The MALM Bed's Weak Point
The IKEA MALM bed is one of the most assembled pieces in NYC apartments — and the most commonly damaged. The frame uses cam locks and dowels at every corner, and the side rails are particleboard. One over-tightened cam or one missed dowel and the bed wobbles, squeaks, or collapses.
Sort the Hardware First
Empty every bag and group by type: cam locks, cam screws, dowels, and bolts. A mismatched cam screw (too short) is the #1 cause of a stripped hole. Confirm every cam screw is the long one before you insert it.
Insert Dowels Fully
The wooden dowels align the side rail to the headboard. Press each dowel in until it bottoms out — a half-inserted dowel splits the particleboard when you pull the pieces together.
Hand-Tighten Cams, Then a Quarter Turn
Screw the cam screw in by hand, then insert the cam lock and turn it 180° with a screwdriver. Stop when it clicks. A cam turned past the click strips the hole.
Check the Center Support
The MALM has a center support beam and legs. Install them — skipping the center support is why a MALM sags within a year.
Tighten in Sequence
Snug every joint, then go around once more. A bed tightened corner-by-corner racks; a bed snugged all-around then final-tightened stays square.
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