What to do to prevent floors from creaking. What to do if the floors squeak: eliminate unpleasant sounds yourself

Creaking floors are associated with an old, dilapidated house that has forgotten what repairs are. And when an unpleasant sharp or viscous sound appears in your home, a reasonable question arises: what to do if the floor creaks.

Perhaps for some, if the floor creaks, this is not a problem. And the person feels calm. However, for many people, sounds from under flooring seem like universal torture. Especially when it's time to sleep.

We will share with you tips on what you need to do to prevent wooden floors from squeaking. There are several ways to solve this issue. The use of any of them depends on the original source of the vile sound.

Why does the floor squeak?

The fact that floors creak immediately after installation seems natural and understandable.

But we would like to point out that professional installation quality beams made of wood means that the wood floor creaks for the first time after a couple of years. Not earlier.

• Absolutely any flooring will become squeaky within 5 years. The sound itself is nothing more than the friction of floorboards against each other. When the floor is laid, the building materials are processed in such a way that they rub against each other. But the tree, absorbing moisture and reacting to the temperature, begins to deform. Swell or shrink. Stepping on a floorboard or parquet floor, a person bends the board with his weight, it moves and a familiar sound arises. This is why parquet, laminate or other wood-containing material creaks.
• In addition, it is possible when laying wooden slats overdried or damp floorboards were used. After a certain time, they become saturated with moisture or dry out and at the ends they begin to shift relative to each other.
• Also, the floor on the joists creaks if there is no gasket between the beams themselves and the plywood sheet.
• The floor under the laminate creaks when the underlay is not laid correctly.
• When installing the floor structure, the ten-millimeter technological gaps at the walls were not maintained.

What to do to prevent floors from creaking.

Before you start doing anything to stop your floors from squeaking, install a place that makes sounds. Remove the floor covering (laminate, linoleum, etc.). Walk around the room. If there is no squeak, then the problem is in the finishing coating. If the sound remains, then we find the creaking floorboard and eliminate one of the methods suggested below.

The first way to eliminate grinding noise is to complete disassembly covering and implementation of a new design.

To do this, remove all furniture from the room. Remove the top cover. And cover the building structure with a 12 mm plywood sheet.

But this option will not work if the sound source is located in the frame itself. This means that the lag was installed incorrectly. In this case, you need to fix the wooden floor to the base:

• Calculate the height between the beams/sheet of plywood and concrete base. This is done by drilling a hole to the base. Insert a thin splinter or wire into this hole.
• Purchase self-tapping screws of the required length with a fastener thickness of at least 7 mm and a thread length greater than the floor structure itself.
• Determine the places where the joists run. Stick to the old fasteners.

In the case of old fastening of boards to the joists around the perimeter of the room, the plinth is removed and the fastening points are located.

• Drill holes in the coating that are smaller than the diameter of the screws.
• Screw the screws into the prepared holes. You need to screw it all the way so that the cap sinks into the top layer designs.

For preventive purposes, you can tighten screws not only in creaking floorboards, but throughout the entire area.

• Fill the place where the self-tapping screw enters the floor board, paint it and apply the finishing solution on top.

The second method is applicable when the wooden floor creaks due to the lack of technological gaps near the wall. A 10mm distance between the floorboard and the wall is provided for the natural “movement” of the wood during temperature changes.

To determine whether the deformation of the gaps or not is the cause of the squeak, remove the baseboards.

• When wedges are driven into the gap under the baseboard, remove them.
• when there is absolutely no technological clearance, then remove the outer floorboards from the beams, shorten them by 10mm, and lay them again.

If the boards are dry and the floors are creaking.

We have already said that over time the boards dry out and gaps appear between them. It is they who provoke the friction of the floorboards against each other with the corresponding sound. This phenomenon is familiar to apartment owners in old buildings. Very often the floors creak in Khrushchev-era buildings. What to do in this case?

• inspect the empty space that has appeared between the floorboards.
• prepare wedges of wood corresponding to the size of the gaps.
• dip each peg in wood glue or PVA to soak.
• drive wedges into the cracks between the boards.
• After the glue has dried, cut the pegs flush with the surface

Instead of wooden wedges, you can use a rope cord:

• buy a cord.

To eliminate squeaking using a cord, buy a product with a synthetic base.

• saturate it with PVA or wood glue.
• lay the cord up to half the thickness into the slot and carefully drive it in.
• fill the gaps not filled with cord with a mixture (sawdust plus PVA glue). Calculate the proportions yourself so that the mixture is as thick as a paste.
• Do not skimp on the sawdust-glue mixture. It should rise above the floor. Then, after it has completely dried, it will be easier for you to trim it flush.

How to prevent floors from squeaking without disassembling them.

