Creaky stairs are fine for ghost stories but an annoyance in your own home. Stair squeaks originate from warped boards, wood moving against other wood or metal such as nails, or just plain old poor construction.
Instructions Difficulty: Moderately Easy Steps Step One Track down the exact location of the squeak by bouncing on the stair treads. Step Two Expose the steps by pulling up the carpet and pad. Step Three Put weight (you, another person or a heavy toolbox) on the offending tread. Step Four Drill two pilot holes near the squeak. The hole should go through the step into the riser. Step Five Countersink two screws in the pilot holes. Step Six Tap a piece of dowel smeared with wood glue into the hole on top of the screw head. Step Seven Cut the dowel off at floor level and sand it smooth. Step Eight Tack the pad and carpet back into place if necessary. Step Nine Screw two shelf brackets to the riser and the bottom of the step, if you can access the stairs from below. Make sure the screws are shorter than the width of the boards. Tips & Warnings Rub paraffin on the screws to help them go in easier. Use dowels made of the same wood as the stairs if they're exposed (not carpeted). Overall Things You'll Need Paraffin Waxes Wood Glues Wood screws Dowels Tack Hammers Variable-speed Drills
