Ramesh Chodhari

How to Stop Stairs Creaking from Above: One way you can fix creaking stairs from above is by screwing the front of the tread onto the riser.

You can do this by drilling clearance holes for the thick part of the screws (called the shank) through the tread and thinner pilot holes (for the point of the screws) into the top of the riser.

Stair treads can squeak whenever there is movement and a wood on wood surface. The movement of wood against wood creates that squeaking or creaking sound whenever the tread is stepped on.

The problem with fixing the situation is that it is sometimes difficult to determine whether it is the finished treads themselves that are squeaking or the framed rough stair treads beneath them (or both).

Fixing squeaking sub-treads will require you to pull up the carpet runner or the false tread cap and screw it securely to the stringers.

It is also possible to drill through the tread cap then secure the sub tread down with a screw and then plug the finish false tread cap. Of course, this will leave a plugged hole in the top of the cap.

Sometimes the stairs can be accessed through the drywall on the underside, where they can be screwed from the stringer upward.

This will require drywall and painting repairs though, but at least it doesn’t leave a plug in the top of the false tread.

Dealing with Squeaking Stairs

Creaky stairs can be infuriating, particularly late at night and early in the morning. However, the problem isn't always easy to solve.

The main causes of squeaking stairs are the shrinkage of the timber treads over time, and general wear and tear.

The tread(s) can start to rub against the top of the riser causing a squeaking or creaking noise.

Any adhesive originally used to bind the treads and risers together may also have become unstuck.

This is normally just an annoyance, rather than anything seriously wrong with your staircase.

There are several methods of addressing or even eradicating these squeaky steps. In most cases the best results are obtained by repairs from the underside of the staircase.

This is not always feasible as sometimes the staircase is blocked off from the rear.

It is, however, also possible to repair from the front of the staircase.Let's assume for the moment that the rear of the staircase is not accessible and that we need to tackle the problem from the front of the staircase.

There are three main methods of tackling loose treads from the front:

1. Screw down loose treads
2. Nail down loose treads
3. Add a moulding or quadrant for support

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Identify Where the Squeak Is Coming From

There are some repairs that involve fastening wood blocks or brackets from underneath, which is good on the one hand because your fix will be invisible.

But not everyone has access to the underside of their stairs, and in most cases, tightening on the topside will do the trick.

Test Each Step that Squeaks

First you need to identify where exactly within the step the noise is coming from. Most likely, either the tread is knocking or rubbing against the riser board, the tread has come loose from one or more of its stringers, or both.

You’ll need to test each step that squeaks and repair it individually by refastening the tread to its underlying structure at the source of the squeak.

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How to Remove Squeaks in Stairs

Squeaky stairs sometimes can be fixed quickly with packaged graphite powder or talcum powder in a squeeze bottle.

Apply the powder along all the joints in the area of the stair squeaks. The powder lubricates the edges of the boards and might take away the noise.

If that fails, you'll need to look into the following more permanent methods.

Stairs are put together with three basic components: the tread, the riser, and the stringer (the side piece).

In most cases, stair squeaks are caused by the tread rubbing against the riser or the stringer. If you can, work from under the stairs when fixing a stair squeak.

You'll need a helper to walk up and down the stairs while you work.

Where is the Squeak?

The first step in fixing your squeaky staircase is locating the squeak. How you go about fixing the stairs depends largely on where the noise comes from.

The most common places for squeaks to come from on a staircase are

• The front of a step where the riser and tread meet
• The back of the step where the riser and tread meet
• Or where the stringer attaches to the tread

To find the squeak in your staircase, get a friend or family member to walk up and down the stairs slowly, stepping on each bit of the tread as they go. You should be able to pinpoint which part of which step is creaking this way.

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