ᐅ How can I stabilize Malm beds on uneven floors?

Hello everyone,

I have a question that has probably been asked before, but I want to phrase it as precisely as possible to get targeted advice: How can I stabilize an IKEA Malm bed on uneven floors? Specifically, my bedroom has a slightly uneven laminate floor, which causes the bed to wobble and squeak when moved. The usual method of using small shims or cardboard strips seems a bit insufficient, as the unevenness extends across multiple points. Are there any special adjustments, professional tips, or purpose-made tools that can secure a piece of furniture like this permanently without damaging the bed or compromising its stability? I would really appreciate any experiences, tricks, or recommendations.

lepete schrieb:
The typical method using small washers or cardboard strips seems somewhat makeshift to me

Hey lepete,
I’m very familiar with the problem of a wobbly Malm bed! My solution was pretty simple and effective: instead of just using cardboard, I bought adjustable furniture legs with threaded stems. You can fine-tune them down to the millimeter, and suddenly the bed feels rock solid.

It doesn’t cost much and in the end it’s really satisfying when the bed no longer wobbles. And don’t worry, this is definitely not a quick fix but quite a professional approach. 🙂 Pro tip: make sure the threaded feet have thin rubber pads to dampen noise. Good luck!

As a supplement: Malm beds are based on a simple frame that is not particularly sturdy against uneven floors. The best solution is to professionally level out the unevenness.

I recommend using self-adhesive plastic feet with adjustable height (furniture feet). These can compensate for floor unevenness of up to about 20 mm (0.8 inches). It is important that they have a suitable load capacity to support the weight of the bed, including the mattress and occupants.

Alternatively, the floor surface can be smoothed with a thin leveling compound if the unevenness is only around 5-10 mm (0.2-0.4 inches) – however, this is usually more time-consuming and not necessary if adjustable feet are used.

I use felt pads with a self-adhesive backing, plus one wooden disc under each bed leg. This allows me to precisely level the bed with small wooden wedges. No more wobbling, and it stays stable even on uneven floors.

LUKO45 schrieb:
I know the problem with the wobbly Malm bed all too well! My solution was relatively simple... I bought special furniture legs with adjustable screws.

Thanks for the tip, that sounds like a well thought-out solution!

How did you attach the new legs best? Do I need to drill or screw them in, or are there options that can simply be properly glued under the bed leg? I would like to keep the bed as original as possible without drilling, if possible.

And regarding the rubber pads – do they really help with squeaking, or are they more for noise reduction from footsteps?

lepete schrieb:
How did you best attach the new feet? Do I need to drill or screw them in, or are there options that you can simply stick securely under the bed leg?

Hello lepete,
I had a similar issue and can offer you a simple guide:

1. Adjustable furniture feet come in both screw-in and adhesive versions. Screw-in feet usually provide more stability. Since the Malm frame is made of wood, you can drill lightly at the supporting corners or directly on the legs and screw the feet on.

2. If you don’t want to modify the bed, adhesive feet are an alternative. It’s important to ensure a clean, grease-free surface so the adhesive sticks well. However, adhesive feet can slip under load.

3. Rubber pads help prevent squeaking by cushioning direct wood-to-wood contact. Often, noise occurs when wood or metal rubs directly against the floor.

In any case, I recommend trying adhesive feet first. If you want a permanently stable solution, the screwed-in option is better.

Hope this helps! 🙂