Tips for Preventing Noisy Hardwood

Wooden floors add a special charm to the interiors; but they also bring in a lot of unwanted squeakiness, which can sometimes be a little annoying for some people. Squeaky floors were usually a typical sign of an old home; however, newer homes are not devoid of these problems either. No matter if you have engineered oak flooring, or even solid oak flooring, you might end up with a squeaky floor.

Fortunately, homeowners don’t need to put up with squeaky floors anymore; here are some inexpensive ways to silence those pesky hardwood floors, by using the following strategies.

1. Insert shims into those visible gaps: In most homes, one can access the space below the floors. If you do, you can insert shims into those visible gaps. Ask someone to walk on the floor above, while you try to hear where the squeaking sound is coming from. As soon as you have figured out the problem area, apply some glue on a wood shim, and insert it between the subfloor and the wooden plank. Don’t hammer in the shim or try to force it in too much, as it might create a hump on the floor above. Simply insert the shim as much as possible, and let it remain the way it is. Repeat this process for the other loose areas, which cause the squeaking in the floors above.
2. Use constructive adhesive to fill those long gaps: Shims are ideal for isolated gaps. However, if there is a long gap near the floor joist, then a shim might not prove useful. You can fill long gaps with constructive adhesive, so that the creaking stops, as soon as the adhesive hardens.
3. Use wooden blocks to take care of noisy joists: Another method to avoid the underlying issue is to use wooden blocks between the floor joists. Cut two to three blocks to fit between the joists; these blocks should fit in comfortably, but not too tightly. Use constructive adhesive along the top of the blocks to fix it to the joists above. You can fasten each blocking with 3-inch drywall screws, to ensure they are fixed properly.
4. Lubricating the floorboards for best results: There are certain cases, wherein the subfloors or the joists below will not be available for boarding up. In these cases, you can try to lubricate the floorboards, to avoid any chafing between the different floor planks. Sprinkle some soapstone powder, talcum powder or even powdered graphite (whatever is available easily). Place a cloth over the floor area to work the powder between the cracks. This will not only reduce any friction between planks but also help you cure any imminent squeaking issues that might have been occurring.

Use a rug or a carpet to drown out the sound: If all the above tips sound too tedious to carry out, then you can use the simple and most effective technique of all times. Use a carpet or a rug to cover the entire area of the flooring, so that the creaking sounds are muffled, and don’t pose to be an everyday issue for you and your family.