You know, this squeak sound was desirable in japanese castle floors. The sound was an alert for enemies or strangers coming inside when walking throuh the corridors. Taking this squeak off makes your home losing security in case a samurai decides to break throuh.
This will come in handy when I decide to go to Japan instead of meeting Monica in Paris were we promise to meet instead i bring my chandelier to my secret castle n the only way to get into the secret safe is to use the creamy floor board as audible tones to unlock the safe to stash the chandelier that I stole from Tiffanys causes it's priceless true fans will know my story of course I couldn't give the original perfect crime because then someone will know n it won't be perfect
Worked perfectly to fix the squeaks in on my floor with carpet. Instead of using the black took I drilled the nails deep into the floor and topped off hitting the head with a hammer. Easy, peasy. Thanks for the video.
Im definitely going to try this. If someone is looking that hard to see the holes, they dont need to be in my house. The squeaking is much more annoying.
I used these screws about 8 years ago and they're still holding fine. I, also, bought some of the Minwax pencils, one lighter for holes in the light finish area of the board and one for the dark finish area of the board - matching the color of the area wherever the screw hole is drilled. The Minwax filler has held up fine also. My application was not perfect, could go back and put in some more screws, but overall, this screw kit took care of 90% of my hardwood floor squeaks. I decided at that time that I wasn't going to go crazy and drill/install a bunch of screws in one concentrated area. I could try that, but there was such an improvement in the squeaks, I decided to stop at a certain level of satisfaction. Thought about starting a business with this method, but homeowners are so picky, I really didn't want to get into all that. Some homeowner might try to get a free floor finishing job out of me if the job was not absolutely perfect. The kit I bought has screws for where the drill hole is directly over a floor joist and for holes in open areas (not directly over a floor joist). You can check to see if you've drilled over a joist or not by dropping a straightened paper clip into the hole. If the hole is deeper than the length you drilled then you know you have not drilled into a joist. I used the appropriate screw.
This is great, thank you. I think I'm going to share this with my landlord to get permission to fix our floors. We have the same floors as you have, so this is perfect.
@@ahmctech104 THAT MAY HAPPEN INSTED OF HAVE MANY HOLES ON THE TOP OF THE FLOOR WAT I DO BEST WAY IS GO UNDER THE HOUSE AND SECURE THE SUB FLOOR WITH GLUE AND SCREWS MUST OF THE TIME IS FIXED
Yep..hope they allowed. I have wanted my apartment manager to understand how the SQUEAK in apartment floor above me could in fact be resolved as shown, having driven me nuts. If she would have had to experience daily herself, it would have been taken care of. 😏
Great vid, thanks dude. So many haters... everyone wants to act like they somehow know the objectively-correct or objectively-best way to do everything... I bet if you did bother to locate the joists before drilling the holes, you'd get comments like: "Why are you wasting your time finding the joists?! Just quickly put a few of these screws in the general area and the squeak will go away!" lol
Also some houses have a sub-floor under the hardwood. Considering the boards in this video don't all line up where joists would be, I think there is a good possibility it has a sub-floor. If the squeak is occurring between the hardwood and the sub-floor and not by the joist, then putting screws in the joist will not help. While the perfect video in a Utopian society would have mentioned all these and other things, I don't see any of these other a**holes making the perfect squeak fixing video either. Also, most people who look up how to fix things on RU-vid will watch multiple videos before attempting to fix the thing. Between the different videos, they get all the information they need.
