Thread: Flexing & Creaking floor

Often one way you can remove or reduce creaking in floors when you have reasonable access underneath like that is to glue and screw some timber strips - say 30x19 or so in the centre between the joists. I've generally used pine, but even had success using strips of MDF, ply and chipboard. It's a bit fiddly, but if you mark and drill a bunch of strips first t isn't too hard to do. Need to make sure the screw length is right - for 19mm flooring and 19mm strips 32-35mm is fine.

The reason it works is that creaking is usually usually coming from the friction and rubbing (while flexing) where the tongues & grooves meet - either the Ts&Gs themselves or the flat surface that meets for the join line. That's why getting talcum into it to lubricate can work sometimes. Gluing and screwing stiffens and supports the edges. Use a good quality PVA that dries hard & strong not contact type adhesives which retain too much flexibility.

Anyway that is cheap and easy to DIY - and with good access won't take too long. Try it on a few of the worst spots first to see if that helps. It is important to allow the right time for the glue to cure before testing too or the joint will be effectively not glued.