How to get rid of a wooden creak. What to do if wooden floors creak. Why does the wood floor creak?

31.10.2019

For a home master who does not have a building education and experience, information becomes relevant why a wooden floor creaks, usually after several years of operation. The reason is the lack of a stable geometry of the structure, the loosening of its individual elements, leading to a decrease in strength.

The design of a wooden floor (rough or floor covering) is completely maintainable, so you can get rid of the creak in any case, but using various technologies.

Before you remove the creak of a wooden floor in an apartment or house on your own, you need to understand the causes of the sounds. A creak occurs due to the friction of individual structural elements with each other:

Finally, logs or beams can rot in separate areas, part of the boardwalk attached to them touches neighboring boards attached to sections of the bar that has retained the spatial geometry.

Important! If the floor creaks due to the boards bending underfoot (they touch each other), then a major overhaul (dismantling) of the boardwalk will be required. You will either have to reduce the step of the lag, or increase the thickness of the board.

There are several ways to get rid of a squeak, depending on the purpose of the floor (groove board finish or subfloor edged board), its design and the hardware used (nail or self-tapping screw).

Solutions

To get rid of the creak of a wooden floor on your own, you need to restore its design according to the technology:

any lumber can change geometry (drying, warping) with a change in humidity, therefore, it is necessary to treat with an antiseptic and periodically impregnate with the same liquid during operation;
the logs must be rigidly fixed to the base, and the boards must be tightly pressed against them with self-tapping screws or nails with a screw notch;
it is forbidden to use wooden wedges to level the log in the horizontal level; TWO polymer wedges with a corrugated surface should be used as a set;
the laying step of the lag should be calculated depending on the operational loads and the thickness of the board of the rough / finishing floor in order to avoid critical deflections;
each board must be fastened with two self-tapping screws to one log to ensure a stable position in the transverse direction.

Advice! The most difficult option is the dismantling of the flooring and its re-laying after the revision of the lumber. In order not to open the floors completely to provide access to rotten bars, holes and hatches can be cut down.

In other words, all methods of getting rid of floorboard creaking come down to additional fixing of wooden elements to each other with self-tapping screws, pins or wedging. More rarely, the internal cavity is foamed to provide a large supporting surface, or sheet materials are laid on top of the plank flooring, distributing point loads evenly over its entire area.

Fixing with screws/anchors

If the home master does not know what to do to eliminate the creak, the method of additional fixation of the boards to the lags is most often intuitively applied. Such a scheme is suitable only for fully preserved logs with normal support on the base. If the logs hang on the boards (the wedges flew out, the lumber dried up) or partially rotted, this technology will not bring results.

In addition, when fixing the flooring elements, the features of the hardware should be taken into account:

self-tapping screw with incomplete thread - presses the tongue to the lags without a gap, since the smooth part "falls" into the hole made by the threaded part of the hardware;
self-tapping screw with full thread - rigidly fixes the position of the board relative to the log with an existing gap, since the engagement force is very high, both inside the wood of the log and the board.

Therefore, there are three ways to fix the boardwalk elements with self-tapping screws:

Important! The last two methods are less reliable than the first, so they are used in emergency cases.

It is impossible to drown the screw heads into hardwoods; it is necessary to make a "sink" with a countersink. To do this, you can use a similar self-tapping screw, cutting off the head with a hand engraver (1.5 - 2 cm in length) and making inclined notches like a cutter with the same tool.

Coating contraction

The floorboards are laid close to each other, have a thickness of 2 - 5 cm. Therefore, by compressing the dried material with each other in separate areas, it is possible to increase the rigidity of the horizontal structure and eliminate creaking at no additional cost. There are two methods for this:

Important! In both cases, existing nails or self-tapping screws must be removed from the boards prior to screeding to allow the deck members to move horizontally.

wedging

If the defective area is far from the wall, it is difficult to pull off the wooden floors in the previous way. Therefore, the floorboards are wedged in place according to the technology:

the floorboard is processed with sandpaper;
a rail of the desired width and length is selected, its lower edge is sharpened with a wedge;
the rail is coated with PVA glue, driven in with a wooden mallet;
the upper plane is processed by a planer, then polished.

As a result, the boards are tightly pressed against each other, the point applied loads are distributed over a large surface, the lamellas stop “walking”, the sounds disappear.

