ᐅ Malm Nightstand Wobbles After Assembly – How to Fix the Problem?

Hello everyone, I recently assembled a Malm bedside table from Ikea, and although I tightened all the screws, the piece of furniture still wobbles slightly when shaken. I followed the instructions carefully and double-checked the fasteners—there are no loose bolts or anything similar. However, the connection doesn’t feel stable enough, especially from the side, where the bedside table feels unstable. Does anyone have an idea what might cause this and how to permanently fix the wobbling after assembly? Are there any special tips or suitable tools that can improve the stability?

Hello Emresar,

in cases like this, it is often due to one of the wooden dowels or cam connectors not engaging properly, or a component being slightly warped.

I recommend the following steps:
1. Loosen all connections again and ensure the dowels are fully seated – sometimes they are only partially inserted.
2. Check if the parts are truly flush against each other so that nothing is twisted.
3. When tightening the cam connectors, make sure to proceed straight and evenly to avoid the furniture piece from warping.
4. If needed, use a rubber mallet to gently align the components.

If the adjustable feet are not firmly resting on the floor, this can also cause wobbling. It’s best to check whether all feet are at the same height.

In summary: Careful checking of the dowels, precise alignment of the components, and evenly tightening the connectors often solves the problem.

Hello Emresar,

I assume your nightstand is the standard Malm model with multiple drawers. Wobbling despite correct assembly can have various causes. An important point is that the back panel of Ikea furniture is often attached only with thin nails and significantly contributes to the overall stability.

Tip:
Check if the back panel sits cleanly and fully on the frame. If it has loosened slightly or doesn’t fit perfectly, this can cause instability. You might try applying some pressure to the corners and pressing the nails back in, or if the manufacturer allows, use stronger back panel fasteners.

It can also help not to tighten the screws (especially cam lock fasteners) as much as possible, but to tighten them gradually so the pressure is distributed evenly. Over-tightening can easily warp components.

Could you also check if all feet are actually making contact with the floor? Uneven floors often cause more wobbling. Using pads or furniture glides to compensate for these irregularities might help.

One more question: Have you assembled other furniture with a similar design, and if so, did you encounter this problem there? Sometimes the wood quality in Malm products can vary slightly between production batches, affecting the fit.

Remove the wooden dowels again, check if they are clean, then firmly reinsert them. After that, tighten all screws carefully without overtightening.

Check the back panel, as it is usually the main stabilizer in Ikea furniture. If it is loose, the entire piece will wobble.

Thanks for the initial advice! I can confirm that the back panel is in place, but I probably applied too much force when tightening the cam lock fasteners. Could that really cause such lateral instability?

Is it better to tighten the screws with a torque wrench, or are there general guidelines for the right amount of force?

I usually tighten screws by hand until they’re snug, but in this case, I want to be as precise as possible.