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Squeaky Wood Floors
Floor squeaks are usually caused by two edges rubbing together, such as the tongue of one flooring
strip rubbing against the groove in the adjacent strip. Applying a small amount of mineral oil to the joint
may solve the problem.

A sagging floor joist can pull away from the subfloor, leaving a small gap between the two. If you
suspect this is the cause of squeaks, open a joint and squeeze construction mastic into the cavity. An
alternate remedy is to drive small wedges into the space between the joists and subfloor. See Figure
4-6. Drive wedges only far enough for a snug fit. This repair only works for a small area. Too many
wedges will make the finish floor look bumpy.

Floor joists that are too small for the span will squeak as the floor deflects under load. The best solution
is to add a girder to shorten the joist span.

Strip flooring installed parallel to the joists usually deflects more under load than flooring installed
perpendicular. If this is the cause of squeaks, solid blocking nailed between joists and fitted snugly
against the subfloor (Figure 4-7) will limit deflection and help silence the floor.

Another common cause of squeaking is insufficient nails. If you decide to face nail the floor where it
squeaks, countersink the nails and then fill each nail hole with wood putty. A better choice is to drill a
small pilot hole through the tongue edge of a floor strip. Then nail through the pilot hole into a joist, if
possible. Even better, work from under the floor using screws driven through the subfloor into the finish
floor. This method will also bring warped flooring flush with the subfloor.