It is possible to remove creaking without disassembling the structure. This will help:

• wax. Swipe wax candle along the cracks between the planks.
• graphite powder with talc. Treat the gaps between the boards with a dry mixture.

methods for eliminating squeaking floors using wax and talc without are effective if the floor is old and the boards are rotten.

If a chipboard floor creaks, the sound problem is most often found in the beams. Regular polyurethane foam will help remove the rattle of boards rubbing against each other. Technological process similar to the previous one:

• identify the wobbly beam causing the creaking.
• Drill holes through the joists until they hit the floor. The diameter of the gun tube for installation must correspond to the size of the hole in the joists.
• Foam is blown into this hole under the problematic beam. As it hardens, it strengthens the supporting structure of the floor.

Instead of polyurethane foam, you can use liquid cement. Moreover, in order to pour it into the holes it is not necessary to have it in stock mounting gun. Use a 20cc syringe.

To ensure that the foam or cement hardens firmly, pump it under the floor gradually, in small portions.

A thick plywood board can be laid on top of smooth, not swollen, not rotten floorboards. Moreover, the joints of the plywood sheets should fall on the base beams. This method isolates the sounds that come from under the floorboards.

How to make a floor in an apartment so it doesn't creak.

In order not to be tormented by the question “What to do if the floor creaks” in the future, you need to prevent this situation in advance. Even during repairs: replacing or laying a new floor:

• Before laying the boards, cover the joists with a damping pad (insulation or waterproofing).

When laying a new floor, avoid materials that quickly absorb moisture in favor of cedar, oak, ash or maple.

• Be sure to place a special underlay under laminate and parquet.
• When installing upper floor slabs or beams, leave a millimeter gap between the floorboards.

Plank floors tend to creak at the slightest deformation of the coating or joists. If the problem is not corrected in time, the floors will have to be replaced much earlier than planned. To avoid high repair costs, you should carefully inspect the boards and joists, determine the cause of the creaks and use the most appropriate method to eliminate the defect.

There are many reasons why floors begin to creak, and some of them can be eliminated during the construction phase.

Causes of squeaking	Description
	The joists should be installed as level and solid foundation, and necessarily according to the level. Even a slight deviation from the horizontal can cause squeaks. The distance between the joists also matters a lot - too large gaps contribute to sagging of the floorboards. The rule here is: the thinner the board, the closer the joists are located. There must be a gap between the walls of the room and the floor covering. The hot air and steam in the bathhouse cause the boards to expand, so if there is no gap, the floor will move in waves and begin to creak.
	Low grade wood wears out faster and is more often damaged during construction and operation. The presence of knots, voids, high porosity and other defects will lead to loosening of nails and peeling of boards from the joists. You need to choose dense wood, light in cuts, without black spots and cracks. You should not take lumber with a moisture content exceeding 12%, since damp boards, even the most the best variety, when dry, they deform and weaken the strength of the connection.
	Constant waterlogging of the floor contributes to the appearance of fungus and wood rotting. Even if the surface appears intact, the joists under the boards may be infected with fungus. In rotten areas, the coating sags, the boards rub against each other and a characteristic creaking sound is heard. To extend the service life of the floor, boards and joists must be treated with water-repellent impregnations and antiseptics. This treatment must be repeated periodically, at least once every 2-3 years.
	Over time, the wood wears out, sags, and the fastenings weaken and become loose. All this causes the boards to creak when walking on the floor. To solve a problem simple methods in such cases it does not always work out, and if it does work out, then a short time. The only one effective solution here is complete replacement flooring, and often the logs themselves.

In addition to the reasons listed, creaking of floorboards can be caused by violation of operating rules, subsidence of the soil under the joists, the use of nails or screws of a smaller size than necessary, and even a loose baseboard.

So, to determine what exactly causes the creaking, you should carefully examine the problem area, press on the floorboards and check the tightness of the fastening. Place a level on the floor and see if there are any gaps. If the boards move underfoot, sag, and nail heads protrude above the surface, it means that the board flooring is poorly secured. If the coating itself holds tightly, but sags when pressed, the reason lies in the lags.

In this case, it is necessary to remove 1-2 boards and look under the flooring to determine the degree of wear of the beams. If the floor creaks against the wall, you need to check the tightness of the baseboard, and at the same time make sure there is a gap between the wall and the floor.

