My house was built in 1920 and we live in Western NY. The floorboards on the stairs and the whole second story of the house creak very loudly with every step we take. It's not only annoying, but it's waking our 8mo daughter at night and during her naps. We can't afford to carpet the floors, nor can we afford to replace the floorboards completely. This might be a total lost cause until we move to a new house, but I want to know if anyone has ANY suggestions for helping quiet my noisy house. Please and thank you!
asked Sep 22, 2014 at 19:59
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2 Answers
There are a number of products marketed for this purpose which basically drive headless screws through the floor to fix the boards in place so they can't move. Haven't tried them, but reportedly they work.
The other solution is to learn to ignore the creak. It's amazing what sounds we can learn to filter out once we accept that they're just part of the environment -- traffic noise in the city, screaming hordes of crickets in the country, my grandfather clock, ...
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When it was just the two of us, we learned to live with it. My husband even said it is kind of an unadvertised security feature because no one can get up the stairs without waking us up! But the problem is it is waking out daughter. Do you know the name/brand of these headless screws and where I can find them? Commented Sep 23, 2014 at 1:35
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2Similar products are sold under multiple names, but one example is homedepot.com/p/… -- endorsement not implied. However, I'd also point out that my niece has grown up in a room without a door (it was supposed to be the library; she was a surprise) and without the adults in the household trying to be especially quiet, and as a result has learned to sleep through most normal noises up to and including doors and conversation. Kids adapt, if we don't overprotect them.– keshlamCommented Sep 23, 2014 at 1:43
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1@thesmallestone, the Japanese made floors for their palaces that were intentionally designed to squeak loudly. They were called Nightingale or Uguisubari floors. They were intended to act as an alarm system so the inhabitants could here the approach of...ninjas.. I guess. Not helpful but an interesting footnote.– user23534Commented Sep 23, 2014 at 3:30
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1@paperstreet, the "rules" say to avoid this type of discussion, but your comment made me laugh! Thanks for that piece of silly trivia :) Commented Sep 24, 2014 at 15:41
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1@TheSmallestOne I made a list of name/brand products at guides.obviously.com/Fixing-Squeaky-Hardwood-Floors/1277– BryceCommented Sep 25, 2014 at 17:20
Talcum powder (and some other materials) can be dusted into the cracks for a temporary (months not decades) kind of fix.
