How to repair squeaking floors

It's right up there on the list of irritating little fixes which you may well put off forever but that contribute to extra peace and quiet around the house. Get your squeaky floorboards fixed today with this easy-to-follow guide.

Level of difficulty

Level 2: Intermediate

What you need

  • Safety goggles
  • Screws
  • Nails
  • Hammer
  • Flooring-saw
  • Power drill
  • Brick bolster
  • Woodworking adhesive
  • Floorboards

The steps to follow

Note:
Wood floors squeak because the fixing nails holding the floorboards have loosened up. Even though nails are used in securing floorboards, screws are best for holding the boards in place because they can be easily unscrewed and removed.

  1. Tighten the squeaking floorboard by driving new screws near existing fixings.
  2. If a board is cracked or split, pry it up with a brick bolster and hammer. If the boards are tongued and grooved, saw through the tongue at an angle with a flooring-saw.
  3. To remove a damaged section, drill a hole through the board and insert the saw blade. Cut across at an angle, next to the adjacent joists.
  4. Lift the cut ends with your hammer and insert a brick bolster under one edge of the board.
  5. Remove the nails with a pair of pliers.
  6. Loosen the remaining nails along the floorboard, and lift it out.
  7. Cut a piece of wood to length and screw it to the joist side.
  8. You can also repair a split floorboard with woodworking adhesive and cramp them tightly.
  9. Screw or nail the floorboard down when the adhesive has set.
  10. You can also use the damaged floorboard to trace its shape onto a new piece of wood of the same width and thickness.  Cut the new floorboard, position and secure it to the joists with screws.

Note:
If the floorboards are uneven, consider hiring a floor sander to level the boards.

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Don't want to DIY? Get recommended flooring specialists for your home improvement job.

Please note that all our DIY guides and 'Expert answers' advice have been written strictly for reference only. Rated People do not accept any liability for any damage caused to an individual, property or anything else as a result of following our DIY guides and using our 'Expert answers' advice.