How to Repair Squeaky Wood Floors | This Old House
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- Опубліковано 6 жов 2024
- This Old House general contractor Tom Silva silences some squeaky floors. (See below for a shopping list and tools.)
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Tom explained that the hardwood floors in the apartment were built using a "sleeper" system. In floors of this type, narrow strips of wood were used to separate the sub-floor from the finished floor to provide soundproofing.
Shopping List for How to Repair Squeaky Wood Floors:
2-inch (6d) finishing nails [amzn.to/2LxzLly]
counter-Snap breakaway screws [amzn.to/2Jd5tT7]
wood filler stick [amzn.to/2vS6mIa]
Tools for How to Repair Squeaky Wood Floors:
drill/driver [amzn.to/302tbH0] fitted with _-inch-diameter drill bit [amzn.to/2PZQ35h]
The "Counter Snap" break-away screws are manufactured by O'Berry Enterprises, Inc. [amzn.to/2KwCCLl]
The "Blend-Fil Pencil" wax crayons are available in a range of colors. They are manufactured by Minwax [www.minwax.com/].
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How to Repair Squeaky Wood Floors | This Old House
/ thisoldhouse
The squeaks in my floor are part of my security system.
🤣🤣🤣
I asked my wife if she wanted the squeaks fixed and she said no. I would agree. If alone in the house, you can easily tell where someone is when they walk on the floor.
Rick J try living with kids that wake up at 6 in the morning everyday. You’d want those floors solid.
@@slartibartfast4240 LOL, I have 6 kids, 2 still at home. The floor squeaks wouldn't bother me because at least I know the kids are at home safe, but moving about.
@Rick J "honey, the kids haven't moved in an hour should we call someone?" *floor thumps and chinaware shakes* "false alarm, they're alive"
I have done some woodworks in the past but this woodwork plan ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxZF0EMnrujZvqHhGkxiz559uIABJWR9TG helps me do much in a far lesser time than i used to do i have already built several projects with this plan and i intend to do many more soon. Thank you so much!
"I'm not sure how I feel having screwheads visible all over the floor."
"Anything to reduce the noise."
"The floor is definitely a lot quieter but I'm concerned about the holes left by the screws."
"I have no more concerns."
Fin
this is top tier commenting. you've brightened my day good sir.
why would you do this
@@twangyyy18888 i was going to ask him the exact same question….
Tom is amazing. His ability to simplify and explain things is incredible
“I’m concerned about all the little holes that the screws have left.”
“Ah, I’ve got an ink pen that you used when you signed a waiver that absolved us of all liability.”
best comment
Its either that or replace the hardwood 😂 or ceiling drywall
Hahah thats gold!!!!
Sweet Alembic bass in the back. That was the first thing that caught my eye. The floor is probably squeaky from all the sick ass bass lines that the homeowner was dropping throughout the years. You can definitely loosen up floorboards thumping some thick ass funk grooves on that 4-string Alembic for sure. Thanks for the video too guys. This old House keeps helping me through my old house.
Literally laughed out loud, bravo sir, bravo.
Another valuable lesson: Have the customer do the work for you.
got to start doing that
AleRicoSuave
Don't make fun of Tom. He knows everything. He showed the hardware to use
and the trick to make it all work. He is a master....
Hilarious
lmao thats a good lesson
I have been watching This Old House since I was a small child, at least 30 years. I bought a 35 year old house with hardwood floors, and thanks to Tom Silva, I finally used a method I learned on This Old House. My high traffic area squeeks are no more!
What did you do?
@LBizKid04 I bought a repair kit similar to what he used. Got it from Lowe's. Ended up with over 30 small holes in my dining room oak floors, but at least my dog can walk the house without waking everyone up.
@@MitchellPetersonJr right on. Appreciate the response!
Hey, did you worry about hitting the joists or did you just screw wherever you had a squeak?@@MitchellPetersonJr
Tommy sitting on the couch watching the homeowner fix the floor... too funny
He was getting ready to pull out that wax crayon
What will people ever do without your program and the sharing of all your expert's trades and secrets... Thank You!
always thought there was no way to fix a squeaky hard wood floor, great video! Thanks
3:22 Tom chillin' on the couch while the customer does the work 😂
This is so short, sweet, and to the point. Very informative!
