Radiant flooring…
Until recently radiant floors was a type of floor that we
knew about to a point, but we were not
very educated on the flooring Do’s and Do Not’s until a recent client was
looking into the flooring and enlightened me with a bit of information. At that point I needed a bit more so that I
could share it with you!
There are a few different types of radiant flooring but whatever
the type not all flooring loves to be installed over radiant flooring.
First off, if you have a radiant floor and you aren’t sure
about the compatibility be sure to contact the manufacturer for their recommendations. This will ensure your warranty and allow the
manufacturer to let you know how they would recommend the install of your
flooring.
1.
The first and ideal choice is TILE or
STONE. These flooring's conduct heat very
well, and they do not expand or contract and are very resistant to warping or
cracking.
2.
CARPET works well for radiant flooring. Although they do not conduct heat as well as
the tile and stone. Low pile carpet with
a thick pad is ideal.
3.
LAMINATE flooring;s should be used with
caution. Installation is important to
make sure that the underlying concrete is dry for minimal changes due to heat
and moisture. This should help avoid
getting warps and cracks in the flooring.
The adhesives are also important to consider when thinking about the
install of your flooring.
4.
Although vinyl is not an ideal choice for heat
conduction there are some vinyl flooring's that can be installed on radiant
floors. The radiant flooring needs to be
set to the manufactures specifications that will limit the temperature.
5.
The last choice that should be considered is
WOOD and BAMBOO. This isn’t saying that
wood and bamboo cannot be used. It is just stating that you need to be very
careful, and keep temperature/ humidity control. Wood is not a static material meaning that it
can swell and contract with temperature and moisture in the air, causing
warping or cracking. Knowing this if you
let your flooring acclimate accurately, letting your radiant floor run for 72
hours before taking the delivery of the flooring but the heat for the flooring
should never exceed 85 degrees. Then
store the flooring in the room that it will be installed with the radiant floor
turned on helping the floor acclimatize to the moisture content in the
air. Another thing to take into
consideration is that not all wood species are ideal. Look at what species suits you and your needs
best. For example moisture fluxes affect
maple different than it does Oak or even Brazilian Cherry. Another thing to consider is narrow planks
adjust better to the heat than the wide plank flooring, that is ¾ inch
thick.
a.
Recommended wood flooring's are OAK, MESQUITE,
TEAK, AMERICAN WALNUT, AMERICAN CHERRY these woods are more hard and resistant
to the moisture fluxes. Soft woods like
pines and firs are less resilient/ stable with the moisture but are easier to
secure to your floor
i.
ENGINEERED WOOD is made up of several different
layers of wood or fiberboard that is much like plywood or particle board. The way that this floor is constructed makes
this a better option because most of this type of floor can be ‘floated’ and
use a moisture barrier pad, this can make the install over concrete ideal. Make sure you check the adhesive and wood construction
will be compatible with your floor.
ALWAYS consult the manufacturer to determine whether your
flooring type is suitable for installation over radiant flooring and whether
the installation over the radiant floor will affect product warranty.
There are so many sites with so much information... These are just a few that I used.
Sources:
Thanks to google.com for the images
http://www.hoskinghardwood.com/radiant-heat/
http://learn.builddirect.com/flooring-info/heat/radiant-heating/
http://www.ehow.com/info_8031097_flooring-radiant-heat.html
