What to do if the floors squeak: a guide for those who are tired of it. Effective ways to eliminate squeaking wooden floors What to do if wooden floors squeak

Such an annoying floor defect as a squeak is unpleasant in any case. It can be caused by anything: initially incorrect installation, poor quality material, splitting of planks, loosening of nails, leakage, drying out of parquet, uneven screed under the boards, which leads to distortion in the joints. Something definitely needs to be done about this. Because not only is the creaking unbearable to the ear, it can also mean that the coating wears out quickly.

Anything with a wooden component will creak due to various problems. Descending price category- this is parquet, batten, parquet board, veneer board, laminate. How to ensure that the floor does not disappoint will be discussed further.

Option 1. Cardinal

Complete replacement of a wooden floor down to the base is an expensive and time-consuming option, but overall the most advantageous. The creak will go to for a long time, and walking on the floor will only bring pleasure - physical and aesthetic. Especially if it's soft cork covering or self-leveling floor.

Option 2. Good old

If you don’t want to waste time and energy, you can do the most in a simple way- buy a carpet. There are a great variety of them on the market - large and small, thick and thin, expensive and cheap. Having a soundproofing effect, this flooring option will slightly reduce the unpleasant sound. Naturally, the creaking will remain, but because of the carpet it will not be heard as much.

Option 3. Transfer

You can simply rearrange the boards yourself, or, much better, find craftsmen willing to take on this task. This is especially true if, due to a leak, the floors are swollen, the boards are swollen and rubbing against each other. There is no point in drying them and waiting for them to return to normal. The floor should be disassembled, the boards dried and re-fitted, after sharpening in some places. Or replace those that are no good at all. The process is long but effective.

Option 4. Backfill

You can eliminate squeaking without loss appearance boards and without serious repair work. If the boards rub against each other, it means there are cracks and gaps. By pouring graphite powder with talc into them, you can reduce the level of squeaking to a minimum. Another idea is to drive in wedges to also close the gaps.

Option 5. Filled

The space between the boards and joists can be filled with polyurethane foam so that the creaking will disappear as soon as it hardens and fixes all the loose elements. But this option is very short-lived - with a strong vibration amplitude, the foam is still deformed and destroyed.

The floor may become deformed various reasons, for example, due to high humidity. If the floor has been installed for a very long time, it will begin to creak and then become completely unusable. But if you carry out repairs in right moment, you can save the floor and get rid of the unpleasant noise caused by the appearance of cracks. To get rid of the problem, you need to understand where the squeak comes from and what causes it.

Why do floors creak?

When installing a wooden floor, squeaking is guaranteed, although most people treat this normally and do not take any action. But there is another group of people who cannot sleep at night because of the eternal squeak, so they are looking for all kinds of ways to restore the floor. Before determining the cause of the problem, I had to familiarize myself with different types floors For example, wooden floors in dachas were most often installed by professionals, so they had no problem choosing required thickness boards, high-quality dry lumber, and installed joists wherever needed. This guarantees a silent wooden floor for at least several seasons.

Any floor will creak in five years, but this is very good result, since all floors begin to creak immediately after installation, and it makes no difference whether it is installed by a professional team or the owner of the cottage. The noise that occurs when walking on the floor is very unpleasant and can be heard throughout the house, although sometimes it is quiet. This is mainly due to the fact that a tree begins to rub against another tree, and instantly appears unpleasant sound.

The boards can rub not only against each other, but also against the joists. This is due to the fact that the logs are installed unreliably, the mounting points are not mounted well enough, so unpleasant noise occurs. Although professionals should not make such mistakes, they do occur. When installing a board, it is ground against another, this ensures that there will be no displacement, and along with it, noise. Unfortunately, wood quickly absorbs moisture and reacts to the temperature in the room, so different seasons the tree begins to deteriorate under the influence of cold and moisture. For example, in spring or autumn, the size of the boards may increase as they swell due to exposure to moisture. This provokes movement and deformation of the floors. But then the most unpleasant thing happens - winter or summer comes, and the size of the boards decreases because they dry out. Because of this, gaps appear, which subsequently renders the floor unusable.

