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 morning everyone,
I was able to spend some time last night and completely removed the drawer to take a closer look at the runners.
I noticed that the right guide rail is slightly bent—not severely, but visibly with an estimated offset of about 2mm (0.08 inches) over approximately 30cm (12 inches) in length.
The locking stop also seems a bit loose, and the plastic part has a small crack.
I suspect that these two issues are mainly causing the faulty fit.
I’m now going to try carefully straightening the runner and, if necessary, stabilizing the stopper with some strong adhesive—I’d prefer not to replace the entire system right away.
What is the likelihood that straightening the runner will not significantly affect the original smoothness of the drawer movement?
I was able to spend some time last night and completely removed the drawer to take a closer look at the runners.
I noticed that the right guide rail is slightly bent—not severely, but visibly with an estimated offset of about 2mm (0.08 inches) over approximately 30cm (12 inches) in length.
The locking stop also seems a bit loose, and the plastic part has a small crack.
I suspect that these two issues are mainly causing the faulty fit.
I’m now going to try carefully straightening the runner and, if necessary, stabilizing the stopper with some strong adhesive—I’d prefer not to replace the entire system right away.
What is the likelihood that straightening the runner will not significantly affect the original smoothness of the drawer movement?
You can carefully correct bending using pliers or a securely mounted vise. Proceed slowly and check frequently to avoid overbending.
As long as no cracks form, smooth operation usually remains, since the ball bearings continue to run.
The locking stop can be stabilized with a drop of super glue or epoxy resin. Be careful that the adhesive does not get into the movable joint, otherwise the mechanism will no longer work.
Experience shows that these types of measures are often sufficient in everyday use to restore functionality.
As long as no cracks form, smooth operation usually remains, since the ball bearings continue to run.
The locking stop can be stabilized with a drop of super glue or epoxy resin. Be careful that the adhesive does not get into the movable joint, otherwise the mechanism will no longer work.
Experience shows that these types of measures are often sufficient in everyday use to restore functionality.
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praWarre696 Apr 2022 10:28Hey, with furniture like that, paying a bit of attention to the details often makes a big difference! 🙂
Do it like that, carefully and gently.
And for the perfect finish: a small amount of silicone spray on the rails (not too much!) usually makes them run more smoothly and helps the drawer glide almost like new again.
Good luck, and don’t worry, you’ll manage it! 😉
Fobusin schrieb:
I’m going to carefully try to realign the guide and maybe secure the stopper with some strong adhesive
Do it like that, carefully and gently.
And for the perfect finish: a small amount of silicone spray on the rails (not too much!) usually makes them run more smoothly and helps the drawer glide almost like new again.
Good luck, and don’t worry, you’ll manage it! 😉
Thanks to everyone for the valuable tips and insights!
Last night, I carefully realigned the guide, being cautious not to cause any new deformation. The stopper is now fixed with a tiny drop of epoxy resin, making it stable again.
I also used the silicone spray suggested by @praWarre69 to treat the sliding rails.
This morning, the drawer runs noticeably smoother, and the latch works again without any issues.
I will continue to monitor it, but this seems to be the best solution without major replacement.
Thanks again to everyone for the good technical discussion here!
Last night, I carefully realigned the guide, being cautious not to cause any new deformation. The stopper is now fixed with a tiny drop of epoxy resin, making it stable again.
I also used the silicone spray suggested by @praWarre69 to treat the sliding rails.
This morning, the drawer runs noticeably smoother, and the latch works again without any issues.
I will continue to monitor it, but this seems to be the best solution without major replacement.
Thanks again to everyone for the good technical discussion here!
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