Fiixing squeaky sub-floors

[wngsprd]

We are getting new carpet in 3 rooms, scheduled for next Thursday.

I have a few floor squeaks I want to fix...either before the installers come, or after they pull up the old carpet, but before the new goes down. But I don't want to hold up their progress.

We have plywood sub-floor over joists in these rooms. I can access them through the crawl space, by removing insulation, but thought with the old carpet coming up, screwing from the top would be best.

3 Questions:

1. "Squeek-no-more" kits - have you had success with these screws with the heads that pop off under the plywood sub-floor? They state that can be drilled through existing carpet. A bit pricey compared to regular screws.

2. Are 1 5/8" self tapping screws the best to use otherwise?

3. Any other tips?

Thanks, Billy

 

[s219]

I'd use a 2-1/2 inch subfloor deck screw -- that's what they are made for. Normally have a square drive or star drive head, and will be yellow-zinc color. They are made to be used in a self feeding screw gun mounted on a stick, so you can walk around an entire new home and screw all the floor joints before flooring goes down. But in your case, just get them loose and put down with an impact gun or drill. I have seen them sold at Lowes and HD as wood project screws, in the section with loose screws in bins. Probably come in a pack too.

No reason you couldn't use a regular #9 or #10 exterior deck screw either. Basically the same thing but with special coating.

Do not use a drywall screw, as they are brittle and won't take the required fastening torque for this use.

 

[k0ua]

Squeak no more works.. BUT, after sinking a bunch of them I found some squeaks in the hallway were not the floor after all. They were the bottom plate on the walls. I was able to fix by going underneath and shooting long screws at an angle thru the floor joist (drilled thru here) up into the lower plate of the wall. Problem solved.

 

[ultrarunner]

Grandma's place had two spots...

All I did was get a tube of adhesive caulk and drilled a small hole just large enough for the tip so I could pump in caulking.

That was over 20 years ago and no squeaks!

 

[EddieWalker]

I agree with s219 and would use deck screws with either a star or square drive. Both work about he same, but I tend to buy the star drive most of the time. 2 or 2 1/2 inch screws at least every 12 inches and probably every six inches with the head screwed into the wood so it's lower then the height of the wood. I use a Makita driver and highly recommend drivers over drills. No twisting or wrist fatigue with a driver and they are a lot more powerful.

Eddie

 

[radioman]

I highly doubt you will have time to fix the squeaks during the carpet install. They work fast and nothing really slows them down untill the new carpet is down then they go to work edging,gluing, tacking, cutting.
If I were you - if you are not able to remove the carpet, I would cut a 4 ft wide section out of the area that squeaks and go to work screwing down the floors. Can you access the floor from underneath too? I would squeeze subflooring glue in the corners before screwing down the floor. This way, if there is still one spot squeeking no matter how many screws you put in, the glue will harden over the next few days before the floor install. Same goes for the flooring that meets each other on top -- use putty knife to force the glue in the edges. You dont need to do every single seam- but only where the squeaking is since you need the expansion/contraction movements. I have used this method with success.

 

[wngsprd]

Thanks for the help. I already have 2 and 2.5 inch deck screws (star drive) and will try the glue/caulk approach. I may go the Squeek-no-more route to get a head start, since radioman cautions about how much time I may (not) have when the carpet guys are here.

 

[teg]

Carpet getting replaced, just slice / cut the old carpet where it's needed, Now!!!

 

[/pine]

Have you tried to isolate the exact locations of the squeaks? (i.e., one person to make the squeak and another under the system)

Many times the culprit is a nail that did not get driven home fully and just a bit of flex in the sub-floor will cause it to squeak...

 

[jlgurr]

Carpet getting replaced, just slice / cut the old carpet where it's needed, Now!!!

+1

We tried squeek no more. Worked about 50% of the time. Tear up the old carpet and use the deck screws. We ended up doing that anyway and fixed every one of those derned squeaking nails. If the nail is the squeak it will never be fully stopped because the "give" in the floor will eventually work it loose again. Eddie is 100% on target.

 

[jlgurr]

Thanks for the help. I already have 2 and 2.5 inch deck screws (star drive) and will try the glue/caulk approach. I may go the Squeek-no-more route to get a head start, since radioman cautions about how much time I may (not) have when the carpet guys are here.

If you're like me when it comes to squeaky floors/stairs it will be worth the wait (and expense) to have them "tear it up and come back tomorrow" so you can do it right.

 

[jaotguy]

.... get out a measuring tape and a piece of paper and some painter's tape .....

walk the room ( area) and note where the squeaks are , put a tab of tape over the general spot on the carpet ....
keep going till you've marked all of of them... ( note positions on the paper after measuring from walls )

re-walk again to make double sure ...

then cut out a square of carpet around a marked area ... find the floor joints and mark them ... sink at least 3 to 4 deck screws ( 2 inches apart ) in the area INTO the marked joist... re-walk the area and see if the noise is gone ... most noise is from a loose board wiggling over a joist ( like a teeter totter )

repeat with the other marked areas ....

 

[wngsprd]

You've convinced me that I need to do this now, before the carpet arrives. I don't think there will be any slack time available. Thanks.

 

[wngsprd]

Okay, just finished up and glad I took your advice! It took longer than anticipated and I would never have gotten this done with the installers waiting. I cut the carpet, used deck screws, and then taped back over the cut with frog tape. No more squeaks (except my aching back).

I did try the Squeeek-no-more product in one place as a test and it worked as advertised. I'd be willing to use it again on the new carpet if a new squeak develops in the future.

Thanks again for your ideas.

 

[radioman]

Glad to hear it worked out. :thumbsup: