Why floors are noisier in summer

During the summer season, wood and laminate flooring can become noisy with loud creaks and squeaks disturbing the peace and quiet.

Wood and laminate flooring planks creak if they move up and down, as they expand when hot. According to flooring expert Paul Hambridge:

"Most of the work needed to prevent squeaky floors comes during installation."

He names four factors for installing a floor to prevent noise. First, make sure that the subfloor is even. After this, leave the flooring material for around 48 hours in the room to acclimatise. Then, install a good quality underlay and, finally, make sure that there is a gap around the edge of the room that allows the flooring to expand.

Fixing existing noisy flooring is not easy. Sometimes the only solution is to rip up the flooring, level the subfloor and then reinstall it. If there is an insufficient expansion gap around the outside, this could also cause squeaking.

If wood or engineered flooring works loose because it hasn't been secured properly, this can cause noise. Remove any nails or screws and replace them with new ones and firmly reattach the floor. For a temporary fix, apply talcum powder between plank joints to dampen the sound.

This issue of noisy floors highlights the importance of using expert floor installers. For peace of mind, use a local independent flooring retailer in North Wales that employs professional experienced installers who will make sure your solid surface flooring remains quiet when the sweltering summer weather arrives.