How to Stop Stairs Creaking: Fix Squeaky Stairs From Above
Quick answer: A creaking stair is almost always a tread (the part you step on) moving against the riser below it or the stringer at the side. Stop the movement and you stop the noise. You can do that from above, even through carpet, by screwing the tread down tight into the riser or stringer and snapping the screw head off below the surface.
By Paul Lanzarotti, Floor Fix Pro. Last updated: 28 September 2026.
Why do stairs creak?
Each tread rests on the riser beneath it and is fixed at the sides to the stringers. Over time, nails loosen, glue blocks underneath fail and timber shrinks. The tread then moves slightly when you step on it and rubs against the riser, the stringer or a nail, and that rubbing is the creak.
Step 1: Find exactly where the stair creaks
- Step on the front edge (nosing) of the tread. If it creaks, the tread is moving on the riser below.
- Step near each side. If it creaks there, the tread is moving on the stringer.
- Mark each spot with masking tape.
- Check for cables before you screw, especially near light switches and sockets on the stairs.
Step 2: Fix creaky stairs from above
- Drive a scored screw at a slight angle through the tread into the riser (for front creaks) or the stringer (for side creaks).
- The dual-thread screw pulls the tread down tight against the timber below.
- Snap the head off at the score line using the depth-control tool, so it breaks just below the surface.
- Walk the stair again. If it still creaks, add a second screw a few centimetres along.
On carpeted stairs: the screw goes straight through the carpet. The kit has a separate depth tool for carpet, and the screws are coated so they don't snag the pile, including on loop carpet. You don't need to lift anything.
On bare wood stairs: use the hardwood depth tool, then fill the small hole and touch up to match.
Everything you need is in the Stop Squeak Repair Kit, and refill packs of 50 screws are available for bigger jobs.
Can you fix creaky stairs from underneath?
Yes, if the underside is open, for example from a cupboard under the stairs. You can glue and screw small wooden blocks into the corner where the tread meets the riser. Most UK stairs are boxed in underneath, which is why fixing from above is usually easier.
Does talc or WD-40 stop stairs creaking?
Only for a short while. They reduce the friction but don't stop the tread moving, so the creak comes back.
When to call a professional
Get the stairs checked if a tread feels loose or soft, is cracked or split, or if the whole staircase moves or pulls away from the wall. Screws won't fix those problems.
Also creaking upstairs? See our full guide: How to fix creaky floorboards.
Other floor problems? Here's how to fix a floor with squeaks, loose tiles or gaps.