Your Steller Floor doesn't use nails or glue, so it is easy to modify!
One of the unique benefits of Steller Floors is that they allow you to fine-tune your flooring experience. Whether you want to reduce noises for a quieter environment or enhance them to embrace the charm and character of a natural wood floor, Steller Floors make it possible.
In real wood floors, light squeaking and adjustment noises are often seen as indicators of authenticity, adding personality and value to your home. However, if you’d like to adjust the sound of your floor—whether by quieting it or creating more dynamic acoustic effects—Steller Floors make it easy to adapt your floor to your preferences.
In all flooring, noise indicates movement, and the key is to areas where movement might be expected. With a Steller Floor, you can always take steps to adjust your floor for any reason, whether it’s to respond to a new renovation, a shifting foundation, or simply to make your home more uniquely yours.
"Settling in" noises
Settling noises are common with any new flooring material because the materials are new and they need to get used to the shape of the subfloor, the pattern of wear, and gravity. Settling noises tend to sound like a faint "snap, crackle, pop," and they tend to go away after you have just walked past an area.
Over time, these areas will stop making noises as materials settle into normal wear. In areas with little use and minimal weight, it could take up to six months. To accelerate the process, use your floor by walking on it and putting weight on it to help the floor settle in.
Adjustment noises due to changes in humidity
Most common in the spring and fall in seasonal climates, these adjustment noises are like settling noises but they represent the floor adjusting to a change in humidity. It is not uncommon for any solid hardwood floor moving from 30% to 45% RH to make a few small noises over the time the climate changes, but they go away when the shift is over. These noises don't ever happen in areas where the RH is kept constant.
Noises due to vertical movement
These hardwood floor noises are most similar to a nailed-down floor and are well-known for their definitive "squeak." If these acoustic effects are undesirable, with a Steller Floor they are quick and easy to change!
To diagnose these effects, you will notice that these noises do not get better as you walk over them. You can verify that these squeaky areas of your floor are making noise due to vertical movement by having someone walk past the area while you watch from a short distance away. If the floor moves underfoot, you likely have a subfloor imperfection causing a gap between the clip and the subfloor.
Once you're sure it’s a subfloor imperfection that you're dealing with, you can use your suction cup to remove affected planks and find areas of your Steller clips that are unsupported by the subfloor. Use shims made of incompressible materials (like Ram Board or tar paper) in these areas to help support the clips and snap the planks back down. The noises should be dramatically reduced by these steps.
If you discover that the subfloor is heavily out of spec for a Steller Floor (more than 1/8" over 8–10', including deflection), the great news is that you can partially or completely remove your Steller Floor without ruining any pieces and you can then access the subfloor to remediate it. For suggestions about leveling subfloors, you can check out other areas of our knowledge base and our blog!
Enhancing Acoustic Effects with Steller Floors
For some homeowners, the subtle creaks and whispers of a wood floor bring charm and character, evoking the warmth of a historic home or the authenticity of a well-loved cottage. With Steller Floors, you have the unique ability to fine-tune these natural sounds to suit your personal preferences—not just quiet them but also enhance them if desired.
If you love the idea of adding more acoustic character to your floor, it’s quick and easy to do with Steller Floors:
- Identify the Area You Want to Adjust: Pinpoint the sections of your floor where you’d like to add a touch of creak or movement.
- Lift the Plank: Using our simple modular system, lift the plank in the area you want to adjust.
- Add a Shim: Place a thin shim beneath the plank, creating a slight deviation in the subfloor’s flatness. This encourages more interaction between the plank and subfloor, resulting in increased sound effects.
- Test the Results: Replace the plank and step in the area to experience the new acoustic effect. Adjust the shim thickness if necessary to achieve the desired sound.
Why Enhance the Sounds of Your Floor?
These adjustments can bring a unique auditory texture to your space, transforming your Steller Floor into more than just a surface—it becomes part of your home’s atmosphere and story. For those who value the lived-in, authentic sounds of wood, enhancing acoustic effects is a fun and personal way to embrace the character of real wood flooring.
Reach out for Steller Support!
We are here to help you with your flooring project and if any questions begin to vex you, don't hesitate to reach out to us. We can help you troubleshoot over the phone, by email, or by zoom appointment! 1-800-955-7671 or support@floorsbysteller.com