Foaming and squirting

With a sufficiently strong foundation on which the logs are laid, experts recommend the following way to eliminate creaking in the boardwalk:

a through hole with a diameter of 5 - 6 mm is drilled in the board;
through it, the internal cavity near the defective area is filled between the lags with mounting foam;
after drying, the foam turns into a supporting pad, dramatically increasing the bearing area.

The technique is suitable for emergency cases, but does not have high reliability for a number of reasons:

when loads are applied, the foam shrinks under the board, the creak returns after a while;
filling closed cavities is fraught with bulging of the floor covering / subfloor outward, since it is necessary to leave at least 1/3 of the space for the secondary expansion of the foam when it hardens;

Important! Unlike home insulation, it is better to use household mounting foam in the floors. Its density is higher, and the thermal insulation characteristics in this case do not matter.

The injection method is more reliable when instead of polyurethane foam the cavity is filled with an air-curing adhesive (epoxy and polymer resins).

But this method is suitable for filling small cavities, since epoxy is quite expensive.

Plywood flooring, chipboard

Another, but with many limitations, way to eliminate the creak of a wooden floor inside a dwelling is sheet material flooring:

The main disadvantages of the technology are:

if the plywood joint falls on a creaking board, this will only aggravate the situation;
wood-based boards are expensive, increase the repair budget;
plywood and chipboard are not facing materials, so additional decoration is required.

Therefore, plywood flooring is rarely used to eliminate boardwalk creaking.

Dowel fastening

The grooved board is joined along the length in adjacent rows by locking joints. At edged board there is no sheet pile, so its geometry is more susceptible to changes with changes in humidity. Therefore, information is useful for the home master on how to make a dowel connection to correct the indicated defect:

in adjacent boards is made blind hole at 45 degrees;
cylindrical wood detail- the dowel is coated with glue and hammered into this hole;
the operation is repeated in the opposite direction, as in the lower diagram;
after the glue dries, the dowels are cut along the plane of the board.

Important! The quality of the joint depends on the immobility of the boards relative to each other at the time of drilling.

Replacement of boards and lag

With significant physical wear, it is necessary to replace all the lumber so that the logs and boards do not creak:

This is the most expensive option, you will need to take out all the furniture from the room and dismantle the trim.

Preventing squeaking when laying a wooden floor

It is possible to avoid the occurrence of unpleasant sounds from the friction of wood against wood or metal at the stage of installing the boardwalk. To do this, it is enough to lay absorbent material on top of the log and apply the adjustable floor technology.

Noise isolation on lags

The home master will not have to disassemble the boardwalk if the logs are cut off from the edged / tongue-and-groove board:

At the same time, the acoustics of the ceiling will be further improved, and protection against getting wet will be provided.

Adjustable floor technology

Without experience, it is very difficult to figure out why a tongue-and-groove flooring board or subfloor flooring turned out to be creaky. Therefore, manufacturers produce an adjustable floor system, in which the likelihood of third-party sounds is reduced:

logs are mounted on studs passed through the bar;
they are carved in a single horizontal level;
the protruding threaded part is cut off by the angle grinder.

Lumber absorbs less moisture, provides natural ventilation, there is no rigid fixation of wood to concrete. Even if boards that are incorrectly fixed to the joists begin to creak, it is much easier to repair defective areas, since you do not need to open the entire floor.

Thus, the characteristic creak of the boardwalk can be eliminated with your own hands by additionally screwing in self-tapping screws, foaming the internal space under it, wedging, or other indicated methods.

Advice! If you need repairmen, there are very convenient service according to their choice. Just send in the form below detailed description work that needs to be done and offers with prices from construction teams and firms will come to your mail. You can see reviews of each of them and photos with examples of work. It's FREE and there's no obligation.

Almost no building is complete without such a functional element as a staircase. It can be main or auxiliary, entrance, front or internal, mid-flight or screw - a huge variety of options, including the material of manufacture. Since ancient times, gained great popularity wooden stairs. Their modern execution is so perfect that they are able to decorate with themselves almost any interior or exterior. In addition, wood is a natural, environmentally friendly material that can bring charm, warmth and comfort to the surrounding atmosphere. The article will discuss how to eliminate the creak of a wooden staircase.

Wood is one of the affordable, durable and reliable building materials, whose positive traits confirmed for centuries. And today, the oldest surviving staircase made of wood is more than 7 thousand years old.

