Creaking Oak flooring

[mgallagher]

I have a solid oak flooring fitted approx 2 years ago through my dining / living area. The floor was fitted by a joiner and an adequate gap was left around the perimeter of the floor.

Now, the problem I have is the floor around an area of approx 3m x 3m as raised very slightly from the underboard (nailed to this) and has such when people walk on the floor it makes a terrible creaking noise.


How can I resolve this and remove any creaking.

 

[WoodYouLike]

Think the creaking is caused by the normal movement over the years. This now has 'loosened' some of the nails and lifted the floor. Everytime someone steps on it the extra movement 'creaks' the boards back over the nails.

The nails are still 'invisable'? (hidden in the groove). You could try to place a large plywood sheet over that area and hammer/wacking on it to try to 'drive' the nails back?

Otherwise the only solution would be to lift the floor and re-install it again with new nails.

 

[mgallagher]

I thought that might be the answer, remove the flooring and start again.

To be honest I was hoping I could somehow gain access under the floor from another room (downstairs) and drill through the floor boards and sheet wood beneath the oak flooring then screw and pull the floor back down this way.

Does that sound possible ?? or am I having a laugh so to speak ??

 

[WoodYouLike]

Screws and floor boards are a bit of a no no area in our opinion. Wood is very strong, that's why nails are used (allows movement of the wood). When wood works, the screws could hamper that and even can cause the boards to split.

 

[mattysupra]

you could try drilling a small hole in the floor and injecting latex underfloor which should fill gap and stick the floor. Only problem is that solid wood is moisture sensitive and latex contains water. Its up to you if you take the risk. I used to use this method alot on glue down engineered floors when fitters never leveled the subfloor properly leaving voids. Never tested on solid wood. Im a bit worried why an area of solid has lifted anyway if nailed correctly and expansion etc all correct. Are you shaw it was nailed correct with right cleats and spacing? Take it floor was nailed to old floor boards? Was it fitted at 90o to the floorboards or the same way? Or was it over chipboard? i would like to work out why it has lifted before you try to fix problem or you could end up doing it all again in another 2 years!