Will spray foam cure squeaky floors?
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2010
Location: us
Posts: 1
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Will spray foam cure squeaky floors?
My son’s 65+ year old house has floor squeaks galore and I’ve been thinking of ways to stop these noises. I’ve seen how “great stuff” expanding foam hardens and ties everything together, so why wouldn’t spraying it to the undersurface of the subfloor and between the floor joists eliminate any future squeaking from subfloor movement? Before I “expand” on this idea, I would appreciate anyone’s experience using foam for this purpose.
#2
Doesn't sound like a good idea. The foam can be compressed and can degrade over time. It can also expand into places you don't want.
#3
Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 18
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
I'm in the same boat with my 50 y/o house. As the house aged, the nails holding subfloor and hardwood have come loose. The squeaks were caused by the movement of wood against nails. I discovered some of the squeaks were caused by the hardwood rubbing against the hardwood cleats, and some of the squeaking was caused by the subfloor planks rubbing against the nails securing them to the joists.
In my case the squeaking was so excessive, I have no choice but to rip up the hardwood and I am in the process of re-securing the subfloor using ring shank nails, installing plywood over top using screws, then will install new hardwood.
Here are several ideas that were given to me by flooring stores, but I ultimately decide to r&r due to the extent of the problem.
1. If you find there is a gap between the subfoor and joist wherever you hear a squeak, you can tap in a wedge in the gap to prevent movement of subfloor. Just tap them in enough to stop the squeak, you don't want to lift the subfloor.
2. If you have hardwood floors, I was told you can put some talcum powder between the boards. Many a flooring store employee told me to do this. My reply was to ask them where I can get a 45 gallon drum of talcum powder! That's how bad my floors squeaked.
3. Another suggestion for hardwood flooring was to screw through the subfloor into the hardwood from below. I don't know anyone who's tried this. And if you have to tear the floors up in the future this will probably make it a nightmare.
4. In a previous house I owned, which had carpeting and some minor squeaks, I simply drove a finishing nail or two through the carpet and pad into the joist using a nail set. I drove them in at an angle.
Good luck.
In my case the squeaking was so excessive, I have no choice but to rip up the hardwood and I am in the process of re-securing the subfloor using ring shank nails, installing plywood over top using screws, then will install new hardwood.
Here are several ideas that were given to me by flooring stores, but I ultimately decide to r&r due to the extent of the problem.
1. If you find there is a gap between the subfoor and joist wherever you hear a squeak, you can tap in a wedge in the gap to prevent movement of subfloor. Just tap them in enough to stop the squeak, you don't want to lift the subfloor.
2. If you have hardwood floors, I was told you can put some talcum powder between the boards. Many a flooring store employee told me to do this. My reply was to ask them where I can get a 45 gallon drum of talcum powder! That's how bad my floors squeaked.
3. Another suggestion for hardwood flooring was to screw through the subfloor into the hardwood from below. I don't know anyone who's tried this. And if you have to tear the floors up in the future this will probably make it a nightmare.
4. In a previous house I owned, which had carpeting and some minor squeaks, I simply drove a finishing nail or two through the carpet and pad into the joist using a nail set. I drove them in at an angle.
Good luck.