Several cycles of drying and wetting go through, so the gaps become quite large, the boards begin to run into each other and make an unpleasant noise. When a person walks on the floor, they bend and shift relative to each other, friction occurs, and a terrible squeak is heard. The chances that squeaking will occur after the first season are very high, since the floors are not installed well enough. If you are lucky and the floor was installed by real professionals, it will become unusable after 3-4 years of use.

Why do new floors squeak?

It doesn’t matter whether your floor is new or old, it will still creak for the same reasons. Of course, old buildings once had high-quality floors that dried out and became warped due to too much time passing. But even in new houses, problems arise, mainly because the floor was installed incorrectly, without following the laying technology. Although there are exceptions, if the house shrinks, which is quite rare, the floor will also collapse, but this is due to incorrect calculation of the foundation and does not occur so often.

There are several main reasons why the floor begins to creak:

• Dried and low-quality materials were used during installation. Construction Materials. The boards and joists begin to dry out, the sizes of the plywood sheets change significantly, and between wooden surfaces gaps form;


• There is no layer between the plywood and the joists; for example, installing a layer of waterproofing can significantly reduce noise. Also, noise occurs due to improper installation of the laminate or parquet substrate;


• The boards and joists are installed poorly because the ends regularly shift relative to each other;


• There is no technological gap near the walls.

The problem may arise due to incorrectly selected thickness of plywood, beams and joists, and boards. If the distance between the joists is incorrectly selected, the floor begins to creak. Please note that logs are made of timber, and they minimum size is 10x8 centimeters. It is necessary to maintain a distance between the logs of about 40 centimeters, a maximum of 60 centimeters. To prevent the boards from sagging under your weight, you need to buy boards with a minimum thickness of 40 millimeters, and plywood with a thickness of 20 millimeters.

How to eliminate squeaking wood floors

When installing floors, the strongest wood is used, because the loads on the floor are very high. But as mentioned above, humidity and air temperature deform the structure of the wood, and this causes creaks and sagging of the floor in the most unexpected places. Despite the fact that many people face this problem, it can be solved quite simply. To get rid of squeaking, you need to acquire the following tools and materials:

• Drill;


• Hammer;


• Nails;


• Floor paint;


• Nail puller;


• Wood sawdust.

First, understand which boards cause the most squeaking. Just walk along the floor and listen to the sounds, in some places it will be louder. Check whether the creaking occurs in a specific place on the floorboard or whether the entire floorboard creaks. In most cases, sounds occur in boards that are poorly attached to floor beams or joists. When you find all the floorboards that are causing the squeak, write down their locations. Next, check whether there are any important communications under the floorboard.

Take a drill and make a hole on one side of the floorboard, you need to drill directly into the beam through the board. Screw a screw into the resulting hole the required diameter, you can also drive a nail, but a screw is preferable. Recess the head into the board, both when installing a screw and a nail. Walk the floor again where you did the work and check if there is any noise? If it creaks, but not as much as before, you can make a hole on the other side of the board and screw in another screw. Next, perform this operation with all floorboards that cause unpleasant noise. As a rule, the problem will be solved after this procedure.

If the problem persists, but the noise level has decreased, you can use wooden wedges. Install them in the gaps between the floorboards and joists. To secure tongue and groove boards, you will need screws with countersunk heads. If the boards are driven in very tightly and the heads of the nails are almost invisible, use a nail puller and lift the board. This way you can understand where the logs are installed.

The most common cause of squeaking is the friction of each board against the boards located next to it. When you find problem area, pour a little graphite powder or talc into the crack. Seal the gap with wooden wedges if you do not want to use powder.

Often, creaking occurs due to boards that have been destroyed under the influence of temperature changes and high humidity. The floorboards dry out and are placed in a different position, which causes squeaking. Prepare pasta from wood sawdust To thin it out, use floor paint. Seal every crack with this paste and the problem will be solved. To prepare the mixture you will need a small part of paint and about four parts of sawdust in the same quantity. When you apply the mixture and it dries, walk along the floor and check whether the unpleasant noise remains. Typically, the squeak should disappear.

