Hello everyone,
I am planning to move soon and own several MALM furniture pieces from IKEA, mainly dressers and bedside tables. Since I’ve read that assembling some parts can be quite tricky, I’d like to ask specifically: What is the best way to secure MALM furniture during moves to avoid damage while ensuring safe handling?
I am especially interested in tips for disassembly, safe transport, and how to ideally reassemble the furniture so that it does not become wobbly or unstable. Are there any tools or accessories that have proven particularly useful?
I look forward to your experiences and advice!
I am planning to move soon and own several MALM furniture pieces from IKEA, mainly dressers and bedside tables. Since I’ve read that assembling some parts can be quite tricky, I’d like to ask specifically: What is the best way to secure MALM furniture during moves to avoid damage while ensuring safe handling?
I am especially interested in tips for disassembly, safe transport, and how to ideally reassemble the furniture so that it does not become wobbly or unstable. Are there any tools or accessories that have proven particularly useful?
I look forward to your experiences and advice!
An additional note: Malm furniture is made from particleboard and is therefore susceptible to damage such as swelling or cracking. Moisture must be strictly avoided during transport.
Furthermore, the stability of the furniture can be improved by properly tightening the confirmat screws. Using a torque wrench, the screws should be tightened gradually to prevent material deformation.
For transport, it is advisable to store furniture components horizontally, if possible, to reduce stress on the back panel.
These points are often overlooked but can lead to unwanted damage in MALM constructions.
Furthermore, the stability of the furniture can be improved by properly tightening the confirmat screws. Using a torque wrench, the screws should be tightened gradually to prevent material deformation.
For transport, it is advisable to store furniture components horizontally, if possible, to reduce stress on the back panel.
These points are often overlooked but can lead to unwanted damage in MALM constructions.
Mathew schrieb:
Moisture must be strictly prevented during transportation.\I agree that is important, but I wonder: How effective is bubble wrap against temperature or moisture fluctuations?
Are there perhaps special breathable protective films or other materials better suited for this? I often see furniture simply wrapped in plastic, which can lead to condensation forming, especially in damp conditions, causing the boards to swell.
Would cardboard as an intermediate layer work better, or does anyone have experience with alternative packaging solutions?
Wyatt schrieb:
Do you have specific questions about individual pieces of furniture?Thank you for the detailed answer! I have one more specific question about attaching the back panel: In my large MALM wardrobe, the back panels seem to be fixed with small nails that you really can’t remove without damaging the panel. What is the best way to handle this? Is it possible to remove the back panel without causing damage, or is it better to keep the furniture as intact as possible and just protect it externally?
I want to avoid the furniture falling apart during transport but am unsure how to proceed given this situation.
Hey Edmundru!
It’s great that you’re asking such detailed questions! 🙂
I’ve had similar experiences with back panels secured by nails. Personally, I usually leave them in place because, as you mentioned, it significantly improves stability during moving!
Instead of removing the back panel, I wrap the entire piece of furniture carefully in moving blankets and make sure it doesn’t shift during transport.
If you cushion and secure the furniture well, you can move the cabinet intact without disassembling it. So no worries about the nails ;-) Good luck!
It’s great that you’re asking such detailed questions! 🙂
I’ve had similar experiences with back panels secured by nails. Personally, I usually leave them in place because, as you mentioned, it significantly improves stability during moving!
Instead of removing the back panel, I wrap the entire piece of furniture carefully in moving blankets and make sure it doesn’t shift during transport.
If you cushion and secure the furniture well, you can move the cabinet intact without disassembling it. So no worries about the nails ;-) Good luck!
Edmundru schrieb:
How should I best proceed here?In the case of MALM back panels that are nailed in place, removal is often not intended and can destabilize the piece of furniture.
Therefore, the best approach is to leave the back panel in place and protect the furniture carcass with the utmost care. Use multiple layers of protective materials to prevent impacts and scratches.
If the cabinet shows any movement during transport, it is recommended to wrap it with stretch film after applying the padding to secure everything in place.
This also aligns with the recommendations from IKEA and furniture moving experts.
Kolepau schrieb:
I usually leave these on, because as you said, it greatly increases stability during the move!That is a reasonable approach from a structural stability perspective, yes. But isn’t there a risk that the nails could cause damage as point loads on other items during transport?
Wouldn’t it be better to cover the small nail heads with a protective film to prevent scratches? Maybe even use foam pads on the corners of the back panels?
I’m asking because I often notice how sensitive furniture can get damaged during moves due to such details.
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