How to get rid of a squeak

Table of ways to eliminate squeaking

Ways to eliminate squeaking	When to apply	Advantages	Flaws
Reaching out	Boards in good condition, but do not fit tightly to the joists	No need to dismantle the coating, it is done quickly and inexpensively	None
Reinforcement with wedges and dowels	The appearance of cracks in the coating, loose fit of the boards at the ends	Economical method, effectively eliminates squeaking, does not require much physical effort	None
Anchoring	Loose fit of the joist to the base		Requires material costs
Floor tightening	Worn coating, significant damage to boards	Effectively and permanently eliminates squeaks and other defects	A very labor-intensive process that takes a lot of time
Placing the boards together	Drying of floorboards, appearance of wide gaps between boards	Reliable and durable way	Labor-intensive, requires brackets or jack
Replacing individual floorboards	Deformation or damage to individual areas of the floor	Does not require dismantling the entire coating, effectively eliminates squeaking	None
Foam filling	Slight creaking of the floor, appearance of small cracks	Fast and convenient way, does not require dismantling of the coating	Costly and short-lived, eliminates squeaking for 2-3 years
Screw supports	Deflection of floorboards	No need to disassemble the floor, does not require much effort	Quite expensive, not suitable for heavily loaded floors

Stretching the floor

Scheme of pulling floorboards

This method is used in cases where the creaking is caused by a loose fit of the flooring to the supporting joists, and the wood is in good condition. To secure the boards you will need self-tapping screws with an anti-corrosion coating and a diameter of 3.5 mm. The length of the screws should be 2 cm less than the total thickness of the floorboard and joists. To accurately determine this thickness, you need to carefully remove one board or baseboard and take measurements through the gap. You need to measure from the floor surface to the concrete base.

Step 1. Find areas of the floor that are not adjacent to the base. The location of the lags is determined by the caps in the board.

Step 2. 2-3 holes are drilled next to the nails so that the drill goes right through the floorboard and enters the joist 3/4 of its thickness. It is advisable to drill not vertically, but slightly at an angle, to increase the joint area and avoid splitting the board. The diameter of the hole should be 0.2-2 mm less than the diameter of the screw.

Step 3. Self-tapping screws are screwed into the prepared holes, recessing the caps into the wood by 1-2 mm.

After this, step on the board again and check whether a creak is heard. If the sound has become quieter or disappeared completely, strengthen all other problem areas in the same way, and then cover the recesses from the caps with waterproof putty.

Advice. There is no need to remove firmly seated nails, and protruding nail heads can simply be driven deeper into the boards. If the nails move freely inside the hole, it is not advisable to leave them in the boards.

Prices for wood screws

wood screws

Using wedges and wooden dowels

Very often, squeaking is caused by floorboards rubbing against each other. The boards dry out over time, become deformed, and cracks appear between them. This problem can be eliminated using wooden wedges or dowels.

1 option

They take wooden planks and plan the wedges to fit the slots. For short small gaps, it is more convenient to use small triangular wedges, but long and wide gaps need to be filled with longitudinal wedges of the appropriate size. The cracks are cleaned with something sharp to remove accumulated debris, and the floor surface is wiped with a rag.

Next, coat the wedges on all sides with wood glue and drive them between the boards with a mallet. The remaining gaps along the edges of the crack are covered with a mixture of wood glue and sawdust, in a ratio of 1:4. After the glue has dried, use a plane to remove the part of the wedge protruding above the floor, sand the surface and treat the boards with water-repellent impregnation.

Option 2

They find the problem area and drill a hole for a wooden dowel at the junction of the boards. The hole diameter is 8 mm, you need to drill at an angle of 40-45 degrees. The dowel is coated with wood glue, driven into the hole until it stops, the protruding part is cut off, and the surface is puttied. This method is quite effective, but is not suitable for damaged and heavily worn boards.

Using wooden dowels - diagram

If the floor creaks slightly and there are no large gaps in the cracks, you can pour talc or graphite powder. But this method is not suitable for steam rooms and washing rooms, where the powder will immediately be washed off with water.

Prices for wooden dowels

wooden dowels

If the cause of the creaking is a loose fit of the joists to the concrete base, the problem must be eliminated with the help of anchors.

Step 1. First, they find the problem area, determine the location of the supporting beam by the heads of the nails, step back 4-5 cm and drill a small hole in the board through hole.

Step 2. A piece of wire or a knitting needle is inserted into the hole until it touches the concrete and the distance from the floor surface to the screed is measured. Then add 3-4 cm. The resulting value is equal to the length of the anchor bolt that will secure the log.

Step 3. Using the heads of the nails as a guide, mark the board over the beam, preferably along its axis. Take a drill according to the diameter of the bolt and drill through the floorboard and joist, going 4 cm deep into the screed. After this, use a drill larger diameter make a recess in the board for the bolt head.

Step 4. Insert the anchor into the hole and tighten the bolt tightly, pulling the board and supporting beam to the base.

All the others are fixed in exactly the same way. problem areas, the recesses from the bolts are covered with waterproof putty to match the color of the floor. The hole for measuring the depth in the board is clogged with a mixture of wood dust and wood glue.