But along with the huge advantages of wooden stairs, they have one significant drawback - during operation, there is a high probability of a creak.
As a rule, an unpleasant creaky sound appears when the ladder elements touch or rub against each other. Before understanding the reasons, you should consider the main structural parts of wooden stairs.

Basic structural elements

Paying attention to the huge number of all kinds of stairs made of wood, it seems that only their main function and material of manufacture are common between them. But, even considering that they are made according to individual projects and have many unique design solutions, their design still consists of the same basic elements.

The basis of the structure - load-bearing elements

The supporting elements include two types of beams, which differ in the way steps are fixed on them. The choice of a particular type of construction depends on the personal preferences of the inhabitants of the house or apartment, as well as on the parameters of the room in which the installation of the stairs is planned, first of all, this concerns the interfloor height and the width of the opening into which the wooden product is installed.

Kosour- an inclined bar made of durable wood. A comb is sawn or cut out along its upper part, on which steps are installed on top, which can be fixed in special grooves with glue, or with the help of hardware. The element can be mounted from two sides or one in the middle (central). When viewed from the side, the ends of the steps are visible. This design is characterized by lighter weight and compact dimensions.

bowstring- a supporting part in the form of a bar with grooves (nests) cut out from the inside, designed to fix the steps in them, while their end is hidden behind the bowstring. This design has a significant weight and requires more space for installation, but has an attractive appearance, due to the completely closed from the bottom of the stairs.

fencing elements

The main element of the fence are considered railing that provide safe descent and ascent. The railing consists of several parts:

handrail- the horizontal part of the railing, can also be installed separately from the railing on the wall, in cases where one part of the stairs is adjacent to it closely. The main purpose of the element is to support the hand during movement;
balusters- vertical support posts on which handrails are fixed and decorative element. They can be installed only at the bottom and at the top of the stairs, but more often at regular intervals along the entire march, in this case they are fixed on top of the railing, and on the bottom in the balustrade and perform a protecting function. They have a rounded, curly or straight shape;

supporting pillars- the base for the installation of the handrail and the supporting supports for the railing, necessary for attaching the kosour or bowstring. There are entrance pillars installed on the first step of the stairs, exit pillars - respectively, on the last step and turning pillars installed in those places where the staircase makes a turn or bend.

Marches and platforms

Perhaps the main and obligatory structural element, without which it is difficult to imagine a staircase, can be called steps, they are performed in the form of horizontal slats and together make up a flight of stairs. They serve to support the legs, and in turn consist of:
1. tread- a horizontally located bar, which makes up the area of the step, which is stepped on when walking up the stairs, is attached to the comb of the kosour or to the groove of the bowstring;
2. riser- the element, located vertically, makes up the height of the step, is its additional support and performs a protective function. It can tightly or partially close the space between the degrees, in some cases it is completely absent.

There are several types of steps appearance- oblique, arcuate, straight and wedge-shaped, as well as in terms of functionality - frieze (upper and lower), running and ordinary. For their manufacture, hardwoods are used, providing additional rigidity and preventing traces of mechanical stress. A wedge is often driven between the tread and the riser, which is necessary for rigid fixation of the step.
The march usually ends platform, it can be in the form of a square or rectangle, or it can have a non-standard shape. This is a transition to the next level, in some cases the floor of the next floor acts as a platform.

Reasons why a wooden staircase creaks

There can be several reasons why the stairs creak. Among the main ones, natural processes inherent in wood are distinguished.

Shrinkage- any wood contains moisture in the composition and during operation, the process of its return takes place environment, if the structure was assembled from poorly dried boards, then this phenomenon is simply impossible to avoid. A tree of natural moisture shrinks up to 7-8% per year, and this is quite enough for the appearance of small gaps between the main staircase elements. When choosing a material for the construction of a structure, preference should be given to well-dried boards and logs from species that give a minimum percentage of shrinkage (maple, larch, ash, oak) and harvested in winter period. Usually such nodes as the joint of the riser and tread, bowstrings or stringers and treads, the connection of the baluster with the handrail or with the baluster suffer from shrinkage.

Deformation, destruction and wear- many things suffer from long-term operation, wooden crafts are no exception, especially if the structure is located in an aggressive environment ( high humidity, low temperature and high permeability). Squeaking usually occurs at the junction of the tread with the riser. This process can be prevented by timely processing of the material by various protective equipment, they should be applied at the stage of preparation, as well as during the assembly of the stairs, especially when processing all seams and joints.

