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June 20th, 2013
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There are few more infuriating things for a homeowner than installing an expensive, gorgeous hardwood floor only to discover over time that the floor boards have developed to squeak. The constant and irritating squeak every time that the boards are walked on is sure to drive anyone crazy – but thankfully, there are simple solutions.
Baking soda can be used as a quick fix for squeaky floors.
Firstly, you must understand what causes you floor to squeak. The main cause of squeaky floorboards is poor installation where the planks are not correctly secured to the subfloor and is therefor able to more. You need to identify the problem area and check for movement of the planks as this movement allows planks to rub against each other causing vibrations and subsequently noise.
One quick DIY repair would be to sprinkle baking soda or even talcum powder over the floor working it into the seams to provide lubrication for the floor and hopefully stop the rubbing and squeaking. This trick is also useful if your flooring has swollen due to moisture and temperature change.
If the squeaking still persists then you will need to secure and tighten the loose floorboards to the joists. Insert screws through the end of the planks straight into the joints to avoid future movement.
Tips
- Drill pilot holes for the screws to avoid the wood splitting.
- Cover the heads of the nails or screws with a fill stick of the same colour as your floor.
- Screws will hold better than nail.
- If your plank is not supported by a joist wedge the plank open to connect a batten to the side of the joist for the plank to rest on and be secured to.