Hello everyone,
I am currently dealing with a minor annoyance with my Malm furniture from IKEA: the screws seem to loosen by themselves after a certain period, so I have to retighten the pieces several times. I’m especially interested in why this happens, as it’s obviously not an ideal situation for furniture joints that should be stable and durable.
Does this have something to do with the materials used? Or do structural factors play a role, such as the type of screws, the wood or panels used? Perhaps it’s also a combination of mechanical influences like load, vibrations, or temperature changes that cause the screws to gradually loosen?
I would appreciate it if someone could share their experience or expert knowledge on this topic to better understand the technical reasons behind it. Especially since it’s important to ensure furniture remains safe and stable even after extended use.
Thanks in advance!
I am currently dealing with a minor annoyance with my Malm furniture from IKEA: the screws seem to loosen by themselves after a certain period, so I have to retighten the pieces several times. I’m especially interested in why this happens, as it’s obviously not an ideal situation for furniture joints that should be stable and durable.
Does this have something to do with the materials used? Or do structural factors play a role, such as the type of screws, the wood or panels used? Perhaps it’s also a combination of mechanical influences like load, vibrations, or temperature changes that cause the screws to gradually loosen?
I would appreciate it if someone could share their experience or expert knowledge on this topic to better understand the technical reasons behind it. Especially since it’s important to ensure furniture remains safe and stable even after extended use.
Thanks in advance!
Hello hanan,
First of all, a very well-formulated and focused introduction to the topic, thank you for that! I like to take a systematic approach here:
1. Material and threads: Malm furniture is usually made from particleboard or MDF with a thin foil coating. These boards are less dense and have lower strength than solid wood, which means screws generally do not hold as firmly. Over time, this can loosen due to loads or vibrations.
2. Screw type and quality: IKEA mostly uses self-tapping or cam-lock fastening systems. Although the threads grip well, they are not designed to withstand strong tensile or rotational forces permanently.
3. Assembly and tightening: When assembling furniture, screws need to be tightened with a certain torque, but not too much to avoid damaging the material. If too little torque is applied, or if the furniture shifts later, for example due to weight redistribution, the screws can loosen.
4. Influence of loads and temperature changes: Frequent movement, vibrations (e.g., from closing doors), or expansion caused by temperature and humidity fluctuations can cause screws to gradually come loose.
In summary: The combination of less robust material and mechanical stresses leads to this effect. In my experience, it helps to periodically check the screws and retighten them if necessary, especially on heavily used furniture.
One more tip: A small amount of medium-strength threadlocker can help, without making the screws impossible to remove later.
I hope this helps you!
First of all, a very well-formulated and focused introduction to the topic, thank you for that! I like to take a systematic approach here:
1. Material and threads: Malm furniture is usually made from particleboard or MDF with a thin foil coating. These boards are less dense and have lower strength than solid wood, which means screws generally do not hold as firmly. Over time, this can loosen due to loads or vibrations.
2. Screw type and quality: IKEA mostly uses self-tapping or cam-lock fastening systems. Although the threads grip well, they are not designed to withstand strong tensile or rotational forces permanently.
3. Assembly and tightening: When assembling furniture, screws need to be tightened with a certain torque, but not too much to avoid damaging the material. If too little torque is applied, or if the furniture shifts later, for example due to weight redistribution, the screws can loosen.
4. Influence of loads and temperature changes: Frequent movement, vibrations (e.g., from closing doors), or expansion caused by temperature and humidity fluctuations can cause screws to gradually come loose.
In summary: The combination of less robust material and mechanical stresses leads to this effect. In my experience, it helps to periodically check the screws and retighten them if necessary, especially on heavily used furniture.
One more tip: A small amount of medium-strength threadlocker can help, without making the screws impossible to remove later.
I hope this helps you!
harold schrieb:
The combination of less durable material and mechanical stresses causes this effect.That’s right, @harold, you explained it very well. I would add that Malm furniture is lightweight and stylish, designed not to last forever but for today’s flexible lifestyle. You could compare it a bit to a relationship – sometimes you need to make small adjustments to keep everything stable 😉
Also, vibrations from daily leaning or even footsteps on a wooden floor can gradually loosen the screws due to the shaking. This doesn’t happen only with Malm furniture; it’s common with other lightweight furniture as well.
My advice: If you schedule regular tightening as a small maintenance task, you’ll enjoy your furniture for a long time and avoid problems.
So, no need to panic, just a gentle reminder for everyone who loves their Malm furniture 🙂
Similar topics