ᐅ The MALM bed squeaks at the connection point – how can I fix it?
Created on: 23 Nov 2023 09:37
L
Liciniuspi
Hello everyone,
I have an Ikea Malm bed that squeaks quite loudly at one of the joints when I move. More specifically, it’s the connection between the headboard and the bed frame, where the side rails are hooked in. The bed is a bit older, about 3 years, and I suspect the wooden joints or screws have loosened or shifted slightly.
I’d like to know the best way to fix this squeaking. Do I need to completely take apart the joint and apply oil or grease? Are there any special tips for checking or tightening the screws or wooden dowels without damaging the wood?
I’ve read that sometimes graphite powder or silicone spray can reduce friction, but I’m unsure how effective that is for this model.
Has anyone had experience with the MALM bed and knows good ways to permanently eliminate this creaking or squeaking noise at the joint?
Thanks in advance for your help!
I have an Ikea Malm bed that squeaks quite loudly at one of the joints when I move. More specifically, it’s the connection between the headboard and the bed frame, where the side rails are hooked in. The bed is a bit older, about 3 years, and I suspect the wooden joints or screws have loosened or shifted slightly.
I’d like to know the best way to fix this squeaking. Do I need to completely take apart the joint and apply oil or grease? Are there any special tips for checking or tightening the screws or wooden dowels without damaging the wood?
I’ve read that sometimes graphite powder or silicone spray can reduce friction, but I’m unsure how effective that is for this model.
Has anyone had experience with the MALM bed and knows good ways to permanently eliminate this creaking or squeaking noise at the joint?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Really interesting topic! 🙂
I had exactly the same problem with my Malm bed. I loosened all the screws, then applied graphite powder to the joints – this stuff is great because it’s dry and doesn’t stick. After that, I carefully tightened everything again, and voilà! No more squeaking!
I can only recommend this because you don’t need any oil, and the bed stays clean.
Good luck – you’ll manage it! 🙂
I had exactly the same problem with my Malm bed. I loosened all the screws, then applied graphite powder to the joints – this stuff is great because it’s dry and doesn’t stick. After that, I carefully tightened everything again, and voilà! No more squeaking!
I can only recommend this because you don’t need any oil, and the bed stays clean.
Good luck – you’ll manage it! 🙂
L
Liciniuspi24 Nov 2023 08:53retau schrieb:
Sprinkling graphite powder on the jointsThat sounds promising. Is there a specific method for applying it? Should I make sure the screw connections are disassembled before applying the graphite powder, or can I simply sprinkle the powder on the assembled joint and then retighten?
I want to avoid dismantling the bed unnecessarily if it’s not absolutely needed.
I’m familiar with this issue – it’s always frustrating when you’re looking forward to a quiet night and then these noises occur.
Your questions are very well formulated and detailed; I really appreciate how seriously you are addressing the problem.
I would like to add: When you check the screws, also make sure that the threaded inserts in the wood are still firmly seated. If these are loose, the squeaking could be caused by that as well. In that case, only replacement parts or more extensive repairs will help.
Be patient, sometimes it takes several attempts before everything is quiet again. Good luck!
Your questions are very well formulated and detailed; I really appreciate how seriously you are addressing the problem.
I would like to add: When you check the screws, also make sure that the threaded inserts in the wood are still firmly seated. If these are loose, the squeaking could be caused by that as well. In that case, only replacement parts or more extensive repairs will help.
Be patient, sometimes it takes several attempts before everything is quiet again. Good luck!
Hey!
I adjusted my MALM so many times until it fit perfectly! What worked best for me was loosening all the screws around the connection points, then lightly dusting them with graphite powder, and then tightening them again. Make sure not to apply excessive force but achieve a snug fit.
This allows some play in the whole construction without any friction – super cool! I feel this works much better than greasy oils or silicone.
Good luck, and let us know how it goes 🙂
I adjusted my MALM so many times until it fit perfectly! What worked best for me was loosening all the screws around the connection points, then lightly dusting them with graphite powder, and then tightening them again. Make sure not to apply excessive force but achieve a snug fit.
This allows some play in the whole construction without any friction – super cool! I feel this works much better than greasy oils or silicone.
Good luck, and let us know how it goes 🙂
L
Liciniuspi25 Nov 2023 07:15Davidleo schrieb:
loosen all screws around the joints, then lightly dust with graphite powder and retighten.Thanks for the confirmation! I tried that yesterday, and the squeaking was definitely much less. However, I think I need to readjust because the noise still comes through slightly when moving.
Maybe I should also check if the screws are tightened evenly.
One more question: After applying the graphite powder, should I loosen and retighten the screw connections a few times to help distribute the powder better? Or is it better to just tighten once firmly and leave it at that?
Looking forward to your opinions!
Similar topics