Creaking Floorboard
Floorboards that creak or squeak when walked on, especially noticeable at night.
What Is Causing This?
- 1Boards rubbing against each other or the joists
- 2Nails working loose over time
- 3Joists drying out and shrinking, creating gaps
How Urgent Is This?
This is a cosmetic issue. It is not causing damage and can be addressed in your own time.
What Needs to Be Done
A carpenter will identify the loose boards, screw them down securely to the joists, and may apply talcum powder or lubricate the joints between boards to stop rubbing.
How Much Will It Cost?
National average estimate
Labour: £350 – £1,104 | Materials: £218 – £1,010
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Prices are estimates based on typical UK rates. Actual costs depend on the specific issue, accessibility, and your location. All quotes from tradespeople on Tradesfolk are completely free.
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Ask a QuestionPlanning Permission Guidance
Some fixes for this problem may require planning permission or building regulations approval. Check if your project needs permission:
How to Prevent This
Use screws rather than nails when refitting boards. Maintain consistent indoor humidity to reduce timber movement.
Related Problems
A noticeable dip or slope in the floor, where furniture rocks or a ball rolls to one side of the room.
Wooden floorboards or engineered flooring that creaks, squeaks, or groans when walked on.
Laminate boards rising, buckling, or peaking at the joints, creating ridges across the floor.
Other Carpenter Problems
A door that is difficult to open or close, dragging on the frame or the floor.
Soft, crumbling, or discoloured wood around a window frame, sometimes with paint flaking away.
A door frame that has twisted or bowed, leaving gaps on one side and rubbing on the other.
One or more spindles (balusters) on the staircase are cracked, loose, or missing entirely.