Wood Flooring Over Concrete Radiant Heat

Radiant heat can be an electrical heating element embedded into a very thin concrete overlay then tiled carpeted or have wood flooring installed over it.

Wood flooring over concrete radiant heat.

Small surface splits checking particularly at the ends of planks should be expected with installations over radiant heat and does not constitute a product failure. Lay panels in a staggered pattern with at least 2 long planks along starting and finishing walls. By installing the radiant heat tubing within the concrete slab during the pouring of the concrete. But if you do wish to put radiant heating under solid hardwood use quarter sawn wood flooring instead of plain sawn wood flooring.

How to install hardwood floors over radiant heat parquet floors are readily used in radiant heat applications. 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. In 1973 it has a concrete slab foundation with radiant heat water runs thru copper tubing within slab. Concrete slabs that contain radiant heating can limit the style of wood floors that you have to choose from but all in all i feel you can create a dazzling look in your new home by mixing a few wood species and being creative with the actual layout of the hardwood flooring.

We wanted a wood floor and spent a lot of time talking to flooring experts. The heating element should be embedded within a sleeper system subfloor under a traditional subfloor or embedded within concrete. Plainsawn wood will move more than quartersawn especially when it is over 4 inches wide. Engineered wood flooring works better for radiant heating than under solid hardwood.

While you can install hardwood flooring on top of concrete slabs even if they re radiant heated concrete slabs there are some things to keep in mind to ensure the longevity of the wood and keep. Quite simply concrete floor radiant heat is a system of pex tubes that carry hot water throughout a concrete floor or slab. 14 years later still in good shape and seems to keep house warm and comfortable. We were told the only way to go was a wood engineered floor glued down.

Do not use power actuated fasteners or concrete nails when radiant heat pipes are embedded in the slab. Instead cut the plywood into 2 by 8 planks and score the backs 3 8 deep on a 12 grid.