Friction Sounds

• Many creaks and squeaks in hardwood floors are produced by wood rubbing against wood or against nails holding the floor or subfloor boards together. If the subfloor adhesive that attaches the wood to the joists in new homes is improperly installed, insufficiently dried or not enough adhesive was used, the subfloor separates from the floor joists or beams and rubs against the surrounding wood. When the loose supports allow the wood to move, it rubs against the nails, which are still firmly in place, and creates squeaks when pressure is applied from above by walking.
  
  

Nail Problem

• In some cases, creaky floors are caused by nails instead of flooring materials. If the recommended number of nails is not used, or they are improperly spaced or not nailed in flush with the surfaces when the floor and subfloor are fastened together, they will make irritating sounds as they move up and down when pressure is applied to the floor from above. Squeaky sounds can also be produced by the poorly secured wood planks hitting each other.
  
  

Bad Bridging

• When the bridging under hardwood floors is made from inferior wood, is incorrectly installed or is spaced too far apart, the subfloor or floorboards will sag. Each time pressure is applied on the floor from walking, the boards will bow and make creaking and squeaking sounds.
  
  

Possible Solutions

• If the ceiling below the squeaky floor is unfinished, access and repairs to the affected areas are much easier. Ask someone to walk on the floor and, when the squeak is located, use a hammer to replace or correct the nail problem or pound shims in the gaps between the joist and subfloor to prevent movement. For a quick fix for creaky floors, treat the boards with dry lubricants to eliminate the noises. Sprinkle talcum powder or powdered graphite on the seams between the boards making noise, and walk back and forth on the floor to help the powder work down into the problem areas. This solution is usually temporary and, as the powder dissipates over time, the squeaks will likely return, requiring reapplication of the lubricants or reconfiguring the subfloor support system.