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Tips on Fixing Squeaky Floors
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Tips on Fixing Squeaky Floors
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" So when we're finished creating this playroom or -- recall it granite and up with a room that's thirty feet across about twelve feet in in in -- And you know plenty big for Republicans for playroom but. One of the problems with old houses we can hear it right here is that they often have squeaky floors so our floor maven Howard Brickman is with us today. To give us a few tips on how you figure out. A solution to the squeaky floors hi Gloria I'm Bob you're pinching the wood with me."
" Moisture meter right yes the first thing we do on any job as we check moisture conditions to see if everything is within the normal -- Now what role does moisture play in making -- floor squeak. -- changes in moisture content cause wood to shrink and swell and hand and so when wood shrinks and -- apart and I also makes fasteners loose. And so it'll contribute much to movement and shrinkage. And squeaking that occurs as the fasteners and the boards move against each other when weight is placed -- sure sure. OK well -- a good opportunity to look at the elements of the construction here. Here's standing right over the prosperous and correct cross bracing or bridging and then I was -- of bridging is there basically to tighten up the floor joists. To keep them from swinging back and forth as a load is placed on the makes a floral staffer right and then. Houses today are built with plywood as a subfloor. But this is an 8085 year old house so we've got regular. Maybe spruce boards running across and I can't tell what the species is that the looks like care one by ten boards placed perpendicular to the joists. And pretty common up until 1950s. Didn't and rooted in terms of we have plywood but in terms of whether they're laid like this perpendicular or whether laid on an angle does it make it one better than the other. Are generally speaking are on the 45 -- on the bias or an angle is superior because. Because a little more racking power. And eliminates racking and movement and so -- makes for much sturdier floor. And OK so then we've looked at joists we looked at cross bracing and we've got subfloor and on top of this worry in the kitchen area so it's an old maple floor I think. But whenever the homeowners walk in this area. If your down here you know they're in there. And it's it's pretty noisy listen. All right so that pokes two pins into the woods. And you just told that there for a second and then -- your reading on the moisture right correct. Can you get it there what to say five cents a 14%. That's. We'll higher than should be -- this very rainy day today right OK but anyway we know there's squeaking going on there so what's the first thing to try to. To do to fix it while we try to determine where the squeaking is occurring right is it is it between the subfloor and the top of the -- between what floor and the top of the subfloor that yes OK we've got two layers of boards so it could be between the two layers of boards or it could be between the bottom. Of that. The bottom layer board and that the joist correct what do you think from the noise you were just -- by the ten. Of minorities it's -- kind of a low moaning sound so it tends to be more of -- of wood floor subfloor noise whereas the noise that you would get between. The top of the joist and the subfloor is generally a nail being rubbed. So that's got a higher pitch to it right a lot sharper -- so what's an easy fix. For."
" this subfloor -- we've got. -- we're gonna try and suck the suck the wood floor down tight against we'll do so a subfloor Syria drive some screws right. Through the face of the subfloor into the finished floor up above. Are referring to reward our I'd say about four per square foot pine. Food before across. This war. All right so. This could work for that from the what about if the problem exists between the top of the joist and the subfloor how do you do you tackle that are one approach Bob would be it. Take a piece of two before walking. And fasten it to the subfloor. And then also fast food joints OK so now you're using what two and half inch screws -- three of these are actually three screws --"
" Now OK so that's one more solution what about stuff like shim shingles or even. You know construction adhesive can that be a top -- really is helpful Barbara there's a space between the top of the joist and the bottom of the subfloor and we would butter up the end of the shingle with. Construction adhesive. And then slide it between the top of the joist. Until it's tight and -- in place then when the construction adhesive solidifies. It'll it'll take the stress -- thanks art."
