According to the company, the system installs in just one-third the time as drywall. The system was introduced last April and is only available through contractors. That's because as you tiptoe through the living room and into the kitchen, the hardwood floors creak . Loud enough, in fact, to wake the wife. The problem is likely the plywood subfloor.
Moisture wreaks havoc on plywood, causing it to swell and warp.
This creates gaps between the plywood and the framing. When you walk over the floor, the two materials rub together, causing a squeak. On a construction site, plywood often begins warping before builders even install it, so they try to minimize the problem by cutting and sanding it. But that's often not enough. Enter AdvanTech , a new type of subfloor that won't swell or warp.