Any Tips For Quieting Ridiculously Loud Hardwood Floors?

[The Gun Of Bavaria]

So when I got married I moved into my wife's house. It's a perfect place really. 59 year old 3 BR bungalow, finished basement, beautiful screened in porch off the back with a nice deck off the side of that. 2.5 car detached garage and a beautiful back yard.

Problem is, the hardwood floors are EASILY the loudest, most obnoxious, I've ever heard in my life. When I say they're loud, I can't emphasize enough just how bad they are. You literally cannot walk along the entire first floor without the sound of squeaking boards amplifying from one side of the house to the next.

Thing is, there's no bowing at all. The floor does not have any form of water damage and as far as I can see, the hardwood is flat against the sub-floor.

Now apparently, my wife and her ex, tried every single trick in the book when they got this place. The tried the talcum powder trick, screwing up through the sub floor to tighten the hardwood to the sub floor. You name the most commonly used tricks to quiet a floor, it's been done.

Does anyone have ANY original idea for me? It's getting worse and is starting to wake up my 4 month old.

[The Gun Of Bavaria]

So when I got married I moved into my wife's house. It's a perfect place really. 59 year old 3 BR bungalow, finished basement, beautiful screened in porch off the back with a nice deck off the side of that. 2.5 car detached garage and a beautiful back yard.

Problem is, the hardwood floors are EASILY the loudest, most obnoxious, I've ever heard in my life. When I say they're loud, I can't emphasize enough just how bad they are. You literally cannot walk along the entire first floor without the sound of squeaking boards amplifying from one side of the house to the next.

Thing is, there's no bowing at all. The floor does not have any form of water damage and as far as I can see, the hardwood is flat against the sub-floor.

Now apparently, my wife and her ex, tried every single trick in the book when they got this place. The tried the talcum powder trick, screwing up through the sub floor to tighten the hardwood to the sub floor. You name the most commonly used tricks to quiet a floor, it's been done.

Does anyone have ANY original idea for me? It's getting worse and is starting to wake up my 4 month old.

[Greenranger]

Buy carpet

[Greenranger]

Buy carpet

[NJ]

You could throw in some angled bracing between the joist's in the real squeeky areas, bro. Putting those in is an easy job - depending on what your ceiling situation is down there.

[NJ]

You could throw in some angled bracing between the joist's in the real squeeky areas, bro. Putting those in is an easy job - depending on what your ceiling situation is down there.

[The Gun Of Bavaria]

You could throw in some angled bracing between the joist's in the real squeeky areas, bro. Putting those in is an easy job - depending on what your ceiling situation is down there.

The problem I have is that the entire first floor (Living Room, Kitchen, Hallway, 2 Bedrooms) all squeak like there's no tomorrow. To be quite honest, I've yet to find a "quiet" part of the floor.

That's a good idea you have bro. For the most part, I have full access to the floor from the basement. One half is a utility room and is fully exposed while my Jets room has a suspended drop ceiling.

Are you talking something like this???

[The Gun Of Bavaria]

You could throw in some angled bracing between the joist's in the real squeeky areas, bro. Putting those in is an easy job - depending on what your ceiling situation is down there.

The problem I have is that the entire first floor (Living Room, Kitchen, Hallway, 2 Bedrooms) all squeak like there's no tomorrow. To be quite honest, I've yet to find a "quiet" part of the floor.

That's a good idea you have bro. For the most part, I have full access to the floor from the basement. One half is a utility room and is fully exposed while my Jets room has a suspended drop ceiling.

Are you talking something like this???

[Guido Monzino]

Wear slippers. Or earplugs.

[Guido Monzino]

Wear slippers. Or earplugs.

[PatriotReign37]

Is that your basement in the pic?

[PatriotReign37]

Is that your basement in the pic?

[The Gun Of Bavaria]

Is that your basement in the pic?

Oh no, just an image I found on the net. My house is much older than what's pictured there. The subflooring is 1 x 4 planks.

[The Gun Of Bavaria]

Is that your basement in the pic?

Oh no, just an image I found on the net. My house is much older than what's pictured there. The subflooring is 1 x 4 planks.

[PatriotReign37]

You could have these 3 problems.

1. The subfloor is loose and was never glued.

2. If the subfloor is loose, the hardwood flooring is moving as well.

3. There needs to be a paper barrier between the hardwood floor and subfloor.

The bottom line is that wood in direct contact with wood squeaks. Like with a turkey call. And, its worse in the winter months because its dry and wood shrinks from losing its humidity.

[PatriotReign37]

You could have these 3 problems.

1. The subfloor is loose and was never glued.

2. If the subfloor is loose, the hardwood flooring is moving as well.

3. There needs to be a paper barrier between the hardwood floor and subfloor.

The bottom line is that wood in direct contact with wood squeaks. Like with a turkey call. And, its worse in the winter months because its dry and wood shrinks from losing its humidity.

[PatriotReign37]

Oh no, just an image I found on the net. My house is much older than what's pictured there. The subflooring is 1 x 4 planks.

