ᐅ How can I securely anchor Malm furniture to make it safe for families?
Created on: 3 Aug 2024 08:42
J
Jonaski
Hello everyone,
I have several Malm furniture pieces from IKEA at home, mainly dressers and shelves, which I want to secure safely in a family-friendly way. The safety of my children is my top priority – so I’m looking for a reliable, childproof method to prevent the furniture from tipping over, without it being impractical or unsightly. It’s important to me that the mounting remains sturdy even after several years and is as easy as possible to check or tighten if needed.
Here are my specific questions:
- What wall fasteners work best for Malm furniture (screws, anchors, brackets, etc.)?
- Are there any special safety kits from IKEA or third-party suppliers that you can recommend?
- How would you choose mounting points on the wall and the back of the furniture if the surface is, for example, drywall (plasterboard) or concrete?
- Do you have any experience with common mistakes to avoid, especially in households with small children?
I’m looking forward to your tips and advice on how to make this safe, durable, and as straightforward as possible. Thanks!
I have several Malm furniture pieces from IKEA at home, mainly dressers and shelves, which I want to secure safely in a family-friendly way. The safety of my children is my top priority – so I’m looking for a reliable, childproof method to prevent the furniture from tipping over, without it being impractical or unsightly. It’s important to me that the mounting remains sturdy even after several years and is as easy as possible to check or tighten if needed.
Here are my specific questions:
- What wall fasteners work best for Malm furniture (screws, anchors, brackets, etc.)?
- Are there any special safety kits from IKEA or third-party suppliers that you can recommend?
- How would you choose mounting points on the wall and the back of the furniture if the surface is, for example, drywall (plasterboard) or concrete?
- Do you have any experience with common mistakes to avoid, especially in households with small children?
I’m looking forward to your tips and advice on how to make this safe, durable, and as straightforward as possible. Thanks!
Filippo schrieb:
Question: Have you already checked the wall materials? And how heavy are the furniture pieces depending on their load?\Thank you for the detailed answer!
Regarding your question: My living room wall unit is installed on a drywall. The dressers weigh about 40 kg (88 lbs) when empty, and I estimate up to 70 kg (154 lbs) when fully loaded with clothes and some small toys.
I definitely want to make the furniture completely child-friendly – meaning that my children cannot tip it over or climb on it.
Are there any special tips for drywall installations that I should keep in mind? It’s often mentioned that fixtures tend to fail the quickest there if the weight isn’t properly distributed.
Hello Jonaski,
in your case with a drywall, the issue of fastening is especially important.
Here is a step-by-step suggestion:
1. Locate the wooden studs behind the drywall (framework). The most secure fixing is there, using long screws (e.g., 6x60 mm wood screws). A stud finder app or a magnet can help you with this.
2. If there is no stud, use at least two hollow wall anchors (toggle bolts or metal spring toggles) per fastening point.
3. The toggle brackets that IKEA provides for Malm can be used, but make sure to pre-drill the screws properly and do not screw them into thin particleboard only.
4. Position the fastening points as high as possible on the furniture, ideally not just on one side but on both rear upper corners.
5. Additionally, the piece of furniture should stand on the floor so it cannot tip over completely if children try to lift it. Optionally, small rubber pads can be used as anti-slip measures.
One more tip: Do not use screws that are too long in the furniture back panel, as they may damage the front side or cause injury due to sharp ends.
Good luck with the implementation!
in your case with a drywall, the issue of fastening is especially important.
Here is a step-by-step suggestion:
1. Locate the wooden studs behind the drywall (framework). The most secure fixing is there, using long screws (e.g., 6x60 mm wood screws). A stud finder app or a magnet can help you with this.
2. If there is no stud, use at least two hollow wall anchors (toggle bolts or metal spring toggles) per fastening point.
3. The toggle brackets that IKEA provides for Malm can be used, but make sure to pre-drill the screws properly and do not screw them into thin particleboard only.
4. Position the fastening points as high as possible on the furniture, ideally not just on one side but on both rear upper corners.
