My hardwood floors are 3 years old. The hardwood floors are creaking throughout the house, It is driving me crazy!! I have been told many reasons on why this is happening, however I had an independant floor expect look at the floors and I was told that since the installer used OSB subfloor this problem will continue for the life the of floors. I have not spoken to the installer yet until I have the following questions answered.

1. Is it true the OSB Sub-floor cancels the warranty on Hardwood Flooring
2. Do I have any recourse with the installer

What should I do?

Thank you inadance for your help

Hws22,

As for your first question, it depends on the wood manufacture but as long as your boards are not structurally damaged or cupped you do not have a manufacture warrantee issue you have an installation issue. I don’t think any manufacture is going to replace boards due to creaking.

On the second it depends, did the installer express that they warrantee their labor? If they did not provide you with a labor warrantee then you may have no recourse. Check with them and then check with you state officials. Some states have requirements for a minimum warrantee on all contractor labor.

The bad news is it depends on the installer and whether they are willing to make it right and whether you have a written labor warrantee, as well as your local laws.

The good news is that you do not have a manufactures defect and being fastened down you may in all likelihood be able to salvage the existing wood and have it reinstalled over plywood.

The final option is to find a creative solution to the problem. You could have the boards face nailed with spikes to reattach it to the sub-floor. The problem (or not I like rustic) is that it will give the house a more rustic look. Secondly you could have it plugged in which a hole is drilled in the board, a face nail is then nailed in the hole, and a round plug is inserted in the pre-drilled hole over the nail. You can use a different wood for the plug that contrasts the existing floor and it gives it a custom look. Both of these are going to be much less expensive that a complete removal and reinstall.

3/4 osb is acceptable subfloor it shouldnt void your warranty at all, now if its particle board then your are in a bad postion, squeeks can be caused by inadequate fastners, or where the floor went through some kind of excessive shrinking or swelling over the past couple of years. It may be coming from the floor joist below the floor as well. Some peoople chose to fasten the floor from underneth with screws to cut down on squeeks if accessable. when did the inspector come out and what was the moisture content? Does the floor squeek year round or more during diffrent times of the year?

Yeah, I forgot about mentioning that if you can gain access from under the floor you can fasten from there. I am always thinking of concrete slabs being in Florida and all.

OSB is an approved subfloor.

Now how did the inspector check for the fastener schedule, to determine it was fastened properly with the right amount of fasteners.

Wood swells and shrinks constantly with gains and losses of moisture content. This movement will loosen a floor over time.

I have yet to go into a nailed down hardwood that has some years on it, that didn't creak someplace.

It is a known, common and normal characteristic of a fastened down wood floor. That is why it is expressed you have a humidifier in the winter, and a dehumidifier during the humid months, if your HVAC unit is turned off.

Do you have a humidifier?

You didn't say what species of wood this is we are talking about, here.