Hello everyone,
I have a specific issue with my Malm furniture (IKEA): the screws that connect the individual parts keep loosening, even though I have tightened them several times. This mainly affects the heavily loaded joints, such as the connections between the side panels and shelves.
I wonder if this is simply due to the type of wood or the quality of the screws, or if I am making a fundamental mistake during assembly. Are there any special tips or tools that can help prevent this constant need for retightening?
I hope someone here has experience and can explain why this happens and how I can fix it reliably—without having to check the screws all the time.
Thanks in advance for your help!
I have a specific issue with my Malm furniture (IKEA): the screws that connect the individual parts keep loosening, even though I have tightened them several times. This mainly affects the heavily loaded joints, such as the connections between the side panels and shelves.
I wonder if this is simply due to the type of wood or the quality of the screws, or if I am making a fundamental mistake during assembly. Are there any special tips or tools that can help prevent this constant need for retightening?
I hope someone here has experience and can explain why this happens and how I can fix it reliably—without having to check the screws all the time.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Sarhanne54 schrieb:
I want to connect the furniture as close to the original as possible and sturdy, without having to do major modifications.If you want to keep it simple: get some medium-strength threadlocker, a few spring washers, and replace the regular washers.
This helps immediately without any complicated tinkering.
Metal brackets are more for the "I want to make it even sturdier" mode, especially if your screws tend to come loose again during the next move.
Depending on how fancy you want it – but with these three small helpers, your Malm will last a lot longer 🙂
As an additional note:
If you disassemble and reassemble the furniture frequently, it’s better to avoid thread-locking compounds or use them sparingly.
Spring washers and possibly additional metal brackets are a better solution in this case, as they are reusable and keep the screws securely in place.
Thread inserts are great for permanent solutions, but they are less suitable for frequent rebuilding since they permanently alter the material.
If you disassemble and reassemble the furniture frequently, it’s better to avoid thread-locking compounds or use them sparingly.
Spring washers and possibly additional metal brackets are a better solution in this case, as they are reusable and keep the screws securely in place.
Thread inserts are great for permanent solutions, but they are less suitable for frequent rebuilding since they permanently alter the material.
bensau schrieb:
Threaded inserts are great, but if you don’t already have them, installing them can be a bit more complicated and not quite as cost-effective.That’s exactly right. And simply tightening the screws usually doesn’t help much with cheap furniture.
To avoid wasting money, it’s better to start with simple accessories and upgrade to sturdy repair kits if needed.
By the way: cheap screw adhesives are also not very effective – using the right product makes all the difference here.
To sum up briefly:
If you’re open to experimenting, you can try special screws designed for MDF, which have a coarser thread or a special coating.
This provides higher friction and better grip with a similar installation process.
However, cost-wise, this only makes sense if you’re renovating a larger set or reassembling disassembled furniture.
For everyday use, the compromise of a spring washer, thread locker, and reinforcing bracket is still recommended.
If you’re open to experimenting, you can try special screws designed for MDF, which have a coarser thread or a special coating.
This provides higher friction and better grip with a similar installation process.
However, cost-wise, this only makes sense if you’re renovating a larger set or reassembling disassembled furniture.
For everyday use, the compromise of a spring washer, thread locker, and reinforcing bracket is still recommended.
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