creaking

Creaking is a sound produced when materials move against one another under load, friction, or temperature change. It is usually a gradual, low-frequency noise described as a groan or squeak, arising from micro-motions within interfaces rather than a single event. Creaking occurs across many domains, including buildings, furniture, vehicles, and natural ice or rock formations.

Causes include wood expansion and contraction with humidity, loose fasteners, hinges rubbing, and deformation of framing; metal-to-metal rubbing and corrosion; lubrication failure; and sediment or pest-induced gaps. In ice and rock, slow deformation under stress or thermal cycles can generate creaks.

Common contexts: wooden floors and stairs, doors, antique furniture, ships, bridges, and pipelines. In heritage buildings creaking can be characteristic; in engineering, persistent creaks may prompt inspection to assess structural integrity, though a creak alone is not a universal indicator of danger.

Perception: creaking is part of everyday acoustic vocabulary alongside squeaks and groans. In medical contexts, crepitus refers to crackling joints and is distinct from mechanical creaking.