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Home and Garden
Furniture
Furniture Fixes
How to Fix a Squeaking Bed Frame Download Article Co-authored by Mark Spelman and Kyle Hall
Last Updated: February 19, 2026 Approved
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Finding the Cause
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Stopping the Squeaking
|
Trying a Quick Fix
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Tips
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This article was co-authored by Mark Spelman and by wikiHow staff writer, Kyle Hall. Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 92% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 1,280,975 times.
There’s nothing more frustrating than getting a bad night’s sleep because your bed is squeaking. Fortunately, you don’t need to spend a lot of money on a new bed frame to get the squeaking to stop. By pinpointing the source of the squeak and tightening and lubricating the joints holding your bed frame together, you can stop the squeaking and start sleeping peacefully again.
This article is partially based on an interview with Mark Spelman, Construction Professional.
Steps
Part 1 Part 1 of 3:
Finding the Cause
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1 Take the mattress and box spring off the bed frame. The box spring is the wooden base underneath the mattress. Lay the mattress and box spring on the floor.[1]XResearch source
2 Check if it’s the mattress that’s squeaking. You’ll want to rule it out as the cause of the squeaking before you start working on the bed frame. Get on the mattress and move around a little bit - if it squeaks, you know the mattress is the culprit.[2]XResearch source Advertisement
3 Check if it's the box spring that's squeaking. Apply pressure to the top of the box spring and move it around. If you hear squeaking, it's probably the box spring rather than the bed frame that's causing the problem.[3]XResearch source
4 Rock the posts on the bed frame and listen closely. Squeaking can occur where the posts attach to the rest of the bed frame, so try rocking each post. Try to pinpoint the exact location that the squeaking is coming from.
5 Rock the slats on the bottom of the bed frame. The slats are the metal or wooden planks that stretch from one side of the bed frame to the other. They’re what hold up the mattress and box spring. Apply pressure to the slats to see if they're causing the squeaking.[4]XResearch source
Wood rubbing against wood will often cause squeaking.
Advertisement Part 2 Part 2 of 3:
Stopping the Squeaking
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1 Get the right tools for the part of the bed frame you’re working on. Check to see what’s holding the bed frame together in the area the squeaking is coming from. If it’s a screw, get a matching-size screwdriver. If it’s a bolt, you’ll need a wrench.
2 Tighten the joint that’s squeaking. Sometimes all that’s causing a bed frame to squeak is a loose joint. Before you take apart the bed frame, try tightening any screws and bolts in the area the squeaking is coming from. You’ll know they’re tight enough when you can’t turn them anymore.[5]XResearch source
3 Use a washer if you're having trouble tightening a bolt. If you can't get a bolt to tighten all the way up against the frame, place a washer in between the frame and the bolt to fill in the extra space.[6]XResearch source
4 Take apart the joint if the squeaking persists. Use your tools to loosen and remove the bolts or screws holding the joint together. Place any loose bolts or screws in a plastic bag so you don’t lose them. Separate the two pieces of the bed frame that make up the joint.[7]XResearch source
5 Lubricate each component of the joint. Apply a lubricant to any surface where both parts of the joint come into contact, including any fasteners, hooks, or flat surfaces.[8]XResearch source Some good lubricants you can try are:
Paraffin. Paraffin is a waxy substance that comes in bar form, making it easy to rub on surfaces.[9]XResearch source
WD-40. WD-40 is a spray on lubricant that works well on metal bed frames, but it eventually dries out.
Candle wax. If you don’t have access to a store-bought lubricant, try using candle wax. Rub the candle wax on like you would with any other waxy lubricant.[10]XResearch source
White grease or siliconized lubricant. Purchase white grease or a siliconized lubricant from the hardware store and apply it to the joint components to keep the squeaking at bay.
6 Reassemble the bed frame. Put back all of the screws and bolts you removed and tighten them with your tools. Make sure they’re tightened all the way so you don’t accidentally cause more squeaking to occur.
7 Listen to see if the squeaking is gone. Rock the bed and see if you can still hear squeaking. If the squeaking persists, try to pinpoint where it’s coming from. If it’s coming from a different joint than the one you worked on, follow the same steps you did for the other joint. If the squeaking is coming from the same joint, try tightening the bolts or screws holding the joint together some more.
Advertisement Part 3 Part 3 of 3:
Trying a Quick Fix
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1 Line the slats on the bed frame with old clothes. Use old socks or shirts that you don't wear anymore. The fabric will prevent the box spring or mattress from rubbing against the bed frame and squeaking.
2 Use cork to fill in gaps if you have a wooden bed frame. Check the bed frame for any spaces where the mattress or box spring could potentially move and rub against the frame. Stick cork into the gaps so every component of the bed is firmly in place.
3 Slip a towel under any uneven legs on the bed frame. A leg is uneven if it doesn't touch the floor. Put a towel in the space between the leg and the floor so the bed frame doesn't wobble and make noise.
4 Put a book under the mattress near the source of the squeak. If the squeak is coming from one of the slats, remove the mattress and box spring and place a book on the squeaking slat. Move the mattress and box spring back onto the bed frame.
