Detolf advice

bbbarker · 10-17-2015, 10:02 AM

Hi everyone, I've just today picked up an IKEA Malm 6 drawer. I've swapped out my oak furniture for white furniture. Before my detolf was on a strong sturdy wooden oak dresser so I decided to swap it for a 6 drawer malm and I've only just stopped to think, will the malm hold the detolf?

Gemma_xo · 10-17-2015, 10:12 AM

I have the Malm drawers you have but I personally wouldn't put a detolf on the drawers to be honest with you. I plan to get a detolf and put it on top of two of the square shelves that Ikea do.
Definitely don't think the drawers would hold up for long due to the heaviness of the detolf when it's full of bedding and toys etc.
x

Shannonmcn · 10-17-2015, 10:23 AM

Tbh the expedit units that everyone uses look much less stable and robust than a set of drawers but I don't own either of them so I guess I can't say for sure.

My sister and I are well able to lift my detolf between the pair of us even when it's filled with bedding, it's not massively heavy. I can lift 25kg or so fairly easily (I'm only 5'2" don't judge my weakness please

) and my sister slightly more and neither of us were struggling at all so I guess I'd estimate it's about 50kg? So the weight of a small person. I personally wouldn't be worried about setting it on the drawers, like if you are able to sit on it without creaks or the top panel bending then the detolf will put it under much less strain since the weight is evenly spread out over the whole top.

bbbarker · 10-17-2015, 11:07 AM

Gemma my mum has the unit you are talking about getting and to be honest it's not as sturdy as the malm drawers. Not really sure what to do, trust me to buy it without even considering whether it would hold the detolf

Gemma_xo · 10-17-2015, 01:06 PM

I have two of the square units, I'm not exactly the smallest person & I sat on them because my flat only has 2 chairs and my dad & his wife occupied them, if they can hold my weight I'm sure they'll hold a detolf, the detolf is only slightly longer then two put together, I think they're much more sturdy then the Malm drawers myself but it's personal preference I suppose, I personally couldn't see a detolf on the Malm drawers.
x

Pebbles82 · 10-19-2015, 02:31 PM

I would have thought any chest of drawers would be stable enough to hold the detolf as long as there is enough surface underneath. The weight would be pressing down. I seem to remember someone having 2 (or 3?) Malm units with a detolf on top.

Is it this one?

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/pr...344/#/40214551

Two of these would be 160cm wide so only about 1.5cm overhang either end. Depth is fine at 48cm. Providing they are screwed together well, the upright supports should be strong enough.

Artisans_uk · 10-19-2015, 04:06 PM

If you search Google for Detolft Hamster Cages, you will see plenty of Expedient units (either 2 x 4 cubes or the 8 cube unit) holding detolft cages.

NB The Expedient is now called Kallax at Ikea.

A drawer unit will generally always be stronger because it is not "hollow" like the Kallax/Expedient so gaines strength from the drawers and they usually have a back to the unit, adding to the strength.

bbbarker · 10-19-2015, 11:46 PM

Serendipity7000 mine is bigger than that, I would post a link but I'm using my phone and not sure it would work. It's the malm chest of 6 drawers so is the same size as two of the ones you posted put together.
I haven't had time to move the detolf on to the drawers yet (been so busy with college) I'm hopefully going to be doing it this weekend or next week. I'm going to fill the drawers with clothes etc first and then I'll put the detolf on.
I've researched quite a bit now and feel confident the malm drawers will hold the detolf. Will post pictures when I get it done.
Thanks everyone for your advice

Shannonmcn · 10-20-2015, 02:13 AM

Spotted this pic on that link artisans posted

This is what you're intending? I'm just seeing that there isn't an overhang and the end panels sit on the drawers so the glass is unsupported directly. It might be worth getting like books or something to slide under there just so the glass isn't completely free to bend. You can see in that picture that it's fine with even heavy sand bedding so it's probablt a non-issue but it is something I've seen people be concerned about in the past

bbbarker · 10-20-2015, 09:10 AM

That's the drawers I've got, where would I need to put some books then? In the middle or on both ends? Thanks a lot for the advice