Mend more than furniture with your pocket-hole jig
For years we lived with creaky and squeaky floors. At one time these creaks were useful when they helped us detect when our teenagers were late for curfew, but with the kids grown, the squeaks are merely annoying.
To silence the squeaks, I used a portable mini pocket-hole jig that's intended for furniture repair. I simply locate the squeaky spot by having my wife walk around on the floor until I have it pinpointed. Then I use the jig to install screws to pull the subfloor tight to the floor joist, as shown.
For extra insurance, I squirt a bit of woodworking glue into the gap before driving the screws. Also, I drive several screws along the gap to make sure it's fully closed.
—Pete Eisinger, Laingsburg, Mich.
Subflooring can vary in thickness from 3⁄4 " to more than 2". Before using this technique, it's important to know its thickness so you can choose the correct screw length. Usually, you can find this thickness by pulling out a floor heat/air vent and looking at the cutout edge. Be certain you don't drive screws all the way through, where sharp hidden screw points can lie in wait under the carpet.
—WOOD® magazine editors