ᐅ Why is it difficult to disassemble Malm furniture?

Hello everyone, I recently tried to disassemble an IKEA Malm bed and found it incredibly difficult. I’m curious why Malm furniture in general is so hard to take apart.

Specifically, I mean that the joints are very tight, some screws and dowels are hard to grip, and some parts seem glued or very tightly assembled. Since I don’t want to damage the bed, I’m not sure if the construction is deliberately designed this way to ensure stability or if it’s simply due to the design and materials used.

Has anyone else experienced something similar or can explain the reasons for this? Is it related to the construction methods, the joining techniques, or the materials that make Malm furniture so stubborn to disassemble?

Malm furniture is often constructed using cam locks and dowels. These fit very tightly since the parts must match precisely. When disassembling, make sure to fully loosen the screws and carefully pull apart the connector joints. Glue is often used as well, which adds extra stability. This is why the joints can sometimes be very difficult to separate.

glamo8 schrieb:
Malm furniture is often constructed with cam lock fittings and dowels. They fit very tightly because the parts have to match precisely.

That’s true, but I think it’s often overlooked that IKEA intentionally uses inexpensive materials like particle board, which are not particularly durable. The tight fit of the parts is a design choice to achieve stability despite the low material thickness.

ElAlberto schrieb:
whether the construction is deliberately designed to ensure stability, or if it’s due to the design and materials used.

In my opinion, it’s a combination: the construction is meant for easy assembly and durability, but this can lead to wear or issues when disassembling, especially if the furniture is not carefully taken apart.

I can really relate to that, ElAlberto! 🙂 Taking apart Malm furniture can be frustrating sometimes, especially considering how easy it seems to assemble. It’s a pity that disassembly requires so much patience and that the furniture can even get damaged in the process.

Maybe some people feel overwhelmed by the tight construction or are afraid of breaking something. What helps me in those situations is to proceed slowly, avoid forcing anything, and carefully work through the screws and connection points step by step.

I also wonder if IKEA provides any specific instructions for this – that would definitely give people more confidence.

Haha, yes, taking apart Malm furniture can really test your patience! 😅

But honestly, IKEA wants the pieces to be sturdy and not fall apart with the slightest movement. So they use strong connections. I almost see it as a little patience exercise – like a furniture puzzle you have to put back together in reverse. So don’t worry, with some calm and care, you’ll manage it! 🙂 And if not, at least you’ve done some arm training.. ;-)

Hello ElAlberto,

From my experience, Malm furniture is designed to provide maximum stability during assembly – this often involves tight plug-in joints combined with screws that are not easy to loosen.

Many of the connections, such as cam locks and wooden dowels, are not intended for frequent disassembly and reassembly, but rather for one-time installation.

If you need to take apart a Malm sofa or bed, you should definitely keep the following in mind:
- Fully unscrew all screws; do not just loosen them.
- Avoid using force; if something is stuck, check whether you might have missed a screw on another side.
- Slight wiggling and gentle pulling helps prevent damaging the dowels.

You can also try to release the cam lock during assembly using a small flathead screwdriver to prevent it from jamming.

This is normal and not a bad design per se, but rather a compromise between easy assembly and long-lasting stability. I hope this helps 🙂