Learning How to Fix a Squeaky Wood Floor is a challenge many homeowners will likely face at some point. So, how do you eliminate squeaks in your flooring?
Well, It’s pretty simple. Find the squeak, then use one of the best methods described below to eliminate that dreadful noise.
Today, we’ll show you five simple DIY options for fixing a squeaky wood floor so you can enjoy your home free from annoying floor creaks.
How to Fix A Squeaky Wood Floor
Why Do Floors Squeak?
Although you’ve probably heard wooden floorboards squeak hundreds if not thousands of times, you may never have thought about Why wood floors squeak.
When a floorboard creaks, it’s a sign that it is rubbing against another wood surface.
Generally, the rubbing is either between two floorboards or between floorboards and the subfloor below. When pressure is applied, the two surfaces rub against each other, resulting in an annoying creak or squeak.
Now that you know what causes a wooden floor to squeak, let’s look at some simple DIY solutions and how to fix the problem.
How do you find the Floor Squeak?
Before addressing the squeaking, you must find exactly where and what’s causing it. The best way to do this is to work with another person. Have the second person walk over the floor while you go downstairs and listen.
Assuming your lower level has open floor joists (no finished ceilings), have someone walk directly above you.
When you hear squeaks, look at the floor joists and visually inspect that location for gaps between them and the wood subfloor above them.
Whenever you hear a squeak, Mark the location of each Squeak with painter’s tape (carpet) or “X” with a pencil (hardwood floor).
Identifying creaky floorboards might take a while, but the process will help you carefully pinpoint where your floor is squeaking.
Five Steps to Fix Squeaky Wood Floors:
Now that you have located and “marked” all the squeaks in your floors, use one of the five options below to fix wood floor squeaks:
1) Use “Shims” to Fill Small Gaps
If you see small gaps between the subfloor and joists that allow the boards to shift and rub against other surfaces, using a pack of Cedar Shims is likely the best solution.
Shims don’t need to be nailed or screwed into place. Use a little construction adhesive to help keep them firmly in place until dry.
Before you set shims permanently – test the shims you have in place by having someone walk on the floor above. If the squeak is gone, remove the shim, add construction adhesive, and reinsert it to make it permanent.
Be sure not to force the shims into the squeaky floor gap, which can result in overcorrecting and possibly create an uneven floor.
With the wood shim method, you try to prevent the subfloor from sagging enough to create the squeak by closing the existing “gap” with the wood shim.
If you know that the squeaks are all from the gap between your floor joists and subfloor (above) and have access to the floor joists, you may also consider this kit from Squeak Ender on Amazon.
2) Use Construction Adhesive to Fill Larger Gaps
Sometimes, you may find more significant gaps between the joists and the subfloor that run for several feet. These gaps can cause squeaking that is impractical to fix with shims alone.
Instead, the best way to fix longer gaps is to apply a construction adhesive and fill the gap. Once the glue dries, it should prevent the subfloor from shifting, eliminating the creaking problem.
Choosing a suitable construction adhesive is essential if you have to use this method.
Adhesives come in many different varieties. For this purpose, please select one that specifically states it is suitable for subfloor applications.
3) Use Dry Lubricant For Wood Floors
In some cases, squeaky floors are not the result of issues with joists or subfloor underneath your finished floor but are, in fact, a problem with the finished floorboards rubbing together.
If you suspect your finished hardwood boards are rubbing against one another, applying dry lubricant to the floor is best to fix the squeaks.
To do this, place the lubricant on the joints where the floorboards meet, then work it in with a rag, towel, or other soft surface material.
Be sure to thoroughly work the lubricant into the cracks between the boards, giving you the best chance of eliminating the squeaks.
Several lubricants can stop floorboards from squeaking, but powdered graphite is one of the most popular. This material makes a good lubricant with no unpleasant odors that can linger in your home after its application.
The final step in dry lubrication is to clean the area thoroughly. When you apply a powdered lubricant, there will invariably be some extra lubricant on the floor.
Be sure to vacuum the area thoroughly to pick up any residual powder and prevent it from spreading or tracking into other house areas.
