ᐅ Are there any experiences with Malm modifications?

Hello everyone,

I am interested in modifying Malm furniture and wanted to ask specifically about your experiences. I’m particularly curious about which concrete changes have been made to Malm pieces—whether drawers, runners, legs, or other components—to improve functionality, load capacity, or appearance.

It would be great if you could briefly describe which tools you used, how complex the modifications were, and whether, in your opinion, the effort was worthwhile.

I’m also interested in any common pitfalls to avoid when altering Malm furniture.

I look forward to your feedback and hope for practical insights, including tips on where to source important materials. Thanks in advance!

Hello kikoben,

I have modified Malm dressers several times, mainly to improve the stability of the drawers and optimize the runners for frequent use.

Regarding tools: I use a cordless drill, tape measure, sandpaper, and in some cases a router. For modifying the rails, I use metal brackets or higher-quality roller runners from specialist suppliers.

Typical steps I recommend:
1. Remove the original runners and measure everything carefully.
2. Install sturdier drawer slides – ball bearing slides from hardware stores often work well here.
3. Reinforce the side panels with additional wooden strips or metal brackets if you increase the load capacity of the drawers.

Important: Inspect the components thoroughly before starting the modification to avoid unnecessary steps. Mistakes often occur due to inaccurate measurements or low-quality replacement parts.
If you plan to change the appearance, I recommend preparing the surfaces carefully, as veneer can be easily damaged.

I have done this with two dressers, and the durability has noticeably improved. If you like, I can provide more detailed information on specific points.

Jensson schrieb:
Typical steps I recommend: removing the original rails and taking precise measurements.

This is a very important point. Often, the mistake is made to just install something without first accurately measuring the dimensions. As a result, the new components usually don’t fit properly and cause friction.

In my experience, it’s also worth investing in high-quality drawer slides if you plan to increase the load capacity. Cheap rails are often the bottleneck in Malm modifications.

Additionally, I recommend paying attention to the drawer material during modifications, as some are more prone to breaking when the load is increased. Reinforcing the inside panels with thin plywood sheets often helps significantly.

Those who take all these factors into account can greatly improve the functionality, especially when the furniture will be subjected to heavier use.

I only replaced the drawer slides with better rollers, which was quick to do and held up well. No major modifications were necessary.

Wow, there are some really great tips here! 😊 I recently reinforced my Malm dresser with metal brackets to store heavier items – it worked really well!

At first, I was skeptical about the effort and whether it even made sense, but now it feels much more stable and still operates very smoothly.

For those who are unsure: just give it a try, you’ll notice the difference! 😉 Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences here, it’s really enjoyable to be part of such a community!