Novice has just painted the small bedroom and is having a new carpet put in. Some of the floorboards are a bit springy and noisy. I was going to nail them down, but was advised by neighbour to screw them instead, since he says nails can work loose.
Can screws work loose also? Was thinking of smearing some PVA adhesive I have over the heads. Is this the best thing to do? thanks.
Not bad advice.
If it's 100 years old and uses real floorboards, then you can nail them down successfully so long as you use real floorboard cut nails (just ask in any real builders' merchant). If you use typical wire or oval nails, they'll work loose.
OTOH, screws work, screws work in modern flooring materials, and screws are easily removable. If you might ever want to lift the board to gain access for pipes, use them. Use modern parallel screws, such as Screwfix's Goldscrews. Lubricate with candlewax if you want (better ones are pre-done) but don't use soap or PVA as that's more likely to cause rusting, jamming and snapping.
When I decorated our master bedroom and before the new carpet went down, I put in over 100 screws into the boards around the bed area to stop them squeaking. They had been squeaking for around 10 tears. However, don't let your wife work out to the aerobics videos in the bedroom!!! My floor boards have started squeaking again and when I redecorate this year I am going to have do them all again, plus a new carpet that has had the life stamped out of it. Rosemary Connelly has a lot to answer for!
Don't use nails!! You can loosen the ceiling underneath, and damage the plaster rose (light fitting surround).
Sylvain.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.