ᐅ IKEA Malm drawers often feel wobbly – any tips for improvement?

Hello everyone,

Some time ago, I purchased the IKEA Malm dresser set and overall, I am satisfied with the value for money. However, I have noticed an issue with the drawers that increasingly bothers me: many of the drawers are loose and rattle when opening and closing, which makes the furniture feel cheaper and could also put more stress on the drawer mechanism over time.

So my question to the community is: what proven methods or tricks are there to noticeably reduce the wobbling of the Malm drawers? Are there specific screwing techniques, additional dampers, or material reinforcements that can improve the fit? I’m looking forward to practical experiences, including tips on the necessary tools or simple aids that can be found at home. Thanks in advance!

First, it’s best to check whether the drawer slides are properly secured and not bent. Often, loose screws or slightly warped slides are what cause the wobbling. Usually, just a little tightening is enough.

Hey,

I had the same issue with my Malm drawers and can share some tips. The first important step is to completely remove the drawers and carefully inspect the metal runners both inside the cabinet and on the drawer itself. Often, you’ll find that screws are only partially tightened or small plastic parts of the runners are worn out.

Here’s what I did:

1. Tightened all the screws on the sliding rails, including the smaller ones.
2. Where the drawer had too much play, I stuck thin foam rubber strips or self-adhesive filling strips as spacers on the sides. This helps reduce the looseness and makes the drawer fit more snugly.
3. In some cases, the drawer’s sliding rails were slightly bent; I was able to gently straighten them with light pressure.
4. If rattling noises remained, felt or foam pads behind the drawer’s back panel worked well to dampen them.

In summary: Wobbly drawers usually result from a combination of loose fasteners and missing padding. With a bit of patience and the right materials, the problem can be easily managed.

If you want, I can provide more detailed information about the products I used and where to get them.

tolokau schrieb:
Often you notice that screws are only half tight or small plastic parts of the guide are worn out.

This, to me, shows the core of the problem: the design of Malm focuses on low cost, and the plastics used are naturally less durable than metal. Of course, DIY tricks can help minimize the issue, but the question is whether that just patches things up temporarily.

I would recommend upgrading heavy or frequently used drawers to metal ball-bearing drawer slides. This does cost more than simple foam strips, but it provides greater long-term stability and smoother operation.

Do you have any experience with how labor-intensive such an upgrade really is for Malm?

I can completely understand how annoying shaky drawers can be, especially when you have such a nice piece of furniture and want it to work properly. I had the same issue with my Malm and felt a bit lost about what to do.

After several attempts, I also tweaked the fastening a little and could really relate to your situation. In the end, tolokau’s tips were very helpful, especially the small filler strips inside the frame. That small adjustment made my drawers much more stable. 🙂

It can be frustrating when furniture doesn’t work perfectly, but with a bit of patience, you can usually get it sorted out quite well. Hang in there!