Creaks 'often caused by flexing joists'

Homeowners have been offered advice on how to tackle creaky wood flooring in a new home improvement guide.

Writing for the Telegraph, columnist David Snell responded to the query of one reader who had become frustrated at his "annoyingly" loud wood floors and decided to take on the problem.

Mr Snell advised the homeowner to begin by cutting through the tongues of a board which runs to a joist. He claimed that if no nail holes are apparent, this means that the nails have been inserted through the tongues.

"Creaking flooring is often caused by the joists flexing. This may be due to the absence of mid-span strutting," he said. "They can be strengthened by bolting new timber to one or both sides."

Mr Snell went on to suggest that renovators use a platform to work on as they cut new boards which will span the room across the joists.

An eHow guide to creaky floors contains similar advice and states that the problem is common in both new builds and older properties.

By David Steel
 

Date : 01/11/2010
Category: Solid Wood flooring news