A few months ago, I bought a Malm bedside table from IKEA, and recently I’ve noticed that the drawers have become increasingly loose and no longer latch properly. As a result, they wobble slightly when opening and closing, which is quite annoying. The overall construction seems sturdy, but I’m wondering if this is a common issue with this model or if I might have made a mistake during assembly. Are there known weak points in the drawer mechanism of the Malm bedside table that could cause the drawers to sit loosely? If so, how can these be repaired or improved by myself without having to completely take the furniture apart? I’d appreciate any tips or experiences!
loarda schrieb:
Are there any known weak points in the drawer mechanism of the Malm nightstand that can cause it to become loose? Yes, Malm nightstands can occasionally experience slight loosening of the drawer slides over time due to the plastic rollers and guide rails. This seems to be more wear than a design flaw.
A practical solution is to check the rails and gently tighten any screws that may have become loose. Additionally, applying a small strip of double-sided tape or felt pads to the inner edge of the drawer can help reduce play and prevent wobbling without damaging the furniture.
Disassembly is not strictly necessary, as the drawers can be easily removed to inspect the guide rails. In cases of significant wear, upgrading to better ball-bearing rollers from third-party suppliers may be worthwhile, provided you are comfortable with DIY work.
onron schrieb:
That seems to be less a design flaw and more wear and tear. I think that’s too general a statement. IKEA produces for a broad market, so there are always compromises in the materials used.
In my opinion, the loose feeling also comes from a suboptimal sliding mechanism. The plastic rollers are inexpensive and maintenance-free, but they don’t maintain their shape well over long-term use. A more robust metal construction for the drawer slides would have been more suitable here.
loarda schrieb:
Are there known weak points in the drawer mechanism of the Malm nightstand? Yes, these weak points are due to the choice of materials and the simple design, which is optimized for low-cost production. Anyone wanting to fix the issue permanently will have to make mechanical improvements, such as replacing the slides or adding additional fixing points.
BLAKEO schrieb:
The plastic rollers are inexpensive and maintenance-free, but they are not very dimensionally stable for long-term use. Exactly. Just try tightening the screws under the drawer. If that doesn’t help, get new runners. It doesn’t cost much and often solves the problem. The wobbling usually isn’t caused by the drawer itself but by the runners.
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