Squeaky Floorboards and nails
 

I have various squeaky floorbaords (chipboard) in my house. Having just had
a new baby and being up at all the time the squeaks have to go.
Unfortunately I dont know where the plumbing or electrics are running. What
I'd like to be able to do is to take all the nails up and the use screws in
those holes instead. The problem is, how on earth do you get nails out. Any
advice on the nails or other tips or tricks would be appreciated.

Cheers
Blakey

Drill and screw about half an inch from the existing nails. Should be ok

james blake wrote:
I have various squeaky floorbaords (chipboard) in my house.
Having just had a new baby and being up at all the time the
squeaks have to go. Unfortunately I dont know where the
plumbing or electrics are running. What I'd like to be able
to do is to take all the nails up and the use screws in
those holes instead. The problem is, how on earth do you
get nails out.

You use a nail puller, such as at:

http://www.smithfrancistools.co.uk/nailpull.htm

It will damage the surface of the boards slightly, however.


J.B.

In article , Glen
writes
I have various squeaky floorbaords (chipboard) in my house. Having just
had
a new baby and being up at all the time the squeaks have to go.
Unfortunately I dont know where the plumbing or electrics are running.
What
I'd like to be able to do is to take all the nails up and the use screws
in
those holes instead. The problem is, how on earth do you get nails out.
Any
advice on the nails or other tips or tricks would be appreciated.

Is this an older house you live in? If so I would definately lift the boards
before screwing down. Providing the boards aren't T&G this is dead easy to
do. Crowbar, bolster chisel, clawhamer...things of those ilk. Slip down into
the gap at the end of a floorboard and then lever it up. Once one end is up
the board will come out very easily. Then obviously its a doddle to remove
the nails, and to see where to screw the board in.

If you live in a more modern house...then there is less danger in screwing
down the boards without lifting, althought not without risk. Also, you could
try just resinking the nails that have risen...with a good nail punch.
Obviously these will rise again at some point...but if you do it well should
last for a good few years.

Glen




FWIW the floor in our gaff is chipboard and squeaked like there was no
tomorrow. We screwed it down with screws right next to the nails angled
in slightly towards the nails, without any problems, and its been as
quiet as a mouse ever since.

The mice are another matter however.....
--
Tony Sayer

Drill and screw about half an inch from the existing nails. Should be ok

With th emphasis on the *should*! If you had done that on the flat I just
renovated...there is a *VERY* good chance you would have electrocuted
yourself, ruptured a gas pipe, and flooded the flat below!

:O)

Glen

I have various squeaky floorbaords (chipboard) in my house. Having just
had
a new baby and being up at all the time the squeaks have to go.
Unfortunately I dont know where the plumbing or electrics are running.
What
I'd like to be able to do is to take all the nails up and the use screws
in
those holes instead. The problem is, how on earth do you get nails out.
Any
advice on the nails or other tips or tricks would be appreciated.

Is this an older house you live in? If so I would definately lift the boards
before screwing down. Providing the boards aren't T&G this is dead easy to
do. Crowbar, bolster chisel, clawhamer...things of those ilk. Slip down into
the gap at the end of a floorboard and then lever it up. Once one end is up
the board will come out very easily. Then obviously its a doddle to remove
the nails, and to see where to screw the board in.

If you live in a more modern house...then there is less danger in screwing
down the boards without lifting, althought not without risk. Also, you could
try just resinking the nails that have risen...with a good nail punch.
Obviously these will rise again at some point...but if you do it well should
last for a good few years.

Glen

"james blake" wrote in message
...
I have various squeaky floorbaords (chipboard) in my house. Having just
had
a new baby and being up at all the time the squeaks have to go.
Unfortunately I dont know where the plumbing or electrics are running.
What
I'd like to be able to do is to take all the nails up and the use screws
in
those holes instead. The problem is, how on earth do you get nails out.
Any
advice on the nails or other tips or tricks would be appreciated.

Spouse keeps saying that we have squeaky floorboards.

But according to him we also have squeaky grass and squeaky pavements ...

Mary

"Jerry Built" wrote in message
...
james blake wrote:
I have various squeaky floorbaords (chipboard) in my house.
Having just had a new baby and being up at all the time the
squeaks have to go. Unfortunately I dont know where the
plumbing or electrics are running. What I'd like to be able
to do is to take all the nails up and the use screws in
those holes instead. The problem is, how on earth do you
get nails out.

