Hardwood

Hardwood & Radiant Heat

When choosing to put hardwood over radiant heat it is important to remember that wood is a natural material that expands and contracts with changing moisture and temperature.  Putting heat directly under the floor magnifies this effect and requires special consideration for product selection, installation requirements and proper maintenance.  Be sure to talk with your sales associate about all details of your heat system from day one, as it may limit the available choices of flooring or add cost to installation.

Engineered floors have a multi ply core adhered in 90-degree layers.  This creates more structural stability and prevents extreme expansion and contraction.  Making sure the top hardwood layer is solid sawn vs. rotary peeled ensures the most stable engineered hardwood for radiant.

Most engineered floors are installed with a glue  down method to avoid nailing through a tube– another important consideration especially with hydronic systems.  Wood should be stored in the area it will be installed for proper acclimation. Check with the manufacturer for proper installation method over your type of radiant heat system.  Many of the panel type systems may require additional sub-floor layers to insulate between heated tubes and flooring.   If installing with glue down method, be sure to use the proper adhesive.  The heat should be turned down during installation and raised slowly after.

Once the floor is installed the floor temp. should never be above 80° F and the water should never leave the boiler higher than 120°.  It is crucial to keep relative humidity in the home between 40%-50% to minimize shrinking. Knowing these basics and following the  manufacturers recommendations, installation instructions and warranty limitations should ensure a warm, beautiful floor for years to come.  

NEW! Ancestral Oiled floors are now waranteed over radiant heat- ¾” solid hardwood pre-finished with natural oil finish.