Squeaky Floorboards and How to Fix Them

Having a squeaky floor can be irritating and maddening, no matter how lightly you try to walk at times. Although it’s more common in older homes, that doesn’t mean it won’t happen in newer homes as well. In fact, having squeaks and creaks can be found in nearly any type of flooring available, but it’s most often found in loose wooden floorboards and even carpeted rooms when the plywood subfloor isn’t attached firmly at the joists.

Fortunately, it’s relatively easy to silence your noisy floor, but let’s first look into where these squeaks and creaks typically originate.

What Causes Floor Squeaks?

Sometimes, uneven or bowed joists rubbing against the subfloor can creak. If you have metal ductwork below, it can rub against the hole in the flooring that brings the duct up to floor level. This one can be a rare cause, however, since it’s usually located around your home’s perimeter where people don’t walk over as much. 

More common causes include subfloor fasteners pulling in and out of the underlying joist and two floorboards rubbing against each other. Nails or staples that are no longer holding the floorboard tight and are now rubbing through the hole in the floorboard can also cause this issue. In fact, most creaks in floors can be traced back to this.

How You Can Eliminate Floor Squeaks

To effectively eliminate your squeaky floorboards, you’ll need to have access to the space beneath the floor. This can be through the basement or crawl space. Once you’re below the room with the squeaky floor, have someone slowly walk back and forth until you pinpoint the exact spot of the squeak. Once you find it, check if you see any gaps between the top of the floor joist and the underside of the subfloor. If you have insulation installed here, you may have to remove some of it for a better view. 

If even just a small gap is visible, spread some wood glue onto a thin piece of wood and push it into the gap. Be careful not to hammer it or force it too hard as doing so might raise the subfloor and create a hump in the floor above. You can repeat the process on other squeaky and creaky spots until you’re sure you’ve eliminated all the noise. 

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