When performing construction or repairs, many people have a question about what type of floor to use. There are many options, but still many choose the classics - wood. Wooden floors have been used for a very long time. They are an indicator of status and at the same time environmentally friendly. But you need to understand that such a coating has its own life. Due to the properties of the material, this floor may creak over time. This annoying sound sometimes bothers the owners. What can be done so that the floors do not creak? There are several solutions to this problem. And today we will consider how to make sure that the floor does not creak.
Types of Coatings
Of course, only a certain category of floor coverings makes a creak. These include:
- Parquet.
- Classic wood floors.
- Engineering boards.
- Particleboard floors.
- Laminate.
Squeak Reasons
There are also several reasons why the floors creak (what needs to be done, we will consider a bit later). First of all, it is worth noting a violation of the rules for preparing the coating. What is meant by this characteristic? Wood is an environmentally friendly material that can be dried. It doesn’t matter if it is parquet or chipboard - all the above types of coatings absorb moisture and give it away. If the material gives off moisture, gaps appear between the boards or sheets. Elements may also become deformed. Because of this, the board comes into contact with the neighboring one and makes an annoying sound when walking around the room.
The next reason is the wrong lagging technology. It is necessary to observe a certain distance between the lags. If it turns out to be too large, the floorboards will have a higher load. As a result, the floor bends and makes a characteristic sound. Also, floor creaking can occur due to the use of too thin boards. What should be the thickness? The minimum thickness for boards is four centimeters. If thinner ones are used, they will bend under load. Alternatively, you can reduce the distance between the lags. But it is better to adhere to the requirements and not apply thin boards. Parquet may creak due to the lack of a coat of varnish. Over time, the layer may wear out. As a result, this leads to the destruction of the adhesive layer. The strength of the material will decrease.
One of the popular reasons for squeaking is choosing the wrong gap. It is called compensatory. It is designed to eliminate the friction of adjacent boards in case of increased humidity in the room. It is worth noting that such a gap must be made not only along the wall, but also between adjacent boards. If this is not foreseen, the floor will creak when walking. In addition, due to friction, the material warps. A little less often, the floor creaks due to poor fixation of the fasteners. These include self-tapping screws, various screws and nails. Since the wood has the ability to dry out, the fasteners can no longer hold the boards securely.
Another reason is the humidity in the room is too high. Sometimes the moisture concentration is so high that even compensation clearances do not save. A tree at any age has the ability to absorb moisture and swell. Due to the expansion of the elements and rub against each other.
Ways to solve the problem
There are several solutions to the problem. It:
- Knocking down wedges.
- The use of foam.
- Floor screed.
- The use of metal anchors.
- Reinforced plywood.
- Tug of screws.
Next, we will consider in detail how to make sure that the wooden floor does not creak.
Foam application
This is an efficient and easy way. If the floors creak, what should I do? Without dismantling the boards, you can eliminate the sound. For this, mounting foam is taken and poured into the compensation gaps. As the foam expands as it dries, the boards will be tougher and stronger. This method is relevant if the installation did not adhere to the proper distance between the lags.
If it is parquet, you can overcome the sound as follows. For this, a plaster or cement composition is prepared. Then a hole is made using a drill with a 0.8 mm drill.
The solution is taken into the syringe and poured into this hole. Then the hole is covered with putty on wood. This is a very simple and effective method.
Using wedges
Here you can not do without a partial analysis of the coating. To do this, we need a hammer, wedges and a damper. The work is carried out in several steps:
- A creaking patch is detected.
- One of the boards is removed (to provide access).
- A wedge is driven into the gap between the boards.
There can be several wedges. They get clogged until the sound disappears when walking. But you need to know certain requirements. So, the interval between the wedges should be 20 centimeters. In this case, the wedges should not protrude above the base of the floor.
Metal anchors
So that the floor does not creak, metal anchors can also be used. But this method is only suitable if the base of the floor is a concrete slab. Anchors are fastened manually. The work is done sequentially:
- A through hole is made on the board and on the lags with a drill.
- A metal shell is installed.
- The pin of a metal anchor is twisted.
- After mount the next anchor. In this case, the interval should be at least 100 centimeters.
- The result is a sturdy floor that will not sag and creak.
Experts say that using metal anchors is a really effective way to deal with creaking. But it is worth noting that the price of such tools is very high, since they will require several dozen.
Plywood laying
What needs to be done so that the floor does not creak? Another solution to the problem is the flooring of plywood sheets. But there are limitations. The base of the floor should be flat. And the thickness of the plywood sheet is not less than twelve millimeters. To work, you need the following:
- Screwdriver.
- Self-tapping screws.
Sheets must be laid on top of the boards and secured with screws. The interval between the latter should be about 20 centimeters. There is plywood creaking on the floor, what else can I do? Next, consider another option for eliminating sound.
Hauling with screws
If the coating creaks, what should I do without disassembling the floor? You can haul the surface using self-tapping screws. However, this method is relevant only if the sound appears during friction of the lag and floor boards. The set of tools and materials is minimal. This is a screwdriver and screws. The hardest part is finding the creaking lag. After this, it is necessary to screw several screws into the beam through the board. But you do not need to twist much. The hat should be slightly sunk in the board. If you pull it, the material may crack (especially for parquet and classic boards).
