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Engineered wood floor over radiant heat

| Posted in Construction Techniques on October 31, 2006 11:15am

Hi,

I purchased a load of unfinished wide pine engineered flooring, unknown manufacturer, and will be installing it in my new ski house over staple-up radiant. I intend to float the floor, and need recommendations on underlayment and procedures since I have no manufacturer’s instructions to refer to. Here are some specific questions:

— Since this will be a floating installation, does the orientation of the boards relative to the joists matter? We’ve got 2x12s on 24″ with solid 2×12 blocking at 48″.

— What membrane underlayment product should I use or avoid?

— What adhesive should I use or avoid?

— Do I need any underlayment other than the membrane over the subfloor?

— I intend to fill a few low spots in the subfloor — any recommendations on products to use for this?

All advice will be much appreciated!

Thanks,
Scott

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Replies

  1. rez | Nov 06, 2006 09:12pm | #1

    Greetings Scott,

    This post, in response to your question, will bump the thread through the 'recent discussion' listing again.

    Perhaps it will catch someone's attention that can help you with advice.

    Cheers

     

    when in doubt add garlic

    1. rez | Nov 19, 2006 08:22pm | #2

      bumpThe end move in politics is always to pick up a gun. R. Buckminster Fuller

  2. rez | Nov 25, 2006 07:39pm | #3

    Nova came back back to check his post.

    Anyone have an opinion on his flooring questions?

     

     

  3. NovasCEO | Nov 27, 2006 05:31pm | #4

    Thanks to those who have bumped this to the top a couple of times. I'm baffled at no replies!

    I've decided on recycled fabric underlayment and good ol' carpenters' glue, and no additional layer over the subfloor.

    I'd still like opinions on flooring orientation. Does parallel or perpendicular to joists matter on a floating floor?

    Thanks,
    Scott

    1. mlints | Nov 27, 2006 05:53pm | #5

      Scott,

       

      I don't know much about floating wood floors, but I have designed a few radiant floor systems.  As a general rule you want as little material as possible between the tubes and the heated space, and you also want whatever material is there to conduct heat well.  A layer of recycled fabric sounds more like an insulator than a conductor.  It may work OK if the layer is thin enough, but you may have to run the system at a higher water temperature than usual.

      1. NovasCEO | Nov 27, 2006 06:01pm | #6

        I'll double check with my radiant guy. The material has a pretty high density. My thinkin on this is also that the whole thing is going to heat up and the BTUs have to end up inside the house envelope.

        1. rez | Nov 28, 2006 07:23am | #7

          Yes, but I understand that one of the main benefits of radiant floor heat is the immediate strong constant heat beneath your feet.

          An acquaintance was telling me of putting it in his grandfather's house and how great it was under a wood floor, but how much it changed when a carpet was placed over it.

           

           

          1. NovasCEO | Nov 28, 2006 07:33am | #8

            We have lived with it for 10 years now in our primary residence. It's a one-story with a slab floor, acid stained as the finish floor. Some areas have area rugs. Sure, the bare concrete areas are nice and toasty at times. But a) that's really only when the heat is actively running, which is not that often, and b) it's not very consistent from spot to spot. There are warm spots and cool spots. Overall, though, the house is incredibly comfortable to live in. 

            The new house with the staple-up is a ski house on Mt. Hood in Oregon.

          2. BungalowJeff | Nov 28, 2006 04:35pm | #9

            We glued down engineered wood directly over the radiant, using pex-al-pex set in Warmboard grooved subfloor. The line is heated by an indirect kit.

            This was a total gut kitchen remodel. There was extensive floor damage and a chimney hole to fill in, so a new subfloor was already in the budget. The old steam radiator could not find a home in the new layout.

            My wife raves over it. Score!...that's not a mistake, it's rustic

          3. finnegan | Nov 28, 2006 10:43pm | #10

            I do not think I have ever heard of wide pine engineered, unfinished flooring.  Engineered floors are nearly always prefinshed and not often too wide.  Engineered and floating are good picks over radiant heat, but the width of the board could be a problem is your design temperature is too high. 

          4. NovasCEO | Nov 28, 2006 11:41pm | #12

            Right. No one has ever heard of this stuff! I got it from a environmentally sensitive wood supplier. It was an odd lot. It's definitely engineered; three plies with the top a nice pine.

            I'm not sure I understand your comment about design temp. Can you clarify? The water temp is 140 degrees for the staple-up.

             

          5. BungalowJeff | Nov 29, 2006 04:36pm | #13

            My system has a mixing valve to keep the water temperature in the floor at 100 degrees, however, it is not a staple up job, which would require the greater heat to overcome the subfloor and bottom exposure....that's not a mistake, it's rustic

          6. NovasCEO | Nov 29, 2006 04:49pm | #14

            My system is pretty complex -- there are zones in the slab of the finished basement, which mix to about 100 degrees, staple-up zones that mix to 140 degrees, and a zone for the domestic hot water that runs at full boiler temp (180.)

            I'd send a picture of the mech room, but the wiring is temporary, and it's embarrassing!

             

             

        2. NRTRob | Nov 28, 2006 11:29pm | #11

          Doublecheck indeed. Staple up in this situation is probably iffy anyway, unless by "staple up" you mean a plated joist install.BTUs are in the envelope, but the rate at which they can make it through the floor is what determines your comfort in that area, relative to the rate at which they leave that room.Otherwise, you wouldn't need distribution system at all. You could just put a huge radiator in the mechanical room.. BTUs are in the envelope, right? it'll all even out in time ;)
          -------------------------------------
          -=Northeast Radiant Technology=-
          Radiant Design, Consultation, Parts Supply
          http://www.NRTradiant.com

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