Hello everyone,
I have a question that’s been bothering me while assembling Malm furniture from IKEA: Why do the dowels in Malm dressers tend to come loose so easily? I don’t mean that they can just be pulled out, but rather that over time, through constant stress or movement, they gradually lose their grip, become loose, and eventually make the furniture unstable.
I have already tried different types of dowels, some made of wood, others of plastic, but the problem keeps occurring. Is this due to the quality of the wood used in the Malm series, the design concept, or is it perhaps a known issue that’s hard to avoid with the fastening method used?
I would really appreciate professional opinions or practical experiences, as I haven’t encountered this kind of dowel instability with other furniture. Thanks!
I have a question that’s been bothering me while assembling Malm furniture from IKEA: Why do the dowels in Malm dressers tend to come loose so easily? I don’t mean that they can just be pulled out, but rather that over time, through constant stress or movement, they gradually lose their grip, become loose, and eventually make the furniture unstable.
I have already tried different types of dowels, some made of wood, others of plastic, but the problem keeps occurring. Is this due to the quality of the wood used in the Malm series, the design concept, or is it perhaps a known issue that’s hard to avoid with the fastening method used?
I would really appreciate professional opinions or practical experiences, as I haven’t encountered this kind of dowel instability with other furniture. Thanks!
Interesting thread! 🙂
I built my Malm shelf so that I used wood glue in the more critical spots. This made my piece of furniture much more stable, even though I also used simple dowels.
I can only confirm that! Glue is definitely a secret tip if you don’t want to use super-expensive connectors. Plus, it makes the furniture a bit more resistant to shaking and wobbling.
So: don’t just use screws, but feel free to use glue as well. 🙂
I built my Malm shelf so that I used wood glue in the more critical spots. This made my piece of furniture much more stable, even though I also used simple dowels.
Domau0 schrieb:
Applying glue around the dowel probably strengthens the joint significantly.
I can only confirm that! Glue is definitely a secret tip if you don’t want to use super-expensive connectors. Plus, it makes the furniture a bit more resistant to shaking and wobbling.
So: don’t just use screws, but feel free to use glue as well. 🙂
C
cassandra8 Jun 2022 07:48In summary, the loosening of dowels in Malm furniture is caused by a combination of the compressive strength of the particleboard, the type of dowel used, and the quality of assembly. Particleboard, especially when exposed to moisture, loses strength over time, which leads to a weakening of the joint.
Plastic or wooden dowels provide only limited holding power, as they rely on a tight fit. Movements in the furniture can cause stresses that lead to micro-movements, further weakening the material.
Improvements can be made by:
- Using wood glue or assembly adhesive
- Careful assembly with attention to the correct torque
- Using stronger connectors such as cam locks or metal fittings
These findings are consistent with common knowledge in the wooden furniture industry.
Plastic or wooden dowels provide only limited holding power, as they rely on a tight fit. Movements in the furniture can cause stresses that lead to micro-movements, further weakening the material.
Improvements can be made by:
- Using wood glue or assembly adhesive
- Careful assembly with attention to the correct torque
- Using stronger connectors such as cam locks or metal fittings
These findings are consistent with common knowledge in the wooden furniture industry.
enrique7 schrieb:
That is certainly a factor, but do you have evidence that the wood quality alone causes the dowel failure?I see the problem as more complex as well. It would be too simplistic to blame the material quality of the particle board alone. When considering the composition of the particle board, the adhesive, and the mechanical stresses, the material often operates at its limit, which is further intensified by the simple construction methods used for the furniture.
I believe that the assembly instructions and the quality of the dowels are also crucial points. If the dowel holes are properly prepared during installation, the joints become more stable.
Additionally: In practice, some people use similar furniture for years without issues, while others experience problems after a short time. This suggests a combination of construction, assembly quality, and usage that explains the dowels coming loose.
Therefore: Failure can be minimized through better assembly, targeted protection of the material (low humidity), and the use of improved connectors.
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