Most people find that peaceful, quiet surroundings are necessary for restful sleep. Unwanted sounds, however, occasionally prevent us from sleeping. The worst-case scenario in this situation is a squeaky bed: Noises from the bed prevent us from falling asleep deeply, and tossing and turning only makes the issue worse. But why does a bed squeak, and how do you fix it?
Why Does My Bed Squeak?
A squeaky bed can develop over time as a result of wear and tear from bedtime activities. Nevertheless, how can you identify the source of the squeak?
Your mattress, box spring, bed frame, or bed springs are usually the source of the squeaking. You might need to go through a process of trial and error to identify the source of your bed’s squeaking.
Squeaky Mattress
You should push into various areas of your mattress and move around the bed to identify the general area until you can determine if you have a squeaky mattress. Does it lie beneath your typical sleeping area? Is there a corner where it is?
The innerspring is frequently to blame for mattress squeaks in hybrid spring mattresses. This is an indication that it’s probably time for a new mattress because the innerspring isn’t something that can be easily replaced.
Squeaky Box Spring
The most likely reason for a squeaky bed is a box spring. If you were unable to identify the source of the squeak in your mattress, you might want to focus your attention on your box spring next. Fortunately, since the wood frame is probably what’s causing the squeak, most box springs can be quickly fixed at home.
Many people opt for a platform bed frame instead of a box spring if they don’t want to deal with its squeaky noise. Platform beds, as opposed to box springs, have a built-in foundation that makes use of a sturdy base, frequently with wooden slats.
Squeaky Bed Frame
A loose bolt or a piece of warped wood are common causes of squeaky bed frames, and they are typically fairly easy to fix at home. The bed frame may squeak if the bolts come loose, and a water stain or change in humidity may cause a wooden bed frame to slightly warp.
It’s a sure bet that the squeak is coming from your bed frame if you can’t locate a squeak in your mattress or box spring. See the suggestions for fixing a noisy bed frame at home below.
How To Fix A Squeaky Bed
Finding the source of the noises is the first step in repairing a squeaky bed, after which you should try to solve the issue on your own. A step-by-step manual for how to stop a bed from creaking is provided here.
1. Identify The Source
You must first determine the source of the noises. The mattress, the box spring, or the bed frame/foundation are the three most likely places where the noises you hear could be coming from.
If you have an all-foam mattress, it is safe to assume that the foundation is the source of any squeaking you hear. Due to their metal springs, innerspring and hybrid mattresses are more likely to be noisy. Simply remove the mattress from the bed frame and set it on the floor if your bed is an innerspring or hybrid. In order to listen for sounds, move around while lying on it. Your mattress’ metal springs are the cause of any noise it is making, if that is the case.
If your mattress is the source of the noise, you should probably replace it. Although it’s unlikely that most warranties will cover this problem, you can ask the manufacturer about warranty coverage.
The noise from a box spring is probably coming from the metal coils. The best course of action in this case is to just purchase a new box spring. Given that many newer mattresses don’t require box springs and in some cases can even be damaged by them, you might also wonder if they are even necessary.
You can try many do-it-yourself methods, which are listed below, if the noise is coming from the bed frame or foundation.
2. Tighten Joints
Joints, which are typically connected with metal bolts or screws, hold the majority of bed frames and foundations together. This is a good place to start if you want to stop your bed from making too much noise because these areas are a common source of squeakiness.
Simply tighten each joint on your bed frame with a wrench or screwdriver to get things going. To achieve a tighter fit without the metal-on-metal connection that frequently causes squeaking, you might also think about adding plastic washers.
Check for noises once more. Continue to the next step if the issue doesn’t go away.
3. Lubricate Joints
Applying lubrication can be beneficial for metal bed frames and other foundations with metal bolts or screws. Joint areas can easily be treated with products like WD-40, which frequently quiets them down.
If lubricating and tightening the bed’s joints does not solve the issue, the noise’s origin is probably somewhere else.
4. Cushion The Frame
Friction between the mattress and the bed frame or foundation can frequently be the cause of noise. If so, placing a layer of padding between the frame and mattress (or the frame and the box spring) can be beneficial.
You’ll need some relatively thin fabric materials for this, like old socks, T-shirts, felt, or kitchen towels. Reposition the mattress on top of the fabric-lined foundation or bed frame. Friction and creakiness ought to be decreased as a result.
These steps should help you locate the noise’s origin and, hopefully, resolve the issue. If the noise persists, here are a few other things to try:
- To reduce noise between the bed frame and the floor, attach furniture pads to the legs of the bed frame.
- By aligning your bed with the floor, you can lessen wobbling. In order to level out the situation, if necessary, add additional padding underneath certain legs.
- Caster cups can be used to lessen movement and noise if the bed frame has wheels. Or you could just take the wheels off and use furniture pads.
- Look for any areas where there is wood-on-wood contact that might be producing noise. In order to lessen friction, gently spread a thin layer of candle wax or beeswax over the troublesome area.
The Reason A Bed Squeaks Is Unknown.
