Squeaky stairs can be the number one bugbear of any household, whether you’re a mum trudging up and down the stairs after the kids all day, or a teen trying to sneak in late at night… there’s no arguing that creaking stairs is something you could happily live without.
But before we get into how to fix squeaky stairs lets have a look at why your stairs are squeaking in the first place…
Wood invariably shrinks when it dries out. So over time the wooden components in your stairs may shrink and become loose, causing a creaking sound when someone stands on the stairs. Although this might not be particularly noticeable to begin with, wear and tear will augment the problem and may soon find it becomes a major irritation.
In terms of how to fix squeaky stairs, well, this is dependent on the structure of your stairs. If you have access to the back of your stair treads then you can work from below. This is the most effective method as it allows you to complete a better repair. However if the back of your stairs is concealed by plastered soffit then it’s recommended you work from above.
Working from below
To fix your stairs from below you’ll need to employ a bit of teamwork. While you stand below the stairs ask someone else to climb the stairs counting them out loud as they go. From your position under the stairs, note any loose steps and mark them with chalk or a pencil. Then ask your faithful assistant to step on and off the loose treads, so you can inspect them to find the cause of the squeaking.
If you find the tread or riser has become loose within the string housing, then the glued wedge may have become loose. To start fixing this issue you will need to remove the offending wedge, clean it up and reapply fresh PVA woodworking adhesive before re-wedging the joint using a hammer. If you discover the wedge is damaged then you’ll need to replace it with a completely new wedge.
If you suspect that a loose block is the cause of your squeaking stairs then you’ll need to check the triangular blocks that fit in the angle between the tread and riser. If the adhesive has started to wear then you’ll need to remove the block in question and clean off the remaining glue. You’ll then need to prise open the shoulder of the tread-to-rise joint slightly and apply fresh adhesive to the joint and rub-joint the two triangular blocks into the angle.
Working from above
In the same manner as you would when working from below, grab a buddy to help you identify which steps are your problematic ones and mark them using chalk or a pencil.
If you discover that you have a loose tongue and groove joint tread nosing – you’ll need to drill holes into the tread (centring on the thickness) to fit 38mm sized countersunk screws. Then inject some woodworking adhesive into the holes and then screw the joint up tight.
Alternatively if you find you have a loose riser joint at the back of the stairs – then the bad news is this is a little trickier to fix, but not impossible. By gluing a section of 12 x 12mm triangular moulding into the angle between the tread and riser you can reinforce the joint. It’s important however that if you’re taking this approach that it doesn’t make the tread less than 220mm. If your stair carpet doesn’t cover the full width of your stairs, it’s also best to cut the moulding so it’s slightly shorter than the width of the carpet or alternatively you can glue a similar moulding to each step and apply wood dye or paint so they match.
So there you have it, now you know how to fix squeaky stairs!
You can protect your stairs from the natural wear and tear that can lead to squeaky stairs by installing stair cladding such as Stairklad. This can be glued onto your original treads and risers and will provide a protective buffer. For further information on Stairklad click here…
We hope you found our guide on how to fix squeaky stairs useful. If you require further technical planning advice for purchased stair parts please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