You use a nail puller, such as at:

http://www.smithfrancistools.co.uk/nailpull.htm

It will damage the surface of the boards slightly, however.


J.B.
Seconded.

I have the Priory nail puller. It's in my "top 3 tools I've ever bought"
category. Makes pulling out those damned annular ring shank nails (almost) a
pleasure.

Regards,
Simon.

Yeah, but his complaint about squeaky floorboards is supremely valid, and
highlights a very common and very critical source of marital conflict.

How can he creep up to bed without waking you, after a late night out with the
boys, if the boards squeak?

"Paper2002AD" wrote in message
...
Yeah, but his complaint

Did I say he complained?

about squeaky floorboards is supremely valid, and
highlights a very common and very critical source of marital conflict.

We don't have that.

How can he creep up to bed without waking you, after a late night out with
the
boys,

He doesn't like boys. He prefers a woman. Me.

if the boards squeak?

I wonder if anyone else understood what I said ...

Mary

In message , Glen
writes
I have various squeaky floorbaords (chipboard) in my house.

Is this an older house you live in? If so I would definately lift the boards
before screwing down. Providing the boards aren't T&G this is dead easy to
do.

As you quoted, the OP said:

'I have various squeaky floorboards (chipboard)'
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
--
Chris French, Leeds

Sorry Mary - put it down to my own bitter experiences.

Me, creeping in at 2AM, after failing to miss the blatant sqeak on stair number
seven - '****!'

Her, on awakening when I enter the bedroom, 'What time is it?'

Me, lying through my teeth, 'Quarter to twelve love.'

Her, ' 'Night then.'

Me, ' 'night love.'

"Paper2002AD" wrote in message
...
Sorry Mary - put it down to my own bitter experiences.

Me, creeping in at 2AM, after failing to miss the blatant sqeak on stair
number
seven - '****!'

I suggest learning to count ...

Her, on awakening when I enter the bedroom, 'What time is it?'

Me, lying through my teeth, 'Quarter to twelve love.'

Her, ' 'Night then.'

Me, ' 'night love.'

Glad you're not mine.

But I suppose you are too :-)

Mary

'I have various squeaky floorboards (chipboard)'
^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Doh. :O)

Sorry 'bout that.
Glen

On 16 Aug 2004 10:07:10 -0000, Jerry Built
wrote:

james blake wrote:
I have various squeaky floorbaords (chipboard) in my house.
Having just had a new baby and being up at all the time the
squeaks have to go. Unfortunately I dont know where the
plumbing or electrics are running. What I'd like to be able
to do is to take all the nails up and the use screws in
those holes instead. The problem is, how on earth do you
get nails out.

You use a nail puller, such as at:

http://www.smithfrancistools.co.uk/nailpull.htm

It will damage the surface of the boards slightly, however.


J.B.

Put a piece of scrap wood under the rocker, no damage...

beezer wrote:
Jerry Built wrote:

james blake wrote:
The problem is, how on earth do you get [hammered in] nails out.

You use a nail puller, such as at:

http://www.smithfrancistools.co.uk/nailpull.htm

It will damage the surface of the boards slightly, however.

Put a piece of scrap wood under the rocker, no damage...

Hi Beezer, the trouble is the jaws on these pullers, which need
to be bashed into the timber (in the case of chipboard I use
that term in it's loosest possible sense) so that the nail
can be gripped. Some sorts do more damage than others, you may
get a dent 1/2" long.


J.B.

beezer wrote:
On 16 Aug 2004 10:07:10 -0000, Jerry Built
wrote:

james blake wrote:
I have various squeaky floorbaords (chipboard) in my house.
Having just had a new baby and being up at all the time the
squeaks have to go. Unfortunately I dont know where the
plumbing or electrics are running. What I'd like to be able
to do is to take all the nails up and the use screws in
those holes instead. The problem is, how on earth do you
get nails out.

You use a nail puller, such as at:

http://www.smithfrancistools.co.uk/nailpull.htm

It will damage the surface of the boards slightly, however.


J.B.

Put a piece of scrap wood under the rocker, no damage...

It's not the rocker that will do the damage, but the action of using the
slide hammer to get the prongs under the nail head.

HTH

John

I repeat - forget the nails, just drill holes and screw as close as possible to
them