nathanwalker•1mo agoProlific Poster

I finally figured out a solid fix for squeaky engineered floors over concrete

Last week on a job in a split-level house in Cincinnati, I had this persistent squeak in the hallway after a glue-down install. The homeowner was really bugged by it. I ended up using a small amount of powdered graphite, puffed it into the seam with a straw, and worked the floor a bit. The squeak was gone in ten minutes. Has anyone else tried this, or do you have a different go-to method for this kind of noise?

3 comments

3 Comments

pat1421mo ago

That graphite trick is clever, I've never heard of that. Did you have to pull up any of the boards to get it in there, or was the seam wide enough on its own?

jade_miller621mo ago

Honestly pat142, I gotta wonder if a squeaky floor is even worth that much trouble. Graphite is messy and it's just a band-aid fix. Most older houses settle and make noise, it's part of the charm. Unless the floor is actually moving or separating, I'd just learn to live with it. Spending a weekend pulling up boards for a minor squeak seems like overkill to me.

adams.barbara8d ago

Hey, what about moisture? That concrete slab could be wicking up dampness and making the wood swell just enough to rub.