Squeaky floors be gone 👣

If you have wood floors, squeaks and creaks are part of the everyday and possibly a disruption to your everyday: like when the baby has just fallen asleep or you’re trying not to disturb your partner when getting up for a midnight snack.

We love a DIY project here at Armadillo. And fortunately, with a little bit of elbow grease, addressing squeaky floors is a can-do-fix. In this guide, we’ll explore some common methods for silencing those pesky creaks and squeaks.

Identify the Source Most often, squeaks are caused by friction between floorboards or between the subfloor and joists beneath. By walking around the room and listening closely, you can typically locate the trouble spots. Then, give a try with these methods:

Lubrication One simple solution involves using a dry lubricant like baby powder or talcum powder. Sprinkle between the squeaky floorboards and allow it to saturate the joints. This can reduce friction and eliminate the noise. Check out this how-to.

Shim the Joists If the squeak originates from the space between the subfloor and the joists, shimming may be necessary. Inserting thin wooden shims between the joists and subfloor can provide extra support and reduce movement, thus eliminating the squeak. Here’s how. 

Reinforce with Screws For squeaks caused by loose floorboards, screws can be a highly effective solution. Identify the squeaky boards, and then carefully drive screws through the subfloor and into the joists below.

Squeak-Reducing Devices Various specialized products are available to combat squeaky floors. These include “Squeek No More” kits like this one, which consist of screws designed to snap off below the surface, leaving a minimal visible hole. These screws can be driven through the subfloor and into the joists, providing a permanent solution to squeaks.

By trying and following the methods above, you’ll be well on your way to reclaiming the serenity of your living space, one squeak at a time. You got this.