How to Repair Squeaky Wood Floors | This Old House, by This Old House on YouTube. 3 min 51 s.
- Video length
- 3 min 51 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Find the squeak by walking slowly over the floor and pressing on suspect boards until you hear the noise. Mark the spot with a small piece of tape.
Locate the joist under the squeaky board. On a sleeper floor, the finished boards run over narrow wood strips, so check which direction the joists run before drilling.
Fit your drill with the bit that matches the counter-snap screw, usually a small pilot bit. Drill a pilot hole through the finished floor right over the joist.
Drive the counter-snap breakaway screw down through the pilot hole until its head sits just below the floor surface. The screw pulls the board tight to the joist and stops the squeak.
Grip the screw head with pliers and bend it back and forth until it snaps off at the breakaway point. The shaft stays in the floor.
Repeat the screw at other squeaky spots along the same board, spacing them over the joists. Test by walking on the floor between screws.
Fill each small hole with a wax wood filler stick in a color that matches the floor. Rub the stick across the hole and buff the excess with a cloth.
For a loose board near a wall, you can also drive 2-inch finishing nails at an angle through the board into the joist and set the heads below the surface.
Tips and common mistakes
Drill only where you are sure a joist or sleeper strip sits, or the screw will not grab and the squeak will stay.
Do not overtighten the screw or you can strip the hole in the joist.
Test the wax filler color on a scrap or hidden spot before using it on the visible floor.
Wear safety glasses when drilling and snapping screw heads, since the heads can fly off.
Questions
What is a counter-snap screw?
It is a screw with a head designed to break off after driving. You sink it below the floor surface, then snap the head off so the hole is small and easy to fill.
Can I fix a squeak from above without lifting the floor?
Yes. Driving a screw from above through the finished board into the joist is the usual fix for a finished floor. Lifting boards is only needed for serious movement.
Will the repair show?
The hole is small and a matching wax filler stick hides it well. Pick a filler color close to your floor and buff off the excess.
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.