Thank goodness for this video! I have three rooms that need the squeak taken out and I was afraid I'd have to put bunch of screws in the hardwood. I hope Home Depot has these special screws!
what are the called?
@@danieljoldenkamp2170 Counter Snap break-away screws
Was curious as to the age of these episodes and the magazine that Tom used in his demo gave me a clue.. that magazine is the August 2003 issue of Home Recording. Been watching This Old House and Ask This Old House and Yankee Workshop for years.. keep it up!
"I don't know how I feel about putting screws in the floor" "Lets put screws in the floor"
This is the proper repair, ua-cam.com/video/ZXBz2wxw-Ac/v-deo.html if the squeak is caused by gap between the hardwood and subfloor. I’m not affiliated with Fix-A-Floor, but I’m a customer who benefited from the product that fixed numerous hardwood and ceramic tile squeaks in my 20 year old home.
I'm a bit worried too but he said screwheads visible, which they solved.
I was concerned about the holes until wax cran. Thanks TOH
tom silva is clutch! i remeber seeing this or similar product on my folks old rabbit ears antenna back in the late 90's or early 2000's google brought me here, looking for a solution to my squeaky wood floor. thanks technology, and this old house.
Soo glad that the product links in the description still work too!
The product he's using is an O'berry 3137
Good.
But what happens when you need to refinish the floor later, is the sander gonna be hitting the screws or do they break off far enough under the surface to keep that from being an issue?
My house was built around 1870,so I appreciate all of its squeaks on creaks on a daily basis.
mines 1800's as well, old pine construction, I kinda like the odd squeaky floorboard :)
DeathAngelHRA Just bought an 1895 built home in Central Pennsylvania. Every door, all the molding, original hardwoods, about 90% of exterior very well preserved and intact. Needs about 10k to 15k of love and it's perfect. Paid 11k for it!
Awww you u tube mad ain't ya Niiiiiiice!! My house (Finland) had a false ceiling downstairs (saves on heat bills, it drops to -35c here in winter) and some 70's vinyl flooring, there was a water leak so I had to rip the vinyl up which i was going to replace anyway and what i thought was the floor it was laid on up to find the original pine wood floor underneath, the smell of 110 year old freshly sanded pine was awesome,, same with the ceiling broke through it to find the old pine ceiling and mouldings - previous owner had devastated the upstairs though and ripped the original floor out :( still trying to restore it bit by bit
Wyn Williams That's awesome, but also unfortunate. These old houses can be a money pit, but the new cookie cutter homes they are building overnight then overcharging for weren't appealing.
.
Awww you u tube mad ain't ya oh it has cost me a bit (Finland is one of the most expensive countries in Europe anyway) but well worth it and for what you paid? nice, very very nice :)
I have a 100 years old home with squeaky floors. I would never want to fix it, it's part of the charm of the house.
That Alembic looks SO nice!
Those screws are awesome. Great tip!
If you read reviews about those screws you will see they can be a nightmare. Usually in a box you get several defective ones which break off before the screw has gone all the way in, leaving a metal spike sticking out of your floor. You have to be 100% sure there isnt anything running under your floor that the screws might go through (pipes and cables), which for most people is difficult to do as you have little idea what is under there. Even where you know the location of a joist and can put the screws only there, occasionally pipes and cables will be routed through rather than between joists. If this was an upstairs room, there may be cabling for the lights in the room below under the floor for example
@David James Great idea, hopefully the head didnt break off because you hit a metal pipe
@David James After you remove the ceiling? Not all houses are built the same. This product is sold outside the USA whre it is common for a floor to lay on joists and the level below to have a ceiling fixed to the bottom of the joists completely enclosing the joints. Often lighting cable and even power cables and pipes will run between the floor (unseen). If they cant run with the joists between them, building regs (at least in the UK) do allow holes to be drilled through joists (there are rules about how big and where on the wood they can be). So... you could screw in to a joist dead on and go through a cable or pipe. Under floor cables often (at least on older houses) run through metal pipes to protect them from being damaged accidently, by drilling. Very old houses in the UK, where central heating was installed 40+ yrs after they were built, will often have copper pipes run though the upstairs joists during installation
"Im worried about holes"
"I'll tear off the screw heads hows that?"
