Hello everyone,
I have an IKEA Malm chest of drawers with several drawers, and I noticed that one of the drawers no longer closes properly. When I pull it shut, it usually stays slightly open or it gets stuck, so it doesn’t fully and smoothly slide back into the frame on its own.
I have already checked for any warping of the wood or issues with the drawer slides, but I didn’t see any visible damage at first glance. I also lubricated the rails, but that didn’t help much.
My question is: Why might the Malm drawer not close properly? What are the typical causes, and how can I fix the problem as effectively and permanently as possible without having to replace all the hardware?
Thanks for your advice!
I have an IKEA Malm chest of drawers with several drawers, and I noticed that one of the drawers no longer closes properly. When I pull it shut, it usually stays slightly open or it gets stuck, so it doesn’t fully and smoothly slide back into the frame on its own.
I have already checked for any warping of the wood or issues with the drawer slides, but I didn’t see any visible damage at first glance. I also lubricated the rails, but that didn’t help much.
My question is: Why might the Malm drawer not close properly? What are the typical causes, and how can I fix the problem as effectively and permanently as possible without having to replace all the hardware?
Thanks for your advice!
Good idea @
However, I have the feeling that the right guide rail hangs slightly lower than the left one. I need to measure that more precisely.
How important is the absolute parallelism of the rails? Would a difference of 1–2 mm (0.04–0.08 inches) already cause problems?
GU-LAU60 schrieb:– I just did that, but didn’t find anything unusual.
Check again with a flashlight
However, I have the feeling that the right guide rail hangs slightly lower than the left one. I need to measure that more precisely.
How important is the absolute parallelism of the rails? Would a difference of 1–2 mm (0.04–0.08 inches) already cause problems?
Fobusin schrieb:
How important is the absolute parallelism of the rails? Very important, because the guide rails are precise and designed for linear movement.Even small shifts of 1-2 mm (approximately 0.04-0.08 inches) can cause ball bearings to malfunction or the drawer to catch. The result may be sticking, grinding, or the drawer not closing properly.
If possible, measure the distance between the guides at several points—top, middle, and bottom—and compare the values. The height from the floor should also be identical; otherwise, the drawer can easily become misaligned.
How are the guides fixed inside the cabinet? Are elongated holes available so screws can be adjusted slightly?
Please share your exact measurement results—that will help provide more targeted advice.
Thank you for the detailed explanation.
The rails are screwed in at two points, and both holes are rather round, not elongated, so adjusting without drilling new holes is probably not possible.
I measured: the distance to the top edge differs by about 1.5 mm (0.06 inches) between left and right, the height relative to the drawer bottom panel is roughly correct, but the right rail sits about 2 mm (0.08 inches) lower than the left.
Could I try carefully lifting the right rail and refastening it, even though the holes are round? I’m concerned that without precisely fitting holes, it might be misaligned.
The rails are screwed in at two points, and both holes are rather round, not elongated, so adjusting without drilling new holes is probably not possible.
I measured: the distance to the top edge differs by about 1.5 mm (0.06 inches) between left and right, the height relative to the drawer bottom panel is roughly correct, but the right rail sits about 2 mm (0.08 inches) lower than the left.
Could I try carefully lifting the right rail and refastening it, even though the holes are round? I’m concerned that without precisely fitting holes, it might be misaligned.
The problem with round drilled holes is that they allow very little tolerance, yes.
I recommend first loosening the screws, then carefully aligning the guide—lifting it slightly more to compensate for any height difference—and initially tightening the screws only lightly.
Next, you should carefully widen the hole at the desired spot using a thin chisel or screwdriver just enough so that the component holds its position. Afterwards, securely fasten everything.
This method often works and prevents the need to drill completely new holes.
Alternatively, applying thin foam tape under the guide can sometimes help to compensate for small height offsets.
I recommend first loosening the screws, then carefully aligning the guide—lifting it slightly more to compensate for any height difference—and initially tightening the screws only lightly.
Next, you should carefully widen the hole at the desired spot using a thin chisel or screwdriver just enough so that the component holds its position. Afterwards, securely fasten everything.
This method often works and prevents the need to drill completely new holes.
Alternatively, applying thin foam tape under the guide can sometimes help to compensate for small height offsets.
I wonder if we might be overestimating the drawer mechanism here.
That’s basically true, but IKEA products are designed for affordable mass production and often allow for small tolerances.
Can we rule out that the drawer is overloaded or that the material has slightly warped during use?
Another question is: How precise do you want it? For everyday use, a slight adjustment of the height, possibly using shims, is often enough. I would also check if the wood in the lower cabinet area has swollen due to moisture – that can have subtle effects.
Could you also take a look to see if there are any damages or deformations on the cabinet’s side walls themselves that might be causing the drawer to get stuck?
Domau0 schrieb:
The ball bearings are for smooth pulling and pushing and require perfect alignment.
That’s basically true, but IKEA products are designed for affordable mass production and often allow for small tolerances.
Can we rule out that the drawer is overloaded or that the material has slightly warped during use?
Another question is: How precise do you want it? For everyday use, a slight adjustment of the height, possibly using shims, is often enough. I would also check if the wood in the lower cabinet area has swollen due to moisture – that can have subtle effects.
Could you also take a look to see if there are any damages or deformations on the cabinet’s side walls themselves that might be causing the drawer to get stuck?
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