Retrofitting Glides for IKEA Malm

A furniture glide protects flooring from scratches and prevents the base panel from swelling due to contact with cleaning water.

Heavy chests of drawers often feature a construction where the side panels and plinth rest directly on the floor. Moving such a piece of furniture unprotected is akin to dragging a loaded pallet across a polished warehouse floor – damage to parquet, laminate, or tiles is the inevitable result. Retrofitting glides to the lower edge of the chipboard is a technical necessity to optimise load distribution and minimise friction. This guide explains the correct selection and installation of glide elements, suitable for IKEA Malm and identically constructed case furniture.

What to Consider Regarding Compatibility

When selecting the right components for retrofitting, the room's flooring material and the condition of the furniture's bottom edge must be matched precisely.

Sliding Surface Material

The flooring dictates the glide material:

• Felt: Designed for hard and sensitive floors such as parquet, laminate, vinyl, or tiles. The soft fibre structure absorbs fine dirt particles and prevents micro-scratches.
• Plastic: Suitable for textile floor coverings (carpeting). A hard plastic glide reduces friction resistance on textile fibres significantly better than felt.

Fixing Method to Chipboard

The bottom edges of case furniture generally consist of melamine-coated chipboard with a thickness of 15 mm to 18 mm.

• Self-adhesive: The safest method for narrow edges. High-quality adhesive bonds permanently to the cleaned edge without splitting the material.
• Nail-in glides: Hammering these into an un-predrilled, narrow edge risks splitting the coating. When using glides with a nail or screw, pre-drilling with a 2 mm drill bit is strictly necessary.

Suitable Components for Retrofitting

The geometry of the glides should correspond to the contact surface of the furniture. For continuous side panels of a chest of drawers, Rectangular felt glides are particularly suitable, as they create a larger contact area with the floor and reduce point loads. A material thickness of 3 mm to 5 mm is ideal for creating an adequate shadow gap between the furniture and floor, protecting against cleaning water.

To avoid disrupting the aesthetic of the furniture, the colour of the glides can be matched to the finish. The range of Felt glides offers suitable options for this. For dark wood finishes or black-brown surfaces, Black felt glides are the correct choice. For white case furniture, White felt glides blend discreetly into the overall appearance. Depending on the flooring and plinth colour, Grey felt glides or Brown felt glides can be fitted alternatively.

Installation and Fitting

Retrofitting requires precision to ensure the furniture stands securely.

Tools Required:

• Tape measure
• Sandpaper (120 grit)
• Cleaning agent (degreasing, e.g. isopropanol)
• Rubber mallet (only for nailed variants)

Step-by-step Instructions:

1. Empty furniture: Remove drawers to drastically reduce the overall weight.
2. Tilt: Carefully tilt the chest of drawers backwards onto a soft surface (blanket) to expose the bottom edges.
3. Prepare the surface: The contact surfaces of the side panels and plinth must be completely free of dust and grease. Lightly smooth rough or flaking edges with sandpaper and then wipe clean with isopropanol.
4. Positioning: Place the glides at the outer corners. On wide chests of drawers (over 800 mm wide), place additional glides centrally under the base panel or crossbars. A distance of 300 mm to 400 mm between support points prevents the construction from sagging.
5. Securing: Press self-adhesive pads firmly into place and allow them to rest for a few minutes before uprighting the piece of furniture.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions About Compatibility

How many glides do I need for a wide chest of drawers? For a standard chest with four contact points, four glides are sufficient. For models from 800 mm wide or double chests of drawers, additional central support points are strictly required (6 to 8 glides in total) to ensure proper load distribution across the chipboard.

Are felt glides or plastic glides better for heavy case furniture? This depends entirely on the flooring. On hard floors, felt is strictly necessary. On carpets, however, felt inhibits movement; here, a rigid plastic glide must be used to glide effortlessly across the fibres.

Can nail-in glides be hammered into any furniture edge? No. On edges under 18 mm thickness, there is a high risk of splitting the core material. In such cases, adhesive variants are the technically safer alternative to nailed designs. If a nail-in glide is strictly required, the core must be pre-drilled precisely in the centre.