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CUSTOMER QUESTIONS
"We are currently building a new home and the hardwood is being installed. We noticed that even though a silent-floor system was used, the hardwood creaks in certain spots. They tell us that the new oak harwdood needs to settle. There were no squeaks on the subfloor prior to the hardwood. Is this true about new hardwood needing to settle and if not, is there anything that can be done?"
Response:
I assume the house was dry inside, and at normal living conditions regarding environment. Also that the flooring was in the house for several days prior to commencing installation. I did an installation recently. I installed plywood and then the new floor. I instructed the owner about acclimatizing the floor, which is the entire reason I took it in a number of days before installation started. The house was empty, and every time I turned up the heat to 70F, I would come in the next day to find the furnace off, even though it got rather cool at night.
After installing the back room, I notice a couple of days later that the floor crackled when I walked on it! Very strange! Then I noticed the finish in that back room very slow to dry. This slow drying followed me through all 3 coats, but not on the front rooms of the house. There had to be a reason! I went down the basement. It was freezing down there. That cold, damp air was coming up under the new flooring. The finish in the front of the house dried only because it was all windows and the sun was heating up the surface of the wood. (This was not desirable either). So, what I am saying is, your problem could be environmental, and if so, it likely will settle down.
Have a question you'd like answered? Send it to:
Damion@free-flooring.com
Originally posted at Face Lift Floors.com
Used with Permission - do not copy
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THIS ISSUE'S TOPIC
Finishing up an excellent resource from HandymanUSA. Enjoy!
Squeaky Stairs Covered w/Carpet
All of the stairs in my house are squeaky and covered in carpet. What is the easiest, cheapest and most effective way to reduce/eliminate the squeak?
For stairs where you have access to their underneath, the easiest and best way is to drive small wedges of wood into all the cracks and crevices between the treads and the risers and stringers. If you can find cedar shingles they are easy to break and being tapered, they make good wedges.If you don't have access from underneath...as we usually don't... it is not to easy...There is a product out there (you can order on line) that appears to solve the problem.. used for carpeted areas and to stop squeaky floors. It is called Mr. Squeaky. It is a screw that breaks off just below the floors surface and the carpet covers the hole. You can try that. Or you can use nails.. nail the squeaky treads down using finishing nails (8 penny will probably do) then using a counterpunch.. drive their heads down into the wood, below the carpet. You will want to find where it squeaks and then nail that tread into the riser at the front or angled in to the back or sides if the squeak is coming from the side or back. Have the biggest person you know stand on the stair when you are nailing it. Be sure to countersink the nails to keep the heads from sticking up into your carpet.
More on Mr. Squeeeky and Alternative Squeak Elimination Methods
In a reply dated April 19/99 regarding squeaky floors you referred to a product called Mr. Squeaky. Can you tell me if this is still available. I am unable to get the web site and want to know more about the product - such as price and where it is available. - Also if it is available in Canada.
In regards to the reference to Mr. Squeeky, Home Depot and Lowes has the product for 19.95. It includes the jig, screw driver bit, special stud finding screw, 50 prescored screws and good instructions. If anyone using the product is unsure, they should try it on a piece of scrap wood, carpet over wood, vinyl over wood, etc. first.
Creaky Hardwood Floors; Underside Access Difficult
We recently had our refinished, but they still creek quite a bit, including the stairs. If the underside of the floor and stairs are pretty difficult to get to (without opening holes were there aren't any), Do you have any suggestions as to how we might stop the squeaking, or at least cut some of it out?
I have never tried this. I have heard of it... and it is an inexpensive shot in the dark. If there are open cracks between the boards.. try dusting it with baking soda and working it in. the idea being, it provides a sort of lubricant that keeps the squeak of the wood rubbing against wood down.
Ok.. don't laugh. But it might work. And since I have no other solutions to offer.. I give you that one.
Squeaky Carpeted Floor; No Access from Below
I have a short hall way main bath on right and on the left I have two closets (The house is a rancher with craw space.) The floor in front of the closets squeaks bad when ever there is weight shifted on the floor it squeaks so bad it can wake you up at night. About 6 months we installed new Burbor Carpet through out the house. So how can I take care of the squeak ,also I am disabled and can not get under the house myself ,so is there anything I can do in the hall way to cure my problem.
