2006-11-26 19:44:10 · 18 answers · asked by Bruce Forsyth 3 in Home & Garden ➔ Do It Yourself (DIY)
Your first course of action is to try and ascertain the cause of the problem. A quick check around the squeaky area may reveal movement where the floorboards are nailed to the under-floor joists. (Joists are the beams that support the whole floor structure and are accessible from under the house).
If this is the case then you need to replace the loose nails. If the old nails are protruding slightly, they can be removed carefully with a claw hammer or pliers. However, if the existing nails are embedded, you can leave them and add an extra nail close alongside the loose one so that when you countersink your new nail with a nail punch, the symmetry of two nails per board-end will remain. You may even be able to make the floor stable by simply punching the old nails deeper into the board.
Sometimes the squeak is coming from the area where two boards meet rather than on the joists.
A simple way of getting rid of the noise here is to puff French chalk or talcum powder into the joint. This will not stop the movement between the boards though, what it does is lubricate the surfaces so that they do not squeak.
To stop the movement the next method is to skew nail the two boards together. Skew nailing means driving a nail at a sharp angle (about 30 degrees) through one board and into the other. Floor boards are prone to splitting so always use a small drill to make a pilot hole for your nail.
2006-11-26 19:53:18 · answer #1 · answered by ♥gigi♥ 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The squeak is caused by the sub-floor moving up and down slightly - and it rubs against the nails going through it to the floor joists below. If you have access to the bottom side, this is really easy. You can squirt some flooring glue into the joint where the subfloor meets the joist, and/or run some screws in on an angle. There is even a bracket made specifically to screw in and stop the squeak. If you can't get at the bottom side, you can run a sheet rock or decking screw down through your carpet and the subfloor to stop the problem. If you have anykind of fuzzy carpet, you can get the head to go right through and you will never know that it is there. The only problem is finding the floor joist. The best advise I can give for that is to step around carefully and find exactly where the squeak is. You will then know that there is a nail there moving against the sides of it's hole, and that is where the joist is. Keep in mind that the joists will normally run paralell to each other accross the narrowest dimension of your home and will be either 16 or 24 inches apart. Good luck.
2016-03-13 08:16:22 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Floorboards squeak for a variety of reasons, however the most common is that the nails have been hammered vertically down. This means that when you walk on the floorboards, the nails can get loose and its those rubbing against the floorboard or that board rubbing the adjoining boards that causes the squeak. Either nail the boards down, with the nails at an angle, or use screws also angled (with the point angled outwards).
2006-11-27 07:11:17 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Squeaky Floorboards
2016-12-10 19:46:38 · answer #4 · answered by leng 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Creaking Floorboards
2016-10-05 12:36:01 · answer #5 · answered by winkels 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This Site Might Help You.
RE:
What causes floorboards to squeak, and how can I fix them?
2015-08-10 10:55:35 · answer #6 · answered by Roma 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When it squeaks it means 2 surfaces are rubbing together. If you can lift the carpets you might be able to determine the cause.
1) individual boards are moving and need additional nails or screws
2 The whole suspended floor is moving usually due to rot on the joist ends. This means lifting the boards and renewing where necessary
If its a composite floor some relief can be obtained by easing talc in the joins - good luck
2006-11-27 03:19:56 · answer #7 · answered by Daddybear 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
at this time of year alot of floorboards squeak due to central heating being switched on and the timber drying out causing it to shrink slightly and although the floor may not be loose it often is enough movement to cause the squeaking ,if the boards are in an upstairs room dont hammer at them like crazy as this may crack the plaster on the ceiling downstairs ,try drilling and screwing them tight , but only real solution is to replace with new boards
2006-11-27 09:31:06 · answer #8 · answered by . 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
floor boards will need re-nailing or screwing where squeaking but be careful there are no pipes or wires passing were your going to re-fix floor board as banging a nail or screw through a pipe or wires could be very expensive and dangerous call in a carpenter or live with the squeak
2006-11-28 08:26:24 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Replace the floorboard nails with screws. This is a dead cert cure.
2006-11-27 06:55:04 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