What Hardwood Floor To Be Used For Radiant Heat

Thanks to the advances made in the heated floor industry it is now possible to confidently install hardwood floors over radiant heat.

What hardwood floor to be used for radiant heat.

This means homeowners can now enjoy the natural beauty of hickory oak cherry walnut maple ash and any other fine hardwood plus the efficiency and luxurious comfort provided by radiant heating. How to install hardwood floors over radiant heat parquet floors are readily used in radiant heat applications. Quartersawn is a method of cutting the boards from the log so that the direction of the. When you are installing wood floors over top of concrete the double layer two layers of 1 2 ply floating plywood method will be the best method.

Engineered wood flooring works better for radiant heating than under solid hardwood. However when using anything wider than 4 consider extra acclimation and use a hardwood floor glue that is recommended by the wood floor manufacturer. Wood flooring manufactured and expected to perform at mc levels higher than 9 percent or in conditions above 50 percent rh should not be used with radiant heating systems. The heating element should be embedded within a sleeper system subfloor under a traditional subfloor or embedded within concrete.

What is radiant heat. If a solid 3 4 thick wood floor is desired it is recommended to use quartersawn flooring not usually available factory prefinished. Launstein r value testing results. Can 3 4 solid wood flooring be used over radiant heat systems.

Radiant heat is a system using electric coils or tubes of hot water underneath the flooring. Which is why the most efficent way to use radiant heat under your wood floors is to use a hardwood with a low r value. It is also important to consider the heat transfer qualities of the sub flooring used the sub floor and wood floor should be within 2 3 degrees of each other. Radiant heating has been used to heating interior spaces dating back to ancient china 10 000 bce.

Quartersawn or riftsawn are also considered better hardwood floor choices. With strip flooring the wider the board the greater the potential for gaps between the boards when they contract with seasonal changes in temperature and humidity. Traditionally it has been used for tile floors but now it is also used with wood flooring. Solid hardwood floors can be used over radiant heat systems.

But that said even a wood floor will warm up and heat you and the room quite well. For more information about engineered flooring see our article all about engineered wood floors. Heating floors is becoming increasingly popular due to the ease of warming up your entire home. A good compromise is to install the hydronic system right in a concrete slab and install the wood on the concrete.

Today hardwood remains among the most desired floor coverings in north america.