Hi,

I need some help here..

I'm on the second flooring project in my home. replacing some carpet with 3/4 maple.

After removing the carpets, I have an annoying problem. The OSB subfloor creaks at the T&G joints. First I though it was the nails creaking, and I screwed the floor every 6 inches using simpson screws. Also, the builder has the OSB well glued to the joists.

As far as I can tell, the creaking is from the TG joint segments between the joists.

How can I stop this annoying squeaking? This is holding up the floor install.

All suggestions welcome

thanks
-g

Do you have access to the underside i.e. is there and unfinished basement below?

The squeaking will be from movement. If you find no movement and the floor still squeaks when walked on then it may be from a nail that veered away from the joist and slides against the wood like a violin bow. If it is at the joint of the T&G, between joists, then when you fasten the flooring down the two different panels will move as a unit and there will be no squeak. Just keep track of where the squeaking area is located and fasten a little more carefully in that location. Fasteners right close to the joint one on each panel will stop movement and no squeak.
Sometimes a dose of dry graphite lubricant between the T&G will stop a squeak. It's a black powder that is used to make keys slide into a lock cylinder more easily.

Hi,

I do not have access to the underside of the subfloor, that would be too easy

Thanks Pete A. I'm following you advise and starting to countersink the nails with a pin punch.. It seems to be clearing up the noise.. I'm debating whether to completely sink the nails, take the out of the load path and just use screws. What do you think ?

-gary

Screws work very well. Use screws that have a shank with no threads near the head that equals the thickness of , of greater than the sub-floor. This allows the screw to pull the sub-floor securely down to stop movement. Once the sub-floor is fastened firmly there will not be any noise.

To be 100% sure of no future squeaks consider taking the time to remove all the nails and replace with screws.