Hello everyone,
I recently bought an IKEA Malm chest of drawers, but I noticed that it stands slightly uneven. More precisely, when I place the chest against the wall, one side is slightly higher than the other, making it appear not completely level. It’s a slight tilt, not a major slant, but you can definitely notice it when walking by and especially when opening the drawers.
I have already tried adjusting the chest on uneven spots on the floor, but the floor is quite level. The chest is placed directly against a wall, with the other side open.
My question: What is the best way to adjust or level the Malm chest of drawers so it stands straight? Are there any recommended methods or tools to compensate for small unevenness without compromising the stability of the chest?
I would be very grateful for professional advice or personal experiences with the Malm chest of drawers!
Best regards,
Pauchen
I recently bought an IKEA Malm chest of drawers, but I noticed that it stands slightly uneven. More precisely, when I place the chest against the wall, one side is slightly higher than the other, making it appear not completely level. It’s a slight tilt, not a major slant, but you can definitely notice it when walking by and especially when opening the drawers.
I have already tried adjusting the chest on uneven spots on the floor, but the floor is quite level. The chest is placed directly against a wall, with the other side open.
My question: What is the best way to adjust or level the Malm chest of drawers so it stands straight? Are there any recommended methods or tools to compensate for small unevenness without compromising the stability of the chest?
I would be very grateful for professional advice or personal experiences with the Malm chest of drawers!
Best regards,
Pauchen
C
cassandra18 Jul 2020 09:18Hello Pauchen,
first, it is important to check whether the floor is actually uneven or if one of the dresser’s feet is incorrectly adjusted or damaged. The MALM dresser usually does not have adjustable feet, so the floor or the surface beneath it might be causing the issue.
To level the dresser, you can try the following:
1. Use small wooden wedges or furniture pads: These can be placed under the dresser’s feet to balance the height. Thin plastic or rubber wedges work especially well, as they do not slip easily.
2. Silicone feet or felt pads: These can increase friction on the underside and help prevent the dresser from sliding if you use wedges.
3. For a slightly more serious floor problem, you could also use self-adhesive spacers available at hardware stores.
It is important to maintain stability and ensure that the dresser does not wobble or tip. This is especially relevant if you store heavy items in the drawers.
If you have more precise measurements of how much the dresser is tilted, more targeted advice can be given.
Best regards,
cassandra
first, it is important to check whether the floor is actually uneven or if one of the dresser’s feet is incorrectly adjusted or damaged. The MALM dresser usually does not have adjustable feet, so the floor or the surface beneath it might be causing the issue.
To level the dresser, you can try the following:
1. Use small wooden wedges or furniture pads: These can be placed under the dresser’s feet to balance the height. Thin plastic or rubber wedges work especially well, as they do not slip easily.
2. Silicone feet or felt pads: These can increase friction on the underside and help prevent the dresser from sliding if you use wedges.
3. For a slightly more serious floor problem, you could also use self-adhesive spacers available at hardware stores.
It is important to maintain stability and ensure that the dresser does not wobble or tip. This is especially relevant if you store heavy items in the drawers.
If you have more precise measurements of how much the dresser is tilted, more targeted advice can be given.
Best regards,
cassandra
Hello Pauchen,
I have reviewed your problem description again and would like to offer some more detailed tips on how to address the unevenness more effectively.
First: The MALM chest of drawers from IKEA usually comes with fixed feet that are not height-adjustable, as cassandra already mentioned. You can use tools or small adjustable feet designed specifically for leveling cabinets and chests of drawers.
Step 1: Measure the height difference
- Place a spirit level tool or app on the furniture and measure the tilt at different corners of the chest. This will help you estimate how much leveling height is needed.
Step 2: Check the floor
- Inspect the floor surface carefully, as even small irregularities can increase the perception of unevenness.
Step 3: Leveling materials
- For small height differences (1–3 mm (0.04–0.12 inches)): thin self-adhesive felt or rubber pads under the feet are usually sufficient.