Anchor prices

Floor tightening

For old, worn floors, more than effective method- contraction, or bulkhead. It consists of replacing nails with self-tapping screws and carefully checking all wooden elements. The process itself is very labor-intensive, but the result is excellent.

Step 1. Remove the baseboards, then use a nail puller to dismantle the flooring. To make it easier to put the floorboards back, you should number them, marking the numbers with chalk. The nails remaining in the boards must be removed - they will not be needed here.

Advice. The nail puller may leave dents on the surface of the boards, so it is recommended to use a wooden backing at the point of support.

Step 2. After dismantling the flooring, all the joists are clearly visible, so you can easily inspect them. You should check the condition of each beam, the strength of the foundation underneath them, and their horizontal location one by one. Logs with signs of rot or large cracks must be removed and new ones installed in their place. It is imperative to measure the distance between the joists to know whether the pitch corresponds to the thickness of the boards. If necessary, additional beams are laid and leveled horizontally.

Step 3. If the logs were laid not on a screed, but on the ground using brick or concrete chairs, you need to make sure that the ground under them has not subsided. If settled areas or cracks are detected, part of the soil is removed from under the chair, slag or screenings are added, and concrete is poured. Such concrete pads will not allow the chairs to sag and will keep them at the desired level.

Step 4. Removed boards they also check for strength, replace rotten and cracked ones, small dents and cracks are covered with a mixture of wood glue and sawdust, in a ratio of 1:4.

Step 5. Once again check the location of the logs according to the level and begin laying the covering.

Since the boards were numbered, putting them back will not be difficult. Self-tapping screws must be screwed in at an angle, maybe into nail holes if they are not broken. Do not forget to leave a gap of 10-15 mm wide around the perimeter of the walls. If each stage is carried out efficiently, you will get rid of squeaking for many years.

Placing the boards together

This method is similar to the previous one, but has its differences. It is used in cases where the floor boards are still quite strong, but have noticeably shrunk, and wide cracks have appeared between them. To eliminate squeaking, the floorboards need to be fitted closely to each other, and the vacated space must be covered with new boards. During the work, you will need wooden wedges equal in thickness to the floor boards and construction staples.

Step 1. Remove the baseboards and pull the nails out of the floorboards.

Step 2. The first board is laid against the wall, leaving a gap of 10 mm, and screwed to the joists with self-tapping screws.

Step 3. The next 5-7 boards are laid near the first board, connecting them using the tongue-and-groove method.

Next, you need to secure the bracket to the joist: step back from the edge of the last board so much that you can insert two wedges with the narrow sides, and hammer the ends of the staple into the joist. In the same way, fix the bracket with wedges on another joist, and if the length of the floorboards is more than 4 m, then install a third fastener.

Step 4. Having fixed the wedges between the outer board and the bracket, hammer them on both sides with a hammer. This must be done carefully, making sure that the boardwalk does not bulge. As soon as the joints are compacted as much as possible, self-tapping screws are screwed into the floorboards at an angle, making sure to recess the caps into the wood. After this, the staples are pulled out, the wedges are removed and the next section of the floor is moved on.

Step 5. After joining the old boards together, a new board is laid in the resulting gap, adjusted at the joints, and fixed with self-tapping screws.

Professionals use special clamps instead of staples different types, but for one-time floor repairs it is not advisable to purchase such devices. You can use a regular screw jack, as well as clamps, for these purposes. After joining the floorboards, the squeak disappears completely and for a long time.

If the floor dries unevenly after bath procedures Some areas may deteriorate more than others. The same situation applies to those boards that are subject to more intense impact, for example, at the threshold. The floorboards bend, wear out, and begin to creak loudly underfoot. Self-tapping screws and dowels will not help here, and replacing the entire floor is too expensive. In this case, replacing damaged boards will help get rid of the squeak.

Step 1. Based on the heads of the nails in the board, determine the location of the logs. Calculate the approximate location of the edges of the beam, retreat 1-2 cm and drill a small through hole in the floorboard. They widen it slightly so that the jigsaw blade can pass through, and make a cross-section in the damaged board. Another cut is made from the other edge of the board.

Step 2. Since the floor is most often made from tongue and groove boards, pulling out the sawn part is not so easy. To simplify the task and not damage the ridges of adjacent boards, two additional longitudinal cuts are made in the floorboard, closer to the edges. Now the damaged board is pulled out, the remains of the floorboard with groove and tongue are removed, and the edges of the boards on the left and right are cleaned of sawdust and dust.

Step 3. Prepare a new board and insert it in place of the old one. The joints are adjusted, checked for clearance using the rule, then screwed to the joists with self-tapping screws. The heads of the screws are deepened by 1-2 mm and the recesses are filled with putty.

