Hardwood Floors Making a Cracking Noise

Excessive Moisture or Dryness

• As the seasons change, you may notice that your hardwood floors make more of a cracking sound. In the summer, the excess moisture can expand the floorboards, and in the winter, the boards contract --- both can result in creaking, and sometimes cracks in the flooring. Hot or cool air blowing into one section of the floor from your home's heating and air conditioning vents can cause the floors to make a cracking noise as well, so keeping the temperature consistent in the room throughout the day could help to remedy the problem.

Subflooring

• If the flooring underneath the boards is uneven, the floorboards could make a creaking noise when they are walked on. The Flooring and Carpets website states that the modern styles of hardwood floors are crafted to accommodate uneven wood flooring. However, if you have a home that was built decades ago, the foundation flooring could eventually cause cracks in your floorboards. It's best to level the subfloor before you install the hardwood, but the website suggests that many contractors simply do not have the time to do this, and over time, you may be left with cracking floors.

Room Humidifiers

• One of the quickest ways to get rid of the cracking noise in your hardwood floors is to purchase a humidifier for the room that has the damaged flooring. Adjusting the device to administer the right amount of dryness or moisture in the air will help to expand floorboards that have contracted, and vice versa.

Hiring a Contractor

• If using a humidifier or adjusting the air conditioner or heating system doesn't take care of the cracking noise, it's best to call in a contractor to take a look at the problem. The Hardwood Flooring Talk website suggests injecting the hardwood floor with a special adhesive that will keep the boards together without constricting them. Before the adhesive is added, the contractor will sand the floor, and then reseal it after injecting the adhesive.