How do I fix a squeaky bedroom floor?

Question

when my husband did the strapping in the basement ceiling our bedroom floor now squeaks, how do we fix this before finishing the basement ceiling?

Answer 1

I fix a LOT of sqeaky floors, lol.... The first thing you have to determine, is WHAT is causing the squeak... then you can go about fixing it...

1) Loose sub floor - literally, the subfloor (usually plywood, or OSB) has worked loose... what has actually happened is the sub floor has raised just a bit, and when someone steps on it, it squeaks as it rubs on the nail, or staple. Pulling the sub floor down to joist will eliminate this problem, and it secures the floor... For this kind of repair, I like to use a product called Squeak Ender. It is a small brace/bracket that screws to the underside of the sub floor, and ties it to the bottom of the floor joist, eliminating the loose sub floor. Squeak Enders can be found at most home supply stores, like Lowe's, in the flooring department, and I've seem them at a few hardware stores. (The manufacturer also has a web site)

2) New installation... such as strapping, may be rubbing at certain locations... I would recommend that it be reworked to eliminate the contact point, with the sub floor. Sometimes a small piece of thin cardboard can be placed between the joist and whatever is rubbing against it.. this might be strapping, or even plumbing.

3) Warped floor joists - This can be anything from a fairly simple repair to a very complex repair. It really depends on how badly the joist is warped, or twisted. If it is only a mild warp, then it can be cut to relieve the stress, and timber or plywood can be glued/screwed to either side of the joist at the cut. Use contruction adhesive, and secure the joist until it sets, with temporary cross bracing. If the joist is warped very badly, you may want to just simply replace it altogether.

When I travel to work on homes, I take along a second pair of hands... or feet as the case may be, hehehehe... I'll have my helper locate the squeak on the floor, while I inspect it from underneath. I usually have them step on the floor, making it squeak, until I'm done with the repair.. at which point, they will still be stepping on it... but it will no longer be squeaking. I think my most amusing "squeak" repair was a gentleman who complained of a squeaky floor....right in front of his refrigerator... lol, he couldnt raid the refrigerator at night without waking up his wife, lol.

Have Fun

Answer 2

its possible that there are a few spots where the nails in the strapping are either not fully set or they missed the floor joists and are rubbing against the joist or some areas didn't get nailed. these are my guesses although I've been framing new and remodeled homes for 12 years I've never heard the floor squeak after nailing off the strapping. check all the rows and if any joists have been reconfigured or header-ed off check with someone walking above and someone below. shims and glue work well with most floor squeaks at the point of the problem. also the floor goes up and down when walked on and if the new strapping ends are against something well you get the rest

Answer 3

i take it that your bedroom is on the ground floor..
before you fix any plaster board to the basement ceiling re-screw all of the noggins back to the floor joist. if this creaking has only just started after starting the work in the basement its hardly likely to be floor boards. if, once you have re-screwed the noggins you still have a creaking floor then I'm afraid it's up with the carpet, look for the creaking floor boards are screw down. be careful of any hidden pipes or wires...

Answer 4

1. Ideally, renail, or screw, the floor.

2. Listen carefully from below while someone steps on and off, on and off the squeaky spots. If you find it, drive a shim a little bit between the joist and floor. Construction adhesive will keep the shim in place.

3. A bead of construction adhesive run along the top of the joist/underside of flooring usually helps as well.

There can be other reasons its squeaking, like movement between a subfloor and hardwood, but shims and or glue is easy to try while you have access to the joists.

Answer 5

The unit they are speaking approximately does use a particular form screw that has to hit the two the sting of the underlayment and the joist. The screws have a taper only under the pinnacle. you come across the proper area, then screw in. while the screw gets to the taper, you employ a particular device that includes the screws in a kit and it snaps the pinnacle off the screw on the timber point. All are suited, finding the joist is puzzling. Stud finders do no longer artwork nicely in the course of the carpet till the carpet is very skinny. despite the fact that if, counting on how your place grow to be geared up, it would desire to have an underlayment/subfloor it rather is many times 4X8' and the sides of those lay on joists. it rather is often the rubbing of those sheets that reason squeaks. stable measuring can grant you an approximate area of the sides of the sheets. in view that flooring are just about constantly laid on sixteen" middle joists, in case you degree out from a nook of your room approximately 3'8" you may desire to discover the 1st of the 4' area of the sheets. Barring that, attempt 7'8". This takes into attention the 2X4 studs in the wall and the drywall in case you have it. as quickly as you come across the sides, use course thread drywall screws, or drywall nails. those nails have ribs on them that face as much as upward circulation later. A drastic yet effectual approach is to flow fixtures to a minimum of one area or out of the room, and pull the carpet back from a wall to make certain the sheets under. despite the fact that if, you'll be conscious of a carpet layer or have get right of entry to to a carpet stretcher to place the carpet back onto the tack strip. in case you have hardwood flooring, stable good fortune. you have a remarkable style of strips of timber no longer very huge, yet a minimum of you may discover the worst area of the squeaks. if so, you may drill a small pilot hollow and use a million a million/4" ending nails to force the floor bypass into opposite on the joist. Set the nail heads under the floor employing a nail punch, perhaps a million/32 of an inch. in case you bypass under that, you will could fill with timber putty, yet that's no longer puzzling.an d meet a specialist

Answer 6

If the floor is not carpeted you can sprinkle talcum powder all over the floor. If you have to reach it from the basement try to see where exactly it is squeaking and spray some silicone up into the squeaks; be sure and go back upstairs to wipe up any excess. Do not use oil.

Answer 7

Saw this on "Ask This Old House"... You screw the plywood flooring down firmly to the joists. There are special screws and a fitting for your power-drill that will let you do this safely THRU carpet.
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,203171,00.html

Good Luck.