Hello everyone,
I recently bought a Malm drawer set from IKEA. The problem is that some of the drawers are crooked and don’t close properly. I have noticed that the drawers can be slightly adjusted on their slides, but I also see that some of my drawers hang at an angle, meaning they are not perfectly parallel to the dresser. My question is: What is the best way to adjust or fix Malm drawers that are misaligned without completely removing them or causing damage? Are there any special tips or steps to keep in mind? I would prefer not to completely rebuild the slides and am hoping for a simple solution.
I look forward to your tips and experiences!
I recently bought a Malm drawer set from IKEA. The problem is that some of the drawers are crooked and don’t close properly. I have noticed that the drawers can be slightly adjusted on their slides, but I also see that some of my drawers hang at an angle, meaning they are not perfectly parallel to the dresser. My question is: What is the best way to adjust or fix Malm drawers that are misaligned without completely removing them or causing damage? Are there any special tips or steps to keep in mind? I would prefer not to completely rebuild the slides and am hoping for a simple solution.
I look forward to your tips and experiences!
Hello PIELDAN,
I can completely understand how frustrating it is when the drawers don’t slide smoothly. I experienced something similar with my Malm chest of drawers. A quick tip: sometimes the drawer slides aren’t installed perfectly straight, especially during assembly – this can quickly affect their alignment.
What helped me was that the screw holes for the slides on the inside of the chest are often a bit loose, allowing for slight adjustments. Also, you should check if the plastic runners on the drawer are undamaged and properly seated.
A gentle adjustment can often be made by moving the sides of the chest slightly back and forth while gently sliding the drawer in and out for testing. If that doesn’t help, using thin spacers made of felt or paper inside the track can help fine-tune the drawer’s position.
I was hesitant to adjust the slides at first, but with careful trial and error and repeatedly removing the drawer, I was able to largely fix the problem. It takes a bit of time but makes the entire chest much more functional.
Good luck!
I can completely understand how frustrating it is when the drawers don’t slide smoothly. I experienced something similar with my Malm chest of drawers. A quick tip: sometimes the drawer slides aren’t installed perfectly straight, especially during assembly – this can quickly affect their alignment.
What helped me was that the screw holes for the slides on the inside of the chest are often a bit loose, allowing for slight adjustments. Also, you should check if the plastic runners on the drawer are undamaged and properly seated.
PIELDAN schrieb:
How can I best adjust or correct Malm drawers that are misaligned without fully removing or damaging them?
A gentle adjustment can often be made by moving the sides of the chest slightly back and forth while gently sliding the drawer in and out for testing. If that doesn’t help, using thin spacers made of felt or paper inside the track can help fine-tune the drawer’s position.
I was hesitant to adjust the slides at first, but with careful trial and error and repeatedly removing the drawer, I was able to largely fix the problem. It takes a bit of time but makes the entire chest much more functional.
Good luck!
Regarding the question:
"How can I best adjust or correct Malm drawers that are misaligned without completely removing or damaging them?"
For a practical approach, I recommend the following steps:
1. Check the rail attachments: Loose screws on the rails often cause misalignment. Use a screwdriver to check the fastenings and tighten if necessary.
2. Inspect the plastic glides: Malm drawers have plastic glides mounted on the sides, which may wear unevenly. Replacing or adjusting them by a few millimeters can improve alignment.
3. Use thin washers or felt strips on the inside of the rails: This technique allows for minimal height or lateral adjustments without removing the drawer.
4. Adjustment by slightly loosening and shifting the rails while still installed is possible to optimize alignment.
5. Check the level of the chest of drawers with a spirit level, as an uneven placement can also affect drawer alignment.
These measures are reversible and will not damage the furniture if done carefully. Removing the drawer is only necessary for more complex adjustments but is not required for small misalignments.
"How can I best adjust or correct Malm drawers that are misaligned without completely removing or damaging them?"
For a practical approach, I recommend the following steps:
1. Check the rail attachments: Loose screws on the rails often cause misalignment. Use a screwdriver to check the fastenings and tighten if necessary.
2. Inspect the plastic glides: Malm drawers have plastic glides mounted on the sides, which may wear unevenly. Replacing or adjusting them by a few millimeters can improve alignment.
3. Use thin washers or felt strips on the inside of the rails: This technique allows for minimal height or lateral adjustments without removing the drawer.
4. Adjustment by slightly loosening and shifting the rails while still installed is possible to optimize alignment.
5. Check the level of the chest of drawers with a spirit level, as an uneven placement can also affect drawer alignment.
These measures are reversible and will not damage the furniture if done carefully. Removing the drawer is only necessary for more complex adjustments but is not required for small misalignments.
Hello PIELDAN,
I also dealt with the issue of crooked Malm drawers and would like to share my solution, which might be helpful for you as well.
This is an important point because small screws that have loosened are often overlooked. I first checked and tightened all the screws.
Additionally, it helps to slightly adjust the drawer frame on the crooked side by slightly lengthening or shortening the rail using an Allen key (or suitable tool). You can also partially lift the drawer out of the track to gain more play for adjustment.
That's true, a simple trick! I glued small felt strips to the track where the drawer is crooked, acting as a buffer to create a straighter position.
It is also important to place the dresser on a level surface; uneven floors can sometimes warp the entire structure.
If you try all these steps, you should definitely achieve a noticeably better alignment. Feel free to ask if you have any questions!
I also dealt with the issue of crooked Malm drawers and would like to share my solution, which might be helpful for you as well.
usbla schrieb:
Check the rail attachment: Loose screws on the rails often cause misalignment.
This is an important point because small screws that have loosened are often overlooked. I first checked and tightened all the screws.
Additionally, it helps to slightly adjust the drawer frame on the crooked side by slightly lengthening or shortening the rail using an Allen key (or suitable tool). You can also partially lift the drawer out of the track to gain more play for adjustment.
DUUS32 schrieb:
Use thin spacers made of felt or paper in the track to minimally adjust the drawer
That's true, a simple trick! I glued small felt strips to the track where the drawer is crooked, acting as a buffer to create a straighter position.
It is also important to place the dresser on a level surface; uneven floors can sometimes warp the entire structure.
If you try all these steps, you should definitely achieve a noticeably better alignment. Feel free to ask if you have any questions!
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