Q: Is there any way to stop the creaking of our hardwood floor? It is beautiful but the noise is too much!
A: Not really. Fix the subfloor and you will have a sound floor. If you have access to the subfloor from the basement, you may be able to screw short pieces of wood across a number of boards to stabilize them.
Hardwood flooring making cracking and creaking noises
Similar Q: We purchased a brand new home in April 2010. Since then, every time we walk on the hardwood flooring on the outer walls it makes cracking and creaking noises. What causes wood floors creaking noise? It is very loud and what I would imagine a 100-year-old home with hardwood flooring would sound like. Is there any way to fix this? Thank You for your expertise.
A: I don’t know what this floor is installed on top of nor whether an appropriate amount of nails, cleats or staples was used. Clearly, the floor is moving. It could also be expansion and contraction noises occurring. Do you notice any large gaps appearing or conversely do you see any cupping of the boards that would indicate expansion from moisture?
Floor sounds like popcorn popping
Related Q: I just had a floating floor installed, and when I walk on it, it sounds like popcorn popping. All suggestions, even the direst ones, on how to eliminate the noise are most welcomed. Thank you for your help.
A: The structure floating floors sits on needs to be very near to perfectly flat, with any voids being filled with building paper or the like. I suspect this flex and popping sound are caused by this situation.
Screwing down creaking floors
Q imported from our old site, Face Lift Floors: Our hardwood floor is making some creaking noises in some areas. How can we fix this?
A: There is a simple device you can get from Home Depot that attaches to a drill. You drill a pilot hole in your hardwood floor, above a floor joist with the drill bit provided. Then you use the special screw in the kit and drive it into the wood. At a certain point, the screw head will snap off, below the surface of the floor, leaving only a tiny hole to fill. This may or may not work. The problem is most likely a loose subfloor, and that is what has to be secured. The finished floor is only as solid, stable as the floor it sits on.
The other option is to remove the finished floor, screw plywood down and put in a new floor. I do this work!
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