Underfloor heating - Wood, Engineered Wood, Tile, Other?
Discussion
We've been planning to use engineered wood (oiled oak finish) over the underfloor heat in our new kitchen/sunroom. I know it's not as ideal as tile for conducting the heat, but we really aren't keen on having tile, having lived with it for the last 4 years in the current house.
That said, I've been presented with an opportunity to get my little mitts on some reclaimed solid hardwood floors, for effectively the cost of some labour. Up to 400m sq (two old gymnasiums that are being demolished). This represents (as you might imagine) a significant cost saving over what we're looking to fork out for the engineered stuff.
Now, we were steered away from solid wood before, but this opportunity is forcing me to revisit the idea. So advise me, PH-ipidia, would I be an idiot for installing nicely aged, and unmarked, solid wood floors instead of new, guaranteed engineered oak? Should I forget both and look at alternatives?
That said, I've been presented with an opportunity to get my little mitts on some reclaimed solid hardwood floors, for effectively the cost of some labour. Up to 400m sq (two old gymnasiums that are being demolished). This represents (as you might imagine) a significant cost saving over what we're looking to fork out for the engineered stuff.
Now, we were steered away from solid wood before, but this opportunity is forcing me to revisit the idea. So advise me, PH-ipidia, would I be an idiot for installing nicely aged, and unmarked, solid wood floors instead of new, guaranteed engineered oak? Should I forget both and look at alternatives?
No, stay, I have more questions....OK, so wood is not a complete non-starter. I'm liking that. Not liking the fact that it's in Bristol ( a long way from here), and still installed in a school gym, and needing to be removed by month's end. Still, liking it more than £5k+ of new floor.
I have no problem forking out for the best rocking horse poo glue there is, if the flooring is 90% cheaper than retail.
The temperature of the tile is not the problem, it's the unforgiving surface it has when things are dropped on it. Which is a factor when one is training the little slaves children to load and unload the dishwasher. 
Got some pics of the floor in question here from my brother. At least one of them is sprung, so probably hidden nailed onto joists, but he thinks the other might be glued to concrete. I was due to head south on Sunday night anyway, so I'm going to go down a day early and have a gander. We're certainly going to grab as much of it as possible, because there are lots of other projects where it will be used (shed-mahal anyone?)
Got some pics of the floor in question here from my brother. At least one of them is sprung, so probably hidden nailed onto joists, but he thinks the other might be glued to concrete. I was due to head south on Sunday night anyway, so I'm going to go down a day early and have a gander. We're certainly going to grab as much of it as possible, because there are lots of other projects where it will be used (shed-mahal anyone?)
Well, we went, we saw, we sweated blood, tears and splinters galore, and we came home with 90m sq of the loveliest floor (and assorted work benches, pommel horses and other random school stuff).
Started like this.
Ended like this.
Apologies