Other than the annoying sounds they create, squeaky hardwood floors can indicate more serious problems. Floor squeaking is a sign that gapping has occurred between the hardwood boards as a result of the wood drying out and shrinking over time. When the dried-out floorboards are walked on, they rub against one another and a squeaking noise is produced. While the damage from contracted hardwood floors may not be visually apparent, that telltale squeak will surely give it away!
It's important you tend to your squeaky hardwood floors, because to NOT do so may cause your home to depreciate in value. Now that you just got an earful, I'm ready to tell you how you can shut your floors up!
Try one of these methods:
Lubrication:
Sprinkle talcum powder or powdered graphite (available at hardware stores or on the Internet) along the seams of the floorboards. Cover the powder with cloth and step on the boards to allow the powder to work into the seams. The powder should provide enough lubrication to keep the boards from rubbing against each other.
If You Can Access the Underside of the Floor:
Check the cross bracing between your floor joists; if loose, reattach it using screws. Place shims on top of the floor joists directly under the floorboards. Firmly, but carefully, push the shims in. You can also fasten the floor joists with screws driven at an angle through the floor joist into the subfloor.
* Cross bracing is when boards are nailed diagonally across studs or other boards to make a framework more rigid.
If You Can't Access the Underside of the Floor:
Install 2" or 2 ½" flooring nails at least ½ inch from the edge of the floorboard and drive them in at an angle. Pre-drill holes slightly smaller than the nail shanks through the floorboards (not through the subfloor). This ensures a good hold and prevents the floorboards from splitting. Use a nail set to drive the nail heads below the floor surface and fill the holes with color-matched wood filler. You may also use screws instead of nails to fasten the boards; over time, screws hold better than nails. Countersink* the screws and patch the holes with wood filler.
* Countersinking is the practice of making the head of a screw, bolt etc. sink into a prepared depression so as to be flush with or below the surface of the floor.
If You Have Carpet Over Your Hardwood Floor:
Roll the carpet back to access the floorboards. If that isn't an option, you can hold the boards together by nailing through the carpet. A stud finder will help you locate underlying joists to drive the nails through. Don't try this with screws, as they will get tangled up in the carpet.
A squeaky floor is no match for a gang of nails and screws! But any of the above methods will squash the squeak. Of course, you should consult a professional for advice on the gapping occurring in your floor.
Let us know in a comment if these tips helped silence your squeaks, or if you know of other techniques.
