Page 10 - ProInstaller March-April 2022

Correcting Squeaks, Popping, Crunching and Hollow Sounds in Hardwood, Continued

• For nail-down wood floors: • Inadequate adhesive transfer.
• Flooring not installed tightly together. • Improper flash time.
• Voids between the wood floor and the subfloor. • Not using a roller when recommended.
• The flooring underside being blown-out from the • Substrate not flat to within required tolerance (1/8”
fastener, forcing the flooring off the subfloor. in 6’, or 3/16” in 10’).
• Debris between boards or subfloor during • Lack of expansion around vertical obstructions.
installation. • Improperly mixed lightweight gypsum concrete or
• Wood floors installed parallel to the floor joists patching compound.
over inadequate substrates.
• Deflection in subflooring. • For floating wood floors:
• Improper fastener schedule. • Debris between the flooring and the subfloor
• Improper fastener (wrong length, gauge or type). during installation.
• Overdriven or underdriven fasteners, resulting • Deflection in subflooring.
from incorrect air compressor pressure settings. • Improper underlayment material used under the
• Cracked tongues. wood floor.
• Substrate not flat to within required tolerance • Improper glue used, or improper glue application.
(3/16” in 6’, or 1/4” in 10’). • Failed or broken glue bond.
• Improper underlayment material used under the • Broken, missing or disengaged locking
wood floor. mechanism.
• Lack of expansion around vertical obstructions. • Lack of expansion around vertical obstructions.
• Metal floor trusses coming into direct contact with • Pinch-points in the installation.
fasteners. • Bowing of flooring outside of manufacturer’s
tolerances.
• For glue-down wood floors: • Substrate not flat to within required tolerance
• Flooring not installed tightly together. (1/8” in 6’, or 3/16” in 10’).
• Voids between the wood floor and the subfloor. • Flooring installed that wasn’t approved for floating
• Debris between the flooring and the subfloor installation method.
during installation. • Subfloor moisture.
• Early foot traffic before adhesive dries. Cures
• Deflection in subflooring.
Note that the structural integrity of the subfloor system is
• Concrete substrate moisture. not the wood flooring contractor’s responsibility unless he/
• Incorrect adhesive and/or moisture mitigation she installed the subfloor system. Structural issues should
system. be addressed by a qualified professional. If it is determined
that the noise is the result of improperly installed or
• Inadequate bond between the subfloor and failing subfloor systems, removing the wood floor may be
the adhesive, due to poor preparation or necessary to make repairs.
incompatibility.
• Improper adhesive use: Moisture-related issues must be identified and addressed
prior to correcting any noise-related issues. Lubricating
• Wrong trowel or spread rate.
materials such as talcum powder or WD-40 sometimes are
used to minimize board-to-board noises temporarily, but
are not considered permanent fixes. Repairs for improperly
milled flooring should be addressed as suggested by the
flooring manufacturer.

Individual board replacement or injected adhesives are
commonly acceptable repairs. If access below the floor is
possible, screws, adhesives, wedges or shims can be used
to strengthen the subfloor system.
If there is inadequate perimeter expansion, it may be
Overdriven fastener - split tongue possible to cut in expansion into an existing floor.
Continued
10 PROINSTALLER MAGAZINE • MARCH/APRIL 2022