Hardwood floors on underfloor heating: possibilities and risks

Underfloor heating is considered a comfortable heating option.

No disturbing radiators as well as a pleasant and even heating effect are the big advantages.

However, if the underfloor heating is used at the same time as a parquet floor, problems may occur.

By following important instructions, it is possible to avoid the disadvantages and enjoy the advantages of underfloor heating without restrictions.

A professional advice is useful to find out which parquet is suitable for underfloor heating.

To ensure that hardwood flooring and underfloor heating are compatible with each other, it is important to choose the right hardwood flooring and the type of parquet.

One should already consider all factors before the buy parquet.

The parquet adhesive used and the correct temperature setting of the underfloor heating also play an important role.

In order to ensure that the hardwood flooring shows to its best advantage in underfloor heating and does not have any negative effects, the advice of a specialist is required.

The professional knows the requirements:

  • What is important for laying parquet if underfloor heating is planned?
  • What must be observed when laying planks so that the underfloor heating can work properly?

The best parquet for underfloor heating

Parquet flooring and underfloor heating can get along well if important points are clarified in advance.

Underfloor heating must be a hot water heating system. Electric heating systems are not suitable.

The second question deals with the choice of suitable parquet as floor covering. Here, the type of wood is decisive.

Wood generally conducts heat only slowly.

With a higher raw wood density, however, the heat conduction can be improved. All tropical woods are among the woods with the highest density. These include, for example, the well-known teak wood, but Jatoba, Merbau and Wenge are also well suited.

If tropical woods are used for a parquet floor, the wood should come from sustainable forestry. Certified quality seals such as FSC and PEFC make the decision easier.

In the case of domestic woods, there are also wood types that are the right choice for hardwood flooring with underfloor heating.

Wood species with a high raw wood density include oak, pear tree, walnut tree and cherry tree.

These types of wood have a favourable swelling and shrinkage behaviour.

Coniferous woods such as fir or spruce are not recommended.

Caution also applies to beech, because beech wood reacts very strongly to changes in temperature and humidity.

Dry room air is also a risk factor for beech parquet. The installation of underfloor heating increases the negative effects.

With beech hardwood flooring in combination with underfloor heating, large joints inevitably occur g>.

How thick should the parquet be with underfloor heating?

The thicker the parquet is, the longer it takes to heat the surface.

Parquet is available in different thicknesses and designs.

In order for the wood to match the underfloor heating and to achieve good heating performance, a thinner parquet is much better.

Very good results can be achieved with an 8 millimetre thick mosaic parquet, whereas a 22 millimetre strip parquet is less suitable.

If the wood surface heats up only slowly, some owners of underfloor heating systems reach for the controller and set the flow temperature higher. This can lead to damage to the wood, or the adhesive, because the water temperature of the heating system must be adjusted to the special properties of wood and adhesive.

Parquet with underfloor heating: The choice of the right laying method

If parquet is to be laid on underfloor heating, always use the full-bonded installation, because the floating installation has disadvantages in this respect.

A thin layer of air is often created between the insulation underlay and the parquet during floating installation.

Small unevenness or bulges in the floor are the cause.

This leads to an increase in thermal resistance.

The heating of the surface takes correspondingly longer. These risks and disadvantages do not exist with full bonding.

For this reason, parquet should always be glued over the entire surface of underfloor heating systems by a specialist company. With glued parquet, the heat of the underfloor heating is transferred directly into the floor covering.

The formation of joints in hardwood flooring with underfloor heating

Wood is a natural material that always works.

By using underfloor heating this effect can be reinforced. The wood dries out and joints can form.

This risk can be minimized by choosing a suitable parquet floor. With a finished parquet the risk of joint formation is lower. Finished parquet consists of several layers that are glued together. This makes the parquet more stable and keeps its shape better than solid parquet.

The right adhesive for the full-surface bonding of hardwood flooring with underfloor heating

When the parquet is glued, the temperature must not be too high. The parquet adhesive only holds well if the prescribed temperature is not exceeded.

The professional for parquet laying knows the limit values and points them out in order not to endanger the interaction between parquet and underfloor heating.

The choice of temperature for underfloor heating

To ensure that neither the parquet nor the adhesive bond is damaged, the floor temperature must be monitored.

A specified maximum value must not be exceeded. The decisive factor is the flow temperature of the underfloor heating.

It must be set so that the specified maximum value is never exceeded. If the floor becomes too warm, irreversible damage to the parquet can occur. The expert is also the right address for other questions concerning hardwood flooring. It provides information, for example, on the choice of suitable parquet for underfloor heating or on current parquet prices.

Air humidity, underfloor heating and parquet

With underfloor heating, the room climate is better during the heating period than with conventional heating.

Nevertheless, dry room air may still be present. Together with the heat effect of the underfloor heating, which is in direct contact with the parquet, impairments of the wood are possible.

Regular airing and good parquet care help to prevent damage. Under certain circumstances, a humidifier is useful to improve the indoor climate.

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