Squeaky floors can be extremely annoying and frustrating if you live in one, especially if you try to sneak downstairs for a midnight snack. And while creaky stairs and squeaky floors may be more typical in older houses, they can also occur in newer houses.
How can squeaky floors be fixed then? It might be sufficient to simply reduce friction to end the squeak. Use baby powder, baking soda, or powdered graphite to cover and work into the seams of the noisy floorboard.
Quick Fixes for Floor Squeaks
Here are some quick fixes you can try before opening your toolbox that might just work to stop your floor squeaking without further analysis.
Increase the Humidity
If the air gets too dry, many floors will creak. Due to the drier air in the winter and the addition of heat, this frequently occurs, but for some homeowners, it may be a year-round problem. The wood shrinks as it dries. This creates openings around fasteners and between boards. Just add a humidifier to the space with the noisy floors to account for this.
Apply Powdered Graphite
Hardwood floors with tongue and groove joints are known to squeak. The sound can occasionally be silenced with just a little lubrication. The best lubricant is powdered graphite, but talcum powder and baby powder also work occasionally.
Simply locate the squeaky joint and dust the crack with the powder to apply the lubricant. To get the powder to stick in the crack, lightly brush it back and forth. Step on the joint several times, then add more powder with a brush. Carry on doing this until the powder is gone or the crack is no longer filled. Refrain from vacuuming the area and clean up any leftover debris with a damp cloth.
Spray a Wood-Safe Dry Lubricant
In some cases, a spray-on lubricant will suffice to stop a floor squeak, just like powdered lubricant. While not every spray-on lubricant will work, a dry lubricant safe for wood can be useful for stopping floor squeaks. Test the lubricant on a hidden area first to see if it stains or discolors the wood before spraying.
Spray the squeaky joint thoroughly, then use your fingers (rubber gloves recommended) to work the lubricant into the crack. After removing the excess with a dry cloth, clean the wood floor with a wood floor cleaner.
If none of the aforementioned quick fixes resolves your squeaky floors, further investigation may be required to pinpoint a more serious problem. Finding the ideal solution is possible once you understand the cause.
What to Look for When Your Floor Squeaks
When objects that aren’t supposed to move shift, floors squeak. Wood rubbing against metal fasteners or other wood causes the sound. Your floor may move on top of your subfloor, your subfloor may move on top of your joists, or any combination of friction between the floor system’s parts may cause this movement.
Finding the source of your floor’s squeak will be much simpler if you have access to it through a crawlspace, an unfinished basement, or a basement with a drop-ceiling. Examine the floor’s underside after you’ve located the squeak. Have a helper flex the squeaking area if you can while you look at it from below. Keep an eye out for:
- Improperly secured subfloor
- Sagging or damaged joists
- Bowed or uneven joists
- Vertical or lateral movement of any kind
- Any other loose or damaged component
If there isn’t a clear reason for the squeak beneath the floor or if you can’t get to it from below, it might be above the subfloor. The squeak can still be stopped in a variety of ways, even though this can make diagnosis more difficult and require more trial-and-error.
Why is the Floor Making Noise?
Not just older houses experience floor noise. The floors of a brand-new house can also squeak.
Surface temperature has an impact. Dry winter air causes gaps between floorboards and the subfloor as well as shrinkage.
Humidity in the summer causes wood to swell and squeak. The sounds go away when the weather changes. If your squeaks persist past seasonal changes, consult a professional.
How to Silence Your Squeaky Floor
Squeaks are grating and nobody wants to hear them. Not to mention an unexpected surprise at night, it is annoying!
Here are 7 cost-effective methods for putting an end to the noise.
1. Put a Shim into the Gap
Do you have access to the floors’ undersides? Access the subfloor from below if the ceilings in your basement aren’t finished.
Ask a friend to cross the floor above you. Try to hear the squeak. Take a closer look with a flashlight once you are certain of the location.
The top of the floor joist and the subfloor—do they meet in a gap? Any gap that is visible can be closed.
Sliding a shim into the gap after applying carpenter’s glue to it. Don’t hammer or force the shim into place. The upstairs floor might now have a hump from that.
