Fix floorboards that bounce

Screw down loose boards, pack gaps, and stop squeaks so your floor stops bouncing underfoot.

FB-01Find where the floor bouncesWalk slowly over the floor and note exactly where it flexes or dips. Mark the spot with a pencil or masking tape. Bounce is usually one or two boards moving against the joist, not the whole floor, so narrowing it down saves work later.

1 roll · Masking tape

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1 each · Pencil

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FB-02Check for pipes and cables before you drill or lift anythingCables and pipes can run under floors almost anywhere, including along or through joists, so run a detector over the area first. Detectors miss deep cables, armoured cable, and pipes under metal-faced boards, so still work carefully and be ready to stop. Find your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns before you start, so you can shut the water off fast if you hit a pipe. If you have any doubt at all, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before drilling near floor voids where wiring runs.

1 each · Cable and pipe detector

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FB-03Clear the area and lift the loose board slightlyMove furniture and rugs off the floor and sweep the boards clean. Gently ease up the edge of the bouncy board with a bolster chisel or flat bar, just enough to see how it's fixed and whether it sits tight on the joist below. Old nails often work loose over time, which is the usual cause of bounce.

1 each · Bolster chisel or flat bar

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FB-04Screw the board down properly into the joistDrill a pilot hole through the board at each joist crossing, avoiding old nail holes, then drive a 40mm x 4mm woodscrew straight down into the centre of the joist. Fit at least two screws per joist crossing, roughly 20mm in from each edge of the board. Countersink the screw heads slightly so they sit just below the surface.

20 each · 40mm x 4mm woodscrews

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1 each · Pilot drill bit (2.5mm)

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1 each · Cordless drill/driver

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FB-05Pack out any gap between the board and the joistIf the board still rocks after screwing, there's a gap between the underside of the board and the top of the joist, often from the timber shrinking. Cut a thin plywood packer to fit, run a bead of wood glue along it, and slide it into the gap before re-screwing the board down tight. Don't over-tighten, as this can bow the board.

1 each · Plywood offcut (6mm)

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1 bottle · Wood glue

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FB-06Stop squeaks at the tongue-and-groove jointsIf neighbouring boards squeak against each other rather than the joist, this is friction at the tongue-and-groove edge. Drive a screw at a slight angle through the tongue edge and into the joist below, close to where the boards meet. Countersink it and fill the hole with matching wood filler once done.

6 each · 35mm x 3.5mm woodscrews

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1 tube · Wood filler

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FB-07Check fixings sit flush and tidy upRun a hand over every screw you've fitted to check none are standing proud, as this will snag carpet, vinyl, or bare feet. Give the area a final vacuum to clear sawdust and offcuts, and put furniture and rugs back once you're done.

1 each · Vacuum cleaner

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