Creaking or noisy floorboards in your Widnes home can be worrying — especially if you’re unsure whether the sound is harmless or a sign of something more serious beneath the surface. While some creaks are simply due to natural timber movement, others point to subfloor moisture, poor ventilation or early-stage timber decay.
At Weather Wise Solutions Limited, we carry out detailed timber inspections across Widnes and Cheshire to determine whether the floor structure is healthy or if underlying issues require corrective work.
🪵 What Causes Floorboards to Creak?
Timber floors can creak for several reasons — not all of them dangerous. The challenge is knowing which sounds are normal and which signal a developing problem.
Here are the main causes:
1️⃣ Normal Timber Movement
Timber naturally expands and contracts with changes in:
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heat
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humidity
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seasonal conditions
This can create harmless creaks, especially in older homes.
However, if movement becomes excessive or is accompanied by soft spots, moisture may be involved.
2️⃣ Subfloor Moisture
Subfloor damp is one of the most common causes of persistent creaking in Widnes homes.
It can be caused by:
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inadequate ventilation
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blocked or missing air bricks
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high external ground levels
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leaking gutters or downpipes
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moisture evaporating from soil below the floor
When timber absorbs moisture, it swells — and as it dries, it contracts.
This movement puts stress on the boards and fixings, causing creaks.
3️⃣ Poor Subfloor Ventilation
A healthy suspended timber floor requires constant airflow.
Insufficient ventilation can cause:
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damp structural timber
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mould growth
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early-stage decay
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condensation on the underside of boards
Creaking may be the first audible warning sign.
4️⃣ Early Signs of Timber Decay (Wet Rot)
Wet rot develops in timber that has been exposed to high moisture levels over time.
Signs include:
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soft, spongy timber
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darkened wood
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crumbling fibres
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increased creaking where timber is weakened
Wet rot does not spread like dry rot but can cause serious structural deterioration if left unchecked.
5️⃣ Loose Boards, Nails or Fixings
Sometimes creaking is caused simply by:
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loose tongue-and-groove joints
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nails moving in joists
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worn fixings
However, loose fixings can also indicate that the supporting timbers are weakened.
🧰 How Weather Wise Diagnose Timber Issues in Widnes
Our CPD-qualified timber specialists carry out a full structural investigation, which includes:
✔ Moisture Content Testing
Determines if the timber is above safe thresholds.
✔ Subfloor Inspection
Checking joists, bearers, airflow and ground levels.
✔ External Assessment
Looking for gutter faults, drainage issues or external moisture sources.
✔ Thermal Imaging
Helps locate patterns of moisture or cold bridging affecting the floor.
✔ Probing & Sounding
Identifying softened, decayed or weakened timber.
We identify whether the problem is benign movement or a sign of hidden decay.
🛠️ How We Fix Creaking Floors Caused by Damp or Decay
Solutions depend on the underlying cause:
🔧 Improve Subfloor Ventilation
Installing new air bricks, clearing blockages or adding cross-ventilation pathways.
🌧️ Address External Moisture Sources
Correcting gutters, downpipes, ground levels or defective brickwork.
🪵 Repair or Replace Decayed Timbers
Removing wet rot–affected joists, bearers or boards and installing new treated timber.
🔧 Secure Loose Boards or Fixings
Re-fixing floorboards using screws or replacing damaged joints.
🌬️ Whole-House Ventilation Improvements
PIV or DMEV systems reduce humidity and stabilise moisture levels.
We use quality materials and systems from:
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PAM Ties – https://www.pamties.co.uk/
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Wycamol – https://wykamol.com/
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Builders Super Store
We follow best practice as accredited members of:
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Federation of Damp – https://federationofdamp.co.uk/
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Damp Proofing Association – https://www.dampproofingassociation.co.uk/
🏡 Why Widnes Homeowners Trust Weather Wise
Weather Wise Solutions Limited is a family-run damp, timber and ventilation specialist serving Widnes and the wider Cheshire region.
We’re known for:
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accurate structural diagnosis
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honest, evidence-based recommendations
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long-term repair solutions
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CPD-qualified specialists
Find us on:
TrustATrader:
https://www.trustatrader.com/traders/weather-wise-solutions-limited-damp-surveyor-newcastle-under-lyme
Checkatrade:
https://www.checkatrade.com/trades/weatherwisesolutionslimited
📞 Book a Timber Floor Survey in Widnes
Creaking floorboards can be harmless — or they can be the first warning sign of timber decay.
Let us diagnose the cause before it becomes costly.
Book your free survey here:
https://weatherwiseuk.co.uk/pages/contact