The creak of the old wooden floor especially often pesters the inhabitants of the old Khrushchev houses. However, there are several options for how to repair the wooden floor in the Khrushchev to make it less noisy. It turns out that there are simple and affordable ways.
Creaky floors in Khrushchev can be repaired by yourself
The most common causes of a squeak are:
- logs, that is, the beams on which the boards lie, can dry out or loosen over time, their connection with the boards becomes mobile;
- deformation of the boards due to moisture;
- drying out of the boards leads to the appearance of gaps between the floorboards;
- incorrect installation of the sub floor.
Whatever the reason for the creaks of the floor in the Khrushchev, it must be accurately identified and eliminated. This may require minor repairs, and in the most difficult cases, a complete replacement of the flooring and its base.
Depending on the cause of the squeak, it can be eliminated in one of the following ways:
- Fill the gaps between the floorboards with polyurethane foam. This will provide rigidity and the squeak will disappear. This is the easiest and most inexpensive way, but short-lived. Over time, the foam will crumble and the problem will return;
- if the squeak is due to gaps between the boards and beams, wedges will help. They will make the joints tighter;
- with the help of anchor bolts, you can reliably strengthen the floor by connecting boards, beams and concrete base through and through;
- if, in addition to eliminating the squeak, it is planned to update the floor surface, plywood will be the best solution. Thick sheets, 12 mm or more, need to be firmly sewn to the boards using self-tapping screws. Such bonding sometimes completely eliminates the problem of a creaky floor, and linoleum or other coating can be laid on top of plywood;
- the loosened logs are strengthened with the help of long self-tapping screws that will connect the boards and beams.
In cases where these measures do not help, all that remains is to completely replace the floor.
In the case of a major renovation of the floor, you must immediately abandon the idea of its partial restoration. It will be safer to completely remove the old coating and install a new one.
After removing the boards and beams, the concrete floor is screed dry or wet.
If you use an expanded clay layer in the screed, this will create additional insulation and sound insulation.
After three weeks, when the concrete has completely hardened, they begin to build the foundation for the new floor. After that, the boards are laid, carefully inserting each into the groove of the previous one. This is a guarantee of a snug fit of the boards and the absence of a squeak.
It is very difficult for beginners to make the floor correctly, therefore, if you need to completely change the floors in Khrushchev, it is better to entrust this business to professionals.