Hardwood flooring is prone to squeaking over time as the house ages and settles and the floorboards dry out. In some cases, parents don’t mind having a squeaky floorboard or two as a way to keep track of their children and whether they’re sneaking in or out past curfew, but after a while the boards rubbing together will simply become unbearable and you will want to address it before it negatively impacts the structural integrity of your floor.

While any flooring material can settle, dry out and squeak, it is hardwood flooring that appears to be the most common culprit. Fixing a hardwood flooring squeak is something that a home improvement professional can do for you or you may be able to pick up a hammer and some supplies and do it yourself. If the squeak is under a carpeted area it is a bit more intensive to address it but it can be done.

Locating a squeaking board above a crawlspace area or basement makes fixing it even easier. Have a family member or friend walk across the problem area so you can exactly pinpoint the source of the rubbing wood so you can know where to tighten it up to stop the squeak. A slim piece of wood inserted between the squeaking boards will address it and you can simply tap the wood into place between the boards, being careful to not insert it too far because you run the risk of causing a bulge in the flooring above. This is one of the simplest squeak fixes.

If you discover the squeak is under a floor that is carpeted it is a bit more labor intensive but it certainly can be done either by a do it yourselfer or by hiring a flooring professional. Purchase a kit from a hardware store to help you address squeaks under a carpet. The kit will come with breakaway screws and instructions on their use. You will basically locate the squeak, screw the screw into place and then break the head off the screw so that no one steps on it.

In some cases, it is simply easier to hire a flooring professional to come and take care of all of the squeaks your home may be experiencing and it is easier to do it all at once than to do it piecemeal. If you find it is more of an annoying noise than a problem that might damage the hardwood flooring itself.