You should also remember...

In order to reduce the chance of squeaking due to drying of boards and joists, you need to place a special damping gasket between the boards and joists. For example, insulation or waterproofing. Special underlays are used for laminate and parquet. But it happens that they are laid, but the floor still creaks - re-lay the underlay to solve the problem. You can reduce the chance of noise by loosely laying boards or boards, maintaining a gap between them with a distance of about a millimeter. This will not affect the quality of the coating, but the boards will not rub against each other. You can use wedges, but they are only used for plank floors. The ridges of the boards may be damaged, so this method is not very popular.

On this moment Spruce or pine boards are used, but it was once believed that these materials were not suitable for laying floors. They are used mainly in Europe, where high humidity and a pleasant climate. In Russia, you need to use wood that does not absorb moisture - cedar, oak, ash or maple. It is advisable to place fabric between the boards and joists. This will reduce the friction force of the boards, so the noise will be invisible or not appear at all. The method is quite effective, you can try putting thick fabric between boards even before you follow the recommendations from our article, which we described above.

From the author: Good day, dear reader! Today I would like to touch on an interesting and important topic for everyone. The creaking of a wooden floor is a problem that can arise both in a private house and in an apartment. It is necessary to know methods for eliminating this phenomenon so as not to experience discomfort. Wooden floors squeak, what to do - everyone thinks about this issue, since trouble can befall the owners of both recently laid and old floorboards, so the problem is relevant for a wide range of people. You can fix the problem on our own, without resorting to the help of specialists, but it is necessary to consult with them if difficulties arise in the process of performing the work.

The main causes of squeaking

The causes of unpleasant sounds are varied. The boards from which the floors are made can produce characteristic sounds under the influence of the following factors (I had to deal with some of them from my own experience):

• poor fixation during installation;
• loosening of underground crossbars;
• shrinkage of wood (occurs over time);
• subsidence of linings;
• loosening of fasteners (screws, nails);
• moving ends of boards;
• small expansion gap (insufficient space between the floor and walls) or its complete absence.

Let's consider the main ways to eliminate such an unpleasant phenomenon as squeaking.

Ways to eliminate squeaks

If the question of what to do if the floor in the apartment creaks has become relevant, then next I will list ways to carry out repair work. There are several methods that are easy to implement:

• dismantling the finished floor (completely);
• use of polyurethane foam;
• wedges;
• replacement of fastening elements (screws, nails);
• use of self-tapping screws;
• anchor method;
• laying plywood.

Now about each method in a little more detail.

When carrying out construction or renovation, many people have a question about what type of floor to use. There are many options, but still many choose the classic - wood. Wooden floors have been used for a very long time. They are an indicator of status and at the same time environmentally friendly. But you need to understand that such a coating has its own service life. Due to the properties of the material, this floor may creak over time. This annoying sound sometimes bothers the owners. What can be done to prevent floors from squeaking? There are several options to solve this problem. And today we will look at how to prevent the floor from creaking.

Types of coatings

Of course, only a certain category of floor coverings produce squeaks. These include:

Causes of squeaking

There are also several reasons why floors creak (we’ll look at what needs to be done a little later). First of all, it is worth noting the violation of the rules for preparing the coating. What is meant by this characteristic? Wood - environmentally friendly pure material, which can be dried. It doesn’t matter whether it’s parquet or chipboard - all of the above types of coatings absorb and release moisture. If the material releases moisture, gaps appear between the boards or sheets. Also, elements may become deformed. Because of this, the board comes into contact with the next one and makes an annoying sound when walking around the room.

The next reason is the incorrect technology for laying lags. A certain amount must be observed. If it is too large, a higher load will be placed on the floorboards. As a result, the floor sags and makes a characteristic sound. Floor creaking can also occur due to the use of too thin boards. What should the thickness be? Minimum thickness for boards is four centimeters. If you use thinner ones, they will sag under load. Alternatively, you can reduce the distance between the joists. But it is better to adhere to the requirements and not use thin boards. Parquet may squeak due to the lack of a layer of varnish. Over time, the layer may wear away. Ultimately, this leads to the destruction of the adhesive layer. The strength of the material will decrease.

