How to stop cracking and popping noises when walking on floors
Laminate and original bedroom floors can develop loud crack, pop, and squeak noises when stepped on, leading homeowners to consider fixes or replacement. While previous owners sometimes resort to driving screws into the boards, these persistent sounds make people question whether the flooring is worth salvaging or if the noise can be stopped before laying down new carpet.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- The most recent one is from October 2026.
- This comes up 49.2× more often in r/Flooring than across the site as a whole.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Trying to identify if there is an air pocket or squishy section causing the noiseDid this help you?
- 2Putting screws into the floorDid this help you?
- 3Using baby powder or talc between seams as a lubricantDid this help you?
- 4Installing blocking and 2x4 boards between joists from underneathDid this help you?
- 5Waiting for the floor to settle in place over timeDid this help you?
- 6Using double sided tape and a floor block to tighten itDid this help you?
- 7Using finishing nails on molding and trying to secure stair treads with carpentry nails or screws from underneath or top down.Did this help you?
- 8Using subfloor screws from the topDid this help you?
- 9Using shims or adding braces near the joist area from the basement ceiling belowDid this help you?
- 10Sprinkling a powder on top of the floor (though limited by VCT tile)Did this help you?
- 11Waiting for the new floor to settle as advised by the builderDid this help you?
- 12Waiting several months to see if the flooring settles and the noise goes awayDid this help you?
- 13Pulling the flooring up to fix the vapor barrier or clean the subfloorDid this help you?
- 14Uninstalling the flooring up to the noisy spot to fix the uneven subfloorDid this help you?
- 15Tearing out the entire installation and hiring a new contractorDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“We just purchased our first home and the owners before us did the LVP floors. If this is not normal, can it be fixed?”source ↗
“I don’t have the money to fully replace but I feel like this doesn’t sound normal. This is what it sounds like when stepped on. Is there a way to fix it?”source ↗
“The original flooring in the bedrooms crack and pop a LOT when walking on them, and the previous owner put a bunch of screws into them to stop the noise. Are they worth trying to salvage? How can I stop the cracking/popping?”source ↗
“We were thinking of doing carpet in the bedrooms anyway, but the idea covering hardwood always hurts, even if it's in terrible condition. Of we do put carpet in, is there a way to stop the cracking/popping before putting it in?”source ↗
“I've just never heard a floor crack and pop so much. Would addressing the squeeking help with the cracking/popping?”source ↗
“At some places it’s creaking a lot and we are not sure what needs to be done as the builder states it is new floor hence will take time to settle.”source ↗
“Did he do a wrong thing by adding the fibre board below the LVT as some of the google AI responses state it should not be done. Whats the way out? Please help with your suggestions and guidances”source ↗
“Got this exact issue, I don't know if it will settle or its due to the sub floor not being levelled by the fitter.”source ↗
“Is there anything the contractor can even do to fix this that doesn’t entail major work that they will push back on?”source ↗
“It’s so bad I’m thinking of demoing it and having it all redone by someone else. I hate this noise when I’m walking.”source ↗
“I hear a kind of crinkling sound under the lvp I just had installed. My installer thinks there is no issue and that It’s normal. However it’s bugging the heck out of me.”source ↗
“Older home with two layers of 3/4*6 inch diagonal floorboards is Squeaking badly in places. Can't lift as has asbestos mastic and VCT tile on top (encapsulated).”source ↗
“The stairs are so loud- there is nowhere to step that doesn’t make a loud creeeeeeeeaaakkk.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 13Unexplained clicking or tapping noises inside the walls
- 2Can you fix noise traveling through floors between house levels?
- 2Stair step pattern in artificial flooring
- 12How to fix squeaky flooring joints along the wall
- 21Why is my new dryer vibrating and buzzing?
- 6How to tell if floor marks are a manufacturing defect or installer error