Have you wondered about the funny noises you hear from your furniture? Some squeaky and creaky noises which are irritating? This is quite disappointing, and you could imagine that you are losing your furniture in a few days. To make it worse, the crackling noise comes mainly on midnights while you are deep asleep.
If this has been your experience, rest assured that you are not alone in this. Never attribute the crackling noise by furniture to evil spirits, nor should you question the durability of your furniture.
This is completely normal to hear creaking noises from your furniture. As a matter of fact, creaking might be vehement throughout your home if you have furniture all over.
The main reason why furniture makes cracking noise is due to the changes in the levels of humidity, temperature, materials used, age of your furniture, and the pressure sitting on the furniture.
Is Creaking Furniture Normal?
If you heard the crackling noises from your furniture, you must be suspicious of the quality of your furniture. This will line up to the durability of the furniture you might have spent all you had to get it.
Creaking furniture is fully normal despite the age of your furniture. Old pieces of furniture, together with the new pieces of furniture, can make these crackling noises, and this should never be a great bother. I really understand the worry that comes with such noises, especially if this is a newly-acquired piece of furniture.
Why Do Furniture Creak?
There are many reasons as to why furniture makes the creaking noises. Here are the reasons as to why your furniture creaks.
Temperature Levels
Normally, the furniture will expand and contract on changes in temperature levels. This is the main reason as to why furniture creaks. Furthermore, the speed of temperature changes also leads to the crackling noise in the furniture pieces.
A change in the temperature levels in your home will most likely lead to furniture creaking. This might either be an increase in temperature levels or vice-versa. However, this will happen when the temperature changes have a huge margin causing the furniture to creak.
Materials Used
Furniture will make a crackling noise when the materials used in the furniture are differing. It is rare to find a piece of furniture made of one material. Furniture will include different materials such as wood pieces, metal material, and many more.
Different materials will increase the creaking and the cracking noise of the furniture. The increased chances of creaking are led to different expansion and contraction rates of different materials.
Multiple Pieces Joined Together
Having multiple pieces on your furniture can as well contribute to the crackling noise made by furniture. Generally, pieces of furniture are not made of single pieces but several pieces whose combination forms the complete piece of furniture.
These multiple pieces of furniture rub against each other whenever there is a contraction or expansion of different pieces. This rubbing, therefore, creates friction, which at times might bringing the cracking noise of the furniture.
Humidity Level
The humidity level of wood material can cause it to either warp or swell. The increasing humidity level will expand the furniture while reducing the humidity level will lead it to contract. However, this is common to pieces of furniture that are not varnished.
Weak Joints
As furniture contains several joints, having weakly glued joints could be one of the main causes of furniture creaking. Weak joints will make your furniture to creak as these joints will rub against each other.
Weak joints could be caused by poor nailing or gluing done on the joints. Gluing of the joints need to be strong enough to ensure that it remains intact without making any crackling noise.
Insects
Insects that might affect furniture can as well cause furniture to make cracking noises. Some insects, such as borers, including beetles larvae and termites, might cause points of weakness on your furniture.
If your furniture is aged, you need to confirm whether there are insects inside your furniture that could be leading to weak points. If you confirm this to be true, proper fumigation should be done without damaging your furniture.
How to Stop furniture from making Cracking Noise
The cracking noise from any furniture could be irritating. Knowing exactly what causes your furniture to creak is not enough as you need a remedy to what makes you unsettled.
Creaking furniture can lead you to have sleepless nights. However, with the proper remedy, you will be able to overcome these challenges. Despite the fact that you can’t fully eliminate the cracking noise from your furniture, you can take a step in reducing that crackling noise.
The first and foremost thing you need to do is to ensure that you familiarize the cause of your furniture creaking. With the problem known, you can then provide the best remedy to eliminating such creaking.
Below are some of the ways in which you can stop furniture from squeaking.
Additional Gluing
Where the joints of your furniture are not well glued, adding extra glue on the loose joints will reduce the squeaking by the furniture.
