ᐅ IKEA Malm bed creaks at the joint – repair needed?

Hello everyone,

Some time ago, I bought an IKEA Malm bed, which seems to be well made, but recently it has started squeaking annoyingly at the connection between the side panels and the center support. The noise occurs mainly when turning over or with slight movement in the bed and is quite loud.

I have already tried tightening the screws, but that only provides a short-term improvement. Has anyone had similar experiences with the Malm bed? Are there any proven repair methods or tricks to permanently eliminate the squeaking without having to take the entire bed apart?

I would appreciate any advice on how to proceed, especially regarding whether any lubricants are recommended or not, and how best to treat wood-to-metal connections in this case. Thanks in advance!

bau44 schrieb:
I already tried tightening the screws, but that only helped temporarily.

I know that feeling well! I had exactly the same problem with my Malm bed, and wow, it’s really annoying! 🙂

What worked really well for me was placing felt or cork pads between the connection points. This prevents the wood surfaces from rubbing directly against each other, and the squeaking stopped! Additionally, I tightened all the screws firmly beforehand and applied a bit of silicone spray to the metal parts. Important: don’t use too much, or it will get greasy and attract dust.

Give it a try — it’s really effective and easy to do! Good luck, you’ve got this :-)

Pome60 schrieb:
What really helped me was sticking felt or cork pads between the joints.

I also think the tip about using pads is very useful since squeaking usually comes from friction. However, you should first carefully check whether the squeaky joint is caused by loose or damaged wood or particleboard components – IKEA wood-based materials are sometimes not very durable, and excessive stress can damage the material.

@bau44: Have you noticed if the bed wobbles more in a specific spot or if one of the slats might have a hairline crack? Because if there is wood damage, simply tightening screws or adding pads is only a temporary fix.

I want to add some nuance:

bau44 schrieb:
The noise mainly occurs when turning over or slight movements in bed and is quite loud.

This description strongly suggests friction between two solid parts that are moving against each other. However, this does not necessarily have to be at the screw connection but could also be caused by gaps in the structure where wood rubs against wood or metal rubs against wood.

@Pome60 is right with the felt or cork pads, which help dampen friction. However, it is also important to check whether the wood has been deformed due to excessive load. Simply tightening the screws can even be counterproductive if it stresses the material.

My recommendation: first check by gently pressing and twisting the frame to see if any parts move unexpectedly or show noticeable play. Then focus on treating the connection points in those areas.

Oh, and occasionally unscrewing and reglueing the joint can also help—if you are not completely inexperienced with DIY.

Look what worked for me:

1. Loosen all screws, but do not remove them completely.
2. Dust screws and threads with graphite or Teflon powder (no oil!).
3. Tighten again, making sure they fit evenly.

This permanently eliminated the squeaking for me.

JAMESONB41 schrieb:
Look at what helped me: Loosen all the screws without fully removing them. Dust the screws and threads with graphite or Teflon powder.

This approach makes a lot of sense because lubricants like oil often attract dust, which can worsen the problem over time due to contamination.

It’s also worth checking the wooden surfaces and possibly lightly sanding or smoothing any rough contact points, as long as the wood won’t be damaged by it. A loose frame or uneven loads can cause the squeaking.

If your Malm bed is older, refastening the connecting elements with appropriate furniture brackets can provide additional stability.