I have had a squeaky floor. I have not used snap screws as I have not had them. I used regular wood screws which I used on tasmanian oak wooden floor. In my case screws did not help. What helped is go under the floor measure distance between the beams. Cut plywood 17mm thickness 1 cm less then the distance between the beams and glue it with epoxy(you can use any good glue I just tried use epoxy) and put 5 screws 25mm to hold it untill it cures. I removed screws few days after epoxy cured. That's it. No more squeaking after that in that concrete place. With screws I only made the floor looking bad as the heads visible. I had to hide them after. Do not do my mistake. The screws do not work. I even put 2 screws onto floor board on each bearing it made slighly better but doesn't solve the problem. Gluing plywood from the bottom really helps. In my case the squeak was caused by wood planks but not the nails. I'm pretty sure as I was sitting on my knees pushing down by whole my weight 85kg the floor board and using impact wrench was running 40mm screws into 19mm tasmanian oak floorboards. The beams also were made of some hardwood, I pushed the screws 1mm deeper the surface. That did not work well. Now I'm struggling hide those screws. I do not think that snap screws would help in my case.
Idk how you would hit electrical wires in a residential home. Power is at the breaker box which is mounted on a wall near the exterior. Everything else runs off of that and is run into the Attic and down the walls. Unless you have a receptacle mounted in the floor which you see in some homes you shouldn't have wires under the House
Helped me big time! Big thanks and thumbs up to you :) (I just screwed in 15 to 20 full girthier screws to fix 4 squeaking parchment pieces - did not care about messing up the looks as it will be covered by a rug anyway)
FYI to anyone who wants to try this. YOU NEED TO SCREW INTO THE FLOOR JOISTS. The reason he needed so many screws is because he wasn’t screening into them. The squeak you hear normal comes from the middle of two joints. Intuitively you think that’s where you need to screw in… THATS WRONG. The noise comes from that area pushing out the nails on either side… where the joists are. When you screw into both joists surrounding that squeak, the noise will be fixed
i tried ages to get rid of squeek flooring, when i lifted the flooring up i found a mouse trapped, and it was squeeking from pressure etc it was so happy to see me, i gave it some cheese and warm bath and sent him on his way.
straight up wizard. thx for this. I don't have a basement. I'm on blocks. And I'm not able to squeeze underneath the house in the darkness looking for the right spot to tighten. Fuck that. This is brilliant.
You really should screw into a joist if you cam, but if you can't find a floor joist, you can use 11/4 pocket hole square-recess screws. Use a brad point drill bit the same diameter as the screw head and drill down slightly deeper than the screw head, then, in the same hole, drill down only through the hardwood just short of hitting the underlayment with a bit matching the size of the screw shank (these screws have about a 3/4" long smooth shank just above the threads). Then run your screw in until it seats snugly. The head should be slightly under flush with the flooring. Walk around and see if the squeak is silenced, if not you may have to tighten the screw a bit more. I fill the hole with a light colored wood putty until not quite full, allow it to dry, then camouflage the wood putty with artist's magic markers and seal with a drop of clear sealer. This method only works on 3/4 hardwood planks.
I have carpeting in my rental but I want to fix these squeaking issues. Its everywhere and its so annoying. But I do not know what's under the carpet. I have to see if I can even try to remove the carpet to fix it. Thanks for the video.
@Dee M: This can be done through carpet if you know what is underneath. (See the three-prong metal guide near the beginning of the video.) Perhaps ask the rental owner - they may be able to tell you. Good luck.
Blend-Fil is ok, but eventually it will wear away b/c it's basically a crayon, as you note. Minwax tinted wood filler is an excellent and permanent alternative.
So, what is the alternative? Tearing up all of the floor or would you be able to maybe get just the pieces up where the squeak is and replace them with new panels? I've got vinyl and I'm not sure if it would be easier to pull some of it up and fix the wood down underneath.
@Matt Liston: If possible, you could access the floor from underneath, for example an unfinished basement. Then you could take care of the squeak from below without putting holes in the floor from above. But that’s not always feasible for example like in an upstairs bedroom but having a finished ceiling on the first floor directly below. I definitely would not put holes in vinyl using the squeak-no-more kit.
@@LongologoProductions Thanks, mate. Yeah I'm a flat with another family below me. The squeaks are pissing me off but I think it's maybe better to wait and fully soundproof the floor and replace the vinyl then.
