ᐅ Why do Malm furniture pieces wobble even when assembled correctly?

Hello everyone,

I recently assembled several Malm furniture pieces (desk, chest of drawers, nightstand) following the instructions correctly, but they still wobble. The wobbling is not extreme but noticeable and annoying, especially with the drawer chests.

I have checked the screws multiple times, and all connections seem tight. The floor is level, and the furniture stands on rubber feet.

I am interested in understanding what other reasons, besides incorrect assembly, could cause Malm furniture to wobble despite proper assembly. Could it be due to the material properties, the design, or might it also be related to the assembly process itself even when done correctly?

Additionally, are there any tips for effectively reducing this unwanted wobbling without compromising the appearance or function? Thank you in advance for your experiences and explanations!

Hello Titobla,

First of all: It’s good that you followed the assembly instructions carefully – that is often half the battle. Unfortunately, wobbling with Malm furniture frequently occurs despite correct assembly, due to some common reasons.

One important point is that Malm furniture is made of particleboard, which is relatively stable but not as solid as hardwood. The connectors, usually dowels and screws, do hold well, but small manufacturing tolerances or slight unevenness can cause the furniture to have minimal play. This is not a fault in assembly but rather a characteristic of the construction.

In addition, slight irregularities in the floor can make the problem worse: even floors that look level often have micro height differences that affect stability. Rubber feet can help but do not always fully solve the issue, especially if the piece of furniture is tall and narrow.

Another cause can be that the joints slightly loosen over time, as the material expands or contracts a little due to temperature changes and humidity.

Here are a few tips:

- You can stabilize the furniture by adding small felt or rubber pads under the feet.
- Check that all screws are tightened fully – sometimes a small adjustment is enough.
- If needed, metal corner brackets on the inside can provide additional stability.
- A simple weight in the drawers can also increase stability.

I hope this helps you! 🙂

Takutau schrieb:
Malm furniture made from particleboard is relatively stable but not as sturdy as solid wood.

It’s really important to understand this. Malm is typical IKEA furniture designed for cost-effective manufacturing. The particleboard doesn’t provide the durability you’d expect from higher-end furniture, so naturally, it has more flexibility.

Takutau schrieb:
Even slight unevenness in the floor can cause wobbling.

Here, I recommend trying shims or special furniture wedges – they’re inexpensive, almost invisible, and really effective.

Also: Especially for tall dressers or cabinets, it’s wise to secure them to the wall. This immediately provides great stability and stops any wobbling. It might not be the most elegant solution, but it works!

And for fun: If you like your furniture a bit "wobbly," it can also double as a free back massager 😉 😉

Interesting threads here. I would like to point out that the wobbling of Malm furniture should not be attributed solely to the material.

The design of Malm is basically simple: flat panels are joined together using cam connectors. This presents two possibilities: first, there is some tolerance in the fit, as Takutau has already mentioned. Second, the force distribution at the connectors is not always optimal.

Titobla schrieb:
The wobbling is not extreme but noticeable and annoying, especially with the drawer chests.

Especially with drawers, the problem often is that the carcass becomes slightly unstable when the drawer is extended. These types of furniture can experience twisting if the carcass is not evenly supported or if the drawer slides themselves have some play.

Another cause: Although the back panel made of thin MDF sheet increases stability, improper screwing of the mounting brackets can allow slight movement. This back panel acts as a tension member for the entire construction but is not indestructible.

If you place the furniture, for example, near a heating source or in a room with fluctuating humidity, swelling of the engineered wood materials can cause changes in fit.

My recommendation: Make sure the back panel is properly seated and securely fastened, check the drawer slides by repeatedly pulling out and pushing in lightly without load, and if necessary, reinforce with angle brackets.

Wobbling is not just a manufacturing issue but often the result of a combination of factors.

Hello everyone,

I really appreciate how objective and thorough you are approaching this topic here! I once had a similar problem with a Malm table that wobbled slightly despite being assembled correctly. That was quite frustrating because I had followed the instructions very carefully.

Two things helped me a lot:

First, using small wooden or rubber shims under the furniture legs. In my case, there was no visible unevenness in the floor, but these tiny adjustments made a noticeable difference.

Second, I gave the furniture more time to settle. I know it sounds odd, but particleboard reacts to moisture and temperature. In the first few weeks after assembly, it can still shift somewhat depending on the room climate. After that, the wobbling was much less noticeable for me.

Sometimes a bit of patience helps too. Sure, the wobbling is annoying, but no piece of furniture is perfect, and these types of products are designed with an affordable price-performance ratio in mind. Realizing that helped me take it a bit more calmly. 🙂