What to do if the floor creaks
Having driven into a new house or apartment, few people know about the occurrence of such a problem as the creak of the floor covering. After a while, this misunderstanding can noticeably darken the joy of moving to a new home. Not only does this unpleasant sound spoil the mood of the new settlers, but also the coating begins to wear out faster. Therefore, you need to immediately resolve the issue with a creak. If you do not get rid of the problem in time, then in the future it will turn into an irreversible process.
Why does parquet creak
There is a wide range of floor coverings in construction supermarkets. However, most buyers choose well-known parquet flooring. Sometimes he reminds of himself with an unpleasant creak. Many owners of such floors are wondering how to get rid of the unpleasant sound.
Before eliminating such a phenomenon, it is worth determining the reasons for the squeak of the parquet. Let's take a closer look at them:
- Parquet is considered an elite flooring material. It is made from natural wood, which does not contain various additives. As a result, nothing prevents the evaporation of moisture from the material. It evaporates unevenly, due to which cavities are formed between the base and the parquet strip. This phenomenon causes creaking. Over time, dust and crumbs accumulate in these spaces, which aggravates the problem.
- In case of poor-quality parquet laying, nails and screws may loosen and come out of the nests.
- Splitting of parquet planks is possible.
- Due to the absence of a gap between the coating and the walls, an unpleasant sound is also generated.
Before proceeding with the repair, you need to find the places where the creak occurs. Put marks on them, then proceed with the repair work. They are often combined with parquet coating with varnish or wax. This will extend the life of the floor.
Why does laminate creak
Laminate is a popular floor covering. However, improper styling can cause squeaking when walking.
In fact, there may be several reasons for this unpleasant phenomenon:
- The main and most common reason for the appearance of a squeak is laying the coating on the nerve surface. Have laminate of course there is a lining that prevents the unpleasant sound from appearing right away. But it is quickly erased and then the creak will not keep you waiting.
- Often squeaks appear due to poor-quality cleaning of the surface before laying. In this case, the creak does not appear immediately.
- There must be a gap between the skirting board and the laminate. Otherwise, the squeak cannot be avoided.
- Confusion can happen if the laminate is laid in compliance with all the requirements and rules, but is of poor quality.
If you purchased a cheap and bad laminate, then in the near future you will be bothered not only by the creak, but also by cracks and crevices in the flooring.
What to do if the floor creaks
After finding out the cause of the squeak, you can begin to eliminate it. The cardinal way to combat squeak is to completely replace the coating. This method is the most costly and time consuming.
Therefore, if the problem area is not very large, you can use local and less costly repair methods. For example:
- If the reason was the lack of a gap, then you need to create it. To do this, remove the skirting board. Disassemble the panels closest to the wall and trim the edges.
- If the cause of the squeak is debris and dust, then it is necessary to remove the coating in the place where the problem arose, remove the substrate. Then vacuum, wipe with a damp cloth. Then put the backing back (by the way, it is better to buy a new one) and the laminate.
- If the creak is due to the uneven surface of the base, then you need to remove the entire coating, level the floor using special mixtures and, preferably, lay a layer of plywood. Only then do we lay the coating.
If you have a squeaking problem, the best option would be to see a specialist. If you decide to do everything yourself, then follow the above tips.