- For larger differences (3–10 mm (0.12–0.4 inches)): plastic or wooden furniture wedges can be slipped under the feet. There are also special height-adjustable furniture feet with screw threads that you can mount under the chest’s feet for precise alignment.
Step 4: Installation
- Make sure the chest does not wobble after leveling. All four feet should have firm contact with the floor.
Step 5: Long-term stability
- Especially with a MALM chest, which is relatively lightweight in construction, I would avoid using soft materials like foam that might compress over time.
One more question: Is the chest standing freely or is it mounted to the wall with an anti-tip system? If not, I would recommend this as it significantly improves stability, especially if the chest is slightly tilted.
If you like, you can describe the exact height differences and the type of floor surface in more detail, and I can give you more specific advice.
Best regards
Le_kin
I have reviewed your problem description again and would like to offer some more detailed tips on how to address the unevenness more effectively.
First: The MALM chest of drawers from IKEA usually comes with fixed feet that are not height-adjustable, as cassandra already mentioned. You can use tools or small adjustable feet designed specifically for leveling cabinets and chests of drawers.
Step 1: Measure the height difference
- Place a spirit level tool or app on the furniture and measure the tilt at different corners of the chest. This will help you estimate how much leveling height is needed.
Step 2: Check the floor
- Inspect the floor surface carefully, as even small irregularities can increase the perception of unevenness.
Step 3: Leveling materials
- For small height differences (1–3 mm (0.04–0.12 inches)): thin self-adhesive felt or rubber pads under the feet are usually sufficient.
- For larger differences (3–10 mm (0.12–0.4 inches)): plastic or wooden furniture wedges can be slipped under the feet. There are also special height-adjustable furniture feet with screw threads that you can mount under the chest’s feet for precise alignment.
Step 4: Installation
- Make sure the chest does not wobble after leveling. All four feet should have firm contact with the floor.
Step 5: Long-term stability
- Especially with a MALM chest, which is relatively lightweight in construction, I would avoid using soft materials like foam that might compress over time.
One more question: Is the chest standing freely or is it mounted to the wall with an anti-tip system? If not, I would recommend this as it significantly improves stability, especially if the chest is slightly tilted.
If you like, you can describe the exact height differences and the type of floor surface in more detail, and I can give you more specific advice.
Best regards
Le_kin
Hello Pauchen!
The MALM is quite a classic from IKEA – but yes, getting it perfectly level isn’t always easy. I once had one that was so slightly tilted I thought I had built my house on a hill. 😉
What helped me the most were those small, clever furniture wedges. They come in many varieties – from wood to rubber. Just slide one under the shortest corner of the dresser until the level shows it’s even. A little tip: if you add felt pads underneath, it won’t squeak when you accidentally kick it.
By the way – if you want to be a bit more professional, you can even replace the feet with adjustable furniture legs. You simply screw them onto the bottom of the dresser legs and can fine-tune the leveling yourself. It’s less temporary and looks neat too.
Just stay relaxed and try step by step. Minor unevenness isn’t a big deal, but your dresser will thank you for standing more stable ;-)
Good luck!
ritotar :-)
The MALM is quite a classic from IKEA – but yes, getting it perfectly level isn’t always easy. I once had one that was so slightly tilted I thought I had built my house on a hill. 😉
What helped me the most were those small, clever furniture wedges. They come in many varieties – from wood to rubber. Just slide one under the shortest corner of the dresser until the level shows it’s even. A little tip: if you add felt pads underneath, it won’t squeak when you accidentally kick it.
By the way – if you want to be a bit more professional, you can even replace the feet with adjustable furniture legs. You simply screw them onto the bottom of the dresser legs and can fine-tune the leveling yourself. It’s less temporary and looks neat too.
Just stay relaxed and try step by step. Minor unevenness isn’t a big deal, but your dresser will thank you for standing more stable ;-)
Good luck!
ritotar :-)
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