Foam filling

This method is one of the fastest and most convenient, although it is not used often. It can eliminate squeaks without much effort for about a couple of years, but the floor must be in good condition. So, if cracks have formed in the floor and a squeak appears, take ordinary polyurethane foam and blow the space under the floorboards through the crack. As the foam expands, it firmly fixes the loose boards, and the creaking disappears. When choosing this method, remember that the foam tends to shrink under loads, and the more intense they are, the faster the floors will begin to creak again.

Prices for polyurethane foam

polyurethane foam

Video - Eliminating floor squeaks with polyurethane foam

The boards may sag due to insufficient thickness or large spacing of the supporting beams. As a result of such deflections, an unpleasant squeak also appears. To eliminate it, you will need anchors, the length of which corresponds to the distance from the surface of the coating to the concrete base. If the base for the floor is compacted soil, this method doesn't fit. Anchors must be threaded to their full length, otherwise they will not be able to effectively hold the board.

Step 1. Use chalk to mark the location of the joists on the board so as not to catch them when drilling. Take a drill of a smaller diameter than a self-tapping screw and drill through the floorboard.

Step 2. The anchors must be screwed into the center of the deflection, at an equal distance from the joists. If the length of the deflection is more than 40 cm, you will need 2 anchors; if it is more than 60 cm, 3 screws per board. Anchors act as additional supports, eliminating deflections and, accordingly, creaks in the floor. When exposed to heavy loads, the ends anchor bolts The concrete is gradually worn away and can no longer support the floorboards.

Screw in the anchor, deepening the cap a couple of millimeters into the board. The recesses from the caps are covered with putty.

Video - Eliminating squeaks with self-tapping screws

The described methods do not require any special skills or professional equipment. All this can be done with your own hands in a matter of hours. Having selected the most best option, you can effectively and permanently eliminate unpleasant squeaks in wooden floors.

Video - How to eliminate squeaking wooden floors

All residents of old houses know the problem of squeaking. wooden floor on lags over time. This can happen for several reasons, but you can easily fix this problem yourself.

In this article we will tell you detailed instructions how to make a floor that doesn't creak.

Causes of squeaking

Creaking can be a result of incorrect installation technology or due to deformation of supporting elements and fasteners.

Namely:

• Weak fixation of boards is the most common problem the appearance of unpleasant sounds when walking. How to prevent floors from creaking? It will be sufficient to secure the boards tightly to the joists. It is better to do this with self-tapping screws, because the nails will weaken over time.
• Loose or improperly secured joist pads. Over time, they became unstable, and the floor began to “walk” when walking.
• Gaps between boards. If you laid wet wood, it could dry out with the change of season. The ends of the boards began to rustle against each other and make creaking noises.
• No temperature gap. If you laid the boards close to the walls without a 10 mm gap, then they could swell and swell. A small contact with the wall will be enough for a squeak to appear, even if you just drove a small wedge into the gap.
• Large distance between joists or thin boards.

Of course, the problem can arise from one or several of these reasons at the same time. Before you start doing anything, you need to determine the cause of the squeak. This can usually be done by visual inspection, and sometimes you will have to remove several boards to check the condition of the joists.

But what to do if the floor made of chipboard or plywood creaks? In addition to the reasons described above, its creaking can also cause friction between the sheets. The fact is that sheet materials They are attached to the floor with a small gap, which is then covered with wood putty if necessary.

Eliminating floor squeaks

We'll tell you what to do to prevent the floor from squeaking in most cases. After performing these operations, you will lose 90% of the sounds. At the same time, the price of such a house will cost only 400-600 rubles for the purchase of fasteners.

Screwing the floorboards

Previously, all boards were nailed, and in almost every old apartment Such floors have been lying for several decades without repair. Naturally, the nails have become loose, and it is necessary to replace them with a more advanced fastening - self-tapping screws.

Instructions for scrolling the floor:

• First of all, determine the thickness of the joists; to do this, drill a hole in the floor and measure the distance to the base. Or temporarily remove 1 floorboard. The screws will need to be taken approximately 1.5 cm shorter than the thickness of the floorboards and joists (together) so that they will almost completely scroll through them.

Advice!
To scroll you will need a powerful screwdriver with a good battery.
Cheap models will not be able to screw long screws into wood, or they will quickly shrink.

• If your screwdriver does not take screws, try drilling holes for them in advance. You don't have to remove old nails if the heads don't stick out too much.
• The logs themselves are approximately 60 cm apart from each other. To calculate the number of screws, multiply the number of joists by the number of boards in width. That is, at each point of contact between the log and the board there should be a tight fastening.
• Then everything is simple: screw all the boards tightly so that the screw heads do not stick out. We mark the places where the creak remains with a marker in order to further fix this place later.
• After this, you can level the surface by laying down plywood. It will also need to be tightly secured with self-tapping screws, in increments of approximately 15-20 cm. If you screw it less often, it will dangle.

