How to Fix Creaky Floors Under Carpet

Locate the floor joists under the creaky carpet by gently hammering the carpet every few inches. Listen to the sound that the hammer makes. If the sound is hollow, there is no joist there, but if it sounds like a dull thud, you’ve located a joist.

Fit your drill with a joist-finding bit. This is a long shaft with several threads at the end. This will allow you to drill a small and inconspicuous hole through the carpet.

Drill through the carpet where you think the joist might be located. Drill at least one-half inch. If you aren’t able to move the drill up and down freely, you’ve located a joist. If the drill slides up and down freely, there is no joist there. Continue hammering and drilling until you’ve located a joist. Mark the joist with a pin.

Determine if the joists run vertically or horizontally by using a hammer and a joist-locating bit. Measure 16 inches from the pin and in the direction of the next joist. Mark that space with a pin. Measure another 16 inches and mark that joist with a pin. Place a pin on either end of every joist in the carpeted and squeaking area.

Position a tripod over one of the pins in the carpet. Remove the pin.

Screw a joist-tightening screw through the tripod straight into the floor. The tripod will prevent the screw from going all of the way into the floor. Make sure the screw is straight by standing directly over the tripod with your feet on either side of the tripod holding it in place. Screw it straight into the joist. The bit will prevent the screw from going all of the way into the carpet. Repeat the process with the rest of the pins.

Wrap a thread around one screw head and use it to trace the entire length of the joist. Wrap it around the screw at the end of the joist. Continue with the rest of the joist. You should finish with an outline of all of the joists over the squeaky area of your carpet.

Screw joist-tightening screws every 8 inches along the joist using the tripod. Use the thread to ensure you are screwing through the joist.

Walk across the floor to ensure the squeaks are gone. If they are still present, screw a joist-tightening screw over the squeak and along the joist.

Place the screw head-shaped slot located in one of the tripod legs over the screw head. Snap the screw head off. This will hide the screw in the carpet so that you can’t see or feel it.