Thats what I thought, but didnt know if it had renovations.

Short of tearing the floor out, you can force the subfloor up with wood wedges (make them yourself) a couple of feet at a time and squirt sub floor adhesive between the sub floor and joist. Do every joist and every inch of the joist possible. Blow the sawdust and dirt off the joist with an air compressor before gluing.

After the joist youre working on is all glued, go upstairs and jump down on the floor over that joist to force it back down.

[PatriotReign37]

Oh no, just an image I found on the net. My house is much older than what's pictured there. The subflooring is 1 x 4 planks.

Thats what I thought, but didnt know if it had renovations.

Short of tearing the floor out, you can force the subfloor up with wood wedges (make them yourself) a couple of feet at a time and squirt sub floor adhesive between the sub floor and joist. Do every joist and every inch of the joist possible. Blow the sawdust and dirt off the joist with an air compressor before gluing.

After the joist youre working on is all glued, go upstairs and jump down on the floor over that joist to force it back down.

[DHJF]

This should do the trick. The "Squeak Enders" worked for me.

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,203171,00.html

[DHJF]

This should do the trick. The "Squeak Enders" worked for me.

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,203171,00.html

[The Gun Of Bavaria]

This should do the trick. The "Squeak Enders" worked for me.

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,203171,00.html

My partner at work just sent me that link. Thanks DHJF!

Thats what I thought, but didnt know if it had renovations.

Short of tearing the floor out, you can force the subfloor up with wood wedges (make them yourself) a couple of feet at a time and squirt sub floor adhesive between the sub floor and joist. Do every joist and every inch of the joist possible. Blow the sawdust and dirt off the joist with an air compressor before gluing.

After the joist youre working on is all glued, go upstairs and jump down on the floor over that joist to force it back down.

You could throw in some angled bracing between the joist's in the real squeeky areas, bro. Putting those in is an easy job - depending on what your ceiling situation is down there.

Both are excellent ideas and I'll look into both. I have to do something, it's just crazy loud.

Thanks again for the advice, it's sure to be a great help.

[The Gun Of Bavaria]

This should do the trick. The "Squeak Enders" worked for me.

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,203171,00.html

My partner at work just sent me that link. Thanks DHJF!

Thats what I thought, but didnt know if it had renovations.

Short of tearing the floor out, you can force the subfloor up with wood wedges (make them yourself) a couple of feet at a time and squirt sub floor adhesive between the sub floor and joist. Do every joist and every inch of the joist possible. Blow the sawdust and dirt off the joist with an air compressor before gluing.

After the joist youre working on is all glued, go upstairs and jump down on the floor over that joist to force it back down.

You could throw in some angled bracing between the joist's in the real squeeky areas, bro. Putting those in is an easy job - depending on what your ceiling situation is down there.

Both are excellent ideas and I'll look into both. I have to do something, it's just crazy loud.

Thanks again for the advice, it's sure to be a great help.

[JerryK]

I will second what DJHF said.

...you could also try sneaking in a window closer to the bed, but you'll have to wash up somewhere before going in.

[Green DNA]

Lose some more weight

[The Gun Of Bavaria]

Lose some more weight

Ouch.

[Green DNA]

Ouch.

I'm no Bob Villa, so I had nothing constructive to add. It probably would have been funnier if Max had started the thread.

[The Gun Of Bavaria]

I'm no Bob Villa, so I had nothing constructive to add. It probably would have been funnier if Max had started the thread.

I was doing fine until I had that Chinese in Queens a couple Decembers ago.

[PFSIKH]

So when I got married I moved into my wife's house. It's a perfect place really. 59 year old 3 BR bungalow, finished basement, beautiful screened in porch off the back with a nice deck off the side of that. 2.5 car detached garage and a beautiful back yard.

Problem is, the hardwood floors are EASILY the loudest, most obnoxious, I've ever heard in my life. When I say they're loud, I can't emphasize enough just how bad they are. You literally cannot walk along the entire first floor without the sound of squeaking boards amplifying from one side of the house to the next.

Thing is, there's no bowing at all. The floor does not have any form of water damage and as far as I can see, the hardwood is flat against the sub-floor.

Now apparently, my wife and her ex, tried every single trick in the book when they got this place. The tried the talcum powder trick, screwing up through the sub floor to tighten the hardwood to the sub floor. You name the most commonly used tricks to quiet a floor, it's been done.

Does anyone have ANY original idea for me? It's getting worse and is starting to wake up my 4 month old.

Dam you Green DA..that what I was going to say...with a fat ass included.

What PR37 said sounds about right.

[Maxman]

Lose some more weight

I hate you. I was gonna go with this:

GOB,

We had the same problem growing up. My Dad came up with a perfect solution. One day he told me, "lose weight fat a$$".

[Bob]

I was doing fine until I had that Chinese in Queens a couple Decembers ago.

She's not bragging about it, either.

[slats]

I was hoping this was a squeaky shaved vagina thread.

[Green DNA]

I was hoping this was a squeaky shaved vagina thread.

It's not right now, but if you care to add a few pics, voila!