How To Fix A Loose Or Squeaky Floor Board -Watch This Before #diy #homeimprovement #flooring #howto, by The Home Improvements Channel UK on YouTube. 7 min 8 s.
- Video length
- 7 min 8 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Lift the loose board or find a gap at its edge. Look underneath with a torch before you do anything else. Pipes and cables often run under floorboards.
Work out why the board moves. It may be loose at the joists, warped, or rubbing on a pipe or cable below.
If the board does not end on a joist, add a short timber batten under the edge and screw it to the side of the joist. This gives the board something solid to sit on.
Find the joists under the board. Tap the floor or use a stud finder. Mark the joist lines on the board with a pencil.
Drill pilot holes through the board into the joist. Keep the holes about 25 mm in from the board edge so the wood does not split.
Drive screws through the board into the joist. Use two screws per joist, one near each edge of the board.
Do not over-tighten the screws. Stop when the screw head sits just below the surface. Over-tightening can crack the board or strip the hole.
Use wood screws about 50 mm long for standard 18 to 20 mm floorboards. Check the screw does not poke through the joist or reach a pipe below.
Press down on the board to test for movement. Add another screw if it still moves or squeaks.
Tips and common mistakes
Never screw into a floorboard until you have checked what is underneath it.
Screws hold better than nails and are easier to remove later.
A squeak can come from two boards rubbing together, so sprinkle a little talcum powder in the gap.
Keep screw heads level with the board so they do not show through carpet or underlay.
Questions
What size screws should I use for floorboards?
Use wood screws around 50 mm long for standard boards. They must be long enough to grip the joist but not so long that they reach pipes or cables below.
Why does my floorboard squeak even after screwing it down?
The squeak may come from a pipe or cable rubbing under the board, or from two boards rubbing at the edge. Check underneath and add powder or a thin packer in the gap.
Can I fix a loose floorboard without lifting it?
Yes, if you can find the joists from above. Mark the joist lines and screw straight through the board. Lift the board first if you are not sure what is below.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
