Finally got to build my own house after 35 years of building/framing houses for others. All moved in and comfortable this past summer. Now…winter. Not the kind of winter we’re used to in Vermont but the wood stove is cranking and the heat is on. Having never lived in a new house, I expected some noise from drying and settling but, there’s a couple of places that are making me crazy!! If I step on the floor next to some of the non-bearing walls the floor creaks. Only where I have carpet.
The floor joists are 2X10’s, 12 foot span, advantech sheathing glued with ring nails.
Anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks, Bill
Replies
Insufficient blocking?
The culprit partitions are running perpendicular to the joists. Don't see any need to block below.
Thanks for the thought
Here is a trick I use: Find the squeak first. Take a hammer and hit the carpet listening to find the floor joist. Take a #8 finish nail and nail through the carpet. If you've have not found the joist pull the nail out and keep trying until you do. Once you've found the joist drive the finish nail all the way into the plywood floor. Take some clean pliers and pull the carpet through and over the nail. Do this until the squeak stops.
The other option if your on a crawl space would be to fix the squeak from below.
I have found that squecks near walls are usually caused by the floor flexing down while the wall stays put. It's squeking on the nails that fasten the wall to the subfloor.
If you can access from below, run some screws up through the subfloor into the bottom plate.
If you can't access from below, pull some base board and toe nail or preferably toe screw the bottom plate to the subfloor.
As to why only in carpeted areas - I have no idea.
Terry
squecks happen in the carpeted floors...
squeaks in all other types...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
squecks happen in the carpeted floors...
squeaks in all other types...
Okay, okay- so I didn't use spell check. Don't shoot me!
Terry
I'm the last on on this planet that needs to critize for spelling...
humor I can find antplace though...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Since I last checked here, I ripped off the base board along one of the walls. Drove a few long screws through the rock, through the plate into each joist below. Stomped on the floor and it still creaked!!!! I cut the sheetrock up a couple of inches and peeked inside. There's a pvc vent pipe running through. It must ninety up right below the subfloor, it's tight on one side and that is what's squeeking. I'm pretty sure there's a vent running up the other wall that's so noisy too.
Now, all I have to do is cut the hole in the plate back away from the pipe without cutting the pipe. F@#$%ing plumbers!!!
Thanks for all your input
Bill
Before you try and cut more plate away - try sliding a piece of felt paper down between the pipe and plate.
Terry
I had the same problem. My squeak was in the middle of the room. If yours is the same, do what twite says. I used finish head screws though. If you need a store bought solution.... http://www.squeaknomore.com/
Mine was on the second floor, seemed like a 4' lenght of subfloor had lifted just enough to cause a squeak. Glued and ringed originally, I'd even crawled around shooting screws in the day the carpet was going down, must have missed that area.