ᐅ IKEA MALM chest of drawers damaged – how quickly can it be repaired?

Hello everyone, I unfortunately discovered a quite noticeable damage on my IKEA Malm dresser: the top decorative trim on the front has split and is slightly warped, probably due to an impact or excessive pressure. Now I’m wondering how quickly something like this can be repaired without having to completely disassemble the dresser? Are there proven methods to properly adjust and secure the trim again, possibly using suitable adhesives or small screws? My goal is to carry out the repair promptly within a time frame of 1-2 hours, without it being comparable to a full rebuild of the furniture. Does anyone here have experience with a quick and lasting approach to Malm dresser damage? Thanks in advance!

Hey ovesi 🙂 I’m familiar with that issue—these MALM dressers are real classics but can be prone to small damages. A quick tip: If the decorative trim has just lifted, wood glue from a hardware store usually does the trick. It’s best to use wood glue suitable for interior use, which you apply carefully into the gap with a small spatula. Then clamp it or weigh it down with heavy objects, and after 1-2 hours it’s usually well dried. Screws are generally not necessary and might spoil the appearance ;-) If you don’t have clamps, a tight strap or tape to hold everything in place until the glue sets will also work. Good luck with that!

That’s great that you want to tackle this so quickly! 👍 I had a similar issue with a MALM dresser some time ago, and using glue and clamps worked really fast. It’s important to use high-quality clamps to prevent the trim strip from slipping. After about 1.5 hours, I was able to use the dresser without any restrictions again. Don’t get discouraged, the MALM is quite durable! 😉

Wood glue + clamps, as described by KNUTGI. Allow 1-2 hours for drying. Be careful not to use too much glue, as it can cause a poor finish.

For repairing a split decorative trim on an IKEA MALM dresser, I recommend the following steps: 1. Remove any dirt and loose material. 2. Use waterproof wood glue, ideally a thin, liquid adhesive. 3. Apply the glue sparingly to the broken area and align the trim. 4. Secure it with clamps or tension straps until the glue is fully cured (at least 1 hour at room temperature, preferably 2 hours). Screws or nails are not recommended in visible areas, as they can damage the surface. This method is efficient and usually sufficient to achieve a quick and durable repair without disassembling the dresser.

Thanks for the feedback, that already sounds very practical! The advice about being careful with the amount of glue is especially helpful—I’m sure I would have made that mistake during my first repair.

KNUTGI schrieb:
Then clamp it or weigh it down with heavy objects, and after 1-2 hours it is usually well dried.

That’s why I was wondering whether it makes more sense to do this directly on the piece of furniture or to carefully remove the molding and glue it separately. However, removing it seems a bit tricky since the chest of drawers is already fully furnished. What do you think, is it possible to detach the molding relatively easily without taking the entire piece apart?