Loose fastening or detached components- this phenomenon occurs due to the low quality of the adhesive composition used, as well as due to the use of self-tapping screws for joining. As a rule, to connect the parts to each other, bolts with nuts are used, which are very easy to tighten if necessary, self-tapping screws do not have such an opportunity, and if they start to get out, they can only be replaced by placing them in a new place.
Incorrect fit of parts- this problem arises due to the negligence of the masters or due to inexperience in self-assembly of the structure. Immediately, the problem may not detect itself, but during operation, the components will begin to loosen. It is important, before starting an independent collection of stairs, to carefully study the whole process, and if purchased finished construction, then check when receiving the junction of the main elements and immediately correct all the shortcomings.
floor deflection- this problem is very difficult to eliminate, since in some cases even complete dismantling of the product is required, therefore, before installing the ladder, the floor under its main bearing and supporting elements should be carefully strengthened with special racks or an additional beam.

Many of these reasons can be prevented even at the collection stage, but if it was not possible to do this in time and the stairs make unpleasant sounds when walking on it, then all necessary actions must be taken to eliminate the problems that have arisen.

Creaking stairs what to do

First of all, when connecting the elements of the stairs to each other, special attention should be paid to the joining of the main parts so that it is as tight as possible, preventing further backlash formation. But if, nevertheless, the cause of the creak is in a loose connection, then, first of all, it is necessary to identify problem areas.
To determine the exact location of the creak, you need to walk up and down the flight of stairs. If there are any decorative coatings, for example, carpets on the steps, then they must be removed without fail. The task will be simplified if there is free access to the back of the stairs (under the steps). Produce repair work best of both.

Tip: one person goes down under the stairs and marks problem areas, while the second at this time goes up and down the stairs and loudly calls the numbers of those where the nasty sound occurs.

When all creaking steps are marked, you should check if the platforms are loosened, as well as the connection of the supporting beams on which the stringers or bowstring are fixed. Particular attention should be paid to connecting elements and fasteners. If necessary, install new rubber gaskets between the bolts and wood or lubricate the metal parts with special compounds.

The main elements where, as a rule, problems arise are the junctions of the steps, since it is on them that there is more pressure during movement, and, accordingly, they are subject to greater deformation. If the tread and riser were fixed with nails, then during operation they may loosen and small gaps will appear.
With an open staircase design, it is better to fix the steps from the bottom side. With minor damage, you can additionally drive in 2-3 nails, at an angle to the tread. For the construction of stairs, hardwoods (oak, beech, elm) are usually selected, this ensures maximum service life and eliminates abrasion of the main parts. But the disadvantage of such material is that it is almost impossible to tighten screws or drive in nails without damaging the tree. Therefore, before fastening the parts with hardware, a hole should be drilled with a diameter smaller than the fastening element.

Tip: it is not recommended to glue a re-opened connection, they will no longer be fixed qualitatively and the squeak problem will return soon. Also, do not drive screws or bolts into existing holes or very close to them.

If there is confidence that the creaking occurs due to loose wedges that are located between the tread and the riser, or the stringer, then they can be carefully removed from the inside of the steps, peeled off the old glue, lubricated with protective compounds and re-fixed with PVA glue or liquid nails.
In rare cases, it happens that the wedges themselves shrink or expand (this may occur due to the use of poorly dried wood) and it becomes necessary to change their shape so that they clearly fit into their original place and perform their main function. Then, a more effective measure is considered to be a complete replacement of the wedges, or the addition of additional planks fixed to the screws.
If the problem is more serious and the gap has a decent gap, then before attracting the parts to each other, additional wedges or planks should be made. It is advisable to treat the seams with special glue for wood and, if necessary, additionally tighten the tread and risers. When repairing from the inside, the parts are aligned in such a way that with front side they were invisible. If there is no possibility of repair from the inside, then the steps are either lifted with a lever, or by hammering wedges, the protruding parts are carefully cut down and sanded.

Also, wedges may be needed for loosened bowstring grooves. To do this, prepare small wedges, coat them with glue and drive them from the bottom into the groove under the step.

On completely loose steps, it is recommended to install additional stiffeners - special bars that tighten the riser with a tread. There are structures that do not have open access from below.
Sometimes the creak is seasonal, that is, with an increase in the humidity of the air in the room, the wood from which the stairs are made swells and the details become larger than the grooves in which they were placed, so now they can no longer come close. To prevent wood from absorbing moisture from the air, it should be treated with various water repellents.