One popular cause of squeaking is choosing the wrong clearance. It is called compensatory. It is designed to eliminate friction of adjacent boards in case of increased humidity in the room. It is worth noting that such a gap must be made not only along the wall, but also between adjacent boards. If this is not provided, the floor will creak when walking. In addition, friction causes the material to warp. A little less often, the floor creaks due to poor fixation of fasteners. These include self-tapping screws, various screws and nails. Since wood tends to dry out, the fastening elements can no longer securely hold the boards.

Another reason is too high humidity in the room. Sometimes the moisture concentration is so high that even expansion gaps cannot help. Wood at any age tends to absorb moisture and swell. Due to expansion, the elements rub against each other.

Ways to solve the problem

There are several options to solve the problem. This:

• Knocking out wedges.
• Using foam.
• Floor screed.
• Use of metal anchors.
• Reinforcement with plywood.
• Pulling screws.

Foam Application

This is an effective and simple way. Without disassembling the boards, you can eliminate the sound. To do this, polyurethane foam is taken and poured into the expansion gaps. Since the foam expands as it dries, the boards will be more rigid and durable. This method is relevant if, during installation, the proper distance between the lags was not maintained.

If it is parquet, you can overcome the sound as follows. For this purpose, a plaster or cement composition. Next, using a drill with a 0.8 mm drill bit, a hole is made.

The solution is taken into the syringe and poured into this hole. Then the hole is hidden with wood putty. It's quite simple and effective method.

Using wedges

Here we cannot do without partial analysis of the coverage. For this we need a hammer, wedges and a hammer. The work is performed in several steps:

There may be several of these wedges. They get clogged until when walking the sound will disappear. But you need to know certain requirements. So, the interval between the wedges should be 20 centimeters. In this case, the wedges should not protrude above the base of the floor.

Metal anchors

To prevent the floor from creaking, you can also use metal anchors. But this method is only suitable if the base of the floor is concrete slab. The anchors are fastened manually. The work is done sequentially:

• A through hole is made on the board and on the joists using a drill.
• The metal shell is installed.
• The metal anchor pin is screwed in.
• Then the next anchor is installed. In this case, the interval should be at least 100 centimeters.
• The result is a strong floor that will not sag or creak.

Experts say that using metal anchors is a truly effective method of combating squeaking. But it is worth noting that the price of such tools is very high, since several dozen of them will be required.

Laying plywood

What needs to be done to prevent the floor from squeaking? Another option to solve the problem is flooring plywood sheet. But there are limitations. The base of the floor must be level. And the thickness of the plywood sheet is at least twelve millimeters. To work you will need the following:

• Screwdriver.
• Self-tapping screws.

The sheets must be laid on top of the boards and secured with self-tapping screws. The interval between the latter should be about 20 centimeters. There is creaking plywood on the floor, what else can be done? Next, let's look at another option for eliminating sound.

Upholstery with self-tapping screws

If the coating creaks, what should you do without dismantling the floor? You can tighten the surface using self-tapping screws. However, this method is only relevant if the sound appears when the joists and floor boards rub against each other. The set of tools and materials is minimal. This is a screwdriver and screws. The most difficult thing is to find the creaking joist. After this, you need to screw several screws into the beam through the board. But you don't need to tighten it too much. The hat should be slightly recessed into the board. If you overtighten, the material may crack (this is especially true for parquet and classic boards).

Wedging boards

What can I do to prevent floors from squeaking? You can wedge the boards from below. This method prevents movement of floor elements when walking. To do this, a wedge is carefully driven between the beams using a hammer. Please note that there is no need to lift the boards. They should not be higher than the rest of the floor. You can wedge the boards from above. To do this, wedges are driven into the cracks between the boards. In this case, a puncher and a hammer are used. The interval between the wedges is 15 centimeters. The number of wedges may vary. Complete the installation when the squeak is eliminated.

