ᐅ The MALM bed creaks even when the screws are tightened properly – why?

Good morning everyone! I recently assembled a Malm bed from Ikea, and although I checked all the screws multiple times and tightened them properly, the bed still squeaks constantly when moving. Especially when turning over in bed, this annoying sound is quite bothersome to me.

My question is: What could be causing the Malm bed to squeak despite the screws being firmly fastened? Are there any design weaknesses, material issues, or common spots that typically cause the squeaking? I have heard from some people that wood-on-wood friction or metal connections can be the cause.

I look forward to your insights and tips on how to stop the squeaking. Maybe this is a known issue with this model? Thanks!

Hello Sonfu,

I can definitely understand the problem. Squeaking in beds, especially models like the MALM, often isn’t just caused by loose screws.

1. Wood moves: Even if the screws are tight, wood-based materials like particleboard or MDF can swell slightly or change shape due to moisture. This can cause friction at the joints.

2. Metal on wood or metal on metal: Noise often occurs where metal fittings meet wood or metal parts move against each other.

3. Missing sliding or lubricating pads: Sometimes small felt pads or sliders between rubbing surfaces can help reduce noise.

My advice: Check all connections with metal fittings and see if there is slight friction between the wood and metal contact points. A bit of paraffin or wax can often work wonders.

In summary: “Tight screws don’t automatically guarantee there won’t be any squeaking!”

Good luck with your troubleshooting!

Hey Sonfu, I know that feeling all too well! 😃 I had exactly the same issue with my MALM bed, even though everything was screwed together very tightly.

PRA64 schrieb:
"Tight screws don’t automatically guarantee that there won’t be any squeaking!"

That’s absolutely true! I ended up sticking small felt pads under the contact surfaces – and voilà: the squeaking stopped!

The great thing is, you don’t need any special tools, just get those little felt furniture pads from your local hardware store and slide them in. This way, you prevent friction between wood and metal.

Don’t get discouraged! The bed is great once it’s quiet ;-) Good luck!

Have you loosened all the screws again and applied some wood glue? This prevents movement in the wood. Additionally, place felt pads at contact points.

I find it interesting that so many people immediately blame the material or incorrect assembly. Often overlooked is whether the structure can handle the loads it experiences and whether any manufacturing tolerances play a role.

IKEA furniture is mass-produced with certain tolerances. Even if all screws are tightened perfectly, minimal deviations or uneven surfaces can cause micro-movements. These movements then produce the squeaking.

GLALEO schrieb:
"small felt pads were placed under the support surfaces – and behold: the squeaking was gone!"

This is a pragmatic workaround, but the actual cause of the squeaking remains unaddressed. What bothers me is that no one investigates the causes systematically; instead, they just add padding in between.

Is there any information on whether IKEA itself has examined this issue? Or is it simply an unavoidable acoustic byproduct of wood-based furniture for many?

I understand the frustration. It’s really annoying when you do everything carefully and still get that constant squeaking. I’ve experienced it too and had trouble sleeping for a long time because it was so disturbing in the bedroom.

Maybe it helps to calmly check all contact points again and spend some time treating problematic areas with lubricant. On the other hand, I also understand those who feel that the bed simply isn’t (yet) perfectly designed – especially with affordable mass-produced furniture.

I hope you find a solution! Sometimes this is a process with several small adjustments.