Trampoline squeak

At Interflon USA, we’re always happy when kids choose physical exercise over screen time, and we do everything we can to encourage that. Trampolines, in particular, are great fun and great exercise. They’re also a good way for kids to blow off steam after they’ve been cooped up in school all day. However, here’s something we’ve noticed about most trampolines: they squeak. And the older and more well-loved they get, the squeakier they become. The purpose of this blog post is to answer two questions: Why do trampolines squeak? And how can we stop it?

Why trampolines squeak

Squeaking happens for one simple reason: friction. Friction can happen anywhere there is a contact point. Wherever two separate pieces are touching, friction will occur.

Usually, that contact also creates a vibration. Anytime something vibrates, it becomes a source of noise. In the case of trampolines, where you may have a large number of contact points, it can sound like an orchestra of rusty bedsprings. Due to the way most trampolines are constructed, you may have dozens of contact points, all rubbing and vibrating at the same time.

It may surprise you to learn that the springs are not the main source of trampoline squeaks. Springs usually touch the rest of the trampoline in only two places, and both of those contact points are very small. While they may be responsible for a small percentage of the noise you hear, the real culprit is the joints where the various support pieces are fitted together.

Each of the red arrows in the above image marks a point where the supports fit together, creating the potential for squeaking.

These joints may not look like they move at all, but when a kid is bouncing away, the whole trampoline is flexing and shifting. Just one joint doesn’t make much noise, of course. But when you have dozens of them, it’s loud enough that the neighbors are probably looking out their windows, wondering how to politely tell you to knock it off.

How to stop trampolines from squeaking

So, what to do? The answer is to lubricate the pieces at these joints. That way friction is minimized, and so is the potential for noise.

Ideally, you will do this before you assemble the trampoline, because it’s more complicated to do it after the trampoline is put together.

But what if you can’t be bothered to take the whole thing apart? It’s a major pain, after all. You’ll have to unhook the springs, remove the pad, then take the pieces apart and spray them. Then you have to put it together again. This usually requires a second person to help keep the frame from collapsing, and you can count on spending a good hour at a minimum… all to remove a little noise.

What if there was an easier way?

5 reasons why Fin Super is the best way to stop trampolines from squeaking

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Fin Super is the perfect product to stop that incredibly annoying trampoline ruckus, and here’s why:

1. Fin Super lasts for a very long time, much longer than traditional lubes. This is all thanks to MicPol®, Interflon’s unique, advanced lubrication technology. Traditional lubricants are easily washed or worn away, but Fin Super will last up to ten times longer than ordinary products. 
   Find out how MicPol® works.

   It’s true you don’t have to take your tramp completely apart to lube it. You can pull the joints apart far enough to spray them, as seen below:

Which brings us to point #2:

2. Fin Super creeps exceptionally well. Again thanks to MicPol®, all you have to do is spray Fin Super on the spots where the pieces come together. MicPol’s creeping action will take care of the rest. It will penetrate tiny spaces, then begin to spread, where it bonds to surfaces using Interflon’s advanced lubrication technology. Fin Super can get into spaces that are far too small for the particles of traditional lubricants to fit.

If you can’t be bothered to take the trampoline completely apart, using the above technique will at least allow Fin Super to begin creeping through the joint in order to help eliminate those nasty squeaks.

3. Fin Super provides the lowest possible coefficient of friction. In plain terms, this means it makes things very, very slippery. Why is this good? Lower friction means less rubbing, which causes less vibration, which means less noise. Nothing will take away the squeaking of a trampoline quite as effectively as Fin Super.

4. Fin Super will also prevent your trampoline from rusting. Anywhere you apply it, water doesn’t stand a chance. Again, this is all due to MicPol®, which forms a barrier over surfaces that water cannot penetrate. No water means no rust. Your trampoline will last a lot longer when it’s protected from rust and corrosion. If you really want to keep it going for years, spray the whole frame with Fin Super before assembly, let the pieces dry, then put it together. As long as you did a thorough job of coating it, water will be unable to reach the surface.

5. You can still lubricate your springs with Fin Super, before or after attaching them to the pad. They do contribute slightly to the noise factor at the points where they hook onto the frame and the pad (although not as much as the frame joints). Fin Super will also help protect them from rust and keep them in good shape for longer.

Bonus Fact: Fin Super is an amazing all-purpose lubricant that has literally hundreds of other uses around the house. It’s possibly one of the most useful things you’ll buy this year! And once you own it, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. Fin Super won’t stain fabric, and it has only a very light odor, so it’s safe to use indoors and out. Use it on hinges, drawers, sliding rails, latches, locks, screws, bolts, or anything else that needs to move smoothly. Use it on anything that’s rusted shut–just give Fin Super’s MicPol particles a few minutes to penetrate and break up all that oxidized metal, and you’ll soon be back in business. It’s even dielectric, which means it can safely be sprayed onto electrical contacts to help protect them from moisture.

For more information, check out “14 Ways to Use Fin Super”.

Once you’ve applied Fin Super to your trampoline, you (and your neighbors) should notice an immediate decrease in squeaking. If you still hear it, just apply it again to the problem areas. The better a job you do of lubricating those contact points, the less noise you’ll hear.

While there is no such thing as a completely silent trampoline, your ears–and your neighbors’–should get noticeable relief right away.

PRO TIP: Did you lose the special hooking tool your trampoline came with for attaching springs? If so… just use another spring! See below: