Can I Put Radiant Heat Under Hardwood Floors

With launstein hardwood floors you can enjoy the beauty of natural wood with the comfort of radiant heat.

Can i put radiant heat under hardwood floors. 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. A good compromise is to install the hydronic system right in a concrete slab and install the wood on the concrete. If a solid 3 4 thick wood floor is desired it is recommended to use quartersawn flooring not usually available factory prefinished. But that said even a wood floor will warm up and heat you and the room quite well.

It is also the responsibility of the general contractor plumber and hvac systems professional to put care into the installation of a radiant heat system so that all flooring substrates perform well and look great for years. Porcelain and ceramic tile are great conductors of heat so your home will get the full benefit of the radiant heating system. Installing radiant heat under hardwood floors the challenge when installing radiant heat under hardwood floors comes from the fact that wood naturally expands when there is moisture in the air. Species both in solid and engineered flooring options certain species are known for their inherent dimensional stability such as mesquite black cherry black walnut and others.

Heated hardwood flooring is the single most effective luxury upgrade for your home. Since humidity affects wood so much and the heating in your home affects humidity you ll have to take care not to install your radiant heating. There are some limitations on the type of wood flooring that can be used with radiant heat. Can 3 4 solid wood flooring be used over radiant heat systems.

Quartersawn is a method of cutting the boards from the log so that the direction of the. With radiant heat systems it s not just the responsibility of the hardwood floor professional to be on top of their game. How to install electric radiant heat under wood floors. But if you do wish to put radiant heating under solid hardwood use quarter sawn wood flooring instead of plain sawn wood flooring.

Electric radiant underfloor heating systems can be installed under wood floors by working from the basement or from a basement crawlspace. The type of wood flooring that you install over the radiant heat mechanism will ultimately determine your temperature guidelines. Some manufactures would recommend that you maintain a consistent temperature ideally between 78 and 80 degrees. In addition tile flooring will not expand as it warms or contract as it cools.

Launstein hardwood floors are engineered to give your home the beauty of hardwood flooring and the luxury of radiant heat. Such expansion and contraction can cause cracking. For more information about engineered flooring see our article all about engineered wood floors.