Gaps between boards

If there are gaps between the boards, the next thing to do to prevent the floors from creaking is to fix them with wooden wedges.

For this:

• Plan out strips of suitable sizes from wood.
• Coat them with glue and drive them tightly into the gap.
• When the glue is dry, cut off the excess flush with the surface.

But the rail will constantly need to be sharpened to fit the size of the gap so that it fits tightly into it, so this method is not very good.

More convenient option is to use a cord instead of a batten.

• To do this, it is advisable to purchase a braided synthetic cord. It needs to be well soaked with wood glue or PVA. Using a punch or core, you need to insert the cord between the floorboards, approximately ½ of their thickness.
• Seal the remaining cracks on top with homemade putty made from a mixture of sawdust and PVA. The consistency of the mixture should be similar to thick sour cream.
• Putty is applied to the cracks in excess, and when it dries, the excess is cut off with a knife flush with the surface.

Repair of conventional floorboards

What should you do if the floors in your apartment creak not from a special tongue-and-groove board, but from a regular one? In this case, the floorboards sag greatly under load, because the neighboring elements do not support them in any way.

To fix this problem, you will need to tie the boards together.

Required long drill and wooden dowels.

• Use a drill to drill a hole in the floorboard at a wide angle so that it extends to the adjacent board.
• Lubricate the dowel with PVA glue and drive it into the hole. It should go about halfway into each of the boards.
• We drill a second hole in the opposite direction in the adjacent board after about 20-30 cm. This is done so that the dowels support the boards, just like tongue and groove ones.

Temperature gap

We check for a 10 mm temperature gap around the perimeter and near pipes and doors. If we find driven wedges under the baseboards, be sure to remove them. If there is no temperature gap or it is small, you need to dismantle the outer boards and cut them to width, and then fasten them in place.

Loose logs

If you find that your joists are installed unstable, then most likely you will need to re-lay the entire floor covering of your apartment or house. If the problem occurs only in one place, then it can be solved locally - by removing the sheathing and placing new gaskets under the joists or the boards themselves.

Note!
The joists should lie freely on the pads; they should not be nailed or fixed to the floor.
This will only worsen the sound insulation.

Board thickness and lag laying pitch

The sounds may be coming from excessive bending of the boards when walking. This may be caused by the thickness of the boards being too small and the spacing of the joists being laid too large.

Measure your dimensions and compare them with the data in the table. In case of large deviations, it will be necessary to completely redo the coating and make intermediate boards to ensure normal rigidity of the structure.

But you can temporarily solve the problem by screwing additional supports between the joists.

• To do this, you will need to buy screws with large threads that will securely hold the floorboards.
• Their length must be greater than or equal to the distance from finishing surface to the concrete base.
• A hole is drilled with a smaller diameter than the screw. The distance to the concrete base is then measured and the screw is cut to that length.
• Then the screw is screwed in until it hits the concrete floor. This way it will support the sagging boards.
  

Conclusion

Please note that there is no point in applying a topcoat to squeaky floors. Even a thick laminate will not save you from these sounds, and they will only increase later. Simple flooring won't help either. The video in this article shows in practice what to do to prevent floors from creaking." width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen">

The larger the screw support area, the longer it will last. There is no need to screw in the sharp tips; they will quickly rub through the concrete.

Conclusion

Please note that there is no point in applying a topcoat to squeaky floors. Even a thick laminate will not save you from these sounds, and they will only increase later. Simple flooring won't help either. The video in this article shows in practice what to do to prevent floors from squeaking.

Wood floors are beautiful and eco-friendly, but they have one significant drawback. Over time, they cause many problems with their creaking. There are several options for what to do to prevent wooden floors from creaking in your house or apartment. The simplest of them is nothing. The creaking of the floor does not affect the strength of the structures, so nothing interferes with the operation of the room. This is an option for lazy owners who are willing to put up with minor inconveniences. If you want to fight the squeak, you need to start by finding out the cause.

Causes of squeaking

Various causes of squeaking wood floors

The main reason why a wooden floor creaks is the deformation of the boards, their displacement and friction against each other. Deformations always occur over time. There may be several reasons for this:

1. Natural aging process. Nothing can be done about the fact that the properties of the material deteriorate over time. This process always occurs for any material. But for raw materials natural origin a little faster than for synthetic ones. The aging of wood can only be slowed down by protection from all possible negative influences.
2. Violation of installation technology. When constructing a wooden floor along joists around the perimeter of the wall, a gap must be provided to allow the boards to expand unhindered under the influence of temperature changes and load. If this gap is not provided during expansion, the boards will fit tightly to each other and friction will arise, causing creaking.
3. Drying of wood. Normal wood humidity for building structures- 12%. At low air humidity this value decreases and the boards decrease in size. Such a violation of the design can also lead to creaking.
4. Violation of fastening technology. If the fastening is poor, the nails come out under load. If the fastening is not secure, all elements of the floor pie become loose and a creaking sound appears. If you don’t take action in time, it won’t be limited to just creaks, and eventually the entire structure will collapse.
5. High indoor air humidity. The process is the reverse of drying. Wood reacts very strongly to changes in the indoor microclimate. If the humidity exceeds the standard, the boards begin to swell and expand. Friction leads to squeaking.

