Every floor makes some noise. But there is a difference between a house settling and a floor telling you something is wrong underneath it. Here is how to tell which one you have — and what actually fixes it.
First, what you are actually hearing
Most floor noise does not come from the floor you see. It comes from movement underneath it: a plank rubbing against a nail, a board flexing over a low spot, or the subfloor — the wood or concrete base under your floor — moving slightly when you step on it. The visible floor is just the part that reports the problem.
The usual causes, in plain English
The subfloor is not flat. This is the number one cause. If the base underneath has dips or high spots, planks bridge over the gaps and flex when you walk. You hear clicks, pops, and hollow spots. No plank, however expensive, fixes a base that is not level.
Boards have loosened over time. Wood expands and contracts with Memphis humidity. Nails work loose, click-lock joints open a hair, and suddenly a spot that was silent starts talking every time you pass.
Moisture got in. Water — a slow leak, a damp crawl space, mopping that soaks through — swells wood fibers and weakens the bond between the floor and its base. A squeak that appeared after a leak or a humid summer is worth taking seriously.
The wrong padding underneath. The underlayment — the thin layer between your floor and the subfloor — matters more than people think. Too soft, and the floor flexes and bounces. Missing or wrong for the material, and you get noise from day one.
When it is normal, and when to worry
Normal: a faint creak in one spot in an older house, especially in dry winter air, that does not change over months. Houses move a little; that is life.
Worry when: the noise is spreading, the floor visibly moves or bounces under your feet, boards are lifting at the edges, or the noise started after water exposure. A floor that bounces is not just noisy — it is flexing, and flexing wears out joints and finishes early. And any squeak paired with a soft, spongy feeling underfoot needs a look underneath before it becomes a bigger repair.
What fixes it — and what does not
Powders, sprays, and home remedies quiet a squeak for a week. They do not fix a low subfloor or a loose joint. A real fix starts underneath: finding the low or loose spot, leveling or securing the base, and re-seating or replacing only the boards that need it. That is also why a good installer checks the subfloor before quoting a new floor — it is the part you never see, and it decides whether your new floor stays quiet.
If you are replacing the floor anyway
This is the moment to fix the noise for good. A new floor over an uncorrected base inherits the same squeaks. When we measure a room, we check what is underneath first, so the new floor starts on a base that will keep it quiet.
Not sure what yours is?
Walk it, note where it happens, and whether it is getting worse. Then call Nunez Flooring at (901) 552-2874 and tell us what you are hearing — we will come measure, look underneath, and tell you honestly whether it is a small fix or part of a bigger job. Every installation we do is backed by our 6-month warranty.
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