How to Fix Creaky Carpeted Stairs

Strike a hammer on the step or steps that you suspect may be causing the creaking noise. Locate the floor joist beneath by listening for a dull thud when you strike the hammer. The duller the thud the hammer makes, the closer you are to the center of the joist. Mark the point of the floor joist with a strip of duct tape.

Connect a joist-finding screw to your electric screwdriver. Hold the drill above the area of carpet where the floor joist lies. Push the drill through the carpet and subfloor. You may have to reposition the drill a couple of inches to the left or right if you miss the joist the first time. Check with the hammer again to make sure you have picked the point with the dullest thud.

Remove the drill bit once the joist is located and marked. Place the tripod tool and depth control fixture toward the rear of the step. Make sure it is in line with where you connected the joist-finding drill bit.

Attach a scored screw to the tip of the electric screwdriver. Drive the scored screw through the tripod tool and depth fixture so it penetrates the carpet and the floor joist beneath. The screw will stop traveling when it connects with the tripod fixture, leaving the screw head visible above the carpet.

Drive two more screws into the creaking step, one around the middle point of the step and one toward the front. Two scored screws should suffice on smaller steps.

Remove the scored screw heads once each is firmly attached through the steps to the floor joists. Trap the screw heads using the groove on the tripod fixture. Apply force to bend the screw heads to one side, allowing the heads to snap off. This ensures there will be no unsightly screws visible on the staircase.

Follow the same procedure for any additional steps that are suffering from squeaks and creaks. Remove the duct tape from each step once complete.