Hello everyone,
I recently purchased several IKEA Malm furniture pieces and plan to disassemble them soon to make transportation easier. Since I don't disassemble furniture often, I am looking for efficient methods or helpful tips to take apart the Malm dressers or nightstands cleanly, quickly, and without causing damage.
I am particularly interested in which tools are best suited, whether there is an order to follow during disassembly, and if there are any special tricks that can make taking them apart easier.
Does anyone have experience with the internal fasteners, such as dowels or metal fittings, and whether they require any special care?
I would appreciate a detailed but practical guide, as this is my first time dismantling larger IKEA furniture. Thank you in advance!
I recently purchased several IKEA Malm furniture pieces and plan to disassemble them soon to make transportation easier. Since I don't disassemble furniture often, I am looking for efficient methods or helpful tips to take apart the Malm dressers or nightstands cleanly, quickly, and without causing damage.
I am particularly interested in which tools are best suited, whether there is an order to follow during disassembly, and if there are any special tricks that can make taking them apart easier.
Does anyone have experience with the internal fasteners, such as dowels or metal fittings, and whether they require any special care?
I would appreciate a detailed but practical guide, as this is my first time dismantling larger IKEA furniture. Thank you in advance!
C
carstenreo19 May 2016 11:42Hey, this is a great topic! 🙂 Taking apart a Malm dresser isn’t that difficult if you keep a few things in mind.
First, you’ll need a good Phillips screwdriver or, even better, a cordless drill with the right bit – this saves a lot of time and hassle! Always start by removing the drawers, then take off the back panel – these are usually fixed with small nails.
You can usually pry the dowels out a bit or carefully loosen them with a screwdriver. Loosen the metal fittings gently with the drill, without using too much force. If you do it this way, everything stays intact and you can reassemble it later. The order is important: drawers out first, then screws on the sides, finally the back panel. Good luck – it will turn out great 🙂!
First, you’ll need a good Phillips screwdriver or, even better, a cordless drill with the right bit – this saves a lot of time and hassle! Always start by removing the drawers, then take off the back panel – these are usually fixed with small nails.
Gaudra schrieb:
Does anyone have experience with the internal joints, like dowels or metal fittings, and whether you need to handle them especially carefully?
You can usually pry the dowels out a bit or carefully loosen them with a screwdriver. Loosen the metal fittings gently with the drill, without using too much force. If you do it this way, everything stays intact and you can reassemble it later. The order is important: drawers out first, then screws on the sides, finally the back panel. Good luck – it will turn out great 🙂!
For efficient disassembly of Malm furniture, I recommend the following structured approach:
1. Fully pull out and remove the drawers.
2. Remove the back panel – this is usually fixed with thin nails, so carefully loosen it with a putty knife.
3. Detach the side panels from the bottom and top panel, noting that the screws are typically secured with Torx or Phillips heads.
4. The dowel joints can be gently loosened using a small lever tool; avoid applying excessive force to prevent damaging the wood.
Tools: Cordless drill with appropriate bits (Phillips and possibly Torx), putty knife, and optionally small pliers for pulling out nails.
Recommendation: Document the position of each screw and part during disassembly to make reassembly easier.
This method helps prevent damage and saves time.
1. Fully pull out and remove the drawers.
2. Remove the back panel – this is usually fixed with thin nails, so carefully loosen it with a putty knife.
3. Detach the side panels from the bottom and top panel, noting that the screws are typically secured with Torx or Phillips heads.
4. The dowel joints can be gently loosened using a small lever tool; avoid applying excessive force to prevent damaging the wood.
Tools: Cordless drill with appropriate bits (Phillips and possibly Torx), putty knife, and optionally small pliers for pulling out nails.
Recommendation: Document the position of each screw and part during disassembly to make reassembly easier.
This method helps prevent damage and saves time.
It’s interesting how many people here recommend basic standard tricks as if they were the ultimate solution.
That might work, but honestly, I find it unoriginal. Malm furniture is designed to appear stable, even when disassembled. Personally, I start by removing the back panel first to destabilize the piece, which often saves time and avoids unnecessary force.
Whether you use wooden dowels or metal fittings, a simple screwdriver usually isn’t enough. A small hammer and a thin chisel or even a small saw for difficult joints can work wonders. Of course, this assumes you are not aiming for perfect reuse—that’s the point many tend to omit here.
Those who insist on perfection, in my opinion, waste time following the usual disassembly method. Malm is sturdy, but you can take it apart more efficiently—if you’re willing to try some unconventional techniques.
carstenreo schrieb:
The order is important: remove the drawers first, then the screws on the sides, and finally the back panel.
That might work, but honestly, I find it unoriginal. Malm furniture is designed to appear stable, even when disassembled. Personally, I start by removing the back panel first to destabilize the piece, which often saves time and avoids unnecessary force.
Whether you use wooden dowels or metal fittings, a simple screwdriver usually isn’t enough. A small hammer and a thin chisel or even a small saw for difficult joints can work wonders. Of course, this assumes you are not aiming for perfect reuse—that’s the point many tend to omit here.
Those who insist on perfection, in my opinion, waste time following the usual disassembly method. Malm is sturdy, but you can take it apart more efficiently—if you’re willing to try some unconventional techniques.
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