forcheck

I am in the process of having my house recarpeted. My home is 12 years old and my sons floor squeaks terrible. I painted all the rooms with various coats of paint and am now waiting to have the carpet installed Monday the 7th of November. I decided to try fixing the squeaks. I used a utility knife and cut the old carpet back. I used 2 and 1/2" drywall screws and sank a lot of them in the joists. that did not stop the squeaks. I stand on both the joists and rock back and forth and the squeaks are real loud and annoying. What should be my next move? What can I do? Thanks

jproffer

Squeeks are usually nails rubbing the wood. If you're never going to want to refinish the wood...ahem...IF YOU'RE *NEVER, EVER* GOING TO WANT TO REFINISH THE WOOD ...try digging the nails out and replacing them with screws, or place the screws right next to (almost on top of) the nails, but it's better to just remove them if you can.

Notice the "usually" in the first sentence. If this doesn't stop it, come back and someone may have other ideas. This is happening monday the 7th right? So we have time.

Teetorbilt

If it is a limited area, see if you can find 'GitRot'. It's a penetrating epoxy. You will have to drill small holes through the flooring and into the joists, I'd suggest 1/8" (it will tell you 3/16 in the instructions).

As far as ever going back to the original wood, you can always drill and plug the holes. Just gives an old floor more character.

K2eoj

If yor are dealing with a subfloor, (plywood, osb, etc), you should be able to get the squeaks. If it is subfloor put more screws in and make sure you hit the joists. Look for movement like a plywood joint, (seam) or a nailhead. More screws. If you still can't get it it might be in the ductwork or a joist hanger or a nail from the joist into a lower wall. I go after them no matter what but you might not want to go that far. Make sure those screws a sucking up tight. I like a screw that is not threaded all the way. They draw things together better. HS

forcheck

I came home today and started putting in 5/16" x 3" lag bolts and the squeaks were still there. I then got my saw and was getting ready to cut the flooring out when I decided to check this site out. I read about the nails and the wood rubbing together and I thought,DUHHH, why didn't I think of that. I got my cats paw and started pulling nails from the noisy area and WAHLAA that was it. i pulled as many nails as I could and started sinking 3'16 x 3" decking screws about every 4 inches or so. What I found as I pulled the nails that out of maybe 50 nails pulled only about ten were ringed and coated the others were commons. I remember when I had this house built I requested that all floors were to be screwed and glued. I was assured by the realator that My floors would never speak. Yeah right. Well anyways thanks for all the great advice.

Teetorbilt

forecheck, Your're kidding us right? How many beers?