Over time, owners of wooden floors notice thatthat they start to creak. In most cases, this is due to the fact that the boards may have dried out or some nail has already become unusable. Going through the entire floor is quite a difficult task when it can be done much more easily. But before that, you should still establish the exact cause of the occurrence.
Over time, the boards dry out, which can cause creaking.
The causes of the creaking
In most cases, the creaking can be eliminated.floor without opening, the main thing is to know what the problem is. But here I would like to immediately note that if you do not intervene in the situation in time, then in the future this will lead to serious repairs. Wood, as a natural material, ages over time, but this does not mean that it does not need to be looked after. The creaking of the floor indicates its structural problems. The reasons may be as follows:
Floor repair using glue and a syringe.
Why is it so important to know the cause of the squeak?Because this directly affects which method to choose to eliminate the creaking without dismantling the floors. Even the sound of a creaking floor can be different. But only a professional can determine this. If the floor was not laid independently, then, most likely, this defect is caused by loosening of the fasteners between the boards and joists. As a result, friction against each other occurs. If the problem is in the joists, then there are two ways to solve the problem: level or completely replace. But here you will have to open the floors. But if there are no problems with the joists, then the following options are used to eliminate the creaking. Return to the table of contents</a>
Elimination of squeaks with the help of mounting foam: features
To eliminate the creaking, polyurethane foam is poured ininside the wooden floor. This method is suitable in cases where the underground space does not exceed 9 cm. The gaps between the floorboards are filled with the required amount of foam, which should fill the existing voids. Since this material expands and hardens, it simply serves as a retainer for loose boards. Moreover, with the help of foam, additional rigidity is created at the floor. But it is worth mentioning right away that this method is far from cheap, because the foam itself is very expensive. In addition, this method of eliminating creaking has a short-term effect. This is due to the fact that during the load on the surface, the foam itself will be compressed and sag, and this entails a weakening of rigidity. Therefore, after the "shrinkage" of the layers, the creaking will resume. The same will be observed if the mounting foam is replaced with talc or graphite powder. Elimination of creaking with wedges. These elements are driven between the floorboards. For this procedure, you need a hammer (mallet) and a punch.
Eliminating creaking sounds using pegs.Wedges are driven into the spaces between the wooden elements. Such parts can be made by hand. For this, you will need wooden slats 0.1-0.15 m long. Each wedge is inserted at a distance of 0.15-0.2 m from each other. They are driven in until the top is level with the floor surface. And to prevent the wedges from popping out during use, before installing them, it is necessary to lubricate these elements with wood glue or PVA. But it also happens that the size of the cracks is too small for wedges, so an alternative method is used. It consists of preparing a solution of sawdust and PVA glue, which is then applied to the cracks with a spatula. Return to contents</a>
Elimination of the defect by a constriction of self-tapping screws
To eliminate squeaking, you can lay it on the floorplywood. This method is applicable if the problem is associated not only with the boards, but also with the joists themselves. And here the difficulty arises in identifying the problematic joists, especially in cases where the floor surface was varnished. To solve this issue, you should remove the baseboards, after which this place is marked with a long thin metal rod. For this procedure, these elements are stuck into the floor at the central point of the joist or into the joist itself, if there is a concrete base. Then they are connected with a marking cord. The length of the screws is selected depending on the total thickness of the joists and floorboards (joist thickness + board thickness). They should be 2-3 cm shorter. After they are purchased, screws, two or three pieces, are screwed into each board. They should be located as close to the center of the joist as possible, while their heads should not protrude above the surface of the joist. If there are old loose nails, they should be removed, while the rest, firmly seated in their places, are not touched. This method should be used to strengthen not only the defective elements, but all the others as well.
The screws must be screwed into the center of the joist.In general, this method is quite effective, and is also budget-friendly. But again, if we compare this method of screws with nails, it should be noted that in the second case, over time, the places where the nail is driven in will weaken due to the loss of elasticity, since the wood is split. But screws do not destroy the wood so much, because they are simply screwed in. In this case, you need to stock up on the following tools:
- with a drill;
- screwdriver;
- nailing;
- metal rods - 2 pcs.;
- cord or line;
- ruler.
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Elimination of scripting with plywood or sheets of particle board
This method will help in case of detectionwide step between the logs or with thin boards. In this case, the flooring will be created, which necessarily requires a flat surface. When choosing plywood, the sheet thickness should be at least 1.2 cm, so that it does not bend during the use of the floor. Of the tools, you need to have a hacksaw, a drill and a screwdriver, although you can use a screwdriver instead. Sheets of material are laid on top of the boards, and self-tapping screws are used to secure them. The distance between the fasteners is from 15 to 20 cm. The laying itself should be done at an angle relative to the laid boards. This option is one of the most reliable and durable. First of all, the whole process begins with the detection of a problem area that needs to be unloaded, that is, remove all the furniture located there. Then it is outlined with chalk, creating a square shape, the sides of which are 15-20 cm. After that, this area is cut out using a grinder. It is also necessary to measure the distance from the base of the floor to the bottom of the chipboard, after which four bars are made, each 12-16 cm long, and the thickness should be equal to the above-calculated indicator. These elements will serve as a support, so they are driven into the corners of the sheet. After that, the previously removed section is put in place, fixing it with self-tapping screws at the locations of the wooden bars. Next, the flooring is laid. Such repair intervention will allow you to use the floor for a long time without fear of repeated creaking. In conclusion, I would like to note that if the floor creaks in several places, then each specific area may need an individual approach. It is not necessary that all creaks are caused by the same reasons. Therefore, you will have to find out in each case separately. Of course, in most cases, elementary intervention in the form of deeper sinking of the nail is enough, but sometimes this is not enough. All the above methods allow you to refuse from complete disassembly of the flooring, while they do not incur many costs.
