Fixing noisy squeaky floorboards! (A professional how to guide), by TDD Construction on YouTube. 13 min 1 s.
- Video length
- 13 min 1 s
- Time to do it
- 3 to 4 hours
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Clear the room and lift the carpet or flooring covering so you can reach the boards. Work out which boards squeak by walking slowly and listening.
Check you have a pry bar, hammer, saw, drill, screws, wood glue and replacement boards ready before you start.
Pry up the first board at a joint, working along its length. Lift the squeaky boards carefully so you can reuse or copy their size.
Inspect the joists underneath. Look for loose fixings, gaps or movement and tighten or pack anything that is not solid.
Lay insulation between the joists if the floor is over a cold space. Keep it level with the top of the joists.
Cut new boards to fit the gaps, leaving a small expansion gap at the walls. Dry fit each board before fixing.
Run a bead of wood glue along the joists and board edges, then screw the boards down firmly into the joists.
Check for movement by walking over the new boards. Add extra screws anywhere that still creaks, then refit your floor covering.
Tips and common mistakes
Screw into the joists, not just the board edges, or the floor will work loose again.
Leave a 2 to 3 mm gap at walls so the boards do not rub and squeak as they expand.
Wear gloves and eye protection when prying up boards, as old nails and splinters are common.
Mark joist positions on the wall before laying boards so you know where to drive screws.
Questions
Can I fix squeaky floorboards without lifting them?
Sometimes. You can screw down loose boards from above or drive shims into gaps from below if you have access. Lifting and replacing gives a longer lasting fix.
What causes floorboards to squeak?
Movement between boards and joists, loose nails, or boards rubbing together. Gluing and screwing the boards down removes that movement.
Do I need special boards?
No, but the video uses Egger boards and Egger wood glue. Any matching floorboard and good quality wood glue will work.
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.