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Tips
If there’s a gap in one of the joints that’s contributing to the squeaking, apply a felt strip between the two surfaces that meet and form the joint to fill in the empty space.[11]XResearch sourceThanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
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Co-authored by: Mark Spelman Construction Professional This article was co-authored by Mark Spelman and by wikiHow staff writer, Kyle Hall. Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987. This article has been viewed 1,280,975 times. 12 votes - 92% Co-authors: 34Updated: February 19, 2026 Views: 1,280,975 Categories: Featured Articles | Beds | Furniture FixesArticle SummaryX
To stop a squeaking bed frame, move each of the bed’s posts and slats to see where the sound is coming from. If it’s coming from one of the posts, tighten all of the screws or bolts on it and wiggle it again to see if the squeaking stopped. Take the joint apart if it’s still squeaking and lubricate the whole joint with paraffin wax or WD-40. If the squeaking is coming from a slat, wrap the slats in old clothes to reduce friction. Keep reading for tips from our Contractor reviewer on how to use towels to level the bed frame and reduce squeaking.Did this summary help you?YesNo
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Reader Success Stories
Art S.
May 11, 2016
"Great article. Listening for the sound of the offending part is key. For me, tightening the right screws solved the squeaks. To think I put up with that for years while the fix lasted 15 mins!"..." more
More reader stories Hide reader stories Share your story
Did this article help you?
Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Mark Spelman Construction Professional Co-authors: 34Updated: February 19, 2026 Views: 1,280,97592% of readers found this article helpful. 12 votes - 92% Click a star to add your vote
Art S.
May 11, 2016
"Great article. Listening for the sound of the offending part is key. For me, tightening the right screws solved the squeaks. To think I put up with that for years while the fix lasted 15 mins!"..." more
Linda Murray
Aug 13, 2017
"Great info. I was about to buy a new bed frame, but tried this first."
Yoshi van Bommel
Jun 17, 2016
"Clear and practical steps to reduce the squeaky noise in your bed." Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories
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Download Article Co-authored by Mark Spelman and Kyle Hall 
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Co-authored by: Mark Spelman Construction Professional This article was co-authored by Mark Spelman and by wikiHow staff writer, Kyle Hall. Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987. This article has been viewed 1,280,975 times. 12 votes - 92% Co-authors: 34 Updated: February 19, 2026 Views: 1,280,975 Categories: Featured Articles | Beds | Furniture Fixes Article SummaryX
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1 Take the mattress and box spring off the bed frame. The box spring is the wooden base underneath the mattress. Lay the mattress and box spring on the floor.[1] 
2 Check if it’s the mattress that’s squeaking. You’ll want to rule it out as the cause of the squeaking before you start working on the bed frame. Get on the mattress and move around a little bit - if it squeaks, you know the mattress is the culprit.[2] Advertisement 
3 Check if it's the box spring that's squeaking. Apply pressure to the top of the box spring and move it around. If you hear squeaking, it's probably the box spring rather than the bed frame that's causing the problem.[3] 
4 Rock the posts on the bed frame and listen closely. Squeaking can occur where the posts attach to the rest of the bed frame, so try rocking each post. Try to pinpoint the exact location that the squeaking is coming from. 
5 Rock the slats on the bottom of the bed frame. The slats are the metal or wooden planks that stretch from one side of the bed frame to the other. They’re what hold up the mattress and box spring. Apply pressure to the slats to see if they're causing the squeaking.[4] 
1 Get the right tools for the part of the bed frame you’re working on. Check to see what’s holding the bed frame together in the area the squeaking is coming from. If it’s a screw, get a matching-size screwdriver. If it’s a bolt, you’ll need a wrench. 
2 Tighten the joint that’s squeaking. Sometimes all that’s causing a bed frame to squeak is a loose joint. Before you take apart the bed frame, try tightening any screws and bolts in the area the squeaking is coming from. You’ll know they’re tight enough when you can’t turn them anymore.[5] 
3 Use a washer if you're having trouble tightening a bolt. If you can't get a bolt to tighten all the way up against the frame, place a washer in between the frame and the bolt to fill in the extra space.[6] 
4 Take apart the joint if the squeaking persists. Use your tools to loosen and remove the bolts or screws holding the joint together. Place any loose bolts or screws in a plastic bag so you don’t lose them. Separate the two pieces of the bed frame that make up the joint.[7] 
5 Lubricate each component of the joint. Apply a lubricant to any surface where both parts of the joint come into contact, including any fasteners, hooks, or flat surfaces.[8] Some good lubricants you can try are: 
6 Reassemble the bed frame. Put back all of the screws and bolts you removed and tighten them with your tools. Make sure they’re tightened all the way so you don’t accidentally cause more squeaking to occur. 
7 Listen to see if the squeaking is gone. Rock the bed and see if you can still hear squeaking. If the squeaking persists, try to pinpoint where it’s coming from. If it’s coming from a different joint than the one you worked on, follow the same steps you did for the other joint. If the squeaking is coming from the same joint, try tightening the bolts or screws holding the joint together some more. Advertisement 
1 Line the slats on the bed frame with old clothes. Use old socks or shirts that you don't wear anymore. The fabric will prevent the box spring or mattress from rubbing against the bed frame and squeaking. 
2 Use cork to fill in gaps if you have a wooden bed frame. Check the bed frame for any spaces where the mattress or box spring could potentially move and rub against the frame. Stick cork into the gaps so every component of the bed is firmly in place. 
3 Slip a towel under any uneven legs on the bed frame. A leg is uneven if it doesn't touch the floor. Put a towel in the space between the leg and the floor so the bed frame doesn't wobble and make noise. 
4 Put a book under the mattress near the source of the squeak. If the squeak is coming from one of the slats, remove the mattress and box spring and place a book on the squeaking slat. Move the mattress and box spring back onto the bed frame. Advertisement 