How To Fix A Squeaky Floor Between Joists

Look for gaps between a joist and the subfloor first.

How to fix a squeaky floor between joists.

If you have enough crawling space underneath your floor you might spot spaces between the sub flooring and the joist. Tighten the nut with a wrench until the subfloor is pulled down snug against the floor joist. Learning how to fix squeaky floors is simply a matter of determining which area the problem is coming from. Don t be surprised if you have to try several solutions before you stop it for good.

The nails squeak as they slide in and out of the joists. Floors and stairs squeak when wooden floorboards or structural elements rub against each other when the bridging between joists flexes under traffic or when floorboards have not been properly nailed to the subfloor. Hold the squeak ender s steel mounting plate against the joist then screw it to the plywood subfloor. Cut the blocking from the same size dimensional lumber as the joists.

Finding the exact cause of the squeak and then choosing the best remedy isn t always a simple task. While the most involved of the three methods here bracing an existing joist with a 2 4 is the most effective solution for subfloor that squeaks due to. Another effective way to quiet squeaky floors is to install solid blocking in between the floor joists. Tap a wood shim into the gap above the floor joist after smearing the shim with carpenter s glue.

Squeaks are caused when the subfloor begins to separate from the floor joists. Sometimes the squeak sound is not caused by the boards rubbing together but by the friction between the flooring and the joists. To install one of these joist subfloor braces screw the mounting plate to the underside of the subfloor directly under the squeaking spot. The squeak ender is a brand of joist support available at most home repair stores for a couple of bucks a metal brace that connects between the joist and the squeaky subfloor.

Using shims or packers to fill gaps between can be a quick and effective fix. In real life a squeak is no big deal that is they don t signal structural damage like termites that could cause your floor or joist to collapse. Brace joists with a 2 4.