Fastening the boards from above

To do this, we need to make several holes in places where the boards creak. Next, these elements need to be secured with screws. Please note that the holes are drilled at a certain angle to each other. Thanks to this, we will make a more rigid fastening of the boards to the beam. But after finishing the work, it is better to hide the screw heads. A special wood putty is suitable for this. After this, the surface will not be completely smooth, and in order to smooth it, you need to sand the surface sandpaper.

Strengthening the beams

If the above methods do not help, you can use more radical way. Experts note that the most reliable option reinforcement is the installation of spacers. After this, you can safely forget about the creaking for a long time. This operation is performed in several steps:

• In the central part of the span, a line is drawn across the beams. It can be done with regular white chalk.
• The bars are cut. Their dimensions should be such that they fit into the gap between the beams. The thickness should correspond to the beams, and the height should be 25 millimeters less. This gap is provided so that in the future any communications can be laid (pipes, wiring, etc.).
• Start installing the bars. They need to be laid across the room. In this case, the bars are installed on both sides of the marked line alternately. Each element is secured with two nails at the end. And those bars that rest against the wall are attached only on one side.

Removing squeaks from old floors

If floor boards that were laid a long time ago are creaking, you will have to try hard. The fact is that cracks often form on old wood, and some boards even rot. If the old floor is creaking, how to fix it? Experts advise resorting to replacing tongue and groove boards. But before you remove elements affected by fungus and mold, you need to remove the comb on one of them. You can use electric jigsaw to make work easier. However, the file must be strong and thick. Also pay attention to whether there is wiring under the floor. If there is one, the house or apartment is de-energized, otherwise there is a risk short circuit. If you feel resistance while working with a jigsaw, you need to stop. Otherwise, the expensive instrument will become unusable.

We lift the first board. Press the chisel away from you. If the board is difficult to move, you can step on the chisel with your foot. As soon as it rises, move the chisel to another beam. It is advisable to remove all rotten boards, right down to the center.

Before installing new boards, you should first check the dimensions. Next, a piece of the future floorboard is cut out with a jigsaw and installed in place of the old one. When installing, you need to align the groove with the tongue. To securely fix the floorboards, experts recommend using screws or nails. In the latter case, the board is nailed so that the caps do not look out, but are flush. So as not to damage the new flooring, you can use part of the unnecessary tongue and groove floorboard. We make blows with a hammer through it.

How is fixation done with self-tapping screws? You should be careful here, as there is a risk of cracks. You need to screw in the screws until the head is flush with the board. If you go further, you can damage the board.

Strengthening the floorboards

How to prevent the floor from creaking? To do this, you need to determine at what distance from the concrete base the boards are located. To find out, you can use a drill with a thin and long drill bit. We drill a small hole in an inconspicuous area and then stick a wire there. Next, we note at what distance it stopped, and thus determine the depth. This value must correspond to the length of the screws. The technique is very simple. You need to screw screws into the creaking floorboards. Please note that screws should be screwed into the joists. The latter can be identified by the nails in the floor, which run in rows along the floorboards. If the nail heads are not visible, you will have to remove the baseboard.

Before screwing in the screw, you need to drill a small hole. Its diameter should be slightly smaller than that of the self-tapping screw. This is necessary to ensure that the material does not crack. Next, tighten the self-tapping screw until the cap is flush with the floor. The operation is repeated with each board, screwing it to the joists.

Preventing deflection

There is another way to prevent the floor from creaking. To do this, you need to select screws of such length that their tips rest against the concrete base. In this case, the sharp ends of the screws should be blunted. Otherwise they will destroy the concrete. Also, the same hole is first made in the boards as in the previous case (slightly thinner than the screw itself).

The essence of the technology is quite simple. The screws that are screwed in will serve as additional support. The boards will no longer sag or creak, since they rest against the concrete floor using self-tapping screws. The squeak is eliminated in 90 percent of cases. This method is also used if the joist is cracked and the deflection needs to be eliminated without dismantling the floor covering.

Let's sum it up

Now we know how to prevent the floor from creaking. There are several methods, and they are relevant in different cases. You need to start from the cause of the creaking - old boards, deflection or cracked joist. In most cases, the problem can be overcome without dismantling the coating. But if this does not help, you need to be patient and start opening the floor to drive in wedges or other operations.

