How to stop a wooden bed from creaking

Do you lie awake at night, staying as still as a statue to save yourself from another patience-wearing creak, wondering how to fix a squeaky bed? Well, wonder no more our sleep-deprived friend – our expert dream team at Time4Sleep have got all the answers to your prayers for a squeak-free sleep!

From advice on identifying the source of your squeaks, to top tips on fixing the problem for good, you’ll find everything you need to know in our guide on how to stop a wooden bed frame from creaking.

Why do creaky wooden beds need fixing?

A squeaky wooden bed is enough to drive even St. Monica, the patron Saint of Patience, insane. After a long day when all you want is some serious shuteye, there’s nothing worse than a bed that creaks as soon as you climb in and gets worse with your every toss and turn.

But more than just being incredibly, unbelievably, unimaginably infuriating, a squeaky bed is actually terrible news for your quality of sleep. In fact, noises such as your bed creaking can prevent you from achieving the all-important deep sleep stage of your sleep cycle. This can lead to disrupted sleep patterns and a serious impact on your health, from increased stress levels, to low energy, high blood pressure and insomnia.

So, before your noisy frame does any more damage, let’s get to work on stopping your wooden bed from creaking, shall we?

Do wooden beds squeak?

Yes! When a wooden bed frame squeaks and makes a noise it shouldn’t be making, it’s actually your bed’s own little (and albeit, very annoying) way of letting you know something’s wrong.

Wooden beds squeak for a whole host of reasons, but common causes can include loose joints, broken slats, a worn-out spring mattress or even heat expansion. More often than not though, a loose frame fitting or an old mattress will be the cause of your noise complaints and, luckily for you, it’s easy to search for the source of the problem!

How to identify the source of the creaking

To find out whether your spring mattress is to blame, remove the mattress from your bed and lay it on the floor. Next, it’s time for the creak test – lie down on your mattress and move around across its surface. If it groans with that all too familiar sound from your nightmares, you’ve found your problem. If it’s as quiet as a mouse, however, it’s time to initiate phase two of your inquiry – the wooden bed frame inspection.

To identify the cause of your bed’s creaking, gently rock its frame in different directions and listen carefully. Once you’ve narrowed down your search area to the source of the sound, make sure to thoroughly check for any loose bolts or joints nearby before moving onto our tips on how to fix the squeaking.

Top tips on how to stop a wooden bed from squeaking

Now you’ve identified the problem, it’s time to get to work on fixing the noisy nuisance! Here’s our guide on how to fix a squeaky bed:

1. Buy a new mattress

If your investigations found your spring mattress to be the guilty party, we’re afraid the diagnosis is pretty bleak. Unfortunately, a creaking mattress means that your once trusty sleeping station has come to the end of its natural life. But it’s not all doom and gloom – in fact, it’s the perfect excuse for you to treat yourself to a new one!

From squeak-free memory foam mattresses to supportive orthopaedic mattresses, meet your match with our Choosing the Perfect Mattress Guide.

2. Tighten up loose fittings, joints and bolts

Did your creak test report findings of loose nuts and bolts? If so, it’s time to arm yourself with allen keys, screwdrivers and spanners to get your wooden bed frame tightened up! We would also recommend adding washers to your bed’s loose fittings if you don’t have them already, as this can sometimes help to hold joints together more solidly.

3. Apply some wax to the noisy area

If you’re still plagued by creaking after tightening up any loose bolts, applying some wax to lubricate the area could be just the ticket. WD40 or other specialist products of the same ilk should do the trick – all you need to do is simply apply the wax to the affected area to see whether that solves your unpleasant noise issues.

4. Sort your slats out

Broken slats? There’s a simple solution for that – replace them. Just take great care in ensuring you buy the right size to suit your wooden bed frame. Measure, measure and measure again!

5. Level any uneven flooring

If you’ve exhausted all of our tips above, chances are that another squeak-related issue could be the problem, such as uneven flooring in your bedroom. The best way to check for this is to crack out the spirit level from your toolbox and wedge a small piece of plywood or other piece of material under the rickety corner of your bed to level the playing field.

6. Buy a new wooden bed

The quickest and most reliable fix of all? Treat yourself to a brand new bed frame! At Time4Sleep, we have a stunning selection of wooden beds to suit every taste and style. From wooden rattan beds, to wooden ottoman beds and wooden sleigh beds, you’re sure to find the perfect fit for you.

To find out more, have a read of our Wooden Beds Guide that covers everything from their benefits, to cleaning and care advice and our top tips on how to find the best wooden bed for both yourself and your space!