What causes our Tile to Squeak and What can we do to Stop it?

QUESTION

We recently had our bathroom remodeled. The last two rows of tile before the doorway squeak. We have noticed that the floor declines slightly downward as you approach the doorway opening before it connects or transitions to the adjoining room. Before the remodel, the bathroom had a tile floor with no squeaks whatsoever. We have also observed that there is a slight space approx. 1/8" between the bottom of the cabinet (the end closest to the doorway where the floor has a slight downward slope) and the new tile. What could be causing this squeak? What can be done to correct it?

ANSWER

ANSWER - Normally Squeaking floors is caused by the plywood sub-floor not being well attached to its base and when you walk on that portion of the floor it moves, which causes the squeak sound.

Even if there is a backer board installed over the wood sub-floor, if the backer board isn't screwed down every 8 inches per the backer board manufacturers' requirements and industry standards, there can be an area that can move and cause the squeak.

I have seen where loose tiles will make a squeak sound, but it is obvious that the tile is moving.

The only way to fix this condition, is to remove the tiles above the squeaky sounding area, and screw it down until there is no movement that can cause the sound, and re-install a tile.

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