How To Fix Squeaky Stairs Without Replacing Them

We’ve all experienced the grating sound of squeaky stairs. The good news: you don’t have to live with noisy stairs! And, you don’t necessarily have to replace them to silence the squeaks!

As experienced flooring contractors, we receive numerous customer inquiries about stairs that creak or groan underfoot when you walk up or down them.

So we decided that we’d be proactive and write an article on how stairs become squeaky and what to do to about it. Read on to find out more about how to identify squeaky stairs and what can be done about it!

Why Your Stairs Become Squeaky

So here’s the kicker: There are many reasons why your stairs suddenly start making noise, and none of these reasons should be ignored. Stairs shouldn’t make a sound, so when they do, it’s a distress call that something is wrong.

These are the common causes of squeaky stairs:

• Wear and Tear: It’s inevitable as wood ages, risers, treads, joints, or stringers get loose and begin to creak.
• Nail Noise: Loose nails will produce a noticeable noise.
• Humidity: If the temperature and humidity in your house fluctuate, your wooden stairs will expand and contract, generating movement that causes the stairs to groan.
• Defects: If your stairs are poorly built or the stringers are incorrectly attached, both will lead to squeaks.

How To Silence Squeaky Stairs

If you’re ready to restore your wooden stairs to their pre-squeak glory, these are the steps you should take:

1. Identify the Source Of The Squeak: Before you start repairing your stairs, whether on your own or with the help of a flooring contractor, you need to determine the source of the sound. Here are a few flooring contractor tricks to help you identify the problem:

a. If it’s loose treads, you’ll feel them move or groan underfoot. Step on the centre of the treads as they are more telling. 

b. If it’s loose fasteners, look for loose nails or brackets and press on nail holes to check that they are firmly secured. 

2. Fix the Squeak Yourself or Call a Flooring Contractor: Once you’ve identified the source of the squeak, consider whether you can fix it yourself or if it’s better to hire an expert flooring contractor. Here are a few tips to help you decide if it’s a DIY job:

a. If the treads are loose and you’re confident with a drill, mark the loose spot, add a screw, and then cover it with wood filler – but be sure to colour match. If this sounds like too much, consider hiring a flooring contractor.

b. To remedy a squeaky joint, apply a lubricant, such as talcum powder or silicone spray, to the problematic areas. This is a simple DIY project, but if you don’t want the mess or prefer to have it done properly, then call in an expert.

c. For visible gaps between the riser and tread, clean the site, apply construction-grade wood glue, and secure the riser and tread with angled screws or nails to ensure a snug fit. Clamp them together if possible for a tighter hold and clean off any excess glue. This is a bit more technical, so it’s a common stair repair we do for our clients.

d. If you have an older home and staircase that’s never stopped squeaking, as long as you can access the back, you can add brackets to eliminate the squeaks for good! You can either shop around for squeak-proof brackets that fit your stairs or call a flooring contractor to find the right solution.

e. Lastly, if you have carpeted stairs that squeak, pinpoint the troublesome spots and mark them with painter’s tape. Then add a trim screw to secure the tread and cover the area with carpet fibre. 

3. Preventing Squeaky Stairs: Once you’ve eliminated squeaky stairs, we’ve got a few tricks to help prevent future noisy stairs.

• Temperature and Humidity Control: Canada experiences drastic weather shifts, making indoor climate control essential to prevent wood movement.
• Tread Lightly: If you can avoid hauling unnecessary heavy loads up the stairs, as this puts a lot of pressure on the stairs, it will prevent the treads, risers, or fasteners from loosening.
• Stair Covers: Hardwood stair covers help distribute the weight evenly across the entire stair, preventing uneven wear that can lead to squeaking.

Fixing Squeaky Stairs Without Replacing Them

There is nothing more annoying than stairs that announce your presence with a squeak. But we hope we’ve proven that staircase noise isn’t something to ignore, but rather it’s an indicator that some part of the stairs (fastener, riser, tread) is loose and needs repair. Some repairs are straightforward, such as lubricating a joint, while others require more finesse, like filling a gap with glue and using clamps.

If you’re ready to fix your noisy stairs but aren’t sure how to start or you still have questions, then give us the Brothers Flooring a call today for a free consultation. We’ve got over 20 years of experience as flooring contractors, so we’re confident we can demystify why your stairs are squeaking!