NEW WOOD FLOOR CREAKS HOW TO
NEW WOOD FLOOR CREAKS INSTALL
NEW WOOD FLOOR CREAKS PROFESSIONAL

When a fastener is over seated into a wood floor, wood material is pushed out of the bottom of the wood floor, raising the overall floor into the air (even ever so slightly).

NEW WOOD FLOOR CREAKS HOW TO

We’ve put together a video and article that explains the importance of proper fastener use and how to make sure that you’re using the right now. This goes the same for inadequate numbers of fasteners. Over time the stress of walking on the floor will cause the small amount of hold of these small or short fasteners to loosen and squeak within the subfloor. Very small fasteners will not hold the flooring in the subfloor adequately. Inadequate fastener size or fastener frequency

When stepped in this area, nothing solid it is resisting the movement of the flooring and subfloor. This means that seams of flooring are over a void. Hopefully this is an incredibly rare occurrence, but in a rush, a contractor might meet subfloor up off center of the joists.

By gluing and nailing the subfloor, all possible voids between subfloor and joists can be eliminated. But nails frequently miss joists and cannot permanently hold and fill the voids where joists don’t meet the subfloor.

NEW WOOD FLOOR CREAKS PROFESSIONAL

Unfortunately, this isn’t as common a practice as the flooring professional would like.įrequently contractors only nail the subfloor down.

There’s really only one way to eliminate the chance for voids: to glue and nail the subfloor to joists, and to do it carefully. Realistically, there can be many reasons for voids between subfloor and joists. Just like any void between the wood flooring and the subfloor can allow for movement, any void between the subfloor and the joists can allow for movement. If the subfloor isn’t perfectly flat, parts of the flooring are suspended in air. (Good wood flooring installers will sand the seams of plywood flat).

NEW WOOD FLOOR CREAKS INSTALL

Install the flooring over this residue and part of your floor will be suspended in air. Construction residue on the subfloor (drywall mud, adhesive, unseated fasteners, etc.). Eliminate voids you’ll eliminate movement and squeaks. If there is a void under the wood floor, of any size, you allow the possibility of movement, which can create a squeak. To completely avoid squeaks, you must eliminate movement in the wood floor. The essence here is the presence of voids. Subfloor out of levelĪn out-of-level subfloor has many causes. This process is reversed in homes where the humidity becomes very high, but the stress on the flooring and fasteners is the same, along with the ensuing squeaks. This loose hold, combined with friction in the flooring will cause squeaks either between flooring boards or within the fastener and subfloor. This shrinking of the floors will cause tension in the fasteners, causing them to pull.Īfter the home returns to a normal humidity level, the floors will expand back, but will be more loosely held in the subfloor. If the home does become very dry, the wood floors of the home will shrink. In northern climates, when the outside climate becomes very cold, homes heat the air inside the home. This heating cycle creates very dry conditions inside a home and additional humidification is required to maintain a comfortable humidity in the home. Movement can be caused by a number of factors: Seasonal Movement But that still leaves the million dollar question: what’s allowing the floor to move? This is usually the act of being stepped on. In order for the floor to squeak, it requires some impetus to move and a place to move to. It’s pretty rare for a wood floor to squeak on its own. There is however one core cause of a squeaking floor: movement. In new construction homes, squeaking hardwood floors can become a frustrating situation with every participant in the construction process blaming another person. In older homes, the presence of squeaky floors is simply a part of the charm and comes with the territory. Once a floor starts to voice its opinion about being stepped on, it’s unlikely to stop unless persuaded to do so. Unless you are the parent of a teenager, a squeaking hardwood floor is a nuisance.

New wood floor creaks