Wedging boards
What to do so that the floors do not creak? You can wedge boards below. This method prevents the displacement of floor elements when walking. To do this, a wedge is carefully hammered between the beams by means of a hammer. Please note that boards do not need to be lifted. They should not be higher than the rest of the floor. You can wedge boards from above. To do this, wedges are hammered in the cracks between the boards. In this case, a damper and a hammer are used. The interval between the wedges is 15 centimeters. The number of wedges can be different. Finish the installation when the creak is eliminated.
Fixing boards from above
To do this, we need to make several holes in the places where the boards creak. Next, these elements need to be fixed with screws. Note that the holes are drilled at a certain angle to each other. Thanks to this, we will make more rigid fastening of the boards to the beam. But at the end of the work, it is better to hide the self-tapping head caps. A special putty for wood is suitable for this. After that, the surface will not be completely smooth, and in order to smooth it, you need to grind the surface with sandpaper.
We reinforce the beams
If the above methods did not help, you can use a more radical way. Experts note that the most reliable option for amplification is the installation of struts. After that, you can safely forget about the creak for a long time. This operation is performed in several steps:
- In the central part of the span, a line beats across the beams. It can be done with ordinary white chalk.
- Cuts are cut off. Their dimensions should be such that they enter the gap between the beams. The thickness should correspond to the beams, and the height should be 25 millimeters less. This gap is provided so that in the future it can be laid any communications (pipes, wiring, etc.).
- Proceed to install the bars. They need to be laid across the room. In this case, the bars are installed on both sides of the marked line alternately. Each element is fixed with two nails from the end. And those bars that abut against the wall are attached only on one side.
We remove the creak on the old floor
If the floorboards, which were laid for a long time, creak, you will have to try here. The fact is that cracks often form on an old tree, and some boards decay altogether. If the old floor creaks, how to fix it? Experts advise resorting to the replacement of sheet pile boards. But before you remove the elements affected by the fungus and mold, you need to remove the comb on one of them. You can use an electric jigsaw to facilitate work. However, the file should be strong and thick. Also note if there is wiring under the floor. If there is one, the house or apartment is de-energized, otherwise there is a risk of a short circuit. If you feel resistance when working with a jigsaw, you need to stop. Otherwise, an expensive tool will become worthless.
Next we pick up the damaged boards. To do this, we set a wide chisel or screwdriver to the transverse cut between the floorboards.
Raise the first board. Push the chisel away from you. If the board is difficult to walk, you can step on the chisel with your foot. As soon as it rises, rearrange the chisel to another beam. It is advisable to remove all rotten boards, right down to the center.
Before installing new boards, you must first check the dimensions. Next, a piece of the future floorboard is cut out with a jigsaw and installed in place of the old one. When installing, you need to align the groove with the comb. For reliable fixation of floorboards, experts recommend the use of self-tapping screws or nails. In the latter case, the board is nailed so that the hats do not look outward, but are flush. In order not to damage the new flooring, you can use part of the unnecessary grooved floorboard. Hammer blows through it.
But what about fixing with screws? Be careful here, as there is a risk of cracking. It is necessary to screw the screws until the hat is flush with the board. If you go further, you can damage the board.
Reinforce floorboards
How to prevent the floor from creaking? To do this, you need to determine at what distance from the concrete base are the boards. To find out, you can use a drill with a thin and long drill. We drill a small hole in an inconspicuous area and then stick a wire there. Next, we note at what distance she stopped, and thus determine the depth. This value should correspond to the length of the screws. The technique is very simple. You need to screw the screws into the creaking floorboards. Keep in mind that screws should be screwed into the logs. The latter can be determined by the nails in the floor, which go in rows along the floorboards. If the nail heads are not visible, you will have to dismantle the baseboard.
Before screwing a self-tapping screw, you need to drill a small hole. Its diameter should be slightly smaller than that of a self-tapping screw. This is necessary so that the material does not crack. Then the screw is twisted until the hat is flush with the floor. The operation is repeated with each board, screwing it to the lags.
Prevent deflection
There is another way to prevent the floor from creaking. To do this, you need to choose screws of such a length that they rest against the concrete base with their tips. In this case, the sharp ends of the screws should be blunted. Otherwise, they will destroy concrete. Also, in the boards, the same hole is pre-made as in the previous case (slightly thinner than the self-tapping screw).
The essence of the technology is quite simple. Screw-in screws will provide additional support. The boards will no longer bend and creak, as they abut against the concrete floor with self-tapping screws. Squeaking is eliminated in 90 percent of cases. Also, they resort to this method if the lag is cracked, and it is necessary to eliminate the deflection without dismantling the floor covering.
To summarize
Now we know how to prevent the floor from creaking. There are several methods, and they are relevant in different cases. You need to build on the cause of the creak - old boards, deflection or cracked lag. In most cases, you can overcome the problem without removing the coating. But if this does not help, you need to be patient and proceed to open the floor to drive wedges or other operations.