How to Fix Creaky Floorboards: A Step-by-Step Guide
Quick answer: Most creaky floorboards squeak because a board is rubbing against a nail, a joist or the board next to it. On a traditional timber floor, the permanent fix is to screw the board down into the joist. Floor Fix Pro's Stop Squeak Repair Kit lets you do this from above, even through carpet, and its scored screws snap off below the surface. Click-lock laminate, LVT and engineered floors creak at the joints instead: test which part of the joint is rubbing with the Squeaky Floor Test Kit, then treat it with Click Lube or Groove Gasket. If a floating board moves up and down, support it with Injectafix injected through a small hole.
Whether it's floorboards, stairs or a click floor, the way to fix a floor that creaks is the same: find what's moving, then stop it moving.
By Paul Lanzarotti, Floor Fix Pro. Last updated: 4 November 2026.
Squeaky or creaky floorboards: is there a difference?
Not really. "Squeaky" and "creaky" describe the same problem: a board, sheet or joint rubbing as you walk on it. A high-pitched squeak often comes from a nail or screw rubbing in its hole. A lower creak or groan is more often a board moving against a joist or the board next to it. Either way, the fix is to find what is moving and stop it moving, so the steps below work for both.
Step 1: Work out what kind of floor you have
This is the step most guides skip, and it decides which fix will work.
| Your floor | What usually causes the creak | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional floorboards or chipboard on joists (suspended timber), including under carpet | A board or sheet moving against a nail or joist | Screw the board to the joist from above: Stop Squeak Repair Kit |
| Timber stairs (carpeted or bare) | A tread moving on its stringer or riser | Secure the tread from above with the same scored-screw method |
| Click-lock laminate, LVT, SPC or engineered floor with a visible V-groove | Friction in the locking joints, or movement in the subfloor | Test first with the Squeaky Floor Test Kit, then use Click Lube or Groove Gasket |
| Floating floor that bounces or moves up and down | A void or dip in the subfloor under the boards | Injectafix adhesive injected through a small hole to support the board |
Never screw a floating click floor down to the subfloor. It needs to move with the seasons, and screwing it can cause buckling.
Step 2: Find exactly where the creak is
- Walk the floor slowly in socks and mark every creak with masking tape.
- Rock your weight from heel to toe on each marked spot. If the board visibly moves or the noise repeats in the same place, it is almost certainly a loose board.
- Find the joists. On floorboards, the nail lines show where they run. Under carpet, use a stud finder or tap for a solid sound. Joists in UK homes are usually spaced about 400mm apart.
- Check for hidden pipes and cables before drilling or screwing. Use a detector, and take extra care near radiators, sockets and bathrooms.
Step 3: Fix creaky floorboards on a suspended timber floor
This works on floorboards, chipboard and carpeted floors, with no need to lift the carpet.
- Mark the creak on the joist line.
- Following the kit instructions, drive a scored screw through the carpet (if there is one) and the board into the joist, pulling the board tight.
- Snap the screw head off at the score line, just below the surface. It disappears under carpet. On bare boards, fill the small hole.
- Walk the spot again. If it still creaks, add a second screw about 5cm away along the same joist.
The Stop Squeak Repair Kit has everything you need. Refill packs of 50 screws are available for bigger jobs.
Step 4: Fix creaky stairs from above
Most creaky stairs are a loose tread rubbing on the stringer (the side board) or the riser beneath it. If you can't get under the stairs, fix them from above:
- Stand on each tread to find the creak. Front edge creaks usually come from the riser, and side creaks from the stringer.
- Drive scored screws at a slight angle through the tread into the riser or stringer, one or two per creak.
- Snap the heads off below the surface. Under carpet they're invisible; on bare wood, fill and touch up.
Full stairs guide: How to stop stairs creaking.
Step 5: Fix a creaky laminate, LVT or engineered floor
Click floors creak for different reasons, so test before you treat:
- Use the test kit on two separate small areas: one treatment into the bottom of the locking joint, one along the top bevel.
- Wait 24 hours and walk the floor again.
- If the joint treatment quietened it, treat the whole area with Click Lube (locking profile) or Groove Gasket (top bevel).
- If it still creaks, the board is probably moving up and down over a dip in the subfloor. Inject Injectafix adhesive through a tiny hole to support it.
If your click floor has no V-groove, joint treatments can't get in. Diagnose the construction first.
Why do floors creak more in summer?
Timber expands in warm, humid weather, which increases friction between boards, nails and joists. Some seasonal creaking is normal. If a creak persists all year or gets worse, a board is loose and needs securing.
Does WD-40 or talc fix creaky floorboards?
Only for a day or two. Lubricants and powders can quieten a noisy joint briefly, but they don't stop the board moving, so the creak comes back. WD-40 can also mark wood finishes. Fix the movement instead.
When to call a professional
- The floor feels soft, springy or sags between joists.
- You can see rot, damp, woodworm or water damage.
- Boards are cracked or split.
- Creaking started suddenly after building work or a leak.
These are signs of a structural problem that screws and adhesives won't fix.
Frequently asked questions
Why are my floorboards squeaky?
Usually because a board has worked loose from the joist below, so it rubs against a nail, the joist or the next board when you step on it. Seasonal changes in humidity can make it more noticeable.
Can I fix creaky floorboards without lifting the carpet?
Yes. On a suspended timber floor, a through-carpet kit such as Floor Fix Pro's Stop Squeak drives scored screws straight through the carpet into the joist, and the head snaps off below the pile, so there's no need to lift the carpet.
How long does it take to fix a creaky floorboard?
Once you have found the joist, each creak usually takes a few minutes to fix.
Do creaky floorboards mean structural damage?
Usually not. Most creaks are loose boards. Softness, sagging, rot or sudden new creaks after a leak do need a professional to look.
Can I screw down a laminate floor to stop it creaking?
No. Floating floors must be free to expand. Use a joint treatment or subfloor support instead.
Other floor problems? See how to fix a floor with loose tiles, cracked grout or gaps.
Not sure which fix you need? Email hello@floorfixpro.com with a short video of the creak and we'll tell you.