2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Squeaking floors are a very difficult test for both the hearing and the nervous system, especially if the floors creak constantly and strongly enough. But such a situation is far from uncommon - over time, wooden floors lose their former strength, as a result of which a creak that causes a lot of trouble appears! However, this does not mean at all that in this case you will have to change the entire floor as a whole - in most cases, even smaller repairs are quite enough. How can you independently eliminate the annoying creak of wooden floors?
Basic requirements for floor material
When choosing a tree for high-quality and durable flooring, it is imperative to take into account the fact that it will be subject to maximum impacts and loads, and that is why you should choose the most durable and reliable material. Nevertheless, even the strongest material will eventually succumb to external influences, because the fastenings gradually weaken, and after several years the tree itself begins to become covered with microscopic cracks, which in turn inevitably entails not only an unpleasant creak, but also floor deflections while walking!
Minor repairs
It is easiest to cope with the creak of the floor at the initial stage: microscopic cracks that have appeared in the tree will not be difficult to repair with putty, and all kinds of depressions and spots can always be properly sanded.
Sometimes friction against each other can be the main reason for the creak of the boards. This problem is also solved very easily and simply: it is quite enough just to pour graphite or talcum powder into the cracks. Also, the gaps can be sealed using a bundle - for these purposes, a bundle of synthetic, hemp or linen fiber is perfect, while this bundle must be pre-lubricated with glue. Then, using any sharp object, the tourniquet is pushed with effort into the slot along its entire length so that not the slightest part of the material sticks out above the surface, and when the glue dries, the slot surface is putty and covered with paints and varnishes as close as possible to the tone of the floor. If there are gaps of impressive size between the boards, you can seal them with wooden wedges.
Polyurethane foam is also ideal for filling cracks - filling the entire space, it reliably grasps and fixes wooden boards, as a result of which the floor gains additional rigidity. However, this method is suitable only for local use, that is, when you need to eliminate the creak of just a few boards. At the same time, it is important not to forget that over time, under the influence of loads, the foam will slowly begin to shrink, that is, after a while the creak will return again, and you will have to fight it again!
If minor repairs did not help
In this case, you can try to change some of the boards in places, since in the overwhelming majority of cases, the floor creak occurs due to poor fastening of the boards to the joists or floors. It will be especially easy to detect such a defect for those whose floor is an integral part of the basement ceiling - in this case, it will be possible to discern and determine without much difficulty,which boards in the structure are moving incorrectly.
You can even not just swap the boards in places, but completely replace some of them, in addition, small wooden wedges are sometimes inserted between the boards or beams, and this approach also perfectly helps to get rid of the pretty boring squeak! Well, if it is not possible to get to the floor from below, you can attach the boards to the logs from above!
You should not overestimate such material as tongue-and-groove boards - alas, but they are also prone to drying out and cracking. It is best to immediately firmly strengthen their connections to the lags with screws equipped with hidden heads. If the lags are not visible at all, then in the future, in order to find and fix the problem, in some cases you will have to partially open the floor!
In general, the problem of the creak of a wooden floor is quite solvable and, as a rule, in order to successfully solve it, no superhuman efforts are required!
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