To ensure proper gluing, separate the two joints to be glued and then sand off the old glue. Add the new glue to the joints, and with the use of clamps, connect the two joints to ensure that they remain intact to each other.
Proper Nailing or Screwing
Where there is loose nailing and screwing on your furniture, squeaking could increase, which could be more irritating. Whenever you notice the possibility of loose nailing or screwing, you can choose to add more nailing or screwing.
In addition to this, you can tighten the nailing or screwing when you notice they are loose. Try to sit on your furniture while jiggling to confirm whether the squeaking noise still persists.
Adding a Furniture Varnish, Polish, or Oil
Humidity being one of the main causes of furniture squeaking; reducing these levels of humidity on your furniture would be one of the best solutions you can have. Pieces of Furniture that are not varnished are normally affected by the changes in the humidity levels of the surrounding.
Adding a varnish could be a milestone in stopping your furniture from making the cracking noise. In addition to this, furniture oils could provide some lubrication to your furniture. Lubrication means reducing the friction on the joints and hence reducing the cracking noise made by furniture.
How to Prevent Furniture from Creaking
As it is said, prevention is better than cure. There are many ways in which you can prevent furniture from creaking and squeaking. Though some squeaking might be unavoidable, it is essential to do the best you can to prevent your furniture from creaking.
Just imagine your great-grandchildren enjoying the furniture you have used for the longest period possible. Here are a few common ways in which you can prevent your furniture from creaking;
Reduce Furniture Movement
Constant movements of furniture lead to weak points that are prone to squeaking later. If it is a sofa, avoid jumping over it so as to ensure that it retains its strength on its joints for a long period of time.
Most furniture contains nailing, screwing, or bolts on its joints. Constant movement will lead to a faster loosening rate hence making your furniture have the squeaking sounds, which could be irritating.
Let your furniture remain intact, and if possible, retain it to the same point, especially it is not an easily portable piece of furniture. If your furniture is an old piece of furniture, try as much as possible to avoid any movements as more aged your furniture is, the weaker it becomes.
Lubrication
Pivotal points on some furniture might require continuous oiling, lubricating, and waxing. This will be responsible for reducing the friction between the multiple pieces of your furniture.
You should consider doing continuous lubrication if your furniture needs lubrication. This will definitely reduce or avoid any squeaking or creaking of your furniture.
Repair Damaged Points
Furniture will most likely squeak and make crackling noises where it contains some damaged points. Where the damaged points are noted, do not haste in repairing these minor damages.
The minor damages will be responsible for the creaking and squeaking of your furniture. Suppose you can do the repair yourself, the better. However, if it is major damage, consider calling a professional repairer.
Never ignore minor damage as this will cause you sleepless nights when the creaking commences.
Could Cracking Noise from my Furniture be an indicator of Breakage?
Well, having a cracking noise being emitted from your furniture could be a potential indicator of having damaged points of your furniture. However, though a cracking noise could be an indicator of breakage, it doesn’t necessarily mean that any cracking noise means that your furniture is damaged.
You might find your new furniture emitting those crackling noises. This could be just due to the temperature differences or other natural causes. Therefore, a cracking noise is not necessarily an indicator of your furniture being damaged.
Before you get mad at your supplier, kindly first know the cause of creaking as you would be surprised to later find that the creaking was fully natural.
Last Words
Furniture making cracking noise is not a new thing for most people. It might be your chair, sofa, bed, or even a cabinet that makes the crackling noise. Even if you recently acquired your furniture, you should never be surprised at hearing any creaking from the furniture.
Mainly, creaking and squeaking noises are contributed by the contraction and expansion of furniture led by temperature differences. Furthermore, weak or loose joints could contribute to the creaking of your furniture.
To avoid creaking, squeaking, and any cracking noise from your furniture, you need to know exactly what the cause is. With this, you can then provide the best remedy to ensure your furniture doesn’t make the crackling noises. This could require you to lubricate, put additional gluing, or other measures that will strengthen your furniture.
With this, you will be sure to have your furniture last for a long period of time for generations and generations.