"Perfect!"
Thanks for the instructions. I’ve always enjoyed watching This Old House.
What do I do when there is no subfloor? This house was built with no subfloor. The floor omits oak wood and it squeaks like crazy. What are your thoughts on floors with no subfloor. The old oakwood planks are about 1 1/2 inch thick locking floor
"I've got a wax CRAN."
I’d love to know how YOU pronounce it.
@@LetsMars Cray-on
@@williamhoran4583 Are you English?
I'm still trying to find it on google and Alexa is like, " hmm, I don't know that one".
Good video. Hope my home center has these screws. Thanks for this tip Tom.
Wax crayons are the best thing for filling holes. Here in Michigan we use them to fix pot holes in the roads. Saves the state millions!
Yes but Tom, Where do you buy the special screws and accessory? Let me know thanx. Video is really helpful...Saad
At 3:09, notice the dent the metal collar put into the pine floor! This guy's floor was already very distressed so it didn't make a difference but I wouldn't try this on my birch-floored bedroom. Maybe you could steam it back to level but I wouldn't bet on it.
Glenn Krzeminski ..that's true..definitely not for new smooth hardwood.. they should put something under it.
I bet if you put a large washer under it, it would keep it from being dented as much or not at all
Evan Butz
even a rubber washer would work.
justanotherbum007 Unless the additional space causes the screw to snap off above the floor board!
Glenn Krzeminski
I bet you're right. What a pain in the ass that would be!
--
Homeowner: Please don't use discreet screws to draw attention to the dents I hammered into the floor before you arrived?
The Alembic electric bass in the back is awesome!
the floors are fine, its that dudes shoe that squeaky
Rodger Quinn may I take your order #squeakyboots
Rodger Quinn no
Lollllllll!
😂 😂 😂
For squeaky shoes take out the insoles and add talcum power. For squeaky feet see a podiatrist.
Didn't know break away screws existed. Guess I need to get out more.
Jason Ricci me to lol, I’m gonna go spend a lot of my time in Home Depot learning about stuff!
cars used it too
But you learned the information SITTING in your home. If you were out of your home, you wouldn't have learned this information.
@@HaloWolf102 LOL
Ive been using them for years! They are also called dry wall screws.
I love squeaky floors and beds.
Christmas Eve night when I was kid trying to sneak downstairs to look at the presents. That darn creek in bedroom floor got me in trouble. 😂
What worries me is not the video, but the fact that my floor is squeaking and I've never searched google about it and this video is a suggestion in my home page.
CIA is definitely watching you I would suggest aluminum foil hats
i agree, only 2.. maybe 3 people in history have ever had a squeaky floor
Both of these are not true.
i bought some and they were called scored screws
hope that helps
What's the name of the tool you use with screws plz that fits in to the drill
@@womblestacker7993 probably come with the screws
All my screws were scores.
yixnorb 😂
I have a 1928 colonial 3 story home with no sub floor. Only squeaky tongue groove in some areas very rotten from water damage and being abandoned for 2.5 years until we acquired it at Auction in May 2019. Not sure if simply 1/2" tongue groove plywood/osb on top, or pull it all , then 3/4" base then 1/2" offset tongue and groove?? About half of the house is gutted to framework. Galv pipes were all blocked up, replaced with PEX Manifold, Roof and framing for collapse roof sections completed. Heat/AC replaced, but not the runs, still middle of the house. Electrical is a nightmare with 144 plugs, 63 lights and little breaker box. Knob & Tube / split into Romex without ground. This complex includes a enclosed patio multi-level roofed connecting house to 3 car garage, where one bay is work shop and constantly chasing raccoons out of there. What an insulation mess out there. All of it in the house was dripping wet and moldy.
First-rate exhibition You have inspired me to work on my channel, thanks. 🐼
That's a nice solution for a squeaky wooden floor, but what about other covered floors where it's difficult to pull up the floor covering without creating a much bigger repair job?