@Andrew Turnbull: If that happens, I would first try using a small screw extractor kit with the drill to back out the screw. You can get these kits on Amazon. If you’re not comfortable doing that, you could use a Dremel with an appropriate grinding head to (very carefully - because one slip and you will scratch the hell out of your floor!) remove the portion of the screw that remains above the level of the floor. Or, you can use an appropriate size nail punch and hammer to just pound the protruding portion of the screw shaft down below the level of the floor. Wear safety glasses when doing any of these because of the chance of metal fragments getting kicked up!
@rentatent85: How? The wood will expand when it absorbs moisture, as would occur in a high-humidity season like summer along the U.S. east coast, and will release that moisture during dry months like over winter. Although this may primarily occur from below the floor, assuming the top surface is sealed/coated. Depending on where you live and how consistent you keep your home temperature and humidity, you will notice that some squeaks may come and go with the season. Save this project for those really annoying squeaks that outlast several seasons and justify drilling a hole(s) into your floor.
A buddy of mine went into the basement under his house and screwed upward. No holes on top. Not sure how he and his wife did this but it worked way better than drilling holes on top of the wood 60 year old hard wood floors.
@EL34XYZ: it’s in other comments somewhere, but yes, if you do have access from beneath the floor that it obviously way better than having to drive in screws through the finished floor. In this video, however, it’s an upstairs room so no access from below, and the area would be covered by a rug anyway. You have to do what works best for your situation.
If I had a concrete screed under the wood, would this screw be fine? I have a floating interlocking wooden floor, with a PVC carpet underneath and then the concrete base
looks like when you use the guide the holes are smaller. Must be when you bend the screw to snap it off makes the hole less clean. My floor has so many squeaks.
@STRIKER YYC: The holes might have a *slightly* smaller diameter when using the guide, because it does facilitate 'snapping' the screw at the score markings and allows you to mostly just lift straight up to remove the upper portion of the screw. But in terms of noticeability of the filler in the hole I found that it really doesn't make that much of a difference so I have opted for the expediency of skipping use of the guide when I know there are going to be several screws needed, or when, as I mentioned in the video, the screw still does not fully "snap" off even when using the guide. However, as you noted, bending the screw back-and-forth to snap it off (when inserted without the guide) will inevitably push some of that wood away at the surface of the floor--just not by much if you're careful. Good point to consider nonetheless. Thank you!
@Juddone1: In the early part of the video, I show the related tool for use going through carpet (it’s the one with the three spikes). Before screwing into anything, make sure to walk around the area to listen for noise and also to feel for any flexing of the floor. (I realize this may be difficult on a carpeted floor.) It might also be helpful to have another person to stand on or over the area of the squeak in the floor while you walk around adjacent areas to listen for whether the squeak moves or not. This can help you isolate where to place a screw or screws. Good luck.
The only problem is how long is the screw have to be because how do you know you're not going to bottom out into the concrete because all you have is 1/4 inch underlayment
I've done that several times. When I didn't have any wood filler I used Wood Glue and saw dust. Also on drywall and plaster to fill nail and screw holes, When I didn't have any plaster, I've used Elmer's Glue and a small piece of toilet paper balled up. After it dried and I painted you couldn't tell there was ever a hole.
Lol. Give me a break. What electrical wires are running under the floor? Maybe if he was next to the breaker box. The majority of wires are run in the ceiling and down the walls not under the floor. Unless a specific appliance is installed.
In the case of the hardwood plank..you don't have to hit the joist as you are screwing the hardwood to the subfloor... In the case of carpet...the subfloor needs to be screwed to the joist and the directions tell you how to do it....
Hello, i have a area in my hallway that does not have open access to screw from below in my basement because it was sheet rocked. I wanna use the above method with drilling. You said you dont need to hit a joist? With the other area in my kitchen where i have squeaks, i had to drive screws straight through the subfloor into the hardwood planks to get the squeaks to stop. I tried glue, 2x4’s, shims, nothing stopped the squeak until I drilled directly in the subfloor into the hardwood planks.