There is a product designed JUST for floors with carpets and no access from below. It was called Mr. Squeeeky. Now there is a similar product that works as well (I am told) using the same idea. It is a nail you drive in from above, and breaks off just below the floors surface.. the hole would hide perfectly in your carpet. I have never used it.. but I have checked out the web site. It looks perfectly functional to me.
Fixing Vinyl-Covered Squeaky Floors w/Wedges?
I have squeaky floors that have vinyl flooring over them. They squeak loud enough to wake the dead. I heard about a solution by going under the crawl space and using "wedges" to stop the squeaks ,however, I haven't a clue what it meant or how to do it. can you help?
If you have access to the floor from the basement below, then you can attack your squeaks. The wedges would be small wedges of wood (cedar shakes work well) that you can jam as tight as possible into any spaces that exist between the joists and the subfloor above them. There are other approaches as well... screwing the floor down to the joist by screwing up through the joist into the subfloor. You need to be very careful that the screw doesn't go through the underlayment and poke out the vinyl. But this is probably the best fix since you can pull all the layers down tight against each other. The squeaks are caused by the movement of the wood where it is loose..
New House Has Squeaky Floors
I had a new house built about 9 months ago and the floors get more and more squeaks every day. If I get the contractor to repair one then three more show up. Is there any way to fix them right?
Done correctly, the subfloor and underlayment are nailed down with resin coated nails that resist pulling out, or screws. Also gluing the subfloor to the joists helps ensure they won't squeak. What did your builder do?
Permanent Fix for Inferior Joists and Flooring Squeaks
I have a 2-yr. old house, which is built cheap (all the joists spans are barely to code). The floors squeak badly and wonder what I can do to prevent this??? Joists are solid wood. Floors are PLY and glued to the joists.
The floors squeak because your floor was not properly secured to the joists in the first place (as you discovered)and the wood floor is inferior in quality.
The only permanent solution to your problem is to remove your floor covering and either SCREW in your floor to the joists or put in a new sub floor, which in your case would probably be the only answer.
You better check out the other structure aspects of your house, because chances are the poor quality continues in other areas of your house.
P.S. My first house was like the one you describe. I learned to become house and repair savvy after being in this house...hard lessons.
Stopping Squeaks Caused by Inferior Building
The second level floors of my home squeak. This home was built 10 years ago, single sheet plywood used, nails not screws, and yes.... I'm sure the builder failed to include glue. Short of ripping up the carpeting and plywood is there anything I can do?
You probably are going to have to move some carpeting. Pull it back in the worst spot(s), try some drywall screws into the joists, see if it helps and go from there.
Squeaks Caused by Poor Construction?
I've read all the previous threads about fixing squeaky floors by drawing the subfloor down from underneath, shimming, or using breakaway type screws from above. Sounds good enough, but I don't think it will solve my problem. You see, something else is missing.
I too have a very squeaky floor and in many places, "Loud enough to wake you up at night" was the comment, I think. I inspected my floor system and found some other things that may be contributing to the problem:
- The builder didn't use solid blocking between the joists over the girder.
- The builder didn't use double joists underneath some of the interior walls or the kitchen cabinetry.
- There is no solid bridging or cross bridging between any joists despite the 15-ft span.
- I don't see any indication that an adhesive was used when laying the subfloor.
- The builder didn't leave any gaps between the subfloor panels.
Before I go about fixing it:
- Aren't their building codes for such issues?
- How can I find out what code was in effect when the house was built? (11 years ago)
- Can a builder, or inspector, or the previous owner be held liable for the repairs? Any advice?
Call your town's building inspector and ask what code homes are built to in your town/city. You can ask specifically about the items you're mentioned. But, I believe you will find that solid blocking isn't required ,(is any blocking installed?)
You will find that double joists are not required except along openings such as stairs. In addition, gluing down subfloors and going the extra steps to ensure a quiet floor are not required and only done by builders providing a quality job. The codes ensure things are safe, not necessarily quiet.
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