How to Fix a Squeaky Floor
Identify the source of the squeak., Weight the squeak from above., Attach a brace between the joist and the subfloor., Install wood shims in between the subfloor and the joist., Screw the subfloor into the floor.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Identify the source of the squeak.
The best way to identify squeaks is to stand in your basement, looking up at the subfloor while someone else walks around looking for the squeak.
Listen and watch for the squeaky area, so you can identify the problem area and the best way of remedying it.
Most squeaks are the result of the plywood subfloor rubbing against the floor joists.
The subfloor, the structural support below the top floor that you walk on, will sometimes shrink over time as the wood dries out, changing the shape slightly and resulting in high-pitched, irritating squeaks.
It’s also common on hardwood floors that the top floor itself will squeak.
To address squeaks in the top floorboards, skip to the next method.
All squeaky boards under tile, linoleum, and other flooring surfaces will need to be fixed from under, either in the crawl space or the basement. -
Step 2: Weight the squeak from above.
It’s good to weight down the floor from above to compress the boards and make your repair more effective.
Using some furniture, barbell weights, bags of salt, heavy books, or other hefty objects would be perfectly fine.
In a pinch, you could also have a helper stand on the spot to keep it compressed for you to work. , If the floor seems to be squeaking because the subfloor and the joists are loose, the best way to remedy the issue is to install a brace to secure things and eliminate the irritating sound.
The Squeak-Ender is a brand of joist-support available at most home repair stores for a couple bucks, a metal brace that connects between the joist and the squeaky subfloor.
To install one of these joist-subfloor braces, screw the mounting plate to the underside of the subfloor, directly under the squeaking spot.
Use the provided screws, or use wood screws small enough to fit in the bracket holes.Hook the bracket onto the rod provided and attach it to the joist, tightening the mechanism with a wrench until the subfloor is pulled down flush. , Shims are small, thin pieces of wood used for filling gaps, squaring up carpentry projects and keeping things from swelling and squeaking.
For squeaks that are the result of small gaps that might be more easily and cheaply fixed than by installing a brace, use wooden shims to fill the space of the gap.
If you've found the source of the squeak, but don't see considerable play between the subfloor boards and the joists, buy a package of small shims and insert them into the gaps that create the sound.
Coat shims in carpentry glue, then slide them directly into the gap.
Be careful to avoid forcing shims into small spaces and forcing the board back up, making the squeak worse, or translating the squeak to another area.
It’s important to always weight the floor from above if you try to do this., In a pinch, you can also use wood screws to tighten things up yourself.
It's a more primitive way of solving the issue, but it can work in a pinch to connect the floor and the subfloor more securely with wood screws.
Drill a pilot hole with your power drill roughly the length of the screw that you've selected (any carpentry screw will do) to make sure you don't go too far and come up the other side.
It's hard to know how thick the individual layers of the floor are, but you want to be very careful not to drill too far and have a sharp edge sticking out the side of the floor you walk on.
To make sure you don't do this, drill a pilot hole the length of the screws you've purchased and make sure your'e safe.
Then install the screws normally. -
Step 3: Attach a brace between the joist and the subfloor.
-
Step 4: Install wood shims in between the subfloor and the joist.
-
Step 5: Screw the subfloor into the floor.
Detailed Guide
The best way to identify squeaks is to stand in your basement, looking up at the subfloor while someone else walks around looking for the squeak.
Listen and watch for the squeaky area, so you can identify the problem area and the best way of remedying it.
Most squeaks are the result of the plywood subfloor rubbing against the floor joists.
The subfloor, the structural support below the top floor that you walk on, will sometimes shrink over time as the wood dries out, changing the shape slightly and resulting in high-pitched, irritating squeaks.
It’s also common on hardwood floors that the top floor itself will squeak.
To address squeaks in the top floorboards, skip to the next method.
All squeaky boards under tile, linoleum, and other flooring surfaces will need to be fixed from under, either in the crawl space or the basement.
It’s good to weight down the floor from above to compress the boards and make your repair more effective.
Using some furniture, barbell weights, bags of salt, heavy books, or other hefty objects would be perfectly fine.
In a pinch, you could also have a helper stand on the spot to keep it compressed for you to work. , If the floor seems to be squeaking because the subfloor and the joists are loose, the best way to remedy the issue is to install a brace to secure things and eliminate the irritating sound.
The Squeak-Ender is a brand of joist-support available at most home repair stores for a couple bucks, a metal brace that connects between the joist and the squeaky subfloor.
To install one of these joist-subfloor braces, screw the mounting plate to the underside of the subfloor, directly under the squeaking spot.
Use the provided screws, or use wood screws small enough to fit in the bracket holes.Hook the bracket onto the rod provided and attach it to the joist, tightening the mechanism with a wrench until the subfloor is pulled down flush. , Shims are small, thin pieces of wood used for filling gaps, squaring up carpentry projects and keeping things from swelling and squeaking.
For squeaks that are the result of small gaps that might be more easily and cheaply fixed than by installing a brace, use wooden shims to fill the space of the gap.
If you've found the source of the squeak, but don't see considerable play between the subfloor boards and the joists, buy a package of small shims and insert them into the gaps that create the sound.
Coat shims in carpentry glue, then slide them directly into the gap.
Be careful to avoid forcing shims into small spaces and forcing the board back up, making the squeak worse, or translating the squeak to another area.
It’s important to always weight the floor from above if you try to do this., In a pinch, you can also use wood screws to tighten things up yourself.
It's a more primitive way of solving the issue, but it can work in a pinch to connect the floor and the subfloor more securely with wood screws.
Drill a pilot hole with your power drill roughly the length of the screw that you've selected (any carpentry screw will do) to make sure you don't go too far and come up the other side.
It's hard to know how thick the individual layers of the floor are, but you want to be very careful not to drill too far and have a sharp edge sticking out the side of the floor you walk on.
To make sure you don't do this, drill a pilot hole the length of the screws you've purchased and make sure your'e safe.
Then install the screws normally.
About the Author
Patrick Bishop
Creates helpful guides on home improvement to inspire and educate readers.
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