Creaking in hardwood flooring is common, yet not inevitable. A source of noise pollution and stress, a squeaking floor can even create doubt in potential home buyers, lowering the property’s value or even jeopardizing the sale. But what solutions should be implemented to eliminate creaking in hardwood flooring?
Before embarking on major work
A slight creaking noise can often be resolved with simple tricks. One of the most well-known consists of cleaning the gaps between the boards, then applying talcum powder. It’s not necessary to treat the entire floor, but only areas of about one square meter around the squeaking boards. As talcum powder produces a lot of dust, some people prefer to replace it with hot paraffin wax, which is injected between the boards using a syringe and is also effective against creaking.
When the wood is dry, you can also coat the floor with wood floor maintenance oil, such as linseed oil, preferably warm, focusing on the areas that creak. If the previous methods don’t work, inserting screws here and there can help eliminate squeaks. The screws are then concealed by covering them with putty of a color identical to the wood.
When the room is humid or subject to temperature variations
Hardwood floors are very sensitive to humidity and temperature variations. If the subfloor or the ambient humidity in the room is too high, the boards tend to swell, the flooring lacks stability, and friction and squeaking can occur when people walk on the floor.
Maintaining a stable temperature and humidity level can help resolve the creaking noise. Ideally, the room should be kept at a temperature between 20°C and 23°C and a humidity level of 50%.
When creaking is caused by structural problems
Sometimes the floor creaks due to structural problems. In some cases, it’s possible to correct the defect by repairing the subfloor from underneath. Note that, in the case of an old floor, this operation will require completely resanding the room in question. Indeed, the removed wood will not be reusable, and the new raw (unvarnished) wood will be thicker, as it will never have been sanded. The color of the old varnish will also be more yellowed than the new varnish, hence the need to sand the room if you want a uniform result. In the case of pre-varnished flooring, you’ll need to find exactly the same flooring if you want to avoid having to sand the entire floor.
Depending on whether the squeaking is caused by friction between boards, slats, or other components of the floor, or by humidity or temperature variation problems, there is an appropriate solution to end the creaking of hardwood flooring. If it’s a matter of sprinkling talcum powder between the slats or re-screwing some boards, you can treat the problem yourself. However, you will certainly need to consult a professional if a more substantial intervention is necessary, such as changing certain hardwood boards or even the entire floor.