@Hapablap: Yes. This is discussed in some of the other comments. Also, you wouldn’t need screws this long. It would be much better to work from underneath if you can do that. In this video, I’m in an upstairs bedroom and the floor will be covered with an area rug. It was better for me to do it this way than to cut a hole in the ceiling below on the first floor.
Me personally, I'd just live with the squeak. If it was one nail, fine, but to put 6 or 7 in one small area stops the squeak but leaves clear circular markings, so it's a case out out of the fire and into the frying pan. As for the video, I appreciate you showing us how it's done with that screw breaker gadget.
@Gabriela Maurier: The screws and other items are shown at 0:05. Also, I included a link in the description. And extra screws are part #3251. Good luck!
Can you pls tell me, if I put laminate on top of the squeaky wood floors, wd they still be squeaky? Or I have to fix the squeak 1st and then put the laminate?
@Robert Ghiretti: It might, however, squeaks on stairs can be a different animal. If you can access the stairs from beneath, e.g., if the stairs go down to a basement and are exposed from beneath, it would be better to hammer in a shim between the riser and the step from beneath or use a short screw from beneath.
@Danny Young: Great question. After doing several of these with the tool, you start to get a feel for how far down the screw needs to go. Specifically, I look for the ridge or scoring around the shaft of the screw above the threaded part and below the head. That ridge/scoring should end up just a little bit below the surface of the hardwood floor so that when the top part of the screw is snapped off, the uppermost part of the screw that’s left behind is below the surface of the floor. Then you can fill the small hole like I did in the latter part of the video. Hope that helps.
Hello, i am tackling squeaks all around my kitchen and hallway area. I have access to my kitchen underneath but hallway I do not. With this method you are using do you have to hit the joist? I am some areas in my kitchen where I do have access i had to basically drill screws from the subfloor through the hardwood planks to get the squeaks to stop. I dont have access in the hallway so i will have to do it from the top.
@Martin L: There’s no shortage of opinions (as you can see from all the comments) as to whether you have to screw into a joist or not. It depends on your type of floor and installation. I find that I do not always have to screw into the joist to stop a squeak. Others differ. Good luck!
@@LongologoProductions yea I think the hardwood floor was put in about 8-10 years ago and its starting to squeak all over. Most of the squeaks are coming from the flooring itself. I am guessing that they did not put in enough staples to hold it down or some staples came loose in between the flooring and sub floor.
@Mayte Bautista: definitely before! Then you can fill any holes with a traditional wood filler, do your sanding, and then refinish without having to worry about matching filler in the holes to an already stained /finished floor.
@Cal Park: you should take steps to stop the squeaking before you put down any new floor. Even if you remove the wood floor you should make sure the squeaks are not present due to the subfloor. Also, putting vinyl over hardwood could lead to problems for both the vinyl (maybe uneven surface, poor adhesion) and the hardwood underneath (damage to wood stain, potential trapped moisture and rotting). Removing the wood floor might also affect your baseboard/trim height and thresholds. Whatever you decide, definitely stop the squeaking first. Good luck.
@Huaping Luo: At about 1:30 you’ll see putting in one of the screws. For brevity, I did not show drilling and inserting the screw for every single hole although I explained it verbally in the video.
@SharpEdgeStandard Official: that’s a tough one. What about using a more traditional wood filler that hardens (instead of the soft wax I used in the video) and then using a stain pen or something to match the color. For the high gloss / clear finish, you could use a tiny paint brush (like for painting plastic models) and lay down the tiniest amount of the high gloss clear coat on top? It would be extremely tedious but it would be precise if you were concerned about visibility. However no matter what it won’t be perfect like the original. How old are your floors? Any existing nails in them that are visible under the gloss?
