A hardwood floor looks stunning, adding an elegant and timeless appeal to the home. But walking on it may not be so pleasant if it gives that annoying squeak. Fortunately, it is usually possible to fix the floor so that it no longer squeaks and there is nothing to spoil your enjoyment.
What causes the squeak?
The problem may be seasonal. Natural wood expands and contracts with the temperature and humidity levels. These squeaks will usually resolve themselves when temperature and humidity rise. But you can avoid these by keeping rooms with hardwood flooring at a humidity level of 40 to 60 percent.
Joist problems can cause loose flooring and gaps between the joist and the subflooring. Uneven subflooring is another problem that can cause the squeak. This might be because the subfloor is old or has suffered water damage.
Fixing the squeak
If you are having a new engineered wood flooring fitted, you may be able to prevent problems by having it well fitted in the first place. Make sure you use a reliable flooring specialist such as Irwin Tiles to fit your flooring.
If your floor squeaks and the problem is not seasonal, there are a number of things you can do to resolve the problem. To do this, you will likely need to be able to access the joists and the subfloor. If there is a gap between the two, this can be fixed with the insertion of a thin wooden shim fixed with carpenter glue, although be careful not to wedge the piece in too hard as this can increase the gap.
Construction adhesive can be used to fill longer gaps. The best way to apply this is with a caulking gun.
Joists can warp and twist over time, resulting in an uneven frame for the subfloor. Installing planks along the joist or wood blocks between joists may resolve the problem.
If there are no problems with the joists, screwing the hardwood floor to the top floor either from below or on top can prevent the movement that causes squeaking.