All these reasons are related to the characteristics of the material. Eliminating them is almost impossible (except for technology violations).

Careful treatment can be done to prevent protective compounds and maintain constant recommended indoor humidity.

But this will not prevent aging. In addition, maintaining constant humidity is an extremely labor-intensive undertaking.

Solutions to the problem

Before you remove the creaking of a wooden floor, you need to choose the most suitable way to do this. The problem can be resolved by doing the following:

Polyurethane foam is not durable, so it can only fix the boards temporarily

The composition is able to penetrate even the most small cracks, filling them out. Even those who have never dealt with repair work can make repairs using polyurethane foam. To eliminate creaking in this way, you need to follow the procedure:

• take polyurethane foam in a container;
• insert the tube into the space between the ceiling and the flooring boards;
• squeeze out required amount material;
• wait for it to dry.

Creaking is eliminated by fixing wooden elements. Polyurethane foam is a rather weak material, so it can only fix the boards temporarily. Afterwards, repairs will be required again.

Tamping wedges

Such repairs can only be made if the floor boards are slightly worn. If the damage to the flooring is severe, actions will be ineffective.

To solve the problem, wooden wedges are made. They are driven between the boards in emergency places. The elements will prevent movement and friction of the boards.

Fastening to anchors

The principle of attaching anchors to eliminate creaking on the floor

This method of fixing floor boards will eliminate squeaking on concrete floors.

Metal anchors require reliable fastening, which cannot be ensured wooden floor. The disadvantages of this method include its high cost. Repairs must be made in the following order:

• using a hammer drill or a drill, a hole is prepared in the ceiling;
• a dowel is installed in the hole;
• the anchor is driven in without disassembling it into parts;
• I fix the floor boards to the fixed anchor bolt.

Using self-tapping screws

Options for eliminating squeaks on the floor

The use of self-tapping screws is suitable if the creaking area is located between the flooring boards and the joists located underneath them. The most difficult task in this case, determine the location of the joists without dismantling the floor. This should be done in this order:

• dismantle the baseboards around the perimeter of the room;
• determine the direction of the log;
• on the walls located across the joists, their location is marked with long and thin metal rods;
• The rods inserted on both sides are connected with a cord, thus creating markings for work.

Self-tapping screws are needed 2-3 cm less than the total thickness of the boards, flooring and joists. This can be determined by placing a thin metal ruler in the gap between the boards. Next, you need to fix the floor structures with self-tapping screws along the stretched cord. Fastening is carried out using 2-3 self-tapping screws located close to the center of the log. Fastening should be done with the same step.

Laying plywood

Before you eliminate the creaking of a wooden floor with plywood, you need to make sure it is even. If the base is uneven, this method is not suitable. Plywood sheets are selected with a thickness of at least 12 mm. The plywood is laid out on the boards and attached to them with self-tapping screws. The fastening pitch is 15-20 cm.

Replacement of sections

The event is labor-intensive and quite expensive. Suitable for cases where the boards are severely damaged and the use of other methods is pointless. The floor in places where there is creaking is opened, dismantled and replaced with a new one. It is recommended to abandon nails as fasteners, as they can again lead to squeaking. Self-tapping screws are used.

The process of eliminating squeaks using plywood

Carrying out the necessary and correctly chosen repair measures will allow you to forget about the creaking of the floor for a long time and ensure comfortable living.

Especially when it comes to wooden materials.

There are several reasons for this problem, but if desired, it can be easily dealt with on your own.

One of the most important reasons is the deformation of the material while the drying process is underway.

If initially the humidity was more than 12 percent, then over time warping cannot be avoided.

Lack of optimal performance often leads to this.

There are other reasons that lead to this:

• The strength of connections has been reduced. Gradually fasteners are starting to loosen. At the same time, the tightness of the individual parts made of wood begins to decrease.
• Reducing the gap connecting the boards to the walls. Even a small friction force is enough to cause a squeak to appear.
• The appearance of rot and fungus. They appear where there is constant support high level humidity. As a result, the material continues to deform further.
• The rigidity of the structure was weakened. The free movement of parts relative to each other begins if their fit remains free.

