ᐅ How can IKEA Brimnes drawers be made silent?

Hello everyone, I have had a small issue with my IKEA Brimnes drawers for some time: opening and closing them is unfortunately not very quiet, but rather somewhat loud and creaky. This creates a disturbing noise, especially in the evening or at night due to the drawer sound. My question is, how can the IKEA Brimnes drawers be made effectively and as quietly as possible? Are there specific technical or mechanical measures that can be applied without completely changing the entire construction? I would really appreciate concrete tips or personal experiences, especially from anyone familiar with these drawers and ideas for noise reduction.

Hello wilfridsan, your concern is understandable, as the Brimnes drawers do tend to make a loud noise when opening and closing. Most of the noise is caused by the simple drawer slides and the friction between the wood and metal. Here are some tips that might help:

- First, check if the drawer slides are properly aligned and lubricated. Sometimes, spraying silicone lubricant can make a noticeable difference in noise reduction.
- Alternatively, you can attach felt strips or foam rubber to the edges of the drawers, especially at the points where the drawer edges rest against the cabinet. This helps to soften the impact when closing.
- Some users also report replacing the catches or dampers, if present, with softer versions available from furniture accessory suppliers.

Regular maintenance and a bit of patience when testing are important. I’m happy to assist further if you provide more specific details about your model.

SARBLA1 schrieb:
Most noises are caused by the simple drawer slide and the friction between wood and metal.

That is theoretically correct, but I would like to question it: The IKEA Brimnes drawer doesn’t actually use a traditional metal rail but rather wooden side panels combined with plastic guides. Therefore, the friction might not only occur between metal but also between wood and plastic.

My thought is that a silicone spray might not effectively reach or could even damage the plastic parts. Possibly, mechanical modifications—such as adding a damper or replacing the drawer slides—would be more effective than lubricants. Has anyone completely replaced the drawer slides?

I believe the issue of material compatibility with lubricants should not be underestimated here.

A brief precise note about the noises in IKEA Brimnes drawers: The construction actually uses wooden sides that slide within plastic guides. The noise is usually caused by a combination of slight misalignment and the hard plastic edge against which the wood strikes.

In practice, it is therefore advisable to clean the guides, but instead of lubricants like WD-40 or silicone oil, it is better to use PTFE spray, as it provides long-lasting lubrication and is gentle on plastics. Additionally, I recommend attaching thin felt strips to the inner sides of the drawer sides to minimize direct contact between wood and plastic, thereby reducing noise.

If desired, small foam bumpers can also be installed around the drawer ends to soften the impact when closing.

Natan schrieb:
Therefore, my concern is that a silicone spray might not properly reach the plastic parts or could even damage them.

That is a very valid point. In fact, when dealing with plastics, it is always important to check step by step whether the product used is compatible. For the Brimnes drawers, I therefore recommend a truly silicone-based dry wax or a special PTFE lubricant commonly used in plastic processing.

flo-Theres schrieb:
Anyone who wants can also install small foam bumpers around the ends of the drawers to soften the impact when closing.

This is a simple solution that can be very effective. In general, however, the screws on the drawer slides should also be checked and tightened if necessary, as loose slides can make the noise worse.

Good morning everyone! From my own experience, I can add that the issue often comes down to the lack of a damping mechanism. The Brimnes drawers do not have built-in soft-close, which has become standard in other IKEA models by now.

A manual retrofit with furniture dampers (so-called "soft-close adapters") is a very good solution here. These can usually be easily attached to the back of the drawer and effectively slow down the closing. This greatly reduces loud slamming.

Alternatively, sometimes simply placing strips of fabric or carpet fleece on the sides helps, even though it is not the most elegant solution. However, it cushions irregularities and reduces vibrations.