Wooden floors are just one of the most aesthetically pleasing floors that you can see in most homes. As long as it fits the rest of the house, it gives a rustic vibe to the rest of it. This is also why most people find older houses charming because of these floors. The natural look of the wood makes it quite easy on the eyes and almost without any effort. Older houses are usually made of hardwood as well, making it very durable. Some even last for more than a hundred years as long as termites are not allowed to breed inside the home. This article provides some ways you can mitigate their growth.
However, there is one problem with this kind of floor: it squeaks. It can be really annoying especially if you keep hearing it all the time. The sound can also be quite creepy because it has been extensively used in a lot of horror films. Also, it is hopeless to stay quiet with a squeaky wooden floor. It attracts all attention, making you lose focus in whatever you are doing. There are even cases where this part breaks and it causes accidents. Before this happens, it is important to repair this to minimize the noise.
There are a lot of ways that you can do this. Sites like soundproofpros.com also offers advice on products which can help you fight off these kinds of noises. On the other hand, there are some things that you can employ using household materials and common items. Before doing all of these though, you need to pinpoint where the sound comes from. That way, it would be easier for you to do something about it. If you can go down directly under floor, let someone walk all over it. This way, you can locate the source of sound. Otherwise, you can also do it yourself but this can be quite tricky.
Common Ways to Minimize Squeaks Using Repair Tools
Once you have already found the source of sound, you need to have something that would cover it up. If there are gaps, you can cover it with thin pieces of wood so that the noise will stop. There might be a lot of spots that you need to cover so be prepared. Be careful in using these though, as they can destroy the floor above if too much force is used. You can also use wood glue to cover these spots and this makes it easier to seal them off.
If your wooden floors are made of planks, then it might also be good to lubricate it with materials like powdered talc and graphite. These would fill up the spaces like the wood glue and this is especially useful for those who cannot get down underneath their floor. All you need to do is pour the amount that you need on the problematic part. Try to fill the gap as much as possible so that you don’t have to do it again. If there is extra powder left, you can wipe or sweep it off.
On the other hand, if you know your way around a hammer, you can install wooden boards, These would absorb the sound and would make certain part studier. This would minimize the squeaks and would reinforce that certain are as well. Here are some ways you can prevent any kind of injury while doing similar tasks.
Using Household Materials
Meanwhile, if you find you carpentry skills lacking, you can cover your floor with carpets. Aside from being gentle to your foot, this also mitigates the creation of sound. You can always do this if you do not have access to your floors like in an old apartment. If you find the carpet to be moving around a lot, you can always pin it down with furniture. Otherwise, you can buy an adhesive tape to put it in place. Just make sure that the adhesive will not affect the quality of your wooden floors.
It is important that the squeaks must be silenced because it can be a symptom of damage. Once you have done so, you can also ask a local carpenter or house repair to change the floor for you. It might be costly, but you can always do this if your house needs a bit of updating as well.
Related Posts
