QUESTION:
I read your article about squeaky floors. My floors in the upstairs master bedroom squeak terribly. They don’t squeak below your feet – you will hear the squeak elsewhere in the room. The house was built in 2003. I’ve talked to the builder, and he immediately knew about the problem. They used floor-joists that were not large enough for the size of the room. He told me that it will be a costly endeavor to fix, requiring tearing up the floor and strengthening the floor joists. Would that be your assessment, as well?
BRIAN
ANSWER:
There certainly could be a structural problem that causes floor squeaks. Undersized floor framing will result in a bouncy floor, squeaks, and potential angle cracks at wall openings. All floors bounce and move under load, but they are typically designed to limit the bouncy movement. Movement does not always indicate structural failure.
See if the builder is willing to do the repair for free or at a reduced cost – apparently it was his mistake. A typical repair could involve:
- Doubling up on the floor joists
- Bolting a steel plate to the joists
- Gluing and screwing plywood to the underside of the joists
- Adding a beam and post in the center of the span
- A variety of combinations
The fix is expensive because the floor above or ceiling below needs to be removed. Furniture in the area needs to be removed and there will be a big mess. Fitting the new joists or any repair is also time consuming.
MR. FIX-IT