ᐅ Why do my Malm drawers keep getting stuck?

Hello everyone, I have the following problem: My Malm dresser drawers keep sticking when opening and closing, even though I have cleaned and lubricated them several times. The sticking doesn’t only occur with the top drawer but happens intermittently with different drawers, sometimes changing. The slides still seem to be intact, and the drawers are generally not overloaded. Does anyone recognize this behavior or have an idea what might be causing it? I suspect that the construction or alignment of the slide could play a role, but I am not sure. I would appreciate constructive tips, including advice on what exactly I should look for when troubleshooting.

Have you checked if the rails are really clean and free of grease? Sometimes it helps to thoroughly clean the rails and rollers and then treat them with a suitable lubricant. Also, make sure the drawers are not inserted crookedly.

Hello Nason, I am quite familiar with this issue and can recommend a structured approach to solving it:

1. Check the alignment: Use a spirit level to see if the dresser is standing level. Even a slight tilt can cause drawers to stick.

2. Cleaning: Remove all deposits and dust from the drawer slides. This prevents any parts from getting caught.

3. Lubrication: Use a suitable, thin lubricant like silicone spray instead of thick oils, which tend to attract dirt quickly.

4. Inspect drawer alignment: Check if the drawer is properly seated in the slide or if it might be warped.

5. Load distribution: Even if you don’t intentionally overload the drawer, uneven weight distribution can cause it to stick.

I recommend working through these steps one by one and testing the effect after each action. If you need more detailed instructions on how to clean or inspect, I’m happy to explain further.

Interesting that the sticking occurs "flexibly with different drawers" for you.

Nason schrieb:
sometimes even changing

That makes me suspicious because normally a single drawer should either stick consistently or not at all. Therefore, I would suspect the issue lies more with the chest of drawers itself, perhaps due to twisting of the frame or the assembly. Have you checked whether the side panels are exactly parallel to each other? Often, forum discussions focus only on the drawer slides, but a warped or twisted piece of furniture can cause these effects. Furthermore, cleaning the slides only helps to a limited extent if the furniture doesn’t fit perfectly from the start. I would recommend checking the chest of drawers on a level floor and, if necessary, using small spacers at the back for additional stability. This is the only way to prevent the drawers from "shifting."