You have two options when it comes to floorboards that squeak and creak: either solve the issue or learn to accept the “charm” and “character” of your house. We prefer the latter because it’s usually a simple and quick cure for squeaky floorboards, as well as any other household squeaks.
Finding the source of the squeak is often the most challenging step in resolving many common floor squeaks. While some squeaks change with the seasons, others remain constant. While most squeaks are harmless, some may be signs of more serious problems lurking beneath your floor. We’ve outlined precisely how to locate the squeak, identify the cause, and resolve the problem permanently, regardless of the reason behind your creaky floor.
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How to Fix Squeaky Floors
Increase the Humidity
A lot of flooring creaks when the air is too dry. Due to the colder weather and the addition of heat, this frequently occurs in the winter, but for certain households, it can also be a year-round problem. The wood shrinks as it dries. This lets air circulate around fasteners and between boards. Just add a humidifier to the room or area with noisy floors to take this into consideration.
Apply Powdered Graphite
Hardwood flooring with tongue and groove are infamous for creaking. Sometimes the sound can be silenced with just a small amount of lubricant. The best lubricant is powdered graphite, but talc and baby powder also work occasionally.
Just find the creaky joint and fill the crack with the powder to apply the lubricant. To get the powder to settle in the crack, lightly brush it back and forth. Step into the joint many times to work it out, and then dust the joint with additional powder. Continue doing this until the crack is no longer filled with powder. Use a wet towel to remove any last bits of residue; do not use a vacuum.
Apply a Wood-Safe Adhesive
Similar to powdered lubrication, a floor squeak may occasionally be silenced with just a spray-on lubricant. Floor squeaks can be effectively silenced using a wood-safe dry lubricant, albeit not all spray-on lubricants are made equal.
Check to see if the lubricant discolors or stains the wood in a hidden area before spraying. After giving the squeaky joint a thorough spray, use your fingers to work the lubricant into the crack (rubber gloves are recommended). After using a dry cloth to remove any excess, use a wood floor cleaner.
If none of the above easy fixes work for your squeaky flooring, you might need to look into the matter more to find the source of the problem. The correct solution can be found once the reason is identified.
What to Check for Noises Coming from Your Floor
Things that aren’t supposed to move cause floors to creak. Wood rubbing against metal fasteners or other wood is what produces the sound. This movement could be caused by friction between the various parts of the floor system, your floor moving on top of your subfloor, your subfloor moving on top of your joists, or any combination of these scenarios.
Finding the source of your floor’s squeak will be considerably simpler if you have access to the subfloor via a crawlspace, an unfinished basement, or a basement with a drop ceiling. Look at the underside of the floor after you’ve located the squeak. While you inspect from underneath if at all possible, have an assistant flex the troublesome area. Watch out for:
- Inadequately fastened subfloor
- Broken or drooping joists
- Unequal or bowed joists
- Any type of movement, whether vertical or lateral
- Any more broken or loosened parts
The source of the squeak under the floor can be above the subfloor if you can’t see it clearly or can’t get to it from below. Even though diagnosing this could be more difficult, there are still plenty of ways to stop the squeak, albeit the process might require more trial and error
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