How To Stop Your Wooden or Metal Bed Frame From Squeaking

After a long day, there’s nothing worse than trying to go to sleep only to be kept awake by the squeaking of your bed.

Being deprived of rest can seriously affect your health, both physically and mentally. It can increase stress levels and decrease your mood.

Creaking is a nightmare to deal with, something no one should have to worry about. That’s why we’ve designed a step-by-step process to help you eradicate any noise coming from your bed. Read on to find out how.

#1 – Determine where the noise is coming from

Your bed frame isn’t the only part of your bed that can creak. The sound could also be coming from your mattress, box spring or the legs of your bed. So, the first step is to determine where the squeaking is originating from.

Start by separating all your bedding – this will make it easier to establish where exactly the noise is coming from. Then begin individually inspecting each part.

Firstly, check your mattress

Over time, beds will age, and with wear, they can start to loosen, increasing the possibility of squeaking. However, not all mattresses can shriek.

All-foam-based beds are free of coils, so they usually don’t cause any issues. It’s typically only traditional mattresses innerspring or hybrid’s that can creak.

To determine if it’s your bed making the noise, roll around or let your kids jump on it; this should allow you to find the area the sound is coming from.

If your bed makes a screeching noise, it could be because the springs aren’t correctly compressing.

Unfortunately, it’s not easy to eliminate creaking within mattresses as the springs are enclosed in padded bedding for proper support.

While replacing your mattress is the simplest and most effective way to cut out the sound there are few things you could try first to help lower the frustrating noise.

1. Rotate or flip your mattress – It could only be one area of the bed making it creak. So, try rotating the mattress 180 degrees, so the head of the bed is at the foot or flip it over to the other side.

Note: Some mattresses can’t be flipped so check with the manufacturer to be sure.

Both these methods can reduce the impact of motion and therefore, the rasping noise.

2.Spray the springs with lubricant – This process isn’t simple but can be very effective when done right. You will need to flip your mattress and cut a small incision in the side to expose the inner springs – do this in the area where the sound is coming from.

Note: Although this is an effective method in eradicating noise it could void the mattress warranty so check if you can return it before doing so.

Then add a lubricant like WD-40. This will smooth the joints and help prevent them from making any noise. To close, simply lace the opened section with a needle and thread.

However, if you can determine the noise ISN’T coming from your bed, then your bed frame is most likely responsible.

Inspect The Bed Frame

Bed frames are the most common Culprit for making noises. Frames can loosen with use and begin rubbing against themselves, causing the annoying creaking you hear.

Gently rock the sides, headboard, and base to determine if the bed frame is the issue. If you have a four-poster bed, check the upper structure as well. The origin of the noise will be evident and easy to find.

If you can determine the noise is coming from your bed frame, there are simple ways to fix the issue.

Ways To Fix A Squeaking Metal Frame

#1 – Tighten the Joints

The base of bed frames is held together with bolts and screws that can become slack with use. So go around the structure and inspect each section of joints. Use a wrench or screwdriver to tighten any loose attachments that could be rubbing against the frame.

IMPORTANT: Don’t over tighten the screws – while it may seem effective, this can cause the bolt to rub even more aggressively against the bed frame.

If any of the fixtures have rust, it’s essential to replace them to prevent future creaking. It also offers an excellent opportunity to place washers around the screws for a proper, snug fit that won’t budge again.

#2 – Remove the bolts and spray a lubricant

If tightening the attachments doesn’t work, spraying them with oil is the next best option. However, this will only work if you have a metal or upholstered bed frame, not a wooden one.

Take out the bolts in the section creating the sound, and lube them up with a spray like WD-40. You can also use vegetable oil.

#3 – Replace the metal parts with plastic ones

Metal rubbing against metal can create a horrible sound that’s super irritating. So, if spraying oil doesn’t work, try replacing those old metal screws with plastic ones.

They’re less likely to cause friction and therefore make any noise. The best types of plastic screws for bed frames are rubber or nylon.

#4 – Check The legs of the bed frame

Sometimes it’s simply just the feet of the bed frame causing all the havoc. They could be unfastened and therefore rub against the metal frame, or it could be because they’re not level with the floor.

To stop it from creaking, add foot pads to the legs or place a rug between the floor and the limbs to even it out. For a quick fix, just use an old towel or relocate the bed to a level space in the room.

#5 – Check the friction between the mattress and frame

If the sound is persisting, it could be due to your bed frame chafing against the mattress. If that’s the case, just add a cushioning layer in between the two bedding parts to reduce friction.

You can do this with an old sheet, blanket or even odd socks that are simply layered and stuffed in between the parts. Adding a buffering fabric layer in the middle will reduce movement and noise.

How To Stop Wooden Bed Frames From Creaking?

If you have a wooden bed frame, the standard methods for eliminating the noise won’t work.

This is because these structures aren’t joined together with bolts and screws but rather nails and more wood.

So, after determining where the noise is coming from, apply a powder or wax to the area. Such as bees or candle wax.

Do so by rubbing the part with the wax – twice for comprehensive prevention. You can also stuff the gaps in the joints with cork pieces to reduce any future creaking.

By now, your bed should most definitely be free of any scraping noises; however, if it’s not, it’s probably time for a new frame. But don’t worry at MyDeal, you can get quality options at affordable prices. Check out our bed frame collection – we’ll deliver it directly to your door.