Whether you have a hardwood floor in the upstairs or the basement, you will surely experience the squeaky noise.
The sound of the squeaky wood floor is irritating. Even worse, it may wake up your sleeping baby as it makes the shit sound.
No matter what the scenario is, you want to silent the squeak noise by all means.
Fortunately, repairing the creek hardwood floor is not that difficult. You can do this task without hiring a plumber to make your wood surface squeak no more.
In this guide on how to fix squeaky hardwood floors, we will walk you through the step-by-step process to silence your noisy flooring.
5 Simple Hacks on How to Fix a Squeaky Hardwood Floor
Fixing the squeaky wood floor is effortless, and you don’t need to hire a plumber. From this chapter, we break down 5 simple DIY repairing methods to silent the squeaky wood floor. Without further ado, let’s jump into the point straight.
1. Isolate the squeak area and fill the gap
What step you will take depends on where the squeaky noise comes from.
So, how do you identify the squeak spot? It’s simple.
Call a friend to walk on the squeaky area while you are in the basement to check if you can isolate where the squeak is. If the creaky sound comes from between the joist and subfloor, slide a shim between them to fill the gap.
On the other hand, if it’s come from between the subfloor and hardwood floor above, you can pass a drywall screw through the subfloor. It helps to pull the wood tight against the subfloor.
Then, create a hole through the subfloor by drilling. In return, the screw can bite only the hardwood and stop the squeaky noise.
2. Sprinkle Talcum Powder
The most quick fix for squeaky wood floors is to sprinkle Talcum powder over the creaky floorboards.
And the best part of using the Talcum powder is- you don’t require any tools. It means you can effortlessly fix the annoying sound using it.
Keep in mind; the noise you hear from the hardwood floor is not because of floor ups and down on the subfloor. It’s because two or three wood planks are rubbing against each other.
So, sprinkling the Talcum powder can easily fix that issue.
First off, spread the powder over the offending boards. Then, fill the crack by sweeping the powder into it.
To make the process faster, you can walk over the squeaky area to seep the powder into the crack.
Continue to add the powder until the noise disappears completely. You can also fill the crack by melting some wax.
3. Try out a little bit of caulk or low expansion foam
Another best way to fix the wood floor squeaky noise is- applying caulk or low expansion foam.
Before using any of them, first, figure out the squeaky area. In this case, let someone walk around your upstairs. In the meanwhile, go to your basement and identify the affected area.
If the sound comes from the joist and subfloor, use caulk or low expansion foam to fill the gap.
As the caulk is a type of adhesive, it puts together the joist and subfloor and prevents them from moving around. In this way, it stops or silent the creaky sound.
4. Repair the nails
Nails that hold the subfloor and joist in place may come loose is another possible reason for the squeaking sound.
When the nail slides out of the nail holes, it creates a gap between the subfloor and joist.
So, when you walk on the gap, the bodyweight forces the nail back down, and at the same time, it forces the nail to back its original hole. In return, it makes the squeak sound by rubbing against the wood.
Firstly, identify the source of the creaky sound by letting someone walk around the floor. Then, fill the gap by shimming it out. You can also add glue to keep the shim in place for a couple of years.
Alternatively, you can repair the nails by replacing one to avoid the annoying squeaky sound.
5. Try out wd40 for squeaky floors
Perhaps, you know about WD-40 as it helps to stop the squeaky sound of the door hinge. As it can fix the creaky door sound, the WD-40 can also repair the squeaky floors.
Like Talcum powder, you should also add the WD-40 in the gap between the subfloor and joist. But make sure you add a small amount of it to avoid the potential damage to the wood floor.
Sprinkling it over the affected area, the WD-40 lubricates the friction point and stops the annoying sound.
However, this is not a permanent solution as it doesn’t last for a long time. Remember, you need to add this until it stops the squeaky sound.
FAQs about Squeaky Hardwood Floors
Why is my hardwood floor making popping noises?
Change of the humidity level is the most common reason behind the popping noise of your hardwood floor.
How do I stop my hardwood floors from squeaking?
First off, find out the source of the squeaking area by letting your friend walk around the floor. Then, fill the gap between joist and subfloor by adding a shim. Or you can use Talcum powder to fill the gap. In this way, you can stop your hardwood floors from squeaking.
What screws to use for squeaky floors?
Drywall screws are generally used for squeaky floors.
Conclusion
So, how do you fix squeaky wood floors?
We break down everything on the above on how to fix squeaky hardwood floors. Following each of the methods, you can effortlessly stop the annoying noise.
And the best part is- every fixing process we share is easy to follow. Also, you don’t require any tools to solve the issue.
Now, it’s your turn.
Apply any DIY fixing methods or each of them to fix the squeaky wood floor. Then, leave a comment below to let us know which process works the best for you.