solving squeaky floor before installing laminate flooring?
 

I am trying to rid our kitchen of a squeaky linoleum floor before we install
our laminate flooring over top... any advice?

I used 1 3/4" screws about every 2-3 feet to alleviate the problem.,
screwing them down into the subfloor (3/4" thick plywood) and into the joist
below. The floor is quieter than before, but still has a number of really
noisy sections. Even where I applied multiple screws, the floor seems to
squeak between the joists??

any ideas/ tips/suggestions/comments?

Howie

Are you useing a stud sensor to find the floor joist. Maybe not all the
screws are hitting the joist.

Tom
"Howie" wrote in message
...
I am trying to rid our kitchen of a squeaky linoleum floor before we
install
our laminate flooring over top... any advice?

I used 1 3/4" screws about every 2-3 feet to alleviate the problem.,
screwing them down into the subfloor (3/4" thick plywood) and into the
joist
below. The floor is quieter than before, but still has a number of
really
noisy sections. Even where I applied multiple screws, the floor seems to
squeak between the joists??

any ideas/ tips/suggestions/comments?

Howie

In article ,
"Howie" wrote:

I am trying to rid our kitchen of a squeaky linoleum floor before we install
our laminate flooring over top... any advice?

I used 1 3/4" screws about every 2-3 feet to alleviate the problem.,
screwing them down into the subfloor (3/4" thick plywood) and into the joist
below. The floor is quieter than before, but still has a number of really
noisy sections. Even where I applied multiple screws, the floor seems to
squeak between the joists??

any ideas/ tips/suggestions/comments?

Screw every 4 inches along all joists, and every 4 inches at every panel
edge (using shorter screws) and if it still squeaks then a screw on 8"
centers in mid panel.

--
Free men own guns, slaves don't
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/

Howie, although you certainly can install laminate overtop of the
existing vinyl, I would recommend that you remove the vinyl and the
1/4" plywood underlayment before you install the laminate. If you
don't, you will have a nasty transition between the new laminate floor
and the existing floors in other rooms. You'll also have to re-fit
around door mouldings, doors, etc.

Remove the screws you put in, they are too short to do any good--they
are only 'biting' 1/2" into the joist, if they are even hitting a
joist. Removing the underlayment is easy. Score it down the middle of
the room with a circular saw set to about 3/8" depth, and use a cheap
blade cause you may hit the odd nail. Then just pry it up with a
crowbar...it's so thin it's a piece of cake.

Once you have the underlay removed you can see where the subfloor nails
are for sure. Run in a screw about every 4 to 6 inches along these
nail lines. Use 2 1/2 inch screws and make sure they are countersunk
below the surface of the subfloor.

You can put your laminate flooring right on the subfloor. Make sure
the subfloor is solid (not bouncy). If there are big cracks, use floor
leveler and sand it smooth. You won't need to bother filling small
cracks or screw heads, the laminate is pretty forgiving.

I just finished this process with cork-faced laminate. The squeaks are
all gone, and the floor is magnificent.

Good luck.

Mr Fixit eh

I had the same problem with squeaks between the joists where there is no
support between the T&G plywood. You need to get in the crawl space and put
in some blockings from below to tie the two plywood sheets together.

If you do decide to remove the linoleum and have the plywood exposed then
injecting penetrating epoxy from above (flows like water for dry rot
applications) into the T&G sections between the joists should help.


"Howie" wrote in message
...
I am trying to rid our kitchen of a squeaky linoleum floor before we
install
our laminate flooring over top... any advice?

I used 1 3/4" screws about every 2-3 feet to alleviate the problem.,
screwing them down into the subfloor (3/4" thick plywood) and into the
joist
below. The floor is quieter than before, but still has a number of
really
noisy sections. Even where I applied multiple screws, the floor seems to
squeak between the joists??

any ideas/ tips/suggestions/comments?

Howie

Kim said, If you do decide to remove the linoleum and have the plywood
exposed then
injecting penetrating epoxy from above (flows like water for dry rot
applications) into the T&G sections between the joists should help.

I'm not sure that is a good idea, the plywood or OSB needs to be able
to expand and contract. Epoxy could cause the subfloor to crack.

The blocking from underneath would be the best solution.

I think you'll find that if you use longer screws into the joists, this
will eliminate most of the squeaking.

Mr Fixit eh

I looked up into the floor joists from below, I didn't see many missed
screws...

"twfsa" wrote in message
news:yjiVd.177$Ci7.152@lakeread07...
Are you useing a stud sensor to find the floor joist. Maybe not all the
screws are hitting the joist.

Tom
"Howie" wrote in message
...
I am trying to rid our kitchen of a squeaky linoleum floor before we
install
our laminate flooring over top... any advice?

I used 1 3/4" screws about every 2-3 feet to alleviate the problem.,
screwing them down into the subfloor (3/4" thick plywood) and into the
joist
below. The floor is quieter than before, but still has a number of
really
noisy sections. Even where I applied multiple screws, the floor seems
to
squeak between the joists??

any ideas/ tips/suggestions/comments?

Howie

Screw every 4 inches along all joists, and every 4 inches at every panel
edge (using shorter screws) and if it still squeaks then a screw on 8"
centers in mid panel.


every 4" at every panel edge??? I don't get ya....

Rip out the whole upper layer of floor board? What about the same floor
board that is under the cabinets?

"Mr Fixit eh" wrote in message
oups.com...
Howie, although you certainly can install laminate overtop of the
existing vinyl, I would recommend that you remove the vinyl and the
1/4" plywood underlayment before you install the laminate. If you
don't, you will have a nasty transition between the new laminate floor
and the existing floors in other rooms. You'll also have to re-fit
around door mouldings, doors, etc.

Remove the screws you put in, they are too short to do any good--they
are only 'biting' 1/2" into the joist, if they are even hitting a
joist. Removing the underlayment is easy. Score it down the middle of
the room with a circular saw set to about 3/8" depth, and use a cheap
blade cause you may hit the odd nail. Then just pry it up with a
crowbar...it's so thin it's a piece of cake.

Once you have the underlay removed you can see where the subfloor nails
are for sure. Run in a screw about every 4 to 6 inches along these
nail lines. Use 2 1/2 inch screws and make sure they are countersunk
below the surface of the subfloor.

You can put your laminate flooring right on the subfloor. Make sure
the subfloor is solid (not bouncy). If there are big cracks, use floor
leveler and sand it smooth. You won't need to bother filling small
cracks or screw heads, the laminate is pretty forgiving.

I just finished this process with cork-faced laminate. The squeaks are
all gone, and the floor is magnificent.

Good luck.

Mr Fixit eh

I might try blocking underneath... 2" X 4"'s work?

"Mr Fixit eh" wrote in message
oups.com...
Kim said, If you do decide to remove the linoleum and have the plywood
exposed then
injecting penetrating epoxy from above (flows like water for dry rot
applications) into the T&G sections between the joists should help.

I'm not sure that is a good idea, the plywood or OSB needs to be able
to expand and contract. Epoxy could cause the subfloor to crack.

The blocking from underneath would be the best solution.

I think you'll find that if you use longer screws into the joists, this
will eliminate most of the squeaking.

Mr Fixit eh