The company has screws for carpet
Used the product and the 1/8th drill bit is, in my opinion, slightly too large. When I would drive in the screw, it would grab the joist but then nothing would have a good enough of a grab on the hard wood floor to keep it from moving. It does reduce the squeaks but is tough.
So is 3/32" bit a good replacement?
The way that man are explaining the process is fascinating (especially with his voice) ... I would like to watch him hosting a documentary 😅
I love how they stop the video on the filling the hole part I know how to fill it to match the floor and color dead on but a lot of pepole who watch the video don't know how so when u make a video u guys should show from when u drill the hole to when u fill the hole it's a no brainer to finish a video !!! Am not tring to bash your video
Hey, can you refer me to a video that shows how to do that?? Also does this break away screw thing work? Thanks in advance :)
The trick here finding where the joists are so that you are tieing the flooring to the joist, otherwise it's dead air space. I've tried using a stud finder, but due to wood density, it's not that accurate.
In my case, I know the subfloor is causing the squeak, as I remember during the construction, that section was squeaking (my fault for not addressing then!).
Also, I'm concerned about putting these long screws in and hitting either electrical wiring or PEX piping, both of which could be a disaster. Any thoughts on these points? Thanks.
* Finding the joists
* Avoiding wiring and plumbing
P.S. I do have one of the floor squeak fix-it kits ready to go.
Id be curious to know as well. My squeaky floors are driving me nuts but to nervous to drill down hah
I need that squek fix it kits
"This is a unique screw", says Tom, neglecting to inform WHAT IS THIS CALLED? Imagine in Home Depot and asking, 'I'm looking for a unique screw.' 🤨
Look up Counter Snap screws
I love This Old House.
I'm on shrooms and I believed in his mustache but just drilling screws into your floor is hilarious
Love this show it’s very knowledgeable n teaches u tons of DIY
I LOVE this old house!
who is that old man ? he is a legend
Tom Silva - he's a awesome dude! God bless him
I thought I saw him do a hex tile job in a bathroom, it was a beautiful floor.
Who do you call old? Where are your manners?
It's a lot EASIER if it's the top floor and you can go downstairs and have access to it from the ceiling.
Just put wood shims between the beams and the floor.
w/adhesive, unless you want the problem to come back
For 20 years I've wished Tom SIlva was my neighbor.
I tried the Skueeeeek No More screws. They Reeeeealy work.
How many did you have to apply before a squeak was gone? I tried a few but it still squeaks in that spot
I always just use some talc/baby powder & sweep over the creaky areas into the cracks between floor boards. Stops sqeaks most the time :)
If I do that on my house we will suffocate ... it squeaks the entire upper floor... lol
what if you dont have a baby??
Buy the baby powder? LOL
+Bob Abooey Make one then buy the baby powder. They aren't as complicated to make as all of that. I think about half of the internet is a guide on the process.
I've powdered my crack, but it doesn't seem to silence it.
Where do you get that drilling accessory so the top of the screw comes off?
I just got a kit, going to give this a try myself. They are available at Home Depot, look up Squeak No More Floor repair kit, should be in the same aisle with all the other fasteners. Hope this helps
Nice Alembic bass!
Why didn’t you put a link in the bio to the screws?
Save the sawdust from the drilling. Use a small dab of carpenters glue in the pile of sawdust, fill the hole then lightly sand and stain/finish to match.
Saks Place
What An Excellent & Creative IDEA !
This is an old trick that works well. Melting wax works just aswell for this aplication, and it is faster.
This looks like crap after a while
But, I love squeaky floors. I know when people are walking in my house, and I feel secure. My thing is that I wonder if a floor squeaks, is this some sign of an impending problem that costs more money. However, the feeling of security goes away when I hear the squeaks when I am alone.
+William Sutton
it's not a sign of impending problem. If you like it, keep it!
Seems like a great way to turn your floor into Swiss cheese 🧀
Tom is like a wizard here
"I'm not sure I want a bunch of screws in my floor" ... after TOH just drilled a hole in the floor.