The creaking also appears due to mistakes that were made during. Of the most common, it is worth noting:

• A situation where the logs are installed incorrectly, and between load-bearing beams too much distance is being created.
• The choice of thickness regardless of the operating conditions.

The algorithm for subsequent actions to correct the problem is chosen depending on what the cause was.

Tools and accessories

Variety repair work determines what kind of devices will be needed in the future. The minimum list of tools will consist of:

• Drills. Needed to create holes.
• Marker or chalk. Other types help to mark places where additional fastenings are required.
• Axe. Will be needed when adjusting beams or wedges. Otherwise, they will not be able to boast the correct, appropriate size.
• Hammer. Fixes individual elements if nails are used together with it.
• Hacksaws for sawing board linings.
• A nail puller, without which it is impossible to understand how to prevent the floors from creaking in the apartment.

You may also need additional devices such as cement or a mixture for plastering works, glue or dry wood, screws, bars.

What methods to use

Completely going through a floor built on a wooden base is the longest and takes the most effort.

It is chosen if too many defects appear on the surface.

And if they cannot be gotten rid of by carrying out only local work.

In this situation, a full check of the elements that have been damaged becomes mandatory.

If necessary, they are replaced with new ones. If the floor is laid on concrete base, then the procedure will look like this :

• They start by securing the lag to the base from. To do this, you need to take a drill with a drill bit for working with wooden base. And a hammer drill. Thanks to these tools, holes are created with the most accurate, suitable dimensions.
• Then you need to drive the anchor into the hole using a hammer. The part needs to be opened.
• After that it fits itself batten. We use a hacksaw, or electric jigsaw so that there is no connection with, near which the structure is fixed.
• We fix the floorboards on the joists. Self-tapping screws are used for this. The hats must be recessed until they are level with the floor itself.

It’s easier to get rid of the problem without disassembling the structure. It is suitable for both regular boards and for parquet floors.

We work with regular wooden floors

Wooden wedges can be used if creaking occurs due to the fact that the boards are poorly secured or deformation of some areas. Wedges are driven into the space between the floorboards. This helps eliminate friction, even minimal friction.

If the damage is more serious, then self-tapping screws are used for additional fastening.

• First you need to identify the areas that have become sources of unpleasant sound. They are marked with ordinary chalk.
• Next are the areas where the logs are located. The nails in the entire structure are taken as a guide. Or you can remove the boards that are in the extreme position.
• Holes are drilled in the floorboards, with a pitch of no more than 15 centimeters between parts. Compared to self-tapping screws, the diameter of these holes should be 1-2 millimeters smaller.
• It is easy to screw the boards to the joists if you have a screwdriver or drill with an appropriate attachment on hand. The caps should be recessed, but only slightly.

If the cause of the creaking is poor fixation of the lags, then the latter require additional fastening. To do this, take anchors made from.

The method is known to be effective, but it is also labor-intensive. And it is used if the base of the coating itself is made of concrete. 1 meter is the minimum distance at which anchors should be located from each other.

The use of high-power drills and rotary hammers facilitates the work. Thanks to special equipment, holes are drilled through the material, special efforts not included.

What to do with parquet

Parquet is one of the types of wooden floors.

Over time, an unpleasant squeak may also appear inside this material.

Repairs must be carried out point by point, since the coating itself consists of separate parts.

Work begins with determining the place in which they appear. unpleasant sounds.

Deformed areas are marked so as not to get confused about their location later. Only after this do they move on to the next operations for which a syringe will be needed large volume without needle, cement with:

• A hole is drilled in the middle of the creaking plank, very carefully.
• Creation cement mortar with the same consistency as milk.
• Place the mixture inside the syringe. Afterwards, check the force and extrusion process.
• Diluting with water will help cope with the high density of the mixture. A small amount of cement is usually added to the liquid one.
• The next step is to immerse the syringe into the hole with preliminary preparation. Then they proceed to pouring the solution itself, in small doses. The air is not able to escape if you do not take breaks while performing actions.
• The hole must be filled entirely; until this point, filling continues. Those who are interested in how to prevent floors from squeaking using foam can act in approximately the same way.

All you have to do is wait until the material dries completely. And then you need to make sure that the creaking has disappeared. The surface is sealed with mastic or a special putty for wooden bases.

This is necessary so that no trace remains of the work done that may be noticeable to prying eyes. Final stage– polishing.

Polyurethane adhesive can become an excellent alternative for cement mortar when performing this type.

Polyurethane foam sometimes they are also used to fill the space under damaged planks and strengthen the structure. But this is usually only a temporary measure.

It is not recommended to immediately work on all areas that produce squeaking. You can begin working on the following elements only after the effectiveness of the method on the previous ones has been verified. Sometimes it becomes necessary to completely re-lay the parquet if the squeaking does not go away.

Watch the video on what to do if the floor creaks: