How to Fix Springy and Spongy Floors

The floors of your home sit on top of wooden joists that run the length of the room. When it's installed, the flooring is nailed to the joist to prevent the flooring from bouncing when it is stood on. As the house settles, the flooring may come away from the joist, giving the floor a springy or spongy feel. Bridging and installing plywood to the underside of the joists will give your springy floor solid footing once again.

Metal bridging
1-3/8-inch joist hangar nails
Hammer
Measuring tape
Plywood
1-1/2-inch drywall screws

Instructions

- 1
  Stand underneath the flooring and have someone walk over it so you can pinpoint the location of the bounce.
- 2
  Place metal bridging between the joists in the location of the bounce. Metal floor bridging is available from most hardware stores.
- 3
  Nail the bottom of the metal bridging to the underside of the joist, using 1-3/8-inch joist hangar nails. Nail the top of the metal bridging to the side of the joist where the flooring meets the joist.
- 4
  Measure the length and width of the floor area. Multiply the length and width to get the square footage of the room. Purchase enough plywood to cover the underside of the floor.
- 5
  Lift the plywood and position it so the ends are in the middle of a joist. Drive 1-1/2-inch drywall screws through the plywood into the joists. Insert a screw every 4 inches.

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