How to fix a squeaky staircase

Michel Roy explains how to silence two types of staircases

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Two kinds of staircases

Fixing a squeaky staircase can be a quick job or a major undertaking, depending on the construction of the staircase and your appetite for demolition. Staircases are built in one of two ways: with dadoed stringers, which house the ends of the treads and risers, or with the treads and risers applied to cut stringers.

Stairs will squeak if they are no longer securely connected to their stringers, if a tread or a riser is cracked, or if the connection point between a tread and a riser has become separated over time. Have someone walk up and down the stairs while you watch the stairs for movement to figure out why yours are calling out to you.