Edge filler for a bed against a wall?

August 18, 2024 3:59 PM

I have an Ikea Malm Storage bed pushed sideways against a wall, with a 1 cm gap between the wall and the flat side rail of the bedframe. Tiny items, papers, pens, and narrow books often fall down that gap, which means I have to move the whole bed. What could I use to fill that gap?

I'm imagining a long strip of T-shaped silicone that can be wedged down into the gap, kind of like a Stove Gap Cover but designed to fit vertically.

That part of the frame is a few inches below the mattress, so it won't be very visible, but I'd still like something tidy-looking and that won't trap dust or allergens (ie, not made of textiles).

Pretty much open to anything, as long as it looks ok, doesn't make me sneeze, is findable in Canada, and doesn't cosmetically damage the bedframe.

Any ideas? Thanks!

PS, on researching this question, I'm surprised to see that this bed appears to be discontinued! Let me tell you, it's AMAZING - looks nice, fits so much stuff that it's like adding an extra closet to your home, and the mechanism is durable and easy to operate. It's an extremely practical piece of furniture. So if you've ever considered a storage bed, start looking on the secondhand market for one!

posted by nouvelle-personne to Home & Garden (9 answers total)

We used a pool noodle along the edge of my toddler’s bed, but she had a larger gap.

For your purpose, maybe 1/2 inch pipe insulation? Foam, so it can compress a little, if not a lot. Also, very cheap at the hardware store.
posted by samthemander at 4:18 PM on August 18 [1 favorite]

Would a piece of closed cell foam work? Like from a yoga or camping mat.
posted by freethefeet at 4:26 PM on August 18 [1 favorite]

look up stove counter gap cover on amazon. lots of options. Me, I'd buy a pool noodle and slice it in half and shove it in the gap, just deep enough that it wouldn't be visible.
posted by lemniskate at 4:37 PM on August 18 [1 favorite]

If it's just 1cm or around there, then backing rod will work. It's available in different diameters and should be sold by any hardware store. Push it in to whatever depth you want and it will just... stay there. If the bed frame moves around because of jostling or whatever, though, it might shift over time.
posted by whatnotever at 4:46 PM on August 18 [3 favorites]

For something more stable, you could attach adhesive foam weatherstripping.
posted by whatnotever at 4:48 PM on August 18 [1 favorite]

We have a Malm shoved up against a wall too and honestly I just jam a bunch of pillows down the length of the bed between the mattress and wall, because I hate touching the wall with my body including my feet at any time. This also keeps things from falling back there. I guess this wouldn't work for your flip-up storage bed, though, as the pillows would jam it closed?

If I was seeking a semi-permanent non-pillow solution not mentioned above, I might get a long strip of pre-primed (white) shoe moulding from the hardware store; an eight foot length would be just a couple bucks, and some double sided tape, and stick it to the wall right over the gap. The "shoe" profile might be the cheapest one, but there are many others to choose from allowing more bed movement.
posted by seanmpuckett at 5:25 PM on August 18 [1 favorite]

In a similar situation I took a spare blanket, rolled it into a tube shape, and used it to fill the gap. The bonus is I have a spare blanket right there in case I get cold while my phone and glasses don’t fall down the gap
posted by overhauser at 9:01 PM on August 18 [1 favorite]

Similarly to overhauser I use a rolled towel for the same situation; it's rolled along its long axis. The advantage of a towel over a blanket is that it's a bit more easily washable. It does a good job of keeping my glasses and phone from falling into the gap.
posted by anadem at 8:00 PM on August 19

1 cm is a pretty small gap. I would take a trip to the hardwood store and get creative. Weather stripping is a good idea, maybe some other wood trim or moulding that you can get cut to size (comes in 6ft -12ft length), or small clear tubing.
posted by ljesse at 7:46 AM on August 22