Hello everyone, I have Malm chests of drawers with multiple drawers, and I noticed that the drawers creak or slam quite loudly when opening and closing. I’m looking for ways to make these Malm drawers as quiet as possible without having to replace the entire drawer slides. Are there simple or proven methods to reduce friction or dampen the noise? Maybe some tricks using materials like felt, silicone, or something else? I’m looking forward to practical tips that can provide a lasting solution.
Hello Barmu,
Your concern is completely understandable, as the Malm series is unfortunately known for relatively noisy drawers. Generally, the noise is caused by the combination of wood, simple wooden runners, and friction between the moving parts.
What you can do:
1. Clean the drawer runners: Remove dust and debris, this helps immediately.
2. Use a lubricant: I recommend a silicone-based spray, as it does not damage the wood and lasts longer than, for example, oil.
3. Attach felt pads or foam rubber strips at the contact points: These can help reduce noise.
It is important to use the lubricant sparingly and move the drawer several times after application so it spreads evenly. A liquid dry lubricant specially made for wooden runners could also work.
If you like, I can also write you a step-by-step guide.
Your concern is completely understandable, as the Malm series is unfortunately known for relatively noisy drawers. Generally, the noise is caused by the combination of wood, simple wooden runners, and friction between the moving parts.
What you can do:
1. Clean the drawer runners: Remove dust and debris, this helps immediately.
2. Use a lubricant: I recommend a silicone-based spray, as it does not damage the wood and lasts longer than, for example, oil.
3. Attach felt pads or foam rubber strips at the contact points: These can help reduce noise.
It is important to use the lubricant sparingly and move the drawer several times after application so it spreads evenly. A liquid dry lubricant specially made for wooden runners could also work.
If you like, I can also write you a step-by-step guide.
Hello Barmu,
to address your original question from a more technical perspective: The Malm drawers use simple wooden runners without metal rollers, which makes the system relatively rigid and prone to friction. The noises are mainly caused by abrasion and pressure marks when raw wood rubs against wood.
An effective method is to use felt or foam rubber strips as cushioning on the edges of the runners and to treat the wooden surfaces with wax or suitable lubricants.
I recommend the following:
1. Remove the runners and sand them thoroughly with very fine sandpaper (grit 240 or higher) to eliminate any unevenness.
2. Then rub them well with beeswax or a special wood sliding wax.
3. Apply additional cushioning by attaching self-adhesive felt strips in heavily stressed areas (e.g., contact points on the soft close system).
Make sure not to use oily products that might cause the wood to swell.
Question: Are your drawers older or relatively new? Sometimes gently readjusting the entire mechanism can help if parts have shifted.
to address your original question from a more technical perspective: The Malm drawers use simple wooden runners without metal rollers, which makes the system relatively rigid and prone to friction. The noises are mainly caused by abrasion and pressure marks when raw wood rubs against wood.
An effective method is to use felt or foam rubber strips as cushioning on the edges of the runners and to treat the wooden surfaces with wax or suitable lubricants.
I recommend the following:
1. Remove the runners and sand them thoroughly with very fine sandpaper (grit 240 or higher) to eliminate any unevenness.
2. Then rub them well with beeswax or a special wood sliding wax.
3. Apply additional cushioning by attaching self-adhesive felt strips in heavily stressed areas (e.g., contact points on the soft close system).
Make sure not to use oily products that might cause the wood to swell.
Question: Are your drawers older or relatively new? Sometimes gently readjusting the entire mechanism can help if parts have shifted.
Filippo schrieb:
Question: Are your drawers older, or relatively new?Thank you for the detailed response! The Malm dressers are about 3 years old and have been used normally. I don’t think they are heavily worn, but I haven’t been paying close attention to wear or adjustments so far.
Sanding and waxing sounds like a good approach, especially since I’d prefer not to disassemble everything again. Do you have any experience with whether waxing changes the appearance of the wood? And how does it hold up durability-wise with regular use? Would it be possible to leave the felt gliders on permanently without blocking the drawer?
Hello Barmu,
a commonly proven and simple method is to use plastic glides, so-called furniture glides made of PTFE or similar materials. You can stick these onto the edges or into the drawer slides.
Note: This effectively reduces squeaking and significantly lowers friction. The sliding material is durable and does not cause swelling or discoloration of the wood.
If you don’t want to remove the drawers yourself, you can often attach these glides to the outer contact surfaces without disassembly.
The combination of cleaning, light sanding, and new glide elements often provides the best relief.
a commonly proven and simple method is to use plastic glides, so-called furniture glides made of PTFE or similar materials. You can stick these onto the edges or into the drawer slides.
Note: This effectively reduces squeaking and significantly lowers friction. The sliding material is durable and does not cause swelling or discoloration of the wood.
If you don’t want to remove the drawers yourself, you can often attach these glides to the outer contact surfaces without disassembly.
The combination of cleaning, light sanding, and new glide elements often provides the best relief.
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