounted on the wall some time ago to improve stability and prevent dangerous tipping. Despite the wall mounting, it unfortunately makes quite a loud squeaking noise when opening and closing the drawers.

I’m wondering what exactly might be causing this. The mounting brackets and screws are firmly in place, and the chest of drawers is completely stable, but the squeaking remains—even when moving the drawers gently.

Could it be that some parts of the construction are moving when they shouldn’t? Or is it possible that mounting it on the wall creates extra stress somewhere, leading to friction?

Maybe the material of the drawer slides or the way the drawers are installed is responsible. I have considered using wood glue or silicone spray but want to be sure of the cause before making any changes to the chest.

Has anyone experienced this issue or has tips on how to identify the cause? Thanks in advance!

Hello TRASU,
squeaking can often be caused by friction between metal guides or between wood and metal. Check the tracks for any dirt or small splinters. A drop of lubricant oil or silicone spray on the metal parts usually helps immediately.

Gere5 schrieb:
A drop of lubricating oil or silicone spray on the metal parts usually helps immediately.

Absolutely, and a little care for the furniture always helps! 🙂 I would also check if the screws of the drawer slides are too tight or too loose – sometimes that can cause small movements that lead to squeaking.

And don’t worry: silicone spray is great because it doesn’t stick or attract dust. Just spray it precisely onto the guides, not directly on the wood, and the problem can disappear, guaranteed! 😉

Hello,

I would like to add to the previous advice. In the Malm dresser, the printed plastic glides can rub against the metal runners inside the drawer, causing noise. Since wall mounting can put the dresser under tension, it is possible that this leads to slight tilting or minor deformations, which increase the contact between these parts.

As possible causes of the squeaking, I recommend checking the following:

- Are all the screws on the guide rails evenly tightened, but not overtightened?
- Is the dresser flush against the wall, without any pressure marks?
- Check the plastic glides or runners for damage or dirt.

To fix the issue, a lubricant may be helpful, preferably silicone spray or Teflon spray designed for running mechanisms. I would advise against oil, as it can attract dirt.

If the squeaking only occurs under certain loads, it might be useful to check the wall mounting to see if it is pressing too hard and causing pressure points.

I hope this helps.

sonplo schrieb:
Are all the screws on the guide rails evenly tightened, but not overtightened?

Thanks, that’s a good point! I initially tightened the screws very firmly, thinking it would provide more stability – so there might be some tension.

pinpa schrieb:
Check whether the screws on the drawer slides are too tight or too loose – sometimes that can cause slight movements which then squeak.

I will check that today.

Regarding the plastic sliders: they still look okay, but I will clean the guides thoroughly and then carefully try using silicone spray.

One more question: could it be that mounting to the wall with standard IKEA wall brackets isn’t actually as tension-free as assumed? Especially if the wall isn’t completely flat?

I screwed the dresser to a drywall (plasterboard) wall, so maybe there are pressure points that I would need to correct with spacers?

That’s great that you’re already working on the diagnosis in such detail! :-)

TRASU schrieb:
Could it be that mounting the unit on the wall with the standard IKEA wall brackets isn’t quite as stress-free as expected? Especially if the wall isn’t perfectly flat?

Absolutely possible! Especially with drywall, it’s common that the screws need firm anchoring in the wooden or metal studs behind. If the attachment isn’t ideal, additional pressure or slight shifts can transfer to the dresser.

I once used small foam pads as spacers on my Malm dresser to slightly relieve the tension from the wall. After that, the squeaking stopped! :-)

Might be worth trying small thin spacers or attaching rubber pads under the brackets. That also helps to reduce vibrations!