4) Add Additional Joist Support
Sometimes, you may find that the creaks in your floor involve the subfloor but don’t originate as “gaps” directly on top of joists. Instead, the joist movement is from “side to side,” which causes the squeak.
Add subfloor “spacers” to fix these creaks by installing new pieces of lumber running perpendicular to the joists.
Most floor joists are installed between 16″ and -18″ centers.
For your spacers, use dimensional lumber (2 x 10, 2 x 12, etc.) with the same thickness and depth as the joists.
To fix squeaks in large areas where floorboards creak, you may have to install more than one new support between the floor joists.
5) Use Wood Screws to Fix Loose Floorboards
Another possible cause for squeaky floors is a subfloor that has come loose over time. Loose subfloors are best fixed using wood screws to fasten flooring to the subflooring.
When installing these screws, counter-sink them to ensure that the head of the screw won’t present a tripping hazard. You must also be extremely careful to ensure the new screws won’t hit any plumbing or electrical components.
Note: You can Fasten wood floors with screws and conceal the screw with one of these Two Options:
Option #1 – Countersink hole to receive the screw head, then use matching wood putty, stain, and varnish to conceal the wood screw head.
Option #2: Use a concealed fastening system for repairing wood floors, such as the “Squeek No More” kit from O’Berry Enterprises, available at Amazon.
How to Remove Squeaks From Wood Floors With the “Squeeek No More” Kit:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Are Squeaky Floors a Serious Problem?
While they are annoying, squeaky floors won’t harm your home. The rubbing of floorboards isn’t enough to cause structural damage, and there are no other serious problems associated with creaking floors—other than the annoying sound of creaking floors.
Why Do Floors Creak More in the Winter?
In the winter, all wood materials are drier. This is due to indoor heating and the lack of humidity. Because of these conditions, wood floor materials contract, resulting in the movement between floor components.
Will a Rug Help a Squeaky Floor?
In some cases, laying an area rug over a squeaking floor may help cover up the noise.
However, the underlying problem will still exist. It’s generally better to fix whatever allows the boards to rub first since this will permanently fix the issue instead of just covering it up.
How Do You Make a Squeaky Floor Quieter?
There are several methods you can try. Adding joist support, fixing gaps with shims between the joists and the subfloor, screwing the subfloor or finished floor, and lubricating the finished floorboards from above are all viable options for silencing squeaky wooden floors.
Ultimately, the right solution depends on what is causing your floor to squeak in the first place, including access to the squeak, carpeted floors, finished basement ceilings, etc.
How Do I Fix Squeaks in Floors with Carpet?
Wall-to-wall carpeted floors often develop the same squeaks as hardwood flooring over time.
As with wooden floors, filling gaps between the subfloor and the joists below, adding extra joist support, or screwing down the subfloor (underneath carpeting) will help to reduce or eliminate unwanted noise.
Consider using the squeak no more tool kit, which allows you to screw the subfloor to the floor joists without ruining your carpet.
This Old House explains how to use a Squeaky Floor Kit for Carpeted Floors:
Suppose you only have one small squeaky spot in your carpeted floors, and the floor joists below the subfloor (basement) are inaccessible (finished ceiling).
In that case, you can also try using finish nails to penetrate the carpet and pad and secure the subfloor to the joists.
Note: Finish nails can only provide a secure attachment of the plywood subfloor (to eliminate squeak) by locating a floor joist – which requires using a stud finder. Nail the subfloor to the center of the floor joist.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to fix squeaky wood floors, you’ll have no trouble locating, identifying, and addressing the creaks you hear whenever you walk through your home.
Remember that not all creaks and squeaks have the exact cause, so you may have to use more than one of the above methods to fix all the noises your wood floor creates.
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References And Additional Reading:
- Can a Squeaky Floor Break The Deal on Home Sale? – Los Angeles Times
- Why Do Floors Creak? – Citydata.com
- Best Shop Vac for Quick Home Repairs – BesthomeGear.com
- Repair squeaky floors before you List Your Home For Sale – Realtor.com
- Check Out the Best Wood Chippers To Clean Up Your Yard – BesthomeGear.com
