Quiet Your Stairs
Get rid of squeaks with construction adhesive and closed-cell foam.
This tip can quiet the squeaks often found on both new and old stairs. If we’re working on an older stairway, we shim the treads and risers from below or drive the existing shims deeper so they’re fully seated, and glue them in place with a high-quality construction adhesive (I like Loctite PL 400).
Then we apply the same adhesive to all the seams between the treads and risers and tool it into the joints, and add screws to all treads and risers to better secure them to each other and to the stringers. Finally, we spray at least 1 in. of closed-cell foam on the underside of the staircase, which deadens sound and locks the whole assembly together.
Doing the same thing on new stairs is cheap insurance against squeaks, and customers love asking their friends, “Did you notice how quiet the stairs are?” Drywall on the underside of the stairs provides the necessary fire protection.
— Jarrett Kravitz; Clinton, Conn.
From Fine Homebuilding #290
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Wonderful tip - IF one can access the underside of the stair.
A much more challenging situation exists in our 1st-to-2nd floor stair - carpeted on top and drywall enclosed below. Just about every tread has a squeak or creak.
I know that when/if we re-carpet I can work on this from above. But I'm reluctant to remove the drywall underneath as it will necessitate finding someone to put it all back.
The latter situation would be good however, as it would allow me to install motion-activated lighting powered by house current instead of batteries.