ᐅ IKEA Malm Dresser Wobbles – How Can I Stabilize It?

Hello everyone,

A few weeks ago, I bought an IKEA Malm dresser, and although I carefully assembled it, it wobbles quite a bit, especially when I open the drawers or touch the dresser. I checked that all the screws are tight, which they are. The wobbling seems to come more from the overall construction, possibly due to the missing back panel cut or insufficient floor grip.

My question: What practical methods or tools do you recommend to significantly improve the stability of an IKEA Malm dresser without affecting its appearance or damaging the furniture?

I’m looking forward to tips, experiences, or recommendations for suitable accessories that can reliably fix this issue.

Have you already secured the dresser to the wall? Most Malm dressers are relatively unstable without wall anchoring. Use the supplied brackets and screw the dresser firmly in place. This should greatly reduce any wobbling.

rigau schrieb:
Have you already secured the dresser to the wall?

Absolutely, that’s a classic! 🙂 Without anchoring the Malm dresser to the wall, it often feels like it might start dancing the tango when you give it a little push. Another suggestion: you can stick small felt pads or rubber feet under the legs. These improve stability and absorb slight unevenness in the floor – so the dancing stops 😉

In addition to wall mounting, I recommend ensuring that all screws of the drawer runners are properly secured and that the drawers are evenly loaded. Imbalance can lead to additional wobbling. The back panel of the Malm is often only nailed, which does not always provide sufficient stability. You might consider reinforcing the back panel with small screws or even adding wood glue along the edges to strengthen the overall construction.

PECLARISSA schrieb:
You can stick small felt pads or rubber mats under the feet.

Thanks, that sounds good. The dresser is standing on a hardwood floor, so I’d rather avoid scratches – the felt pads would be perfect for that.

rigau schrieb:
Use the supplied brackets and securely screw the dresser in place.

I have installed the brackets but haven’t firmly attached them to the wall yet because I might want to move the dresser again. Is there a trick to attaching the brackets ideally without damaging the wall, in case I want to reposition it later?

Regarding the back panel: I have simply stapled it in place, but maybe that’s too weak. Should I do something additional myself?

Regarding wall mounting: A common and easily removable method is to use screws with wall plugs (anchors) inserted into drilled holes. This allows you to securely fasten the dresser. For a less invasive option, there are special furniture adhesive pads with high load capacity, although they are less reliable than screws.

Regarding the back panel: If the back panel is only stapled, you can reinforce it with small wood screws. This significantly strengthens the connection between the back panel and the side panels. Additionally, attaching narrow brackets to the inside corners of the dresser can improve stability.

Also, make sure the floor beneath the dresser is perfectly level. Unevenness often causes wobbling.