Securing subfloor the solution to squeaky floors

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 29/02/2020 (2046 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Question: Our house was built in 1960. The floors have squeaked since we bought it 11 years ago. They are the original hardwood floors.

I am wondering, if we hired a professional to adjust the teleposts downstairs, could that help with the squeaking, or is it mainly the age of the floor.

Our neighbours have told us that different owners before us made structural changes in the kitchen and living room. I wonder if that could be a cause.

Thanks, Judy Tait.

Answer: Noisy, squeaking floors in older homes are typically due to movement between the wooden flooring and the subfloor, or the subfloor and the joists. Refastening the subfloor will usually eliminate the noise, which may be easily accomplished at the time of flooring replacement.

Anyone who has lived in a home built before common use of modern subfloor adhesives and flooring screws knows about the annoying noises that can occur when walking over the floor. This can happen with any type of flooring, but is more common with older hardwood floors, like yours. Because the older subfloors were nailed to the joists, often with smooth nails, loosening of the plywood or planks is inevitable. Once the boards pull slightly apart, movement occurs between the two when a load is applied. This is normally only heard when occupants walk over the problem areas.

Squeaky floors may be partially caused by settlement of the foundation and house movement, but telepost adjustments may do little to alleviate the problem. Since settlement will often cause additional stress on the floor system, bowing or twisting of wooden floor components can be the result. This will exacerbate the movement between the individual layers, which will not necessarily be corrected when the telepost’s threaded sections are turned. Because these slow modifications are only attempting to return the beams and joists to their original positions, they may do nothing to close the spaces between them and the floorboards. In fact, the gaps may even increase in size if the sheathing or flooring maintain their position once the joists are straightened.

Other contributing factors to noisy floors are dirt, sawdust, and other debris that may fill up the small gaps that form over time. Some of this may be the result of poor cleaning or lazy workmanship during original construction, if excessive debris is not cleared off the joists or subfloor before the next layer is installed. This material may not cause initial problems, but may increase the flooring movement as it becomes loose or crushed, over time. This can also happen after the fact, as junk accumulates inside the small spaces as the older nails loosen their hold. It may be possible to scrape or vacuum some of this from beneath the floor, but that should only be attempted shortly before flooring replacement, to be most effective.

Even if it does not help with noisy floors, should you be adjusting your teleposts? Despite my earlier comments about not eliminating the squeaks, straightening the floor beams and joists is a good idea, prior to flooring upgrades. This only makes sense if you have noticeable bumps in the floor above the teleposts, cracks in your walls, or interior door frames that are out of square. Those are all telltale signs that the teleposts are overdue for adjustment, normally downward. If you don’t see these issues in your home, you may not require that type of maintenance prior to fixing the noisy floor.

Once the telepost adjustments are complete, and the floor is left to adapt for several weeks afterward, replacement of the older flooring can be contemplated. This will require removal of the actual flooring, whether it is carpeting, wood, vinyl, ceramic tile, or more modern laminates. While the flooring must be pulled up to get to the next step, the subflooring may not require removal, even if there is more than one layer. Often, additional layers of plywood, particleboard, OSB, or other subfloor materials are installed prior to new flooring. This is most common with vinyl or tiles, but may also be done to lay a smoother surface for any type of new flooring. The condition of these layers will dictate your next step.

If the subfloor sheathing or wood planks are not moisture damaged or worn from mechanical damage, re-securing may be started. This may even be possible with multiple layers. The test for this is to try fastening the layers with a few hardened floor screws in the most worn areas. Making sure to pre-drill pilot holes, sinking a few screws just below the top surface of the sheathing with a screw gun or cordless drill should dictate further action. If you can sink the screw heads just below the surface of the sheathing without it crushing too badly, you may be set to proceed. If the subfloor gets damaged during this test, or the screws pull through the entire thickness of the subfloor with moderate pressure applied, then removal of that layer may be warranted. If the original nails pop up through the old floorboards after re-fastening, they should be countersunk, or removed, to prevent causing damage to the newer flooring. Ensuring that the flooring screws are long enough to properly secure the entire thickness of the older subfloor is the final piece of the puzzle, to prevent a return of the noisy squeaks after the upgrades are complete.

While telepost adjustment may help straighten your floor and prevent future movement, securing the older subfloor in your home is the only answer to fixing your squeaky floors. This will require removal and replacement of the existing flooring, but that will ensure that proper hardened wood screws can be used to prevent a reoccurrence.

Ari Marantz is the owner of Trained Eye Home Inspection Ltd. and the past president of the Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors — Manitoba (cahpi.mb.ca). Questions can be emailed to the address below. Ari can be reached at 204-291-5358 or check out his website at trainedeye.ca.

trainedeye@iname.com