We’ve all been there.
Trying to go to the loo in the middle of the night and your floorboards noisily squeak causing annoyance from everyone else in the house who is trying to sleep.
Or maybe every time you go up and down your stairs you experience loud, obnoxious sounds.
Whatever the case, squeaky floorboards are a common problem in many households.
Despite their annoyance, squeaky floorboards can be easily fixed if you know the steps you need to take.
Any competent DIYer should be able to easily tackle a squeaky floorboard problem, and in this article we’ll explain how to fix squeaky floorboards.
Read on to learn more.
Different Types Of Floorboard Squeaks
Before we delve into how to fix squeaky floorboards, let’s first examine the different types of floorboards that you may have installed.
Every property is different, and there are several floorboard types that may be in your property. Different floorboards become squeaky for different reasons, and it’s important to understand what is making your floors moan, groan, creak, squeak and every other type of irritating sound you can imagine!
Some of the different floorboard types include:
Board-to-board
Also sometimes referred to as deflection floorboards, these types normally squeak and make sounds if the ends of the board have become too close and are rubbing together when weight is placed upon them.
You may also feel some movement beneath your feet as you stand on them, and excessive moisture, improper subfloor installation and other factors can contribute to the squeaks.
Usually, these boards can be fixed by being replaced or by screwing them in place more securely.
Subfloor
There may also be squeaks in between the wood and the subfloor that sits beneath it. You can usually diagnose this issue if, when you stand on the board, there is movement in one section of the floor.
Normally, these squeaks cover a much wider area and may happen as a result of improper joist spacing, a weakened subfloor, incorrect materials and badly placed nails.
Glue To Concrete
Sometimes, floorboards might have been glued to concrete slabs. If this is the case, hollow spots between the flooring and the slab can cause them to creak. These problems tend to occur if the concrete is not levelled properly, not enough adhesive is used or the spread is uneven. All of these things can also result in squeaking.
Filling the hollows with glue is one way that this problem can be remedied.
Environmental Issues
Environmental factors can also cause floorboards to squeak. During the hotter, summer months, the wood will expand and in the colder, winter months it will contract. Both these types of movements can make squeaking occur.
The best way to tackle this is to keep your home’s humidity levels stable and, preferably, between 35% and 55%.
How To Fix Squeaky Floorboards
So, you have a squeaky floorboard that has been annoying you for ages and you’re finally ready to get it sorted.
But how do you fix squeaky floorboards?
Well, by simply following the steps below you can do so with ease.
This includes:
- A Squeak No More floor repair kit
- Screws
- A drill
- A tape measure
- A hammer
- A stud finder
- Glue
- A torch
Locate The Squeak
The first thing you’ll need to do is to locate the source of your squeaking problem.
Then, you can identify what kind of problem you’re dealing with, as outlined in the floorboard squeak section above. Take some time walking over the floor, marking with chalk where you hear the squeak.
Find The Joist
Then, you need to find the joist.
You will need access to the space beneath your floor to do this. Once you have found the joist, shine your torch in the gap between the top floor joist and the underside of the subfloor. If you see any gap, even a small one, it means a squeak is likely.
Place A Shim Into The Gap
Use a thin piece of wood, spread some glue on it and push it into the gap. While it might be tempting, do not hammer it into place as this can cause the boards to lift up and may actually make the problem worse.
You will need to push the wood as far into the gap as possible so it stops any movement from the floorboard. Movement will make sound so don’t be shy and push it in as far as you can. Once it is in place, trim the wood with a knife.
Fill Bigger Gaps With Adhesive
While using a shim is a great choice for silencing gaps in isolated areas of your floorboards, you may need a different approach for longer gaps. In these instances, you will need to fill the gap with construction adhesive. The best way to do this is to use a caulking gun and direct it into the space.
Repair Any Warped Joists
If you notice warped joists, this may also contribute to squeaking floorboards.
You can reinforce the joist by installing a long piece of wood along the area. Hammer and screw it into place to do this.
Strengthen With Screws
You can also strengthen an area and stop it squeaking by driving screws through the underside of the floor. If you’re doing this, you should be careful to make sure the screws don’t poke through the top floorboards.
Lubricate The Floors
Another option is to lubricate your floors. This is a particularly handy alternative if you are unable to access the underside of the floors. One great choice is to use talcum powder which you can easily get from your local supermarket.
Squeeze it into the cracks between your floorboards and walk along them to ensure the powder is properly distributed. You could also attempt a silicone treatment in a similar way but this is usually much messier than using talcum powder.
