ᐅ How can I effectively reduce drawer noise in IKEA BRIMNES furniture?

Hello everyone, I have drawers on my IKEA Brimnes bed that unfortunately make quite loud noises when I open and close them. Especially the squeaking or creaking is very annoying, and I thought there must be a more effective way to reduce or even eliminate these sounds.

I have already checked whether the drawers are properly aligned – they are quite straight, and the runners don’t appear to be dirty. Still, there are disturbing noises when opening and closing, which diminish the quality of the furniture for me.

Has anyone had experience with effectively reducing the noise of BRIMNES drawers? I am especially interested in long-lasting solutions that don’t require expensive specialized tools or high-end replacement parts. Maybe lubricants, damping strips, or small tricks to optimize the runners are something you could recommend.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

I would recommend first spraying a dry silicone spray into the tracks. This often helps to quickly reduce the squeaking. Be careful not to apply the spray directly onto the wood, only onto the metal parts.

Hello Fegau, I am well familiar with the drawer noise issues in the BRIMNES, as the system uses simple metal runners with plastic rollers. Your assessment regarding adjustment is important – sometimes very slight misalignments can already cause noise.

Here are some detailed steps I recommend:

- Thoroughly clean the runners of dust and small wood chips. Even if they look clean, fine particles often accumulate that cause friction.
- Use a non-oil-based lubricant, such as a Teflon spray or a special dry lubricant. Oil-based products attract dirt and will worsen the noise over time.
- Carefully check the plastic rollers for wear or small cracks. Damaged rollers cause additional noise. Replacement rollers can be ordered inexpensively, including directly from Ikea.
- It may help to stick thin felt strips or self-adhesive furniture pads on the inside of the drawer at the contact points with the frame. These absorb the knocking noise when closing.

One small technical note: The noises mostly result from friction and slight micro-movements of the components. If you decouple all contact points a bit, the noise level drops significantly. Have you noticed whether the squeaking occurs more when opening or closing? This can help narrow down the critical area.

Filippo schrieb:
Maybe it helps to stick thin felt strips or self-adhesive furniture pads to the inside of the drawer at the contact points with the frame. These dampen the knocking noise when closing.

That sounds very interesting, thanks for the tip! I have actually noticed that the squeaking mainly occurs when closing, while when opening, the rattling from the rollers is more noticeable.

I will also look for these felt strips again, but is there anything specific to watch out for regarding thickness or material? I want to avoid making the drawer too hard to move or creating a new problem by adding too much gap.

Also, I’d be interested in how Teflon spray affects the durability of the plastic rollers—does it potentially damage them? I’m worried that some products might unintentionally harm the material.

Since you also mentioned wear: how often can one generally expect the original rollers to last before they need replacement? Is it advisable to switch to new ones right away if the noises become too strong?

I always find it a bit amusing how people try to improve the soundtrack of their lives with IKEA furniture, while the BRIMNES drawers have almost reached cult status because of their squeaking. But joking aside:

In my opinion, these loud noises are a design-related issue, and the "effective reduction" is often overrated. Of course, felt pads or silicone spray help temporarily, but the construction itself is not designed for long-lasting, trouble-free use.

If you truly want quiet, I believe you need to go deeper—possibly upgrading to high-quality, ball-bearing drawer slides. Sure, that costs extra and requires more effort, but in the long run, it’s worth it if you use the drawers frequently.

I consider it a myth that you can achieve perfect noise reduction with simple home remedies. Minimalism has its price. So, if you really value comfort, you should either switch to more expensive systems or learn to live with the noises.