Hello everyone,
Over the past few weeks, I have noticed that a screw keeps coming loose on my Malm bed from the IKEA range. It doesn’t happen continuously, but often enough to be noticeable and annoying.
I’m especially interested in why screws on the Malm bed tend to loosen or even fall out more frequently.
I’m curious whether this is due to the bed’s design, the quality of the screws, or the assembly and use of the bed.
Since I have experience assembling furniture, I can confidently rule out that the screws were not tightened properly, which makes this even more puzzling.
Does anyone know this issue or have any ideas about what might be causing it? In particular, I would like to know if there are any design-related weak points or tips on how to solve this problem permanently.
Thanks in advance for your insights!
Over the past few weeks, I have noticed that a screw keeps coming loose on my Malm bed from the IKEA range. It doesn’t happen continuously, but often enough to be noticeable and annoying.
I’m especially interested in why screws on the Malm bed tend to loosen or even fall out more frequently.
I’m curious whether this is due to the bed’s design, the quality of the screws, or the assembly and use of the bed.
Since I have experience assembling furniture, I can confidently rule out that the screws were not tightened properly, which makes this even more puzzling.
Does anyone know this issue or have any ideas about what might be causing it? In particular, I would like to know if there are any design-related weak points or tips on how to solve this problem permanently.
Thanks in advance for your insights!
Hello Prahau,
your question is very well formulated, and with furniture like the Malm bed from IKEA, this issue can indeed have several causes.
Firstly, these types of furniture often use what are called screw-in dowels and connector screws in engineered wood panels. Engineered wood tends to slightly compress or deform over time under stress, especially if the bed is frequently moved or jumped on.
Additionally, the quality of the screws and their threads can play a role if the threads in the panels no longer provide sufficient grip. This also explains why tightening the screws initially helps, but the screws later become loose again.
Another factor is assembly: even if tightened correctly, connections can loosen over time due to dynamic loads.
A permanent solution often involves securing the screws with wood glue or specialized thread-locking compounds (Loctite), or alternatively using larger dowels that engage more material.
In summary, I would say this is mainly due to the combination of the material properties and the stresses that occur with the Malm bed.
your question is very well formulated, and with furniture like the Malm bed from IKEA, this issue can indeed have several causes.
Firstly, these types of furniture often use what are called screw-in dowels and connector screws in engineered wood panels. Engineered wood tends to slightly compress or deform over time under stress, especially if the bed is frequently moved or jumped on.
Additionally, the quality of the screws and their threads can play a role if the threads in the panels no longer provide sufficient grip. This also explains why tightening the screws initially helps, but the screws later become loose again.
Another factor is assembly: even if tightened correctly, connections can loosen over time due to dynamic loads.
A permanent solution often involves securing the screws with wood glue or specialized thread-locking compounds (Loctite), or alternatively using larger dowels that engage more material.
In summary, I would say this is mainly due to the combination of the material properties and the stresses that occur with the Malm bed.
JONSON schrieb:
Wood-based materials compress slightly over timeExactly. The weakness is in the material itself.
If screws come loose, the only solutions are tightening them again or using a thread locker.
Hello Prahau,
First of all, thank you for your detailed question! This is indeed a common issue with some IKEA furniture, especially beds like the Malm.
As Jonson has already described, the material is mainly particleboard with a very thin veneer coating, which can give way under stress. This usually happens where the screws are directly fastened into the particleboard, since the material is less dense than solid wood.
I have often experienced that repeated stress – for example, sitting down on or pulling yourself up onto the bed – causes the screws to gradually lose grip and become loose.
This often happens when the bed is regularly moved or slightly shifted. The shear forces acting on the screws slowly wear down the thread in the material.
What you can do is regularly check and tighten the screws. Using special wood screws with a larger thread diameter or, as Jonson recommended, applying thread-locking varnish can also help.
If you are a bit handy, it’s useful to carefully rework the screw holes and reinforce them with wood glue and wooden dowels before reinserting the screws. This usually holds better than just re-screwing directly into the old holes.
I hope this helps you!
First of all, thank you for your detailed question! This is indeed a common issue with some IKEA furniture, especially beds like the Malm.
As Jonson has already described, the material is mainly particleboard with a very thin veneer coating, which can give way under stress. This usually happens where the screws are directly fastened into the particleboard, since the material is less dense than solid wood.
I have often experienced that repeated stress – for example, sitting down on or pulling yourself up onto the bed – causes the screws to gradually lose grip and become loose.
This often happens when the bed is regularly moved or slightly shifted. The shear forces acting on the screws slowly wear down the thread in the material.
What you can do is regularly check and tighten the screws. Using special wood screws with a larger thread diameter or, as Jonson recommended, applying thread-locking varnish can also help.
If you are a bit handy, it’s useful to carefully rework the screw holes and reinforce them with wood glue and wooden dowels before reinserting the screws. This usually holds better than just re-screwing directly into the old holes.
I hope this helps you!
Prahau schrieb:
Could it be due to the assembly and use of the bed?Assembly usually isn’t the issue, as the parts are simply designed.
The cause is more likely related to the choice of materials and how the bed is used.
Retightening helps, but using thread locker is advisable.
P
PeoDaniel7 May 2023 12:34Hello Prahau,
I would like to address an important point you mentioned: You said you assembled the bed "correctly," yet screws still come loose. This matches my experience.
Many IKEA furniture pieces are designed to be quick and easy to assemble. They often rely on tension in the materials and flexible joining methods. The connection between the screw and particleboard is often the weak point, especially under dynamic load.
Repeated tightening loses effectiveness over time because the material around the screw becomes increasingly porous and loose.
If you want a more permanent solution, you might consider stabilizing all screws with wood glue or at least repairing the holes, for example by inserting wooden dowels before re-screwing.
Some users also reinforce certain joints with additional metal brackets, which reduces the pressure on the screws.
In short: This problem is not uncommon and is truly mechanical in nature. The material itself limits the durability of the screw connection.
I would like to address an important point you mentioned: You said you assembled the bed "correctly," yet screws still come loose. This matches my experience.
Many IKEA furniture pieces are designed to be quick and easy to assemble. They often rely on tension in the materials and flexible joining methods. The connection between the screw and particleboard is often the weak point, especially under dynamic load.
Repeated tightening loses effectiveness over time because the material around the screw becomes increasingly porous and loose.
If you want a more permanent solution, you might consider stabilizing all screws with wood glue or at least repairing the holes, for example by inserting wooden dowels before re-screwing.
Some users also reinforce certain joints with additional metal brackets, which reduces the pressure on the screws.
In short: This problem is not uncommon and is truly mechanical in nature. The material itself limits the durability of the screw connection.
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