ᐅ IKEA Malm Nightstand Squeaks When Lifted – What Could Be the Cause?
Created on: 2 Feb 2015 09:12
A
An-Andre
Hello everyone,
I recently purchased an IKEA Malm bedside table and noticed that it makes a clearly audible squeaking noise when lifting the entire table. The sound seems to come from the lower parts of the furniture when I lift it slightly and then set it back down.
I suspect it might be caused by the connection between the individual wooden parts or the coating, which shifts slightly against each other. I’m interested to know if this is a known issue with this model and if anyone has experience with the exact cause. Maybe it’s some kind of material friction or related to the screw connections?
I would appreciate any tips on how to fix this or a more precise indication of the cause.
I recently purchased an IKEA Malm bedside table and noticed that it makes a clearly audible squeaking noise when lifting the entire table. The sound seems to come from the lower parts of the furniture when I lift it slightly and then set it back down.
I suspect it might be caused by the connection between the individual wooden parts or the coating, which shifts slightly against each other. I’m interested to know if this is a known issue with this model and if anyone has experience with the exact cause. Maybe it’s some kind of material friction or related to the screw connections?
I would appreciate any tips on how to fix this or a more precise indication of the cause.
Hello An-Andre,
I have a Malm nightstand myself, and I experienced a similar squeaking noise when I slightly lifted the piece of furniture. In my case, the cause was the interaction between the plastic laminate and the particleboard at the joint connections.
I loosened all the screws slightly, then lightly roughened the contact surfaces with fine sandpaper, re-tightened the screws, and treated the area with graphite powder. This solved the problem. Important: Don’t sand too much, just roughen the contact points a little.
It also helps to place the nightstand on a soft surface, as hard floors can amplify noises.
Is the squeaking you hear more metallic or more like wooden friction?
I have a Malm nightstand myself, and I experienced a similar squeaking noise when I slightly lifted the piece of furniture. In my case, the cause was the interaction between the plastic laminate and the particleboard at the joint connections.
I loosened all the screws slightly, then lightly roughened the contact surfaces with fine sandpaper, re-tightened the screws, and treated the area with graphite powder. This solved the problem. Important: Don’t sand too much, just roughen the contact points a little.
It also helps to place the nightstand on a soft surface, as hard floors can amplify noises.
Is the squeaking you hear more metallic or more like wooden friction?
erikpu schrieb:
Is the squeaking you hear more metallic or more like wood rubbing?Good question, it sounds more like a soft but clearly noticeable creaking—so not a sharp metallic squeak. I suspect it’s coming from the wood or the membrane. The joints don’t feel loose, but maybe there is a tiny amount of movement.
The idea of using felt pads under the feet makes sense; I’ll give that a try as well. Thanks for the advice!
Declan55 schrieb:
most of the time it comes from the interaction between the wooden parts and the coatingI experienced exactly that as well and found it really annoying at first. After some time, however, the material settled a bit and the squeaking became much quieter. So it could be considered a kind of "break-in period."
I recommend not adjusting the piece of furniture too quickly, but rather recalibrating it from time to time. It might be some material tension that balances itself out.
A small update on the causes: The particle boards are coated with melamine foil, which reacts differently to temperature and humidity changes. This often creates tension between the foil and the wood.
If the screw connections have even slight play, the squeaking increases.
It is also important to know whether you have had the nightstand for a longer time or if it is brand new. In new items, the adhesive joints and connections are often not yet fully settled.
If the screw connections have even slight play, the squeaking increases.
It is also important to know whether you have had the nightstand for a longer time or if it is brand new. In new items, the adhesive joints and connections are often not yet fully settled.
T
taMoniqu682 Feb 2015 13:33Tighten the screws, then rub the contact points with candle wax; this provides a quick fix.
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