There are many reasons why your wood floor has become squeaky, including the fact that it has dried and shrunk over time which causes it to loose and squeak. Annoying Squeaky floors can be fixed in various ways, depending on the type of floor, and the type of problem causing the creaking.
Here are some ideas which help you resolve issues with creaky wood floors:
Attempt to repair the problem from the bottom side of the floor. If you can, go below the squeaky floor and ask another person to step on it so that you can locate the exact point which needs fixing. Use a thin wooden shim coated with carpenter glue and stick it in the space between the floor joist and the subfloor. Tap it in gently to keep the wood in place. This should resolve the problem with squeaking.
Apply construction adhesive to fill longer gaps which run along most of or the entire joist. If the squeaking is occurring because a joist in the flooring has deteriorated or has become deformed, you can fix this easily. Use construction adhesive applied on an appropriately sized block of wood to stick on the deformed joist. Nail it or screw it on to keep the floor stable and quiet.
When the creaky sounds occur because of the joist itself, you can resolve the issue by screwing or nailing 2 x 8 wooden blocks between the problematic joists. Make sure you glue the clocks with construction glue too.
Sometimes, the squeaking can be caused by the wood floor rubbing against the plywood subfloor underneath. This problem can be fixed by screwing the plywood subfloor to the bottom part of the wood floor with the help of short screws.
Another easy fix for squeaky hardwood floors or stairs is to use a lubricant to keep the problematic areas on the floor from rubbing against each other and squeaking. There are specialized products and kits which you can purchase and use to fix your squeaky floors. These are easy to use and very efficient in removing the annoying creaking sounds. All you need to do is follow the instructions of the manufacturer. These usually work for vinyl and linoleum floors too.
You can also call a handyman, a carpenter or your local wood hard floor cleaning company, who are likely to be able to help resolve this annoying problem too!
