How to Fix Old Creaking Stairs or Floorboards

Creaky Stairs

• 1

  Fix the stairs from underneath if you have access to that area. Have an assistant walk up and down the stairs to pinpoint the creaks. Once you've identified the problem areas, coat a thin wood shim with wood glue. Slide the shim into the crevice between the joist and the stair board. The reason the board creaks is because of space that allows the board to move slightly. By filling up that space, you eliminate the creak.

• 2

  Tap very thin wood shims into loose joints on the exterior portion of the stairs. Trim the shim off with a utility knife. This procedure serves the same purpose as Step 1 in that it eliminates open spaces.

• 3

  Glue or nail a piece of quarter-round molding along the back of each stair. The molding pushes the wood pieces together, reducing the friction that creates noise.

Creaky Floorboards

• 4

  Rub talcum powder over squeaky hardwood floors, allowing the powder to penetrate into the boards. The talcum acts as a lubricant, reducing friction between the boards to temporarily silence the squeaking.

• 5

  Ask a helper to walk across the floorboards while you stand underneath the floor in the basement or crawl space. When you've pinpointed the exact location of the squeak, dip a thin wood shim in wood glue and tap it into place between the joist and the floor board. Don't tap it in very far. You just want it to reduce the empty space that allows the squeak.

• 6

  Use break-away screws from a kit to reduce squeaks when you can't access the floor from below. Locate the squeak and place the depth-control fixture that comes with the kit over the joist. Wrap the screw in plastic tape so it doesn't catch on carpeting and drive it through the fixture.

• 7

  Remove the fixture and turn it sideways. Insert the screw head into the hole located on the side of the fixture and rock it back and forth until the screw head breaks off. The screw is now under the carpet or hardwood floor, securing the joist and floorboard with no damage to the flooring.

• 8

  Locate the squeaky joint and bore a 3/32-inch pilot hole through the hardwood flooring. Set the depth-control fixture over the pilot hole and drive the screw into place. It will automatically break off as it drops down.

• 9

  Fill the small hole in the hardwood floor with wood putty the same shade as the flooring. The hole is less than 1/8-inch in diameter and is completely invisible in carpet.