Are Your Floorboards Squeaky?

As you or family members step on floorboards, their movement is often accompanied by squeaks and creaks. This doesn’t happen in all homes, of course, but it certainly adds character to any home with squeaky floors. Despite this, most people still prefer to quiet these sounds as they can be distracting and a little annoying.

Moreover, squeaky floors can often affect the value of your home, which is why most homeowners tend to resolve this issue early before it becomes a serious nuisance. The good news is that there are ways to fix noisy floors.

Why Floorboards Crack and Creak

Squeaky floors are more common in older houses, where worn-out nails and staples often loosen up the boards and cause them to rub against each other. Sometimes, the joists that hold the floor up also cause some noise as they pull in and out against the boards. In rare cases, ventilation ducts that rise up from the floor can also cause floorboards to become noisy and creaky.

Fixing Squeaky Floors From Above

Dry wood tends to create louder squeaking noises so, if possible, increase the humidity inside your home by a fraction. In worse cases, you can also fill in the spaces between boards with powdered graphite. This prevents the boards from moving around and stops squeaking sounds from occurring. For homes with aging floors, it may be more practical to reapply the boards with brand-new replacements.

Accessing the Floor From Below

If you have access to a crawl space or a basement that allows you to see the affected boards from underneath, you can reinforce the joists to avoid any unnecessary movements. However, this method can be extremely difficult, especially if your basement has a finished ceiling as it will require a little demolition on your part. Contact a professional for help as needed.

Fix noisy floorboards with the excellent tools and materials from Handyman Connection® of Grapevine, your leading provider of handyman equipment. Give us a call at (817) 527-3600, or fill out our contact form to request an estimate today.