You simply want to close off the opening sufficiently to halt movement.
Repeat the process as necessary if there are multiple noisy spots.
2. Nail a Piece of Wood Along a Warped Joist
Floor joists can occasionally contract, warp, or rot. When that occurs, a sizable gap is left between the subfloor and the joists.
Every time someone crosses the opening, the floor groans. The joist is making a sliding sound as nails are inserted and removed.
By nailing a 2×4 or 2×6 piece of wood into the problematic joist, the issue can be resolved.
Apply construction adhesive to the wood’s top where it meets the subfloor. Screws should be used to hold the wood firmly against the joist.
The additional wood stabilizes the subfloor to prevent movement.
3. Put Wood Blocks Between Noisy Joists
Placing wood blocks between the joists is another remedy for noisy floor joists. Use wood that matches the joists that already exist.
Cut the blocks from a 2×8 piece of lumber if you have 2×8 joists. To fit between the joists, cut two or three blocks. They should be snug but not too tight.
Where each block touches the subfloor, apply construction adhesive along the top edge. Blocks should be spaced evenly apart along the joist’s length.
Until the adhesive is in contact with the subfloor, slide each block up. It is screwed into a joist.
4. Use Construction Adhesive to Fill Long Gaps
Shims are useful in particular places. Shims aren’t the best solution if a floor joist has a significant gap along it.
Instead, insert floor adhesive into the opening using a caulking gun. The adhesive stops the floor from moving once it has dried.
Most holes are found on one side of a joist. To be sure, check both sides. Use adhesive to close any gaps you find on the opposite side.
Read More: 10 Best Caulk For Shower
5. Screw the Subfloor to the Finished Floor
The floor may be separating from the subfloor, which could explain the squeak. To secure the subfloor and floor together, try using a short screw.
Put the screw into the bottom of the finished flooring from the subfloor’s underside. Verify that the screws are not excessively long.
The tops of the floorboards could be penetrated with a long screw. A squeak is nothing compared to screws poking through the floor.
6. Floorboard Lubricants
Although lubricants may seem like an absurd solution, they actually stop friction-related squeaks. When the area under the floor cannot be accessed, this solution is effective.
Incorporate talcum powder or another dry lubricant into the joints where your floorboards meet. Over the boards, drape a towel, then step on them. Till the lubricant penetrates the cracks, keep moving.
Friction between the boards is decreased by the powder. For the time being, it should stop minor creaks.
7. Fix the Squeak from Above
Attempt to fix them from above if you don’t have access to the subfloor. A hammer and finishing nails are all you need.
Track down the squeaky spot. Find the underlying joist by using a stud sensor. So that the nail enters the joist, drive it into the floor.
Make sure the nails are buried beneath the floor’s surface by setting them with a nail set. Insert wood filler to close up the hole.
If your floor is carpeted, make a tiny hole in the carpet webbing. Create a hole that is big enough to accommodate the nail. Drive the nail through the floor and subfloor after removing the carpet.
You can purchase specialized screws that allow you to drill through carpet without having to lift it.
Conclusion
You don’t have to put up with a creaky floor, even in high-quality new homes, which aren’t immune to the squeaks and groans of the moving-in process. Though these suggestions might not completely solve a squeaky floor, there are easy fixes that won’t set you back an arm and a leg and you don’t always need to be a pro to fix the issue. Contact the manufacturer or a qualified floor repair person if issues continue. You can stop those bothersome squeaks for good with just a little bit of work.
FAQs
Why Does My Floor Creak When I Step on It?
A floorboard’s (or floorboards’) creaking sound is typically the result of loose boards. These loose boards are bouncy and move around, rubbing against each other, a floor joist, or a nail that holds them together. This causes a noise known as creaking or squeaking.
When Should I Be Worried About Squeaky Floors?
Long-lasting squeaking could be a sign that there is a more serious issue with your flooring. The best course of action is to call a professional if your floors squeak long after any seasonal changes have passed or if you simply don’t feel confident performing repairs yourself.
Is It Expensive to Fix Squeaky Floors?
A squeaky floor can be fixed for between $200 and $1,000, depending on the cause.