отличное видео. интересные шурупы, я еще не видел таких.
ya boy tom silva be making some dank ass beats in that room, i see the recording equipment.
show us ur soundcloud boiii
LOL hardly any handy man goes into depth like this. Where can I hire him? lmfao
those some nice pants tho. nice crease on them them boiz
Fix-A-Floor! Fast, Easy & Affordable! Works great!
Nice. Till you hit a water pipe or power cable. But carry on, & thanks for all the repair work you have given me.
If you cannot identify the location of water pipes or electrical wire in your own house layout, yes, by all means, do not go drilling anywhere in your house.
That guy is awesome!
I'm no carpenter so do feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. It just seems that this is a short term fix. Since the screw head is gone, it may start to squeak again. Worst case scenario, that screw may with enough time show though the floorboards eventually, which would pose a risk to your feet.
I think the principle is that the screw threads will hold the layers of wood together. The head is only needed to get the screw in.
I have a concern about the holes in my flr. DOPE!
lol the guy is saying he doesn't want any visible screwheads while at the moment he has a hole drilled in his floor :D
Homeowner, “I’m concerned about installing screws in my floor”
Tom, “I have longer screws” lol
My stairs squeak a lot. I always think it will notify me if there is a burglar in the house. Same with the other squeaks in the hardwood.
Wood floors are nice but I can't stand squeaky floors. This can really help reduce the aggravation caused by the noise.
This actually works! But now, what happens if the screws snaps before it goes all the way and your stuck, like I am with 1/2 of screw sticking up????
then your floor is "screwed"
What is that accessory
My man even sat on the couch after the customer starting working on his own floors 😂
how do you know where to put the screw? every piece that squeaks?
what he said
Luisa Perez ..ya exactly.. just walk around slowly and listen for the squeaks..and screw wherever you hear them.
The screws need to go through both the flooring and subfloor, and into the actual joists. Finding the joists can be very difficult. In this video it appears they didn't even bother finding the joists because of the sleeper floor, and their goal was just tie to the finished floor and subfloor together.
Get a copy of your floor plan and put one every foot along anything that looks like a pipe.
You can use a stud finder
aaaaa, I just so happen to have a wax crayon here in my pocket. Amazing!
besides the wax, can you use colored wood fill for the holes?
Yes that's how you should actually handle floors: wood filler.
awesome stuff, thanks!
What was the name of the accessory used to snap off the screws?
your presentation was great very professional but where can I find such a tool and those breakable screws question most of all what's the name of that tool you use to put the screw in can I find that at Home Depot or your favorite hardware store I would like a response thank you very much
I lost it when he sat on the couch and put the customer to work
Would the screws have compromised the sound proofing, though?
I think I need a million of those screws.
If you have access to it from below (like a basement) you can usually shim the joist or use a short screw to go up. (Yes, I guess you could literally call that screwing up.)
This video is like a magnet for sarcasm.
Amazing I will do this
i hate that you guys never tell us the name of the product yall used unless they are official sponcers....so now i wil have to go "that screw thing that has a head that break off so my floors will stop squeeking,...thing"
It's in the video description: counter-Snap breakaway screws
Sponsors !…
there is only one company that makes these....so whats the smarty
They say : "see below for a shopping list and tools".
Cannot be more cristal clear.
vincent7520 on the tv show...they never tell you.
A "wax cran"? Lol
New Englanders.. we talk funny
@@cchampi Only in Mass, RI & NYC 😉
Baaaaaaston accent 😂
Give that man a Boston Lagah
I wonder how well the wax crayon works in hiding the holes? Them not showing that part raises concern for me.
What I believe works/looks better is savings the drill dust, mixing it with wood glue and refilling. After a day, give it a light sanding and you won't notice the fixes unless you're on the floor staring at them.
What is the metal piece he use to screw the nail thru ??
You can make plugs with a tapered plug cutter in a pillar drill, using the same wood as the floor. Align the grain. You don’t need special screws. Just counterbore the hole and hammer in the plug. Chisel it off level carefully with the grain, and sand and stain and varnish to match.
nice job man
genius breakaway nail