ᐅ What tools are needed to assemble Malm furniture?

I am planning to assemble an Ikea Malm desk and want to be well prepared to avoid any unnecessary difficulties. Therefore, my question is: Which tools are really necessary for assembling the Malm furniture to ensure a smooth process? I already have some basic tools at home, but I want to avoid having to run out and get more during assembly. If there are any special tools or aids that are commonly used, I would appreciate your advice. What has been your experience? Are there any tools that IKEA does not provide but significantly ease the assembly?

I completely understand your caution, jens4. Assembling the Malm also took me a few hours because I didn’t have all the right tools at the beginning. Basically, you definitely need a good Phillips screwdriver or, even better, a cordless drill with a Phillips bit, which makes the job much easier. At first, I only had a screwdriver, and that made the work quite difficult.

In addition to a screwdriver and cordless drill, I also used a small spirit level to make sure everything was straight. Sometimes the screws don’t fit perfectly, and the tool helps to align the parts correctly.

When it comes to fasteners like dowels or cam locks, I would be careful using a hammer—not every type of mallet is suitable for these delicate parts. Rubber or plastic mallets are better for this kind of furniture.

What about you, do you already use cordless drills for these kinds of tasks?

For Malm, usually a Phillips screwdriver and a hammer are enough. You can use a cordless drill, but it’s not necessary.

A spirit level is helpful if you want to be very precise.

Otherwise, no special tools are generally needed.

I would like to go into more detail about the tools needed for assembling Malm furniture, as I have put together several pieces from this series.

First of all, the assembly mainly involves putting together pre-cut wooden panels using specific fasteners like wooden dowels, cam connectors, and screws. The included screwdriver handles are usually sufficient for the cam screws, but manual screwing is physically demanding and time-consuming.

These are the tools I have always used:

- Cordless drill/driver with adjustable torque: The torque setting is crucial to avoid over-tightening the screws and to protect the material.
- Phillips screwdriver bit size PH2: Suitable for most screws included.
- Rubber mallet: For inserting the wooden dowels without damaging the wood.
- Small, handy spirit level: For precise leveling at the end.
- A small flathead screwdriver or a suitable spatula: For adjusting or attaching small cover caps.

I wonder: How much experience do you have with cordless drill/drivers, jens4? Especially for beginners, there are models with maximum torque limits to prevent errors. What do you use so far, and would you estimate the effort required with or without a cordless drill?

I think it’s important to put the expectations into perspective. Honestly, is a cordless drill really essential or more of a luxury? Sure, it speeds things up and makes screwing easier, but most Malm furniture is designed for home use. Only a few screws and no heavy load-bearing parts.

GUSTAVO56 schrieb:
The torque setting is crucial to avoid over-tightening the screws and damaging the material.

That’s true, but you should always follow the instructions and not just tighten blindly. A regular screwdriver, if used carefully, can do just as good a job.

JEREMIAH38 schrieb:
Besides a screwdriver and cordless drill, I also used a small spirit level to make sure everything was straight.

The spirit level is really optional for furniture like Malm. If you work precisely, you can usually tell if something is off.

Maybe we should also discuss whether working with less equipment might actually be more practical – less technology, more manual work.

Interesting discussion here, but I think we’re overlooking something important: If you can afford a Malm desk, you might want to think outside the box and avoid relying on standard tools.

Are there not special assembly kits specifically made for IKEA furniture now, with bits precisely designed for IKEA screws?

Some people swear by multifunctional tools that are supposed to replace everything. But let’s be honest: most furniture is actually designed so that a layperson can assemble it without expensive tools – and that’s a good thing.

My point is: assembly isn’t really a tool problem if you roughly know what you’re doing. The challenge is more about patience than having a wide variety of tools.