Is there any way to quiet a squeaky hardwood floor effectively, without having to redo the floors? I don't mind putting a carpet remnant down over it, but will that be enough? Could we do padding and carpet? Our floors are squeaky throughout our condo, but my son's bedroom is particularly bad. I'm trying to get him to sleep in his own room, but it's next to impossible because the floor squeaks so loudly when I try to leave that he startles awake again. Ideas???
added:
I realize that I will not be able to fix the squeaks completely, but I wonder if anyone has had success with making them quieter by covering the floors with carpeting... Thanks!
No, the squeak is coming from the sub floor or under layment.
You can find wood screws and sink them into where the squeak is - but I wouldn't recommend that unless you know what you are doing - sinking screws in Hardwood is not easy.
i keep my squeaks - it lets me know who is where in my house!! My own personal alarm system!
I've heard sprinkling baby powder in the cracks will help. Worth a try!
I know someone who filled the joints in their hardwood floors with talcum powder. I think he just poured it on and then rubbed it in with a dust mop. No more squeeks.
Yes, it is the sub floor- under the carpet, under the wood floors, laminate, whatever you have there. Nothing you can do. There's a nail loose or perhaps a nail not where it should be, maybe moisture made it bubble. Whatever the reason, there's no way to fix it unless you where to take up the floors and tighten/fix the sub flooring.
And, I had carpet installed upstairs after we moved in (still have hardwood on our middle floor), the carpet does not help (and I got some THICK padding under the carpet too!)
We have the same problem. Rugs haven't helped, though we haven't done padding/carpet. I've just learned where to put my feet when walking in the hallway and into my son's room - i.e., hug the wall HERE, put feet here here and here, DON'T step HERE, big giant step from here to here.
See if you can determine where the floor are less squeaky when he is awake and put a piece of masking tape (or glow-in-the-dark sticker) on the floor there. Then at night where you're trying to slip out, you'll have a lighted (hopefully quieter) path to the door.
did you try tapping under the area(squeak) w/mallet to push nail of subfloor back into place?
You have to get under the floor - the joists are the problem. If you know someone handy have them take a look. Otherwise you'll need a professional.
It can be remedied, but you'll need to likely pay someone with carpentry experience to come in and drive nails into the boards that are loose and squeaking. Rugs and carpet won't fix the problem, it's whenever there is enough pressure applied to the boards that they move and then squeak. Padding and carpet might muffle the sound a little, but the problem will still be there.
Someone suggested to my mom whose bathroom is really bad that way to sprinkly baby powder and let it sink into the cracks. It still creaks but not anywhere near as bad. She has carpet down on top of the floor. I would imagine it would help your situation. Thought I would mention it. Hope this helps. Good luck with your little one <3
He will get used to the squeaks eventually & sleep through it.
My girl did eventually.
I'm amazed she can sleep through some of the loud squeaks, but she does!
It's the sub floor/joints as some writers have mentioned. When we rehabbed, the floors that were redone are silent and the old ones are still creaky! They didn't put the support beams as close together as they do now and over time the floor boards get creaky. My daughter did get used to the sound, so I'm sure that will happen. But I still sneak out of the room (6 years later) along this weird L-shaped path that has makes the least noise! Carpets don't help but you can find that path of least creakiness. Good luck. On the bright side, getting used to all the noise makes kids better sleepers!