Also, in order to avoid seasonal creaking, it is possible to process all mating structural elements in the dry season silicone sealant or paraffin. The sealant should be chosen colorless and after it has been applied, it is better not to walk up the stairs for 24-48 hours so that the composition hardens.
Experts advise in places where the parts come into contact with each other to install gaskets made of elastic materials or stick a damper tape that will compensate for the stretching or compression of the wood.
It is best to carry out all work on fixing the tread under its load, that is, you should install some kind of load on it, for example, weights or a bag of sand, the total weight should be about 80 kg.
In stairs with 3 stringers, creaking usually occurs in the middle of them. In this case, the steps are additionally fixed to the comb of the central beam with glue or metal fasteners.

From long-term operation, almost all wooden stairs begin to creak, regardless of what kind of wood they are made of, what design they have, how many steps are on it and what shape of the railing. But if you approach the process of getting rid of an unpleasant sound wisely, then you can get rid of it quickly and, most importantly, for a long time. In addition, it will not be difficult to change the general appearance of an already aged staircase by restoring it.

Many residents of old houses face the problem of creaking floorboards. During the day it does not bother, but at night such sounds wake up all household members.

Floor squeak can be eliminated. Repair the house by removing all the floorboards and replacing them with new ones, or fix the boards. The latter is more preferable because it takes less time due to the lack of the need for dismantling.

Causes

Any coating begins to creak over time. This largely depends on the flooring itself or the method of fastening the boards.

If an unpleasant sound occurs while walking around the apartment, you should first determine its cause.

Why the floor from the boards creaks - reasons:

Old age. This is the most common reason. People do not change the coating annually, the dismantling and installation of new boards is carried out no more than 1 time in 10 years, and some do it even less often.
The cause of the squeak is the improper laying of the floor. During construction, you should carefully consider the installation. Even a minor violation technical rules at the end it will show itself as a creak. For example, poor fixation of the floorboards to the joists.
Incorrect laying of a log (a bar intended for laying a roofing sheet or floorboard on it). This bar is installed in increments of 40 cm, it is sheathed with plywood or chipboard, as well as boards. A creak appears if the floor covering does not fit snugly against the lags, that is, it is poorly fixed. It can also be caused if the boards are not attached well to the wooden beams.
The next reason for creaking is the gaps between the boards. Gaps appear due to the laying of wet wood. When it dries up in hot weather, its dimensions decrease, the floorboards do not fit snugly against each other and begin to rub against each other, hence the creak.
Stools or support chairs. These components are installed under the logs into the soil. Over time, they can sink into it even more. The result is a broken geometry of the entire structure, due to which there is a loss of a clearly calibrated level.
No gap between wall and floorboard. During the installation of the floor covering, a gap of 10 mm must be left between them. This is necessary so that during a change in the microclimate, the board can expand freely. If the gap is not left the floorboards will swell or bulge because they have nowhere to grow. As a result, the board rubs against the wall, a squeaky sound appears. Also, the temperature gap must be left near pipes and doors.

All of these nuances can prevent the appearance of extraneous noise in the apartment. At correct styling and compliance with all technical rules, creaking between the boards will not occur, just as the question of why the floors creak will not arise.

Be careful during repairs. After all, it is better to prevent the appearance of a creak by spending a little more time on laying than to later look for how to remove the creak of a wooden floor in an apartment.

The problem of eliminating extraneous sound will take more time than the time spent thinking about how to properly install and fix the floorboards.

Fixing with screws/anchors

This technology is used most often. Fixing with self-tapping screws or anchors is carried out only if the bar intended for flooring has been preserved and rests well on the base.

If the lags were installed incorrectly, wedges flew out during the operation of the floor, or lumber dried up, this technique will not help prevent the appearance of a squeaky sound.

Fixing with self-tapping screws is not only the easiest way to fix the problem, but also the most profitable.

How to remove creaking floors:

First you need to determine how far the concrete is. You should drill a hole in the board and lower the wire down, just take a thick one that does not bend. If the wire is bent, you can measure the distance incorrectly. After measuring the distance, go to a hardware store and buy self-tapping screws of the same length as the distance from the floorboard to the concrete base. Blunt their end a little so that they do not scratch the concrete, which will also cause a creak.
The second way to eliminate unpleasant noise when walking on the floor is to fasten flooring with lags. It is not difficult to find a block for flooring, it is enough to find nails. Pull them out and screw the screws into place. If the nails are not visible, use a magnet. Check that the screw heads are well recessed.
If the cause is walking lags that were not originally securely attached to concrete base, will save the anchor. How to fix creaking: Take a hammer drill and drill a hole through the flooring and into the concrete itself. An anchor bolt is screwed into the resulting hole. It securely fastens the floor board to the floor.