@@LongologoProductions hi. They’re Bruce 2.25” installed in 2001. Basement is fully finished with drywall ceiling so can’t see underneath otherwise if fix from below. No visible nails or screws under finish, it’s tongue and groove install.
@SharpEdgeStandard Official: But you CAN access it from underneath! Given the high gloss finish on the floor, it would be so much better to just cut out a small piece of the basement drywall ceiling and take care of the squeaking with some shorter regular screw(s) from below. It sounds like you have an identified area of concern for squeaking. You could measure out from two walls to note that area, and then repeat the measurements in the basement directly below so you will know where to cut out a small piece of the drywall ceiling. And before you start inserting some screws, you could have someone else stand on the floor from above and flex it to make sure you hear the squeaking directly below. Then, with that person standing still with their weight on the area of the squeaking, you should be able to run in one short screw or a few short screws from below to take care of it. After that, wait a couple of weeks to make sure the squeak is gone to your liking before you repair/paint the drywall section. So, unless your basement ceiling drywall has some stucco or textured pattern, I really think it would be so much easier/better to repair a small drywall hole and repaint that part of the ceiling. After all, it's just a basement. Worst case, you get frustrated with a few drywall holes in your basement ceiling. That would be a better alternative than being frustrated with holes in your high gloss floor that you may never be able to perfectly hide.
@C C: back the screw out, and then take a long thin nail and see if it will go into the hole and further than the screw goes in. If it doesn’t, you may have an obstruction immediately below the hole that you drilled.
No..the screw is designed to only alow the threads to enter the flooring and into subfloor/joist... Then you 'snap' off the head of the screw with the tool provided. That allows for a wood filler to hide the hole that was drilled...
I am a women and have no construction experience. Do you think I can do it myself? I also don’t know what kind of floor I have (engineering, laminate or real wood) but it looks very similar to the one in video.
@Stella Liang: You don't have to have construction experience. If you are not confident, I would suggest practicing in a location that does not have high visibility, for example, inside a closet.
Watched this video, did this to my floor, there is still squick plus now I have bunch of whole on my floor, he should've mentioned first find the floor joints and then put those screws, otherwise it doesn't make any difference!!
@Ben Shojaei: Often, but not always, the floor joists. It makes a difference when the squeak stops. And if you watched the whole video, you’ll note I wasn’t particularly concerned about the holes or color matching since I was going to have a rug over it anyway. YMMV.
@Danny King: On a hardwood floor, it does not have to be on the joist. You can focus on where you hear the squeaks and/or feel any flexing when you push on the floor. Sometimes it can be frustrating because it might take more screws than you initially thought it would, but that’s where a good matching filler can work wonders. Good luck!
@@dannyking3229 : I just checked the instructions in the kit. It will work with soft wood floors too. The instructions for soft wood floors are basically the same as what I showed with the latter group of screws in the video. Good luck!
Is this for timber floors ontop of ur base hardwood. I ripped my cafeprt out snd I’m left with hardwood flooor that I polish but they sit on the joists ( I’m in aistralia )
I’m having a hard time understanding why are you screwing those screws 😓😫… can someone explain to be how that works? 🙉… I have a few areas that I would like to repair 🙏 thank you!!!!
Arcelia, The part of the screw that remains after breaking off the head of the screw has the thread imbedded in both the board and the joist underneath it. The thread of the screw ensures the board and the joist remain in a fixed position without any movement in the board when someone walks over it. Try screwing two pieces of wood together and you will get the idea.
@Andrew A: Yes if you are concerned about what’s under the floor - see other comments. Otherwise, not necessarily if you mean finding where to stop the squeaking.
This has not been on the market for a long time, long enough to let a huge population to not be familiar with this. I used this many years ago, used multiple screws and did not stop the squeaking. What I did not know was the danger of hitting pipes and electrical. Thank goodness I avoided that hazard.