5. Additionally, the piece of furniture should stand on the floor so it cannot tip over completely if children try to lift it. Optionally, small rubber pads can be used as anti-slip measures.
One more tip: Do not use screws that are too long in the furniture back panel, as they may damage the front side or cause injury due to sharp ends.
Good luck with the implementation!
I have a critical comment regarding the common practice of insisting that all furniture must be screwed down.
It is often said that all dressers must be securely anchored to the wall, but it is important to consider the need more selectively.
Is it really only the Malm furniture? What about other large, heavy pieces in the room? Are they actually that prone to tipping?
Usage also plays a key role: Do children intentionally climb on dressers, or is it more about play causing accidental tipping?
My hypothesis: Simply anchoring furniture does not replace a proper education and safety concept at home.
Are there any data or accident statistics that show how often furniture like Malm actually tips over and causes serious injury to children? I would find that informative before we blindly screw down all furniture.
It is often said that all dressers must be securely anchored to the wall, but it is important to consider the need more selectively.
Is it really only the Malm furniture? What about other large, heavy pieces in the room? Are they actually that prone to tipping?
Usage also plays a key role: Do children intentionally climb on dressers, or is it more about play causing accidental tipping?
My hypothesis: Simply anchoring furniture does not replace a proper education and safety concept at home.
Are there any data or accident statistics that show how often furniture like Malm actually tips over and causes serious injury to children? I would find that informative before we blindly screw down all furniture.
Josefane schrieb:
Are there any data or accident statistics that document how often furniture like Malm actually tip over and cause serious injuries to children? There are studies from accident insurance providers and pediatric hospitals: furniture tip-overs are among the most common causes of accidents involving toddlers at home.
Specific figures show that several thousand children are injured each year due to furniture tipping over, sometimes resulting in severe consequences. Dressers with multiple drawers are particularly risky because children climbing on them create leverage effects.
For this reason, various expert organizations recommend securely anchoring all furniture prone to tipping, especially for young children up to 5 years old.
Prevention through proper fastening is a proven and expert-recommended measure to reduce the risk of injury.
Therefore, it is reasonable to understand your concern about proportionality, but the data clearly support securing furniture.
Josefane schrieb:
My point is: simply securing something does not replace the actual education and safety concept at home.That is absolutely true – safety measures are just one part of the overall approach. From my experience, children can act unpredictably very quickly.
In addition to securing items, it is important to explain to the child early on what is allowed and what is not.
But sometimes that is not enough, and that’s when these additional measures come into play to help prevent accidents.
So it is not a matter of either-or, but rather both-and.
I believe most parents approach this topic more relaxed and confident with this combined perspective.
Good morning everyone,
I would like to share a practical installation tip:
If you have a drywall and cannot find studs for fastening, always use two hollow wall anchors (metal anchors or toggle bolts) per mounting bracket. This ensures the necessary load distribution so the screws won’t pull out.
Always attach the mounting brackets at the top of the back panel of the furniture, preferably in the more stable wooden area. With Malm furniture, this is usually where the back panel has a sturdy cross brace.
Another tip: Use screws with fine threads for wood, as they hold better. If you use anchors, make sure the anchor size matches the drill bit size.
And don’t forget: After installation, always tighten the screws again if needed, as some play can develop due to stress and movement.
This way, the mounting will remain secure in the long term.
I would like to share a practical installation tip:
If you have a drywall and cannot find studs for fastening, always use two hollow wall anchors (metal anchors or toggle bolts) per mounting bracket. This ensures the necessary load distribution so the screws won’t pull out.
Always attach the mounting brackets at the top of the back panel of the furniture, preferably in the more stable wooden area. With Malm furniture, this is usually where the back panel has a sturdy cross brace.
Another tip: Use screws with fine threads for wood, as they hold better. If you use anchors, make sure the anchor size matches the drill bit size.
And don’t forget: After installation, always tighten the screws again if needed, as some play can develop due to stress and movement.
This way, the mounting will remain secure in the long term.
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