How to Fix Your Squeaking Floors, by WeekendWorkbench on YouTube. 4 min 3 s.
- Video length
- 4 min 3 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 7
What you need
Steps
Have someone walk slowly across the floor while you listen close to the boards. Mark every squeak with a strip of masking tape so you can find it again.
Look under the floor if you have basement or crawlspace access. Check for a loose subfloor panel, a board rubbing a joist, or a gap where the boards move.
For light squeaks, puff talcum powder or powdered graphite into the gaps between boards. Walk on the spot to work the powder down, then wipe the surface clean.
Find the joist with a stud finder, then drill a pilot hole at a slight angle through the board into the wood below. Hammer a finishing nail home and sink the head with a nail set.
As an alternative, drive a 1 1/4 inch wood screw through the board into the joist. Stop when the head sits just below the surface so it does not catch a sock or a vacuum.
Work from below if you can reach the joists. Have a helper stand on the squeak, then tap a wooden shim into the gap between joist and subfloor and snap off the excess.
Fill every nail and screw hole with wood filler. Let it dry, sand it flush, and touch up the stain or varnish so the repair disappears.
Tips and common mistakes
Wear safety glasses when drilling or hammering near the floor, since bits and nails can snap.
Keep nails and screws at least 1 inch in from the edge of a board so you do not split the wood.
Powder and graphite quiet a rub for a few months only, so use nails or screws for a lasting fix.
Test each repair with the same person walking the same path, because a light step may not show the squeak.
Questions
Can I fix a squeaky floor without lifting the carpet?
Sometimes. Powder worked into the gaps can help, and screws driven through a carpet and pad will still reach the joist, though the hole is harder to hide.
Why does my floor squeak only in winter?
Dry winter air shrinks the boards and opens small gaps, so they rub and move more. A little powder or a few extra screws usually settles it.
Will a screw split my floorboard?
It can if you drive it close to the edge or skip the pilot hole. Drill a pilot hole first and keep the fixing at least 1 inch from the board edge.
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.
