Underfloor Heating with Engineered Wood Flooring

[pjrouse]

Wonder if any one can offer any advice based on practical experience?

We're about to start having an extension built on the rear of our house to create a 55m2 open plan lounge/kitchen, diner space. Plan is to have a wet underfloor heating system throughout as the sole heat source for the space.

We had planned to go with Engineered wooden flooring throughout and had visited multiple showrooms and had samples delivered. We visited a local showroom today and the salespersons advice was not to use Engineered Wooden Flooring with UFH. He advised wood is a natural insulator so getting any level of heat through the UFH means large running costs and not a great deal of heat output for your money.

I found this to be contrary to pretty much everything I've read online in relation to flooring options, but given he talked himself out of 2.5k's worth of potential sale I took him seriously.

Does anyone here have UFH with engineered wooden flooring installed or have experience of fitting it or having the same dilemma.

The other option is porcelain tile but I was more keen on the wood as this tends to be naturally warmer underfoot when the UFH wouldn't be on.

Thanks

Paul

 

[bernardgreen]

Wood that is a thermal insulator does not take heat from your feet so your feet stay warm.
Tiles that are thermally conductive conduct heat away from your feet and make them cold.

 

[muggles]

A properly designed UFH system from a reputable supplier will be fine with engineered wood flooring. It will cost a bit more to run but not significantly more

 

[Dan Robinson]

It's been perfectly toasty in my house. And we have a think later of insulation betwixt pipe and wood too.

 

[Agile]

I can see no reason why it should cost any more to run.

But it will take longer to heat up and really practically needs to be on all day with just a setback at night.

But you must check with the wood suppliers about suitability for UFH and take great care the maximum water flow temperature is not exceeded.

Tony

 

[DP]

Tony do you have underfloor heating in your house?

 

[bernardgreen]

And we have a think later of insulation betwixt pipe and wood too.

Do you also have insulation betwixt radiators and the room ?

 

[Dan Robinson]

No. But i don't walk on them either. And there is also no mass with different expansion properties between rad and room.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Not the one I used btu similar:

https://www.factory-direct-flooring.co.uk/heat-therm-underlay-for-underfloor-heating-ewa3

 

[PullerGas]

Engineered wooden flooring is perfect with UFH. While of course Skoolboy Fizics always conveyed the certain knowledge that wood is never a good conductor of heat, but never ignore the second rule of Thermal Dynamics.

By it's very structure of engineered wood, the way it's glued layered of wood & plywood it's a lot more stable than normal hardwood flooring. As always, if the Design & Installation is correct you can look forward to a wonderful, comfortable heating system.

 

[Lower]

I have wet underfloor heating with an engineered wood floor. It works very well.

Glue it down or use an underlay designed for underfloor heating (low tog).

As long as the manufacturer of the wood flooring are happy for you to use it, it'll be fine.

 

[Doggit]

Not the one I used btu similar:

Phew Dan, I was getting worried there. Whilst there are some on this site that would put insulation between the UFH and the engineered wood, simply because that's what you'd do if there wasn't any UFH, for you to say you did it brought me up short. I've never seen the stuff you linked to (and thanks for showing it) but as it'd designed to let the maximum amount of heat through it, I'd say underlay would be a better term than insulation.

And Pj, the daft thing about using wood with UFH, is that it does have thermal insulation properties, but it's not an insulator. Hardwood will expand across the grain, but not so much length wise, whereas engineered wood has layers that go in different directions, so it's more stable, and therefore better for kitchens that have more moisture differences. And I'm not sure if it will take more to run the UFH, as wood will start from a warmer point than cold tiles would.

Do you intend to glue it down, or create a floating floor.

 

[Dan Robinson]

I'd say underlay would be a better term than insulation.

Indeed, btu I was multitasking today more than any male should have to do. Frankly I've given up on that and have moved onto clearing out the fridge of all alcohol prior to going on hols tomorrow.

 

[bernardgreen]

but never ignore the second rule of Thermal Dynamics.

Not ignoring it is one thing, understanding it in relation to domestic heating is something different.

A starter for 10 can be found at http://www.livescience.com/50941-second-law-thermodynamics.html

 

[PullerGas]

Not ignoring it is one thing, understanding it in relation to domestic heating is something different.

A starter for 10 can be found at http://www.livescience.com/50941-second-law-thermodynamics.html

http://theory.uwinnipeg.ca/mod_tech/node79.html

Of course Google Warriors are always best ignored!!!