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Difficulty: Beginner
Squeaking floorboards can be annoying, but fortunately they are easy to fix.
This simple guide will show you how to locate the problem and fix your squeaky floor.
As this project involves power tools, please follow all safety guidelines provided by manufacturers and use the recommended protective gear.
Let us know if you have any questions. We’d be happy to assist.
Video Tutorial
Steps
Step 1
Determine the cause and location of the squeak.
It's important to identify why the squeak is occurring and to pinpoint its exact location. A floorboard typically squeaks when it is not adequately fixed to the timber joists.
When tracking the squeak, apply pressure to small areas by either pressing your weight down on the floor or by using a hammer handle. You can also ask another person to walk over the area where the squeak is.
Look for moving floorboards that flex under the load or any place where the floorboards are rubbing together. You might need to access the floor from the underside. You can do this by entering the crawlspace beneath the floor.
Now locate the timber joists that run perpendicular to the affected floorboards. Squeaks are likely to occur near the point where the floorboard is nailed to the joist.
You should also assess the surrounding area to see if there is any visible damage to the floorboards, such as cracks or holes.
Step 2
Punch down nails to secure any loose floorboards to the joists. Loose boards are usually slightly raised compared to others in the surrounding area.
Apply your body weight to the floorboard to flex it back down and into position. If the floorboards are nailed down, place a nail punch on top of the nail head.
Strike the nail punch swiftly with your hammer. Do this twice to dislodge the timber filler and drive the nail in further.
Step 3
Install additional screws.
If the floorboard does not remain in the correct position, add another nail or screw to the joint.
Drill a hole through your floorboard and into the joist below using a 3mm drill bit.
Now countersink this hole with your countersinking bit so the screw head sits below the surface of the floorboard. Drive the screw into the joint with your weight on the floorboard.
Apply a small amount of wood filler into the countersunk hole using your scraper. Make sure to work from all sides to ensure that the filler is flush with your floorboard. Remove residual filler from around the hole before it has time to set.
Step 4
Pack gaps under boards.
You may find the timber joist has bowed downwards and has separated from the bottom of the floorboards. Tightening them won’t silence the squeak. In this case, it's best to use plastic packers to fill any gap under the floorboard.
Take your packer and insert its tip into the gap between the floorboard and the joist. Lightly tap the packer until it is secured into the gap. Do not apply too much pressure while tapping as doing so will raise the floorboards above. A snug fit is adequate.
You can do the same on the other side of the joist for additional support too so your floorboards have packers on both sides. Now screw the packer into position with your 16mm timber screws so it doesn't back out over time.
Step 5
Use adhesive to secure floorboards.
Once your packers are in position, use construction adhesive to fill any remaining voids. Hold the nozzle firmly against the joint and move along it whilst squeezing out the adhesive.
Your squeaking floorboard is now fixed.
Materials
- Plastic packers
- 50mm x 8g timber screws
- 16mm x 6g timber screws
- Construction adhesive
- Wood filler.
Tools
- Hammer
- Drill driver
- Nail punch
- Plastic scraper
- 3mm drill bit
- Countersink drill bit.
Images
