Noisy floor boards

[SpokeyDokey]

Is anyone else suffering this auditory scourge?

Ours seem to have gotten worse following the summer heatwave and they are driving me crazy.

Some I can deal with but others are inaccessible eg the lounge which is around 500 sq.ft would be a huge problem to empty, lift the carpet/underlay and screw the boards back down, etc.

Anyone else notice this problem since the summer?

 

[oxoman]

Yep, sadly it happens. We did a loft conversion using chipboard flooring and thats even worse. According to young oxo you should glue it down to the joists as you nail it down, although he recommends screws instead. He also suggests that screwing down standard floor boards is better than nailing it. Perhaps you should consider getting a new carpet and doing it then.

 

[Electric_Andy]

We had the same on stairs and landing, though it had been bad since we moved in and got worse. We were due new carpets anyway so I got it done when the old carpet was up. Removed original hardwood boards and replaced with osb sheet. I looked into it a lot, and from what I could tell, traditional boards have no advantage unless you want bare boards that look pretty. They are more prone to creaking and movement, and are more expensive. Also if they are tongue and groove, the tongues can often split so they lose their support structure.

 

[Electric_Andy]

We had the same on stairs and landing, though it had been bad since we moved in and got worse. We were due new carpets anyway so I got it done when the old carpet was up. Removed original hardwood boards and replaced with osb sheet. I looked into it a lot, and from what I could tell, traditional boards have no advantage unless you want bare boards that look pretty. They are more prone to creaking and movement, and are more expensive. Also if they are tongue and groove, the tongues can often split so they lose their support structure.

Just to add, there's always the chance as well that previous owners have removed or cut the boards in the past to access water pipes or electrical cables. All 3 bedrooms and the landing in our house had had the boards butchered by the previous owner. Many cracks, splits, bridges, which meant a lot of the boards weren't supported and/or intact. Gaps and bad fitting causes squeaking. There are some tricks like talcum powder, glue, silicone lubricant etc in the gaps but I don't know how long that would last, and would only work if the gaps were very small

 

[Profpointy]

One important piece of advice. Don't nail through the central heating pipes, and in particular, don't nail through them in two different places !

Just in case you weren't aware pipes are generally run along the centre of the boards.

 

[oxoman]

One important piece of advice. Don't nail through the central heating pipes, and in particular, don't nail through them in two different places !

Just in case you weren't aware pipes are generally run along the centre of the boards.

Oh dear, also not electricians also route cables down the centre of boards. Real electricians tend to drill the holes low enough so nails wont hit them, however fake electricians and DIYers dont always do it this way. Observation is best performed before nailing or screwing down.
@Profpointy that issue is normally a right of passage for house bashing apprentices.

 

[Profpointy]

Oh dear, also not electricians also route cables down the centre of boards. Real electricians tend to drill the holes low enough so nails wont hit them, however fake electricians and DIYers dont always do it this way. Observation is best performed before nailing or screwing down.
@Profpointy that issue is normally a right of passage for house bashing apprentices.

I confessed to a mate that I'd done this and he said everyone who's done any reasonable amount of house jobs, DIY or trade, has done this at least once

 

[Shearwater Missile]

Worse this year, after the dry summer. We have chipboard, standard in new builds I think ? I can`t get away with anything now, as soon as I move the floors creak. A previous 60s house, no probs, real floorboards that got screwed if there was a noise !

 

[VinSumRox]

Got 1860's floorboards in our house, no way can I stop all the creaks! Part of the character innit!

 

[MontyVeda]

When i did have the chance to empty my sitting room and get the carpet up, I went round the entire floor nailing down all the squeaky and creaky floorboards. I was very thorough. The new carpet went down and the furniture went back in, then I found one squeaky board I'd missed... on the main thoroughfare into the room. That was annoying.

 

[fossyant]

One important piece of advice. Don't nail through the central heating pipes, and in particular, don't nail through them in two different places !

Just in case you weren't aware pipes are generally run along the centre of the boards.

Good advice, I may know what you are talking about...pssssttttt