Often moving around wooden floor, you can hear the terrifying creak of the floorboards. It irritates those around you, distracts you from important matters, excites you, gets on your nerves, and puts you on guard. It will not be possible to quietly sneak out of the house without disturbing its inhabitants. At night, the unexpected sound of creaking floorboards will wake up almost all the sleepy residents of the apartment. Today we will tell you what to do if your wooden floor creaks.

What is a wooden floor

First of all, let's figure out what it is wood covering.

They are nailed onto bars 150 cm long and 50 cm thick (joists) wooden floorboards. This is how floors were made in Soviet times. There is another option wooden floors.

The subfloor, which is plywood or planks, is screwed onto the joists with self-tapping screws. You can put small pads under the joists. A finished floor in the form of parquet, laminate, or solid board is laid on top of the leveled rough base.

Why does a wooden floor squeak?

We often ask ourselves the question: “Why do the wooden floors in the house creak?” Today we will try to find out.

Causes of squeaking:

How to repair squeaky wood floors

First of all, you need to determine the cause by listening to which floorboard is creaking.

But this can be done by removing laminate, linoleum and other finished floor coverings. Walk through subfloor. If it does not squeak, then you will have to re-lay the finished floor. If the creaking continues, we continue to look for creaky floorboards.

Entire groups of floorboards can also creak. They need to be removed and replaced with new ones. The lack of material, time, money dismisses this method of removing squeaks.

What to do if a wooden floor creaks without disassembling it

Let's look at the simplest means and methods of getting rid of squeaking boards.

Rub a wax candle over the seams between wooden floorboards. This method will help stop the unpleasant sound.

Eliminate creaking in the apartment without dismantling the floor, on long time dowels will help. At an angle of 45 degrees, at a distance of 50 cm from each other, drill holes with a diameter of 8 mm along the seam. Insert dowels into them, securing them with adhesive. The pins will provide the floor with a stable and strong foundation.

To prevent wooden floors from creaking, it will help cementing loose lumber. Because of our weight, the boards beneath us sag and become loose. Cavities appear between the concrete floor and them. If you fill them, the squeak will disappear.

Let's find the board that causes the unpleasant sound, drill a hole in it and pour liquid cement through it with a syringe.

In order for the cement to harden firmly, you need to pump it under the floor gradually, in portions. Perform this action until the cement stops entering the hole. Plaster or cover with mastic on top.

It will also help to strengthen the wooden floor so that it does not creak. pumping foam into the hole. It swells and spreads across the empty plane, filling it. As a result, the floor becomes hard and the creaking stops. But not for long. Moving across the floor, we influence polyurethane foam, we destroy it. The plane again turns out to be empty.

IN wooden house and can be used in the countryside metal anchors, if the base under the floor is concrete. The anchor is a hex bolt. Inserting it into the drilled floor, turn the dowel head. It begins to open the petals below, getting stuck firmly in the hole. The logs become sandwiched between the anchors. Unable to move, the wooden floorboards are also firmly attached to the base.

This is very reliable way, but expensive. Each anchor can support no more than 30 kg. To secure the entire floor you need about 200 dowels, each of which costs more than 50 rubles. So calculate how much it will cost to secure the floor with anchors!

You can get rid of creaking lumber by hammering wooden wedges in the cracks between the floorboards. To make the wedges stick better, coat them with glue. Process the wedges antiseptic. To prevent the wooden wedges from moving away from the boards, we drive the wedges at a distance of 50-80 cm from each other. You can drive the wedges further. To do this, use a chisel to move the floorboards away, lifting them. You can drive a wedge into the gap between the boards to a depth of 3-5 mm.

If the wooden floor in your apartment creaks, you can pour graphite powder with talc into the cracks. If the floor is old, made of rotten boards, then this method is ineffective.

But you can also use sealant based on sawdust, varnish and paint. This mixture will firmly connect the boards together. The sealant is sold in the store. Self-production Such sealant is also possible. Mix the ingredients (4:1:1) and pour to the base of the floor.

