Squeaky Floors
Why live with a floor that complains all the time? Elimination of squeaky floors and creaks can be managed with relatively little effort, the means depending on the floor’s construction and whether the subflooring is accessible from below.
Most wood floors consist of two layers: a subfloor of boards or plywood and the finished floor of narrower boards—usually hardwood—tongued and grooved together and nailed into place. The subflooring is supported from underneath by wood joists normally spaced on 16-inch centers. A squeaky floor is usually the result of a board or boards having separated from what is beneath. The finish floor may have pulled away from the subfloor, or the subfloor may have warped or sagged and pulled away from the joists.
It is best to make your inspection and repairs from under the floor, if this is not concealed by a ceiling or other barrier. Have someone walk around overhead so that you can pinpoint the source of the squeaky floor. Inspect the area around the squeak. Make sure joists are level, and check between joists and sub-flooring for signs of warping or lifting of the floorboards.
If a squeak is detected directly over a joist, an effective method of quieting it is to drive thin wood shims between the joist and subflooring. Pieces of shingle are ideal for this. Hammer them into place over one or more joists, as necessary. Larger wedges of wood can be used if needed. When the squeak originates between joists, first install a header of 2 x 4 or 2 x 6 lumber to act as a base for the shimming. Cut the header so that it fits snugly between two joists. Tap it up firmly against the sub-floor, narrow edge up, and toenail it securely in place. Now work in shims as needed between header and subfloor. This should eliminate the noise.
Another approach is to drive a screw up through the subfloor and into the finish floor where the squeak is found. Use a wood screw about 1 inch long for this operation enough to penetrate the subfloor but not the finish floor — and have someone stand on the floor overhead. It is best to drill a pilot hole to help start the screw and to avoid splitting the hardwood floor. Again, be careful not to penetrate the finish floor. Maintain the weight overhead as you drive the screw so that subfloor and finish floor will be brought together.
These methods cannot be used if the understructure is inaccessible. In that case, you will have to make the repairs from topside. You can often silence a squeak by working some talcum powder or powdered stainless lubricant into the cracks between floorboards, but this is only a temporary treatment. The best way is to nail the noisy board.
Use long finishing nails for this job. Drive them in pairs, as required, along or across the board. The nails should be driven at an angle, each pair forming a V, with the points meeting under the subfloor. Drill pilot holes to avoid splitting the hardwood. Use a nailset to recess nailheads. The holes can be filled with putty or plugged with wax patching crayon. If you are doing this kind of work on a floor that is covered with linoleum or tile, about the only thing you can do is nail right through the floor covering. A lot of guesswork is involved here because the boards are unseen, so prod around with your foot to try to pinpoint the squeak as closely as possible. This will avoid having to drive too many nails. The holes in the covering can be plugged with wax crayon.
Related External Links
- On the Level: What to do when the floors start squeaking • Home …
- Squeaky floor – MotorhomeFun
- Squeaky Floor
- Re: Squeaky Floor
- Quieting A Squeaky Floor
Tags: Floor, squeaky floor