The floors in the apartment after such technology will stop creaking.

If the lags are rotten, you will feel it when you start screwing in a screw or anchor. They will not hold firmly, or after a while extraneous noise under the floors will be heard again.

graphite powder

If the floor in the apartment creaks, use ordinary talc or graphite powder. The second tool works better, but also does not guarantee that the creak will disappear.

What do we have to do:

Pour the required amount of talc or graphite powder into the places where the unpleasant sound comes from.
Leave for a while. Remove excess product with a dry cloth or vacuum the floors. Do not wet the rag, the coating will turn out in divorces.

This technology is a temporary solution. After a while, you still have to decide how to deal with the problem and eliminate the creak.

PVA glue

This method is one of the cheapest. You can eliminate the gaps between the floorboards using PVA glue and a regular cord made of synthetic material, or buy a simple rope.

What should be done to get rid of the unpleasant sound?Even a woman who knows nothing about repairing floors will cope with this.

So, the rope is impregnated with PVA glue, which then plugs the gaps. On top of the cord is poured with glue with sawdust. Do not spare the last resort, it's okay if you get a tubercle.

Leave the cracks alone for a few days. The glue should dry well. At the end, carefully cut off the excess with a clerical knife.

wedging

This method is used if the boards are walking. If the flooring was laid with damp wood, wedging helps to resolve the issue.

Gaps between floorboards can be repaired at no additional cost. You don't need to disassemble anything.

Wedging technique:

First you need to process the boards on the sides of the gap with sandpaper. To make the process go faster, take a coarse-grained one.
Then you need to cut a wedge. The rail must correspond to the width and length of the gap formed between the boards. One edge is sharpened.
Then try on the wedge, if it fits, move on to the next step.
Lubricate the rail prepared for wedging with glue (do not take the cheapest one, otherwise after a while this question will again arise in front of you, take good glue).
Insert it into the gap, take a wooden mallet and carefully drive it into the gap. The rake should sit tightly in the gap between the boards, not fall out.
After the glue has dried, it is necessary to process the wedge with a planer, and then sand it. It is necessary to cut the rail flush with the floor.

Thanks to the wedge, the gap formed between the floorboards disappears. The entire load is evenly distributed and the boards stop "walking". As a result, the creak disappears.

Foaming

Technological gaps in wooden floor can be foamed if the house does not have a suitable rail for cutting the wedge. This method is simpler and more convenient than the previous one; in this case, the floor also does not need to be dismantled and installed back.

No wonder humanity has come up with such an amazing construction material. Polyurethane foam has been successfully used for many years to close holes in walls.

It can be used as independent material, and as a support pad for the wedge. That is, instead of glue, the rail is planted on foam. This method is better and will last longer.

Foaming of the gap between the floorboards should be carried out if its thickness is not more than 80 mm. If the gap is large, it is better to use a wedge and put it on the glue.

When removing creakiness with this method, blow mounting foam between the wrong side of the floor and the base base of the entire structure.

Do not blow out the space completely. Leave ⅓ for foam expansion. If you completely blow everything out, that is, close the cavity, the floor covering may bulge outward.

Complete drying time is 3-5 hours. The first hard crust appears after 30 minutes.

This squeak removal technique is long. After the mounting foam has hardened, it will need to be leveled with the floor. Take a clerical knife or a regular one, and cut off the part that sticks out a lot.

syringe

Gluing loose floorboards is considered a simpler and more reliable method than foaming. The foam will shrink over time and the squeak will return.

The glue in this situation can withstand more load, and it will not be necessary to repeat the manipulation so quickly.

To implement this squeak removal technique, you will need to take a drill and buy a 3 mm drill, as well as buy an adhesive composition that quickly hardens in air. These are epoxy or polymer resins.

Buy several jars at once, just in case. AT closed they can be stored for a long time.

Injection is the elimination of voids under the floor surface by pumping glue inside.

