On Jun 22, 4:42 pm, Drew Cutter wrote:
I ripping the carpet out of my house. The house is around 50 years old.
The stair has several squeaky (where you put your foot). What make a
floor squeaky and what is the fix ? These are solid oak stairs.

The nails have come loose over the years. Then the tread rubs against
the stringer causing the squeak. Pull the old nails with a cats
claw. Then replace with a screw in the same hole. That should hold
it tight.

On Jun 22, 5:47 pm, Drew Cutter wrote:
Lawrence wrote:
On Jun 22, 4:42 pm, Drew Cutter wrote:
I ripping the carpet out of my house. The house is around 50 years old.
The stair has several squeaky (where you put your foot). What make a
floor squeaky and what is the fix ? These are solid oak stairs.

The nails have come loose over the years. Then the tread rubs against
the stringer causing the squeak. Pull the old nails with a cats
claw. Then replace with a screw in the same hole. That should hold
it tight.

So it better to go with screw over nails . Do i use a stud finder to
local the center of the stringer ? I don't see anywhere on the stair
trend for the old nails. Most of squeak is in the front of the step. I
need to also buy a floor squeak kit.

There has to be nails or fastener of some kind on the two edges where
stringers will be. It might be covered with trim. If there is/are a
central stringer(s) then the nail should be in the exact center or
equi-distance from the edges.

Give the tread some raps with a hammer and you should be able to
reveal the location of any central stringers and their fasteners.
Removal of the nails is not really necessary since screws can be
installed in between the nails. It is always wise to pre-drill for
screws especially if the nails are not removed.

If the squeak is only one step and fastener replacement don't work
then you might be able to replace that one step entirely to solve the
problem. It is possible for the board itself to cause the squeak and
not the failure of the fastener though not common.

another solution, if the stairs is accessible from underneath then yu
can: 1. hit it with a hammer from underneath to pop up the nails or
2. use wedges between tread and riser if no fasteners are used in your
stairs or if the treads are bowed.

Some high quality stairs are constructed where there may be no
fasteners on the tread at all. The treads and riser can be let into
the edge stringers with dados and glue, no fasteners. If your was
covered with carpet then it is probly not in this category.

On Jun 23, 6:26 am, Drew Cutter wrote:
Lawrence wrote:
On Jun 22, 5:47 pm, Drew Cutter wrote:
Lawrence wrote:
On Jun 22, 4:42 pm, Drew Cutter wrote:
I ripping the carpet out of my house. The house is around 50 years old.
The stair has several squeaky (where you put your foot). What make a
floor squeaky and what is the fix ? These are solid oak stairs.
The nails have come loose over the years. Then the tread rubs against
the stringer causing the squeak. Pull the old nails with a cats
claw. Then replace with a screw in the same hole. That should hold
it tight.
So it better to go with screw over nails . Do i use a stud finder to
local the center of the stringer ? I don't see anywhere on the stair
trend for the old nails. Most of squeak is in the front of the step. I
need to also buy a floor squeak kit.

There has to be nails or fastener of some kind on the two edges where
stringers will be. It might be covered with trim. If there is/are a
central stringer(s) then the nail should be in the exact center or
equi-distance from the edges.

Give the tread some raps with a hammer and you should be able to
reveal the location of any central stringers and their fasteners.
Removal of the nails is not really necessary since screws can be
installed in between the nails. It is always wise to pre-drill for
screws especially if the nails are not removed.

If the squeak is only one step and fastener replacement don't work
then you might be able to replace that one step entirely to solve the
problem. It is possible for the board itself to cause the squeak and
not the failure of the fastener though not common.

another solution, if the stairs is accessible from underneath then yu
can: 1. hit it with a hammer from underneath to pop up the nails or
2. use wedges between tread and riser if no fasteners are used in your
stairs or if the treads are bowed.

Some high quality stairs are constructed where there may be no
fasteners on the tread at all. The treads and riser can be let into
the edge stringers with dados and glue, no fasteners. If your was
covered with carpet then it is probly not in this category.

I was talking to a friend about wood floors. They felt that wood floors
were harder to keep clean. What products would you suggest to seal/stain
the wood floor ? i.e low maintenance cleaning , etc- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Most use polyeruathane on wood floors. Other options are available
but none as durable and impact/scratch resistant that poly. A pro can
usuually do a better job of finishing a floor than a diy'er.