Hello all,
I've got some very creaky flooring in my loft bedroom. The floor is just 3/4 plywood, with wall-to-wall carpeting. Taking up the carpeting really isn't an attractive option!

I'm remodeling the space below and the ceiling is open. Are there any tricks of the trade for tightening down the floor from below, i.e.. In the joist bays? I seem to remember reading of some special type of fastener, but I don't recall the details. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Roy

Locate floor joist and drive finish nails through the carpet and padding. Better yet run screws, at a 45 degree angle, into the joist from below and into the floor boards.

I just did a search and found a few products. Some simple, some complex.

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Originally Posted by hkstroud

Locate floor joist and drive finish nails through the carpet and padding.

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Worth a try but I wonder if they would pop through.

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Better yet run screws, at a 45 degree angle, into the joist from below and into the floor boards.

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Thanks for the ideas!

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Originally Posted by KeepItSimpleStupid

I just did a search and found a few products. Some simple, some complex.

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OK, thanks for checking. Would you be willing to share what you found?

Here is one link:

Fixing Floor Squeaks From Below: Finding the Squeak | Walls & Floors | Reader's Digest

Or better yet:

fixing floor squeaks - Google Search

Some home improvement stores sold (I don't know if they still do) kits with a screw and guide to go through carpet, with a break-off head on the screw. The guide stops the screw head at the right elevation so that the break point is far enough down to not cause a problem. That's all I can remember about it. They also had kits for reinforcing the floor from below.

I agree with Smearcase, this is one great little tools. I also saw the This Old House show but owned one for years. Squeaky Floors - Floor Squeak Eliminator - Squeeeeek-No-More, Counter Snap - Squeakender - mysqueakyfloors.com

Thanks for the help guys!

If the floor joists are exposed, you could add some cross bracing between as well them to try to stiffen it up.

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Originally Posted by amricca

If the floor joists are exposed, you could add some cross bracing between as well them to try to stiffen it up.

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Good idea, I will do that while I have the opportunity; there is no cross-bracing now.

BTW, I stumbled upon a This Old House video about those snap-off screws that smearcase and ballengerb1 recommended. See How to Repair Squeaky Floors Through Carpeting | Video | Floors | This Old House
Cheers,
Roy

You can driive some shims between the sub floor and the joist. Small shims in the places where it sqicks

If the floor loose enough we shimmed it just a little from underneath the joist and squeezed some caulk/ liquid nail into both sides of the joist where the floor meets and fasten it back right away and the caulk helps stop more movement past the fastened part.

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Originally Posted by CuthbertRumbold

Hello all,
I've got some very creaky flooring in my loft bedroom. The floor is just 3/4 plywood, with wall-to-wall carpeting. Taking up the carpeting really isn't an attractive option!

I'm remodeling the space below and the ceiling is open. Are there any tricks of the trade for tightening down the floor from below, ie. in the joist bays? I seem to remember reading of some special type of fastener, but I don't recall the details. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Roy

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Roy, I did this in my house, at joists I put wood screws at an angle but make sure you don't use to long of screws. If you can sneak some PL 400 between joist and plywood the better. I used small wedge to raise the plywood insert PL400 remove wedge and screw in.
Good luck.