Hello everyone, I have two Malm bedside tables from IKEA, but they are quite wobbly and start to tip over even with a light touch. The overall design is basically stable, but in my case, the joints rattle, probably due to loose screws or worn dowels.
I’m interested in: What can I specifically do to permanently stabilize these bedside tables? Are there any practical tips or special materials that can be used without affecting the appearance? I don’t want a complete rebuild, more like a repair that even a layperson can manage. I’m grateful for any advice!
I’m interested in: What can I specifically do to permanently stabilize these bedside tables? Are there any practical tips or special materials that can be used without affecting the appearance? I don’t want a complete rebuild, more like a repair that even a layperson can manage. I’m grateful for any advice!
Here is a short guide to repair your wobbly Malm nightstand:
1. First, check all the screw connections. Screws that can turn must be removed.
2. Carefully remove the old wooden or plastic dowels. Sometimes they break, so use pliers.
3. Purchase exactly matching wooden dowels (usually 8mm (0.3 inches)) and glue them in with wood glue. Important: Apply the glue sparingly.
4. Reassemble the nightstand and tighten the screws firmly, but not with excessive force.
5. Let everything rest for 24 hours without putting any weight on the table.
Common mistakes include retightening screws without replacing dowels or applying glue; in these cases, the repair often doesn’t hold permanently.
1. First, check all the screw connections. Screws that can turn must be removed.
2. Carefully remove the old wooden or plastic dowels. Sometimes they break, so use pliers.
3. Purchase exactly matching wooden dowels (usually 8mm (0.3 inches)) and glue them in with wood glue. Important: Apply the glue sparingly.
4. Reassemble the nightstand and tighten the screws firmly, but not with excessive force.
5. Let everything rest for 24 hours without putting any weight on the table.
Common mistakes include retightening screws without replacing dowels or applying glue; in these cases, the repair often doesn’t hold permanently.
karbar schrieb:
Dowels and wood glue usually help.\Exactly. Metal brackets can help if you don't want to damage anything. Simply attach them inside, making sure they remain hidden.
giabau schrieb:
Typical mistakes include retightening screws without replacing anchors or using glue, which often results in no lasting hold.Thank you very much for the detailed instructions! That helps me a lot, as so far I have only been retightening the screws.
My next question is: For Malm nightstands, is there a specific order in which the screws should be tightened, or is it sufficient to tighten them in a cross pattern? I think an even distribution of tension makes sense, but I’m not sure how important this actually is.
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