I have an older home with carpet which has squeaky floors. What can I do? – Allen

Hi Allen,

Squeaks and creaks under carpeting are caused by movement in the subfloor against a floor joist or loose nail. If you have access underneath the floor, you can fix squeaks using wooden shims. Start by spreading wood glue on the end of the shims, then insert the shims between the floor and joists wherever you find a gap to stop the subfloor from moving.

Next, use a caulking gun to run a bead of construction adhesive along both sides of every joist to lock the subfloor in place. It’s labor intensive work, but it should stop most squeaks in floors.

Another option is a product called the Squeak-Ender, which consists of a metal mounting plate attached to the bottom of the subfloor with a threaded rod and bracket that fits over the floor joist. Tightening up a nut on the bracket pulls the subfloor snugly against the joist, eliminating the squeak.

If you don’t have access to the underside of the subfloor, I’ve had success with a gadget called Squeeeeek No More which allows you to screw the subfloor down right through the carpet without removing it. The device uses a specially designed screw that’s inserted through the carpet into the floor joist. The head of the screw is then snapped off below the surface of the plywood, so you’ll never know it’s there.

Good luck with your project,

Further Information

• How to Fix Squeaks Under Carpeting (video)
• How to Stop Wood Steps or Flooring from Squeaking (article)
• How to Prevent Wood Floors from Squeaking (video)

Tags: , floor, Flooring, squeaking, subfloor