Apply Wood Floors Over Radiant Heating
Radiant floor heating is a method for heating your home that is quickly growing in popularity. It is more efficient than other heating methods such as forced air or electric baseboard heating. It is more aesthetically pleasing because it is hidden away under the floor, whereas other methods have radiators, baseboard units or heating vents that can be seen. The overall feel can be better, as there is uniform heat throughout a room compared to spot heating according to the location of vents or radiators. Overall, there are many benefits to a radiant heating system, but it is very important that a wood floor be correctly installed above it, as the floor can be very expensive to fix once it is installed.
Instructions
1. Dry the slab and subfloor before installing a wood floor over a radiant heating system. This is a vitally important preparatory step. The slab is typically concrete or gypsum, in which the pipes or tubes of the radiant floor system are embedded. The subfloor is typically plywood or some other type of manufactured wood material. If the slab and/or subfloor is not completely dry when you install the wood floor, moisture will leave the slab and subfloor and enter the wood floor. This can cause the floor to expand, shrink, warp, crack and bow, damage which is very difficult to repair. Drying the slab and subfloor can be done very easily by turning on the radiant floor heating system. It is best to leave it on for at least three to five days to ensure complete drying of the area, before installation of a wood floor.
2. Select the correct type of flooring. You will want a floor that can accept movement, as the heating cycles will result in expansion and contraction of the wood. Installing laminated or engineered wood flooring such as Pergo tends to be a safer way to go when installing a wood floor over a radiant heating system. These types of flooring tend to be more dimensionally stable, so there is less likelihood that the floor will warp or crack. Floating floors of engineered wood or solid wood also are very good because the system tends to move as a unit which helps mitigate any issues with moisture changes. Cherry, walnut and teak are fairly dimensionally stable, so they are good choices if you want a solid wood floor.
3. Install the wood floor over a radiant heating floor system in the same way you would install it over a slab that does not have an embedded system. The only difference is that with the floor that has the radiant system you should never drive nails or screws into the floor. This could puncture the embedded tubes and destroy your heating system. A good construction adhesive can be substituted in the cases where you need to fasten anything to the slab or subfloor. Install a glued or floating wood floor according to the manufacturer's instructions.
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