If the floorboards of a wooden floor are creaking, then the cracks can be seal with a cord coated with PVA glue. We put such a cord between the cracks, and cover the top with sawdust mixed with glue. Sawdust should be placed in cracks above floor level. When the glue dries, cut off these bulges.

If the floor is flat, there are no bulges or rotten boards, but the creaking is still heard, we'll cover wooden boards plywood, which we will fix at a distance of 15 cm from each other. The plywood must be thick, at least 12 cm. The places where the plywood is fastened must be on the joists.

The most profitable and easiest way is to secure the boards with self-tapping screws instead of nails. They just need to be screwed to the boards that are loose.

How to rotate a wooden floor so it doesn't creak

To prevent wooden floors from squeaking, it is important to choose the right screws.

They should have threads up to the cap. By screwing such screws into the board, we connect it to the joist.

The gap between the block and the floorboard will disappear, the absence free space between the joist and the board will not allow the floorboard to move, there will be no creaking.

If you take a self-tapping screw, where the thread is at a certain distance from the head, then, already fastened to the joist, the board will still move along the surface of the screw from the head to the beginning of the thread, making nasty sounds.

But these methods can be used if the squeak is minor. To better secure the floor, it is better to use plastic dowels with screws. Drills into defective boards deep holes by diameter

ru dowels, going 40 mm inside the concrete base. Then dowels are inserted into it and screws are tightened.

If you knock on boards that have already been tightened, you will hear a loud, ringing sound; with loose floorboards, the sound is dull when you knock. By tightening the floor with self-tapping screws, you will eliminate the creaking of the floorboards. At the dacha, in the bathhouse, you can freely use this method. IN apartment building Be careful not to damage the wiring of your downstairs neighbors.

Floor creaks wood floor repair

Let's see how to tighten a wooden floor so it doesn't creak.

If you decide to re-lay the wooden flooring, then look through all the boards, replace the rotten ones where necessary, secure them with self-tapping screws, drowning the caps and covering the recesses with mastic.

If there are a lot of rotten boards, then the rough covering should be dismantled. The floors do not need to be dismantled immediately. First, we will lift 3-5 boards located near the wall and tear them off the floor. Let's look at the logs and what condition they are in.

We will inspect the boards and replace the rotten ones. After replacing the logs, we put the first torn board back in place.

We fix it, then tear it off one board at a time, repairing and replacing the joists and boards. Tearing off the board, we put the old one in place on the other side, fastening it with screws to the joist.

Number the boards so as not to get confused. Pay attention to the joists to see if they are cracked.

Replace the bars with new ones, try moving the logs. If they wobble or move, they need to be secured with wedges.

The wedge is a block sharpened at an angle of 30 degrees. Its length ranges from 30 to 40 cm, and its thickness from 30 to 60, depending on the size and thickness of the log.

Drive a wedge into the joists. Usually two wedges are driven in on each side so that the logs are firmly held on concrete base. To fasten the joists, you can also use metal corners. The boards need to be held together using metal staples, driving them into joists and wedges.

If there are no staples, then you can use scraps of boards, attaching them to the joists with self-tapping screws. Instead of metal wedges, it is enough to use wooden spacers. It is best to use tongue and groove boards for flooring. You can secure the boards together using self-tapping screws, inserting them into the wood at an angle. To keep the boards tightly together, you need to tap the board with a hammer.

Some craftsmen coat the grooves with glue before laying the next board to tightly fasten the boards.

When laying the first board, do not forget to step back from the wall by 15-20 mm. Under the influence of temperature changes and moisture, the board can expand and rest against the wall, destroying and warping the entire floor structure if there is no gap with the wall. The screws near the wall will be covered with baseboards.

How much does the work cost? Wooden floors squeak

The price for eliminating creaking wooden floors in Moscow is 200 rubles per square meter.

We told you about what to do if your wooden floor creaks. We hope that our tips will help you get rid of the annoying sound. We don’t know which method you will choose. But we believe that you will find the most effective one depending on your conditions, desires, capabilities and time.