Squeaking floors, damaged floorboards and oil stains on concrete are problems that most home owners with concrete or wood floors face at one time or the other. We provide you here with cheap and simple DIY methods of dealing with these common floor problems. 

How To Remove Oil Stains From Concrete
Almost every concrete driveway is fraught with stains from car leaks and other spills.

Unfortunately, most people do not know how to remove oil stains from concrete. It is true that oil stains on concrete are really hard to remove, but it is not impossible like many people believe it to be. In fact, with our step by step guide on removing oil stains from concrete, you will find that it is actually a simple task that you can carry out without spending too much energy or money on it.

In order to clean small oil stains on concrete, make a paste of your detergent with a little water and pour on concrete. Keep for five minutes and scrub off with a steel brush or a hard plastic brush. Wash off with clean water. You might need to repeat the whole process two to three times to deal with deeper stains, but in most cases, the stain will go off for good.

You might need to use a liquid known as a degreaser for cleaning up oil stains on concrete that are either too large or too old. These liquids work by absorbing oil molecules and then getting washed out with them. You will need to apply the degreaser to the stain, leave it for a few minutes and then scrub it with a fine steel brush. Once this is done, leave the degreaser for ten more minutes and then wash off with water. Different manufacturers might give different instructions for use but this is more or less what they will entail. Just make sure that you follow the instructions given at the back of the pack before using the product. You might need to repeat the process in order to get rid of the stain.

Oil stains on concrete have a tendency of reappearing after a couple of days because oil seeps into the concrete only to resurface once you think you have cleaned up the stain. However, if you keep cleaning up the spill as and when the stain reappears, you will be able to get rid of the oil stain for good.

How to Repair a Hardwood Floor
Hardwood floor repair is definitely tougher than simply washing away oils stains from concrete, but damaged floors are not only bad to look at, they are also dangerous for your pets and your kids, who might keep getting splinters from damaged floors all the time. Therefore, repairing a hardwood floor that is damaged should be your first do it yourself priority. Another reason for carrying out such a job as soon as possible is that you might be able to spot the reason causing damage to your floors and manage to save more of your hardwood planks from getting spoilt.

To repair your hardwood floor, first identify and mark all the planks that are damaged and need to be replaced. Buy planks of the same size, color and style that have been used in your floor before you rip apart your floor. If you cannot find the exact color, then go for a style that can be stained to match your existing floor.  Nailed hardwood floors are much easier to remove than tongue and groove styles, and if you have a tongue and groove installation, then you will need to take special care so as not to damage the adjoining planks. It is best to cut a plank down in the middle with a circular saw and then prise both ends away from their joints with the help of chisels and crow bars without damaging the extra floor boards.

In case you come across any signs of damage, insect infestation or rot in the lower layers, then you should deal with that problem first and then repair your floorboards. In order to fix back tongue and groove floorboards, you might have to remove the adjoining floorboards from their joists or the sub floor in order to make space for the new board. If you cannot remove the adjoining boards, then consider cutting off the lower part of the tongue and fixing the board with adhesive and nails. Use both nails and screws along with a construction adhesive to avoid squeaky floors later on. If you feel that the board might split when you run a nail or screw through it, then drill a small hole for the nail before you hammer it in. For a professional finish, fill up all gaps and holes with a matching filler. You might want to re-stain and recoat the floor if the new floorboards do not match and if you can afford it.

How To Fix A Floor Squeak
One of the major problems that occur when wood flooring starts getting old or when it is fixed badly is that it squeaks. Apart from the fact that a squeaky floor reminds one of scary horror movies, it is irritating for most people who simply want their floors to be dead and dumb. Floor squeak repair can range from being a very simple to a very complicated task depending upon the kind of floor that you have and the cause of the squeak. In most cases, squeaks are caused when a floorboard is not firmly fixed to the sub floor. In such a case, you can easily carry out a floor squeak repair job yourself, but if it is an improperly laid or rotting sub floor that is the cause, then you should think of calling in the professionals.

To fix a squeaky floor in case you have the old variety of nailed down wooden flooring, remove the squeaking floorboard carefully, and fix it back with an adhesive like no nails to the timber. Fix it with nails or screws after replacing it on the sub floor. This combination of adhesives and nails will ensure that your floorboard is firmly fixed to the sub and does not squeak. If your house has tongue and groove flooring, then fixing the squeak might require a pro. However, one simple trick that you can try is to prize a small gap around the squeaking floorboard using a fine wedge and insert an adhesive like no nails in between. Hopefully, the squeak should go off once the adhesive is set.

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