ᐅ Malm dresser wobbles despite secure fastening – how can I improve its stability?
Created on: 26 Apr 2021 18:27
S
Sedan
Hello everyone, I have a Malm chest of drawers from Ikea that, despite being properly assembled, still wobbles slightly. I have already checked and tightened all the screws at the joints and fixing points. However, there is still a bit of movement, especially when using or pulling the drawers. The chest is placed on a fairly level laminate floor and is not overloaded. I want to improve its stability without making major changes to the furniture or altering its design. Does anyone have experience with how to permanently and effectively reduce this wobbling? What additional measures can I take to make the chest truly stable? Thanks for your tips!
Thanks already for the many tips! @minan I actually only checked superficially with the spirit level and honestly didn’t expect the laminate floor to play such a role. The wobbling is mainly a forward/backward movement when I pull the drawers. Side-to-side wobbling is hardly noticeable. The back panel still feels quite solid, no loose spots or gaps. I will use a spirit level and see if I can find small wooden shims. When attaching an angle bracket to the back panel, I’m already concerned about potentially voiding the warranty or damaging the furniture. Are there any less invasive alternatives?
C
cassandra27 Apr 2021 10:29Sedan schrieb:
When attaching an angle bracket to the back panel, I’m concerned about potentially voiding the warranty or damaging the furniture. That’s a valid concern. Original furniture manufacturers, especially Ikea, do not provide a warranty for damage caused by altering the material. If you want to avoid permanently damaging the chest of drawers, I recommend using contact adhesive or double-sided, extra-strong mounting tape on the back panel as an alternative to stabilize its position.
Regarding stability: For rocking back and forth, a slim floor shim (e.g., heat shrink tubing around the legs or compatible rubber feet) can help reduce slight movements. Make sure the support is even to avoid any shear forces.
cassandra schrieb:
For simple back-and-forth wobbling, a slim floor spacer (e.g., heat shrink tubing around the feet or compatible rubber feet) can help Exactly!!! I totally forgot about that! Just a bit of heat shrink tubing, it’s very affordable and very effective! 🙂 Give it a try, I think it will make your dresser much more stable! And maybe add a few fixing brackets on the back panel if you’re up for it. But even the small things often make the difference—no need for major adjustments right away!
In addition to the previous suggestions: if the wobbling mainly occurs when opening the drawers, it is advisable to check the drawer slides more closely. Sometimes the entire system is slightly misaligned, or the drawers do not slide smoothly. This can create a feeling of instability because the center of gravity of the dresser shifts slightly when the drawer is pulled out. You can adjust the slides or, if necessary, lubricate them lightly with some silicone spray.
Also, lightly leaning the dresser against the wall helps, even if it is not screwed in place – if possible, attach a spacer at the back so the dresser cannot slide directly on the floor. These small tricks often significantly reduce the wobbling.
Also, lightly leaning the dresser against the wall helps, even if it is not screwed in place – if possible, attach a spacer at the back so the dresser cannot slide directly on the floor. These small tricks often significantly reduce the wobbling.
Update from my side: I checked the dresser with a spirit level and there are indeed slight unevenness on the laminate floor, about 2 mm (0.08 inches) difference at the sides. I milled small wooden dowels and placed them under the rear feet, which has already significantly reduced the forward/backward wobbling. Also, following your recommendation, I wrapped heat shrink tubing around the front feet. I have oiled and checked the drawer slides as well; they now run much more smoothly.
As for the back panel, I’m not confident enough to attach brackets yet, so I will first try using stronger double-sided tape. Thanks to everyone for the helpful tips 🙂 Overall, it now feels much more stable!
As for the back panel, I’m not confident enough to attach brackets yet, so I will first try using stronger double-sided tape. Thanks to everyone for the helpful tips 🙂 Overall, it now feels much more stable!
Sedan schrieb:
Wooden dowels milled and heat shrink tubing applied to the feet Great, that’s the way to do it! Simple and effective. Keep it up!
Similar topics