Replies

1. 
   David_Wilde | Feb 27, 1999 10:35pm | #1

   *
   Question: What is the best (longevity) flooring material to use over a radiant floor - hardwood (maple, cherry, oak) or a laminant? There seems to be many opinions but no general agreement. Thanks! DWW

2. 
   Guest_ | Feb 28, 1999 01:03am | #2

   *
   IN GENERAL, and I preface with that since I've seen good and bad on both sides, however, IN GENERAL:

   In terms of longevity, "real" 3/4" will give you a longer-lasting floor in terms of years of use. You have several screenings and sandings before you get down to the tongue. In terms of looks, I've seen more gaps between boards using "real" wood. In some instances, it's the installer's fault, poor acclimation, not tight to begin with, etc. In other cases it's been the result of the loops being run too hot, thus excessive shrinkage.

   With laminates ("real" veneer, not Pergo, etc) your choices are limited. Limited by both what is manufactured, and how good the manufactured product is. I feel I can state with certainty that due to the ply-structure, you'll get much less movement (seasonal gaps). However, in terms of longevity, you're looking at two thing:

   1) A thinner (1/8, even 1/16th" in some cases) veneer of "show" wood. This may restrict you in refinishing, maybe a few screenings instead of full-blown sandings.

   2) When you drop that can of soup on the floor, while your 3/4" real wood will dent, there will still be real wood underneath. You dent a laminate and you can blow through a ply or two, exposing who knows what?

   In glue-down laminate applications there are also limitations on how hot the loops can run.

   So, for longevity, which wood will last longer? IMO, 3/4" t&g strips. Easy. By using thinner strips over 4" wide boards you can minimize many gap problems.

   Which will actually work better on top of radiant heat? IMO, a laminate.

   As much as I love "real" things and "real" wood, I put down a 5-ply laminate over my radiant floor heat. Still looks great after several years, no gaps, etc. On the plus side, there's 3/8" less wood the heat has to go through to get to your feet. Does that matter? I don't know!

3. 
   Bruce_W | Mar 01, 1999 07:46am | #3

   *
   I've had the best success using some of the floating wood floors imported from Europe. Since they are not attached to the subfloor, they are free to expand and contract. thus minimizing the gapping between boards. One system was a solid wood t&g system held together by metal clips along the run and glued on the ends. It was 7/8" thick and floated on a thin foam underlayment. The only down side was that it was only available in a limited amount of species. The other system was a laminated t&g system. It is different from most domestic laminates because the top ply is a full 1/4" thick so that you could refinish it as many times as a conventional hardwood floor. You installed it by gluing all the tongues and fitting it together. I guess because of the ply construction, this company offers a wider selection of species and color. The machining was excellent on both systems, no fighting to fit the pieces to one another. They're both available finished and unfinished. One addiional note, they were both designed for installation over radiant systems and thus are warranteed for this application. Some manufacturers say that their product can be used over radiant floors but stop short when asled about whether they are covered under warranty. Hope this is helpful. Bruce

1. 
   tedd | Mar 02, 1999 10:30pm | #4

   *I believe you might get some useful answers from the Radiant Panel Association. They tend to favor the hydronic system manufacturers but this probably won't affect their views on flooring materials. Flooring is a major issue for them.The Oak Hardwood Flooring Assoc (or some name like that) is insisting that hydronic, in-floor radiant heating will not compromise hardwood. But you just have to look at oak and maple flooring close to old style cast iron rads to see the impact of high heat -low humidity cycles. Before you decide on a flooring material, you need to be sure you are controlling moisture/humidity. If your floor has a way top absorb moisture from a basement or crawl space below, or a slab without proper vapor barrier, or in a bathroom or kitchen area, think twice about what material to use. Heat and humidity cycles will affect laminates, composites, adhesives, natural oils and pitch, expansion/contraction rates, brittleness; etc. You also need to know the temperatures that yoursystem is designed to operate at (underfloor temp) as well as what method you will use to attach the PEX or copper to the floor (ie; plates; staple-up, gypcrete bed; etc.) and how air, temp and humidity "tight" will the underside of the floor be. Most hardwood and softwood planking and many composites and laminates are not finished on the edges nor underneath but you may want to ensure they are sealed before installing. Remember, too, that hydronic infloor systems improperly installed and operated can cause high humidity levels from condensation of warm air on cold pipes. This means that all seasons, not just winter, have risks and issues for selection of flooring materials.Try http://www.danholohan.com and then click on The Wall for a forum on radiant heating.

4. 
   David_Wilde | Mar 02, 1999 10:30pm | #5

   *
   Question:
   What is the best (longevity) flooring material to use over a radiant floor - hardwood (maple, cherry, oak) or a laminant? There seems to be many opinions but no general agreement.
   Thanks!
   DWW