creaky floorboards

Hi,

our house is 8-years old and some of the floorboards upstairs and on the stairs are very creaky. We wanted to lay down a carpet but guess have to fix the noise first. Is there any alternative to relaying the floors?? Have a newborn baby and really need to fix this as she wakes up at every noise! Thanks!

Firstly, congrats on new born. I'm no expert here but if you use talcum powder on the floor boards it may do the trick. BTW, speaking from experience you shouldn't eleminate all noise or the baby will never get used to it.

Thanks Jenny_H, I read about talcum powder on the web but it said it is a temporary solution. She is used to some noise, but this type of noise is really annoying especially when you are trying to find your way back to bed in the dark at 3am

Seaflower,

This previous thread might provide some hints on repairs.

You can also try driving a few screws into where the boards meet the joists this has worked for me in the past as a sqeeky board is usually a loose board.

Be careful not the hit any wires or pipes while doing this.

Good Luck

As an aside, cousins of mine had a baby who was a bad sleeper, when she finally did nod off they were no scared of waking her up again they started to tiptoe around the place, its so bad now that I called one day and my cousin saw me coming up the driveway and ran out before I could ring the doorbell. I had to take off my shoes as I went in, wooden floors everywhere, so as not to wake her.

Best advice, is when they are so young, continue with normal noise routines, hoovering, music, doors banging, washing machine going etc as then they will get used to it and sleep through it when as they get older.