If you’re being troubled by a squeaky or a creaky floor, you won’t need anyone to remind how annoying it can be. Squeaky and creaky floors in the daytime are one thing, but squeaky, creaky floors at night can disrupt a whole family’s sleep, particularly if one or more members of the family need to walk over the offending boards to get to the loo!
Normally, the cause of a squeaky or creaky floor is two boards rubbing together. No matter whether your floor is solid wood or engineered, if there are two boards rubbing together, the likelihood is that they’re going to squeak and, or creak. That said, there is some evidence to suggest that thicker floor boards are less susceptible to squeaking and creaking than thinner boards.
Because wood is a natural material, even once it has been laid (even well laid), it is subject to movement. The appearance of the odd squeak or creak doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s been a problem with the installation of your floor; it normally means that your floor has gone through the natural process of expanding and contracting. During this process, two boards may have moved ever so slightly more than the rest and are now rubbing against each other when walked over to create the squeaking or creaking noise which is bothering you (and maybe even keeping your family awake at night)!
While you will never be able to remove every little squeak and creak on your floor, if there are significant squeaks and creaks that you want to get rid of, these can normally be resolved quickly and easily on a DIY basis.
What you need to do is ask your wood flooring supplier or DIY shop for graphite powder. Graphite powder is an industrial lubricant which will help reduce the squeaking and creaking from your floor. Once you have your graphite powder, simply sprinkle it over the joints of the floor boards which are squeaking or creaking and then walk up and down the boards a few times to encourage it to fall into the joint. Once the graphite powder has fallen into the joints, it will help lubricate the boards so that they can continue to rub together but neither squeak nor creak while doing so. Once you’re happy you have a good sprinkling of the graphite powder in the offending joint, vacuum up the remaining powder.
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FAQ
Q1: What typically causes a squeaky or creaky floor?
Usually, a squeaky or creaky floor is caused by two floor boards rubbing together. This can occur in both solid wood and engineered floors. It’s worth noting that thicker floor boards are less likely to squeak and creak than thinner ones.
Q2: Does a squeaky or creaky floor mean there has been a problem with the installation?
Not necessarily. Because wood is a natural material, it is subject to movement even after it has been installed. The appearance of the odd squeak or creak doesn’t necessarily mean there’s been a problem with the installation; it normally means that the floor has gone through the natural process of expanding and contracting.
Q3: Can the squeaks and creaks be removed completely from a wood floor?
While it’s impossible to remove every little squeak and creak on your floor, significant ones can usually be resolved quickly and easily on a DIY basis.
Q4: How can I reduce the squeaking and creaking of my wood floor?
You can reduce the squeaking and creaking of your floor using graphite powder, an industrial lubricant. Sprinkle it over the joints of the squeaking or creaking floor boards and walk up and down the boards a few times to help it fall into the joint. The graphite powder lubricates the boards, reducing the noise when they rub together.
Q5: What should I do after applying graphite powder to the squeaking or creaking joints?
After you’ve applied the graphite powder to the offending joints and walked over them a few times to ensure it has fallen into the joints, vacuum up the remaining powder.