How to Fix a Squeaky Laminate Floor: Step-by-Step Guide

Laminate floors squeak when something causes friction — plank edges rubbing each other, planks rocking on a high spot in the subfloor, or a broken-down underlayment creating voids.

Laminate floors squeak when something causes friction — plank edges rubbing each other, planks rocking on a high spot in the subfloor, or a broken-down underlayment creating voids. Most single-plank squeaks can be fixed in under an hour without removing any flooring.

Step 1: Locate the Squeak Precisely

Walk the floor slowly in the squeaking area to narrow it down to a 2-to-3-foot zone. Then press on individual planks with your palm, listening and feeling for the squeak. Mark the offending plank and the joint where the squeak is loudest with a strip of painter’s tape.

Squeak at the side joint (long edge of plank): Planks are rubbing at the tongue-and-groove joint along the length of the plank. Lubrication fix applies.

Squeak at the end joint (short end of plank): Same friction cause at the end joint. Lubrication fix applies.

Squeak from the center of the plank: The plank is flexing over a void or high spot in the subfloor. Screw or adhesive fix applies.

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What You Need

• WD-40 Specialist Silicone Lubricant — safe for laminate surfaces, reduces joint friction without staining
• Squeak-Ender floor repair kit or floor squeak screws — for planks that are flexing over voids in the subfloor
• Color-matched laminate floor filler — fills screw holes and minor gaps at joints
• Fine-tipped applicator bottle (for injecting lubricant into joints)
• Putty knife

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Method 1: Lubricate the Joint (For Edge and End Joint Squeaks)

This is the first fix to try — it works without removing any flooring and is completely reversible.

Apply lubricant to the joint. Put silicone lubricant into a fine-tipped applicator bottle for precision. Apply a thin bead directly into the joint line between the squeaking plank and its neighbor. Work the lubricant in by pressing and releasing on the plank repeatedly — this pumps the lubricant into the joint along the tongue-and-groove profile. Apply more lubricant as needed.

Wipe off the excess. Use a dry cloth to wipe up any lubricant that sits on the surface of the planks. Silicone lubricant leaves a slick residue that will make the floor surface slippery if not cleaned up. The lubricant inside the joint is what does the work.

Test the result. Walk the area and repeat the press-and-release test. Most joint squeaks are completely eliminated after lubrication. If the squeak continues, apply a second round of lubricant and work it in more aggressively.

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Method 2: Shim an Uneven Subfloor (For Rocking Planks)

If pressing on the plank causes it to flex noticeably and the subfloor is accessible from below (basement or crawlspace), you can shim the gap between the subfloor and the joist that is causing the plank to rock.

From below, have a helper stand on the squeaking spot while you identify which joist gap or subfloor void allows movement. Tap a thin cedar shim coated in construction adhesive into the gap. The shim fills the void and stops the plank from flexing.

If the subfloor is not accessible from below, proceed to Method 3.

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Method 3: Face Screw the Plank (For Planks Flexing on Subfloor Voids)

This method anchors the plank to the subfloor and eliminates flex. It leaves small holes that are filled with color-matched filler.

Locate the joist. Use a stud finder to locate the floor joist closest to the squeaking plank center. Screwing into a joist (rather than subfloor alone) gives a much more secure hold.

Drill a pilot hole. Drill a pilot hole through the laminate face, through the underlayment, and into the subfloor (and into the joist if you found one). Use a bit slightly smaller than your screw shank. The pilot hole prevents the laminate surface layer from cracking.

Drive the screw. Drive a 2-inch fine-thread finish screw into the pilot hole. The screw head should sit just slightly below the laminate surface — do not overdrive and crack the laminate.

Fill the screw hole. Press color-matched laminate filler into the screw hole with a putty knife. Smooth flush. Let cure, then wipe clean. The filled hole is nearly invisible from standing height.

Test the result. Press on the plank — the flex and squeak should be gone. Repeat for any additional squeaking points on the same plank.

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Addressing Widespread Squeaking: Check the Expansion Gap

If the squeak fix above resolves one spot but squeaks return elsewhere, check the expansion gap at the walls. Remove the baseboard molding on the wall closest to the squeaking area. Look at the edge of the laminate flooring — is it touching the wall with no gap? If so, the floor has no room to move and the entire field of planks is under compression stress, causing widespread creaking.

Trim the floor edge back to create a 3/8-inch gap using an oscillating tool or a flush-cut saw. Reinstall the baseboard (the baseboard covers the gap — it is not fastened to the floor). The improvement in squeaking is often immediate and dramatic.

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Related Reading

• How to Fix Squeaky Hardwood Floors — floor squeak repairs specific to solid and engineered hardwood
• How to Fix a Damaged Hardwood Floor Board — individual board replacement for cracked or rotted hardwood planks
• How to Install Laminate Flooring — full laminate installation guide with underlayment and expansion gap instructions