How to Repair a Squeaking Hardwood Floor

Repair a squeaking hardwood floor before the problem escalates.

A squeaky hardwood floor is more than just an annoyance. Squeaks happen when floorboards are not securely attached to the beams below, which are called "joists." Either the floorboards have buckled and moved away from the joists, or the joists are sagging. When someone steps on the loose spot, the floorboards move against each other, causing a squeak. Left unchecked, raised floorboards become a tripping hazard and sagging joists turn into a structural problem.

Things You'll Need

• Sticky notes
• Power drill
• 10d Finishing Nails
• Hammer
• Nail set
• Putty knife
• Wood patching putty
• Measuring tape
• Saw
• 2-by-4-inch piece of wood
• Construction adhesive
• 2-inch wood screws

Instructions

Locating the Problem

1. Walk around the hardwood floor, placing a sticky note anywhere the floor squeaks when you step on it. Inspect the floorboards to see if they have come loose from the joists below.

2. Go to the room below the squeaking floor. Have a helper step on the squeaking parts of the floor and locate the corresponding joists from the sound. Remove insulation to expose the floor joists, if necessary. If the joists are covered by a finished ceiling, concentrate on repairing the floor from above.

3. Inspect the exposed joists to see if they are sagging away from the subfloor above.

Repair Buckled Floorboards

1. Drill a small pilot hole in the raised or buckled floorboard.

2. Hammer a 10d nail into the pilot hole, being careful not to hit the floorboard with the hammer. When the nail is almost flush with the floorboard, place the tip of a nail set on the nail head and tap the nail set with the hammer until the nail head is below the surface of the wood.

3. Cover the nail head with wood patching putty, applied with a putty knife. Let the putty dry according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Repair Sagging Floor Joists

1. Measure the sagging area and cut a 2-by-4-inch piece of wood to be one foot longer than the sagging area.

2. Apply construction adhesive to one of the 2-inch edges of the wood.

3. Place the board next to the sagging joist with the adhesive facing the subfloor above. Drive screws through the 2-by-4-inch piece of wood into the floor joist, every 4 inches.

Tips & Warnings

• If you can't access your floorboards and nailing the floorboards doesn't fix the squeak, work wood glue between the boards with a putty knife, filling the gap between the floorboard and the joist.

• If your floor joists have been damaged by rot, insects or mold, contact a contractor who can assess and repair the damage.

References

• "Chix Can Fix"; Norma Vally; 2006
• Dan Vandervort's Home Tips: How to Fix a Squeaky Wood Floor