The box spring, the frame, the mattress itself, or multiple sources may all make squeaking or other unwelcome noises simultaneously. To identify the problem’s root cause, it’s usually best to test each component separately.
Older innerspring and hybrid mattress models frequently squeak more. These models’ metal coils, which can rub against one another more and more as the coils deteriorate, are what cause the noise. On the other hand, mattresses made entirely of latex or foam won’t squeak because they don’t contain any metal parts.
Similar to innerspring mattresses, box springs squeak because they are made of hundreds of metal coils that can rub against one another more as they age. Squeaky box springs and mattresses should typically be replaced.
The cause of excessive noise in bed frames and foundations is typically caused by friction between parts. The foundation frame may be rubbed by the box spring’s wooden edges. Incorrectly tightened joints could also be the source of excessive noise and friction at the joints holding the frame’s parts together.
Friction between the bed and the floor or nearby walls is a less common cause of squeaking. In this situation, the problem is typically brought on by an uneven foundation (such as a wobbly leg) or a lack of padding between the bed and the floor.
How To Fix A Squeaky Bed Frame Or Box Spring
It might be simpler to repair a squeaky bed at home if the mattress is not the problem. Find out how to stop a creaky bed frame or box spring by reading the rest of this article.
1. Check The Joints
One of the most frequent causes of a squeaky bed frame is loose bolts. Look over the joints of your frame and tighten any loose bolts before taking more drastic action. To reduce the likelihood of a recurrence, you might want to use WD-40 to lubricate the joints.
2. Cushion The Slats
Another frequent cause of a squeaky bed frame is the slats rubbing against the frame (or against one another). Old socks, shirts, or towels can be placed between the slats and the frame to add a temporary noise-canceling cushion and help muffle any noise produced by the slats.
3. Oil The Frame
Grab some WD-40 and rub it on the offending area if your bed frame is made of metal. Try using candle wax or beeswax as a temporary solution for people with wooden bed frames.
4. Use Cork
If you want to stop your wooden bed frame from squeaking but don’t want to use any kind of lubricant, try inserting pieces of cork there instead. For the time being, the cork will act as a cushion between the two pieces, reducing noise from squeaking.
5. Add Floor Padding
A rickety or squeaky bed can also be caused by an uneven floor, so if you still haven’t determined what’s causing it, you might want to broaden your search. Put padding under the required legs of the frame, such as a towel, an old t-shirt, or a folded sheet, to lessen this annoying imbalance.
If your bed is on casters, the problem could be with the wheels. To stop the squeak, try applying WD-40 to the wheels and buying new caster cups at your neighborhood hardware store.
6. Purchase A New Bed Frame
It might be time to buy a new bed frame if you’ve tried everything to stop the squeak but are still unsuccessful. To avoid having to deal with another squeak problem, you should pick a versatile bed frame that fits with your current setup and is well-made.
FAQs
How Can I Get My Bunkie Board To Stop Creaking?
Bunkie boards, a type of bed foundation, are small pieces of plywood or wood. Bunkie boards don’t have coils, so any squeaking could be the result of friction between the board and your mattress or the edges of the bed frame.
Placing cork, thin t-shirts, towels, or socks between your bed and the bunkie board will help to reduce any friction that may be the cause of the problem between the bunkie board and your mattress.
Place t-shirts, towels, cork, or socks between your bunkie board and the edge of the bed frame if the problem is with the bed frame and the bunkie board.
Which Bed Frame Makes More Noise, Wood Or Metal?
Wood-on-wood friction is less likely to make noise than metal-on-metal friction, so a wooden bed frame typically squeaks less than a metal frame. The sound of metal scraping against metal is much louder, in contrast. Additionally, wood is strong enough to be tightened more firmly than metal, guaranteeing that bolts and screws won’t make any noise either.
Do Mattresses Squeak On Purpose?
No, whether it be noisy coils or squeaky bolts, a squeaky bed is a sign that something is wrong. Even though there won’t be any negative consequences if your bed creaks, the noise can be bothersome and interfere with getting any rest.
Is Squeaking Coming From A New Bed Normal?
Although brand-new spring beds shouldn’t squeak or be noisy, it’s common for older spring beds to do so.
You can probably make a claim for a defective mattress or for your new bed’s warranty if it is noisy. Because this is not a defect, you cannot submit a warranty claim for mattresses that have become squeaky over time.
How Often Should My Mattress And Other Furnishings Be Replaced?
Bed frames, foundations, and box springs typically last between 6 and 8 years, while mattresses typically last between 6 and 8 years. In order to support you and avoid spinal misalignment, it is best to purchase a new sleep surface at that point because the pieces have lost their structural integrity and may squeak or be unsupportive. Similar to this, it is best to replace your mattress if it isn’t that old but has started to squeak ineffectively.
Conclusion
There’s no need to wake up in the middle of the night because of a noisy bed. It can be difficult to sleep at night when your bed is noisy, disruptive, and loud. You’ll fall asleep quickly because the fixes for a squeaky bed are usually straightforward and won’t take much of your time.