How to do:

Take a drill, replace the drill. Plug it in and drill holes in the floor. Make holes only in those places where the floor begins to creak.
Draw the purchased adhesive into the syringe. Fill the second syringe with water, 1 ml is enough. First, the hole is filled with water, this is necessary for better adhesion, then the repair adhesive is poured.

The amount of glue in different areas may vary. It depends on the amount of emptiness inside.

When the product dries, remove the residue. You can carefully cut with a knife or remove the excess with sandpaper, and then polish it.

Plywood flooring

If walking on the floor is accompanied by a grinding sound, then it's time to repair it.

This technology is not very budgetary, but better than all the previous ones. A plank floor can be freed from creaking by making plywood flooring.It means that floor surface will have to be covered with something else. In this case, plywood will be used as flooring.

The thickness of the flooring must be at least 12 mm, otherwise the overlapping technology will be useless.

Action sequence:

Spread plywood sheets throughout the room. The main thing is to place them in such a way that the joints are not in those places where the boards bend, which causes a creak.
Take self-tapping screws and fix the flooring. Fasten in a checkerboard pattern. The width from the edge should be 35 mm.

You can also attach plywood sheets to a mixture of sawdust or mineral chips with bustilate glue.

Board replacement

If the previous methods did not bring the desired result, the last option and the most radical measure is the partial or complete replacement of the flooring.

Remove floorboards where squeaking is heard. Set them aside and remove adjacent boards to see the joists. If the bars are in poor condition and are already drying out, or rotted, you will have to remove all the flooring and change the logs.

It is best to change all the bars. So that in a year you don’t have to repeat everything on another part of the floor.

From the room you will need to take out all the furniture and dismantle the platbands. Remove all boards and beams.

If the boards are intact, number them so that it is easier to put them in place later.

After dismantling and replacing the log, put the flooring in place.

It is best to replace the boards as well, in order to surely get rid of the problem for many years.

Wood flooring is considered quite durable and reliable. But over time, it also becomes unusable. The first bells are a characteristic creak.

The right approach to solving the problem will make even the oldest coating quiet. You can eliminate the creak of the wooden floor with your own hands, it is not necessary to call the masters. Choose the most suitable method, and follow the sequence of the technology.

Consumption ecology.Homestead:Perhaps, there is no stronger irritant than a creaking wooden floor. It is especially annoying if such a phenomenon overtakes residents shortly after overhaul and you have to tear off the finish coating. Today we will tell you what to do if wooden floors creak, and how to avoid it in the future.

Perhaps there is no stronger irritant than a creaking wooden floor. It is especially annoying if such a phenomenon overtakes residents shortly after a major overhaul and you have to tear off the finishing coating. Today we will tell you what to do if wooden floors creak, and how to avoid it in the future.

Causes of a creak

Actually, there is only one ultimate cause of a creaking floor - friction between two poorly fixed parts. But there are three typical places in which such a phenomenon can be observed near a wooden floor.

In the simplest case, the floor creaks due to friction between adjacent floorboards: one of them sags under load and scrapes against the next one. Such a creak has a characteristic dry sound and is quite easily detected when the floor boards are sequentially pressed through.

A more characteristic creak with a thin squeak arises from the weakened nailing of the boards to the logs. Rusted metal inside dry wood creates a really nasty screech and is much more difficult to locate due to the fact that the nail heads are usually hidden under several layers of paint.

Third and most rare view squeak - loose connections of composite logs and jumpers between them. The appearance of such a creak is typical for frame and multi-storey buildings with complex system wooden floors. The sound of the floor when walking in such cases is muffled and crackling.

Do I need to rip off the floor

If the wooden floor was laid with a grooved board for painting or varnished, then the boards will not have to be torn off. It is quite possible to eliminate the creak between the floorboards from the surface, plus there is an occasion to restore the wooden floor, smooth out the irregularities with putty, and renew the paintwork.

In some cases, repairs may require the removal of the finish pavement or the boardwalk underneath. For example, if the boards of the subfloor creak, on top of which the finishing one is laid - la minat or linoleum. In such cases, the finishing floor is sorted out, performing the required manipulations and getting rid of the creak, and then laying it back.

If the lag system is the source of the creak, then more extensive repairs will have to be carried out. The greatest difficulty lies in the localization of the creaking connection, which is almost impossible to do blindly. Therefore, the disruption of the floor boarding cannot be avoided.

Wedging method

The creaking ends of the floorboards can be wedged together, thereby concentrating friction in several places and avoiding the effect of a string. For this, ordinary wood chips or wedges are used with a thickness of 0.5 to 3 mm and a width of up to 30–35 mm.

This method is good for eliminating squeaks in old solid board floors, where cracks of uneven thickness have appeared as a result of shrinkage and warping. At the widest point of the creaking joint, the first wedge is driven in, then a few more are added with an indent of 50–80 cm. To facilitate the entry of the wedge, you can expand the joint with a chisel, hammering it by 3–5 mm.

Wedging is a rather meticulous process, but this is almost the only method of local repair of a creaking floor without disrupting the flooring. After compacting the boards, it is necessary to seal the cracks with putty; in the simplest case, a mixture of PVA and small sawdust will do.

Reinforcement of the floor

The reason for the appearance of a creak on the ends and fasteners of the boards may be insufficiently tight pressing of the flooring to the logs. This is a typical disease of a wooden floor: after several cycles of drying, the nails can loosen and the entire flooring becomes loose.

The essence of strengthening the floor is to restore the density of pressing the boards with self-tapping screws, which do not lose their pressing quality over time. The catch is that by pressing a warped board in one place, you can loosen the fastening at other points, so it would be right to reinforce the entire floor at once.

Another subtlety is the need to drill the boards before screwing in the screws in order to avoid catching the threads in them. The method is ideal for eliminating creaking in the subfloor. Fine coatings can also be strengthened with self-tapping screws, but the traces of the caps will have to be masked with putty, which, moreover, must be matched to match the wood when opening the floors with varnish.

The greatest difficulty is to determine the location of the lag if the traces of the fastening of the flooring are hidden. Among all the methods, two of the most effective can be distinguished: drilling with control of the exit of the drill in order to determine the installation step of the lag and the breakdown of the edge boards.

Boardwalk busting

Overhauling a wood floor is the only way to eliminate creaking with a guarantee, without requiring a significant investment. And with creaking lags, there is practically no alternative to this method.

The point is to consistently rip and reattach the boards without changing their order for a tighter fit. First, 3-5 boards are removed from one edge, then, with good additional light, they visually assess the space under the floor, the safety of the lag, and the presence of harmful organic matter.

When iterating, the first board is fixed and torn off one by one after checking and fixing each subsequent board. All boards are checked for rotting and damage by pests, unusable ones are replaced with new ones of the same thickness, adjusting the ends with a planer for tight joining.

To avoid the appearance of a creak between the floorboards in the future, you can rally the boards on wooden dowels and tighten them tightly car jack. If there is no need for hidden fastening, it is recommended to use self-tapping screws - two for each place of fastening to the logs.

surface reinforcement

Not very budget, but very effective way getting rid of the subfloor from creaking - laying plywood on it with frequent attracting fastening with self-tapping screws. The thickness of the flooring must be at least 12 mm, fastening is carried out in each board in two rows in a checkerboard pattern no further than 30-35 mm from the edge.

In addition to self-tapping screws, a mixture of sawdust or mineral chips with bustilate glue will help to achieve high-quality adhesion. It is important to arrange the flooring sheets in such a way that the joints between them do not contribute to the deflection of the boards in the future. Ideally, you should divide the additional flooring into two layers of 6–8 mm each, fastening them together with an adhesive mixture and carefully consider the scheme for dressing the joints.

The method is characterized by high technological complexity. In addition to high-quality tightening of self-tapping screws and the correct arrangement of sheets, it is required to remember the layout of the boards so that each of them is strengthened and tightened. To do this, the location of the joints is marked on the walls with risks, along which the thread is pulled or the lines are beaten off with a coloring cord.

Other options

There are also many "folk" ways to get rid of the creak between the floorboards or in the places where they are attached. Contrary to popular belief, sealing the gaps between the boards with an adhesive mixture does not give an effect, at least a long-term one.

It is better to warm up the joint with a high-quality building hair dryer and pour melted paraffin or stearin into it. The method works in a similar way with the impregnation of boards with vaseline or vegetable oil. Just do not use machine and motor oils, they are not environmentally friendly.

As a preventive measure to prevent squeaking, it is recommended to tightly assemble the floor boards using tongue-and-groove ends or oak dowels. You can also treat the ends of the boards with friction-reducing compounds - silicone sealant or rubber paste. Instead of ordinary nails, it is better to use ruffed ones, which are less prone to loosening. published