furniture &moving rob on 28 Jun 2009 07:24 am
Substitute Tool for IKEA Malm Bed Frame and Desk
IKEA Malm Bed Frame Tool Hex Wrench
I’m in the process of moving to Cambridge, MA and was in dire need of a special tool used to take apart IKEA furniture, in particular the Malm style IKEA bed frame.
My brother, the IKEA furniture assembly master specifically said, “Do not lose this tool, we will need it when you want to move again.” Alas, I think it got packed somewhere. So we needed a replacement or substitute.
The first trick was finding what the tool was called, because it is not a standard hand tool. It apparently this Z-shaped tool does not have a name, but instead a number, which is 113453.
There isn’t much info on the web about the tool, original IKEA tool, but something that is repeated is that 113453 is shaped specifically to make assembly of IKEA furniture and thus no alternative or substitute tool works as well.
Alternative to IKEA’s 113453 Z-Shaped Wrench
The good news is that the 113453 IKEA wrench used to assemble and disassemble the Malm Bed frame is actually a 13mm wrench. That’s right, the tool is a metric 13 milimeter wrench. You can go down to your local hardware store and pick up just this wrench and use it to take apart IKEA stuff.
That’s about it. Sometimes having the right tool (or substitute) is all you need to get the job done.
Hopefully this post saved you some time and money. Feel free to post a reply if it did!
on 01 Jul 2009 at 1:34 pm 1.vanessa said …
So glad someone thought of posting this! Saved me a big headache!!! Thank you!
on 29 Jul 2009 at 2:46 pm 2.V said …
It worked! Thank you so much for posting this.
on 13 Aug 2009 at 3:45 pm 3.D said …
Wow, this one simple article just saved me LOADS of time…thank you!
on 01 Sep 2009 at 2:40 pm 4.Robert said …
Did you by chance have to take apart the IKEA Bertil Chairs (if you have them)? I’m trying to take mine across the country and the diagrams on the IKEA website don’t match my chair !(@*#. Thanks.
on 28 Oct 2009 at 12:09 pm 5.fmed said …
Haha.
I’ve learned from my past errors to DUCT TAPE the Ikea tool somewhere right on the offending piece of furniture. It will there forever (or until you move).
Glad you found a solution.
on 18 Nov 2009 at 5:43 am 6.Ryan said …
Awesome!
This just saved me buying a whole set of spanners as I didn’t know the size of bolt.
Livesaver!
on 28 Dec 2009 at 9:11 pm 7.Jeremy said …
Hey dude,
Thanks so much for this post. I reluctantly googled ‘Ikea 113453′ in desperation and your site came right up. Now I am sorted.
United in Ikea-furniture-frustation…
Jeremy
Melbourne, Australia
on 08 Jan 2010 at 3:08 pm 8.Alysha said …
Thank you!! What a lifesaver!
on 20 Feb 2010 at 5:50 am 9.Sarah said …
Oh my gosh! Thank you! I have movers coming in a few hours and I haven’t disassembled the bed yet! I thought I’d be able to take it apart with a regular screwdriver but of course it wouldn’t be that easy. Luckily there is a Home Depot right up the road!
Thank you!!
on 24 Feb 2010 at 7:56 pm 10.Z said …
Thanks a bunch on the info, saved me time and money!
on 21 Mar 2010 at 9:48 pm 11.Omar said …
Thank you, it did help
))
on 13 May 2010 at 6:42 pm 12.Britt said …
Thank you. This is such a life saver!
on 28 May 2010 at 6:52 am 13.Emily said …
Thank you! This was so helpful! I bought this bed off my friend, and couldn’t figure out how to take it apart. You’re a lifesaver!
on 19 Jun 2010 at 5:26 am 14.LPenney said …
Thank you! Moving tomorrow and had a minor panic when I couldn’t find the tool that came with our Malm beds. You saved me some time and looking stupid and clueless at the hardware store.
Boston, MA
on 14 Jul 2010 at 6:57 pm 15.Sean said …
Thanks a ton!
on 24 Jul 2010 at 1:57 am 16.Cody Krupke said …
I have a video about this, would you please review it and leave a comment with your opinion? It’d be really appreciated.here’s the link if you’re interested. thanks
on 24 Jul 2010 at 7:25 pm 17.Edie Jerde said …
I made a movie about this, would you consider checking it out and maybe leaving a comment on what you think about it? (I left the url in the “website” box) thanks much!
on 28 Jul 2010 at 6:02 am 18.Kelsay said …
Thanks for this! I just purchased this bed frame from craigslist from a girl in my next town and I’m going to pick it up tomorrow. I have no idea if she still has the tool so this is a huge help!
on 30 Aug 2010 at 11:18 am 19.Cullen Du said …
Oh man.. THANK YOU. Damn malm…
on 15 Sep 2010 at 10:17 am 20.Michaelle said …
ROB!!! YOU ROCK! Thank you!!!! XOXOXOXOXOXOX
on 09 Feb 2011 at 10:33 pm 21.Alisha said …
Thanks so much for the tip! Was searching the IKEA website for something to point me in the right direction to find this stupid tool. Same situation – moving and no idea where the tool is. Thank you Google and thank you Rob!
on 19 Feb 2011 at 9:37 am 22.Gemma said …
Thank you for this very useful article. Will help me alot moving my bed!! Thanks again xx
on 03 Apr 2011 at 1:20 pm 23.Lou said …
Bless you! I lost my wrench and called Ikea to purchase a new one. They DON’T sell them! I figured I would have to buy a new bed to obtain another key. Thank you for the article.
on 28 May 2011 at 8:14 am 24.pat said …
thanks!
on 20 Jun 2011 at 12:40 am 25.대실 said …
Thanks Rob for publishing this information! IKEA’s assembly pictograms on its website are less than useful when trying to determining what size nut is used for the cam fastener.
You deserve a bro hug bump ala http://bit.ly/7nacq
on 21 Jun 2011 at 7:00 pm 26.Erin said …
My friend gave me exactly the same advice, which I promptly ignored!
on 30 Jun 2011 at 7:01 am 27.Ken said …
Thank you so much!
on 28 Jul 2011 at 3:10 am 28.Janelle said …
OMG!!! THank you Thank you Thank you!!!!!!! You are a life saver
on 03 Aug 2011 at 4:44 am 29.Katy said …
OMG thank you so much, I’ve been pulling my hair out all morning trying to stick sockets and stuff in there. Heading to the hardware store now
on 07 Aug 2011 at 3:59 pm 30.AJ said …
Thanks dude!
on 15 Aug 2011 at 6:12 am 31.Woo Young Sim said …
Thank you so much…
I also have headache to find this IKEA tool. Now, I am fine to disassemble my bed.
Thanks again… : D
on 13 Dec 2011 at 12:53 pm 32.Amanda said …
You’re amazing. Thank you for the thoughtful post. Saved my already nightmarish day.