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Repairing A Squeaky Hardwood Floor

Hardwood Floors Repair
Hardwood floors are one of the most beautiful and durable flooring options. As they age, they get cracks, loosen spots and sometimes squeak. Fixing the squeaks can be done in several ways. Most squeaks are caused by the wood sliding up and down on a nail or sliding against an adjacent board.

Option 1

If you can get access to the underside of the floor and the noise is due to a separation of the subfloor from the floor joist, you can use a shim to eliminate the squeak. If there is a gap present, use a wood shim to fill the gap. Coat the shim with adhesive and insert the shim until the shim is tight.

Option 2

If you can access the underside and the squeak is between the subfloor and floor board, Drill a ½ diameter by ¾ inch deep hole through the subfloor but stop before drilling the floor board. Then fill the hole with flooring adhesive using a caulk gun.

Option 3

If the noise is coming from the hardwood moving up and down on the subfloor and you can access the floor from underneath, Use a 1-1/4 inch screw with a washer to pull the loose floor board down to the subfloor. This can be used in conjunction with option 2.

Option 4

If the noise is due to friction between 2 floor boards, Use glaziers points to fill the gap and eliminate the noise. Coat the points with powdered graphite and press them in with a putty knife or hammer/chisel.

Option 5

If you can not get to the underside of the floor, then you must fix the problem from the top. Pre-drill an undersize hole at a step angle in the moving floor board. Put as much weight on the board as possible and hammer the nail until it is recessed below the surface of the floor.


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