Things that go squeak in the night
December 11, 2010 11:51 PM Subscribe
Why does my bed squeak? And how do I make it stop?
What part of the bed is responsible for the squeaking and creaking noises it makes when I climb on and off, or move around on it? Is it the actual mattress and/or box springs? Is it the slats? Is it the frame? Some combination of the above?
My particular bed has a heavy wrought-iron frame held together by nuts and bolts, with a mattress and box spring set set on top of wooden slats. I've always assumed the squeaking and creaking was due to parts of the metal frame rubbing against each other, but I've tightened the nuts and bolts and even applied WD-40 to the frame, and still the squeaking continues. And sometimes I sleep in other beds that squeak and creak, too. So what's with the noise? And how do I make it stop?
What part of the bed is responsible for the squeaking and creaking noises it makes when I climb on and off, or move around on it? Is it the actual mattress and/or box springs? Is it the slats? Is it the frame? Some combination of the above?
My particular bed has a heavy wrought-iron frame held together by nuts and bolts, with a mattress and box spring set set on top of wooden slats. I've always assumed the squeaking and creaking was due to parts of the metal frame rubbing against each other, but I've tightened the nuts and bolts and even applied WD-40 to the frame, and still the squeaking continues. And sometimes I sleep in other beds that squeak and creak, too. So what's with the noise? And how do I make it stop?
My guess is the box spring. Couldn't tell you why. We just replaced our mattress set and shook the metal bed frame when the mattress and box spring were off to see if it was the source of the squeaking -- it wasn't. (We had also tightened the bolts on it.) The new bed doesn't squeak at all and it's still on the old frame with the old wooden slats. I think probably the best thing to do is to replace the box spring and see if that makes a difference.
posted by pised at 12:23 AM on December 12, 2010
posted by pised at 12:23 AM on December 12, 2010
I had an IKEA bed, it sounded like a three ring circus every time I turned over in the night. I got fed up with it and took everything apart. I put three rolls of electrical tape and a Sunday edition of the New York times into every part that touched any other part. Now I sleep in blissful silence.
posted by Felex at 1:31 AM on December 12, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by Felex at 1:31 AM on December 12, 2010 [2 favorites]
Easy test: take the mattress and boxspring off the frame and put them on the floor. Sleep on them. Does anything squeak? If not, the frame is the source of the squeaking.
posted by twblalock at 1:43 AM on December 12, 2010
posted by twblalock at 1:43 AM on December 12, 2010
My bed sometimes squeaks and I find that tightening the screws quickly solves the problem.
posted by mr_silver at 2:24 AM on December 12, 2010
posted by mr_silver at 2:24 AM on December 12, 2010
I had this problem, a few tactical sprays of WD40 sorted things out. No more squeaking.
posted by knapah at 4:29 AM on December 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by knapah at 4:29 AM on December 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
Somehow, despite reading your question twice, both times I missed that you referenced WD40, duh. Ignore my earlier comment.
posted by knapah at 6:04 AM on December 12, 2010
posted by knapah at 6:04 AM on December 12, 2010
I had an IKEA bed, it sounded like a three ring circus every time I turned over in the night.
This was my gf's expensive jarrah bed. Thankfully she bought it from a local manufacturer who actually gave a shit. They sent a rep over [the owner's son, from memory] with a drill and some bits and pieces to take a look at it.
Turns out it was a known issue and they fixed it without any quibbles. But it wasn't an easy job - it required extra brackets being fitted.
[Kinda embarrassing asking for help with a squeaky bed. I know what he was thinking, fnarr fnarr.]
posted by uncanny hengeman at 7:42 AM on December 12, 2010
This was my gf's expensive jarrah bed. Thankfully she bought it from a local manufacturer who actually gave a shit. They sent a rep over [the owner's son, from memory] with a drill and some bits and pieces to take a look at it.
Turns out it was a known issue and they fixed it without any quibbles. But it wasn't an easy job - it required extra brackets being fitted.
[Kinda embarrassing asking for help with a squeaky bed. I know what he was thinking, fnarr fnarr.]
posted by uncanny hengeman at 7:42 AM on December 12, 2010
When I've had squeak problems (I think) it's always been the slats rubbing against the inside of the frame. As near as I've been able to tell that's been because moving/jostling/what-have-you has caused one or more of the four legs to move out of position, thus turning the perfect rectangle shape of the bed frame into an irregular quadrilateral. When I've "re-squared" the bed and tightened down the slats, the noise has gone away.
posted by facetious at 7:46 AM on December 12, 2010
posted by facetious at 7:46 AM on December 12, 2010
Nthing that things are rubbing against each other. I just (really, within the last week) dealt with this with my own bed by taking apart the bed frame, cursing it mightily, and sleeping on just the box spring and mattress. I haven't slept so well in months. We were given the wrong side slats a million years ago when we bought the bed, so we can't even fix this particular frame, and believe me, we've tried. We're just going to suck it up and buy a new frame from a source with better (read: existent) customer service.
posted by cooker girl at 8:36 AM on December 12, 2010
posted by cooker girl at 8:36 AM on December 12, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
You could take the frame out of the equation and put it up on blocks, then bounce around some and see what happens. If it is the frame you can lubricate the squeaky part; if it's in the springs and you can get access to them, some careful sprays of lubricant where the springs meet the frame might be the answer.
If it's neither of those things and actually somehow the wood slats (are any cracked?), I'd just get new wood at a home supply store.
posted by Menthol at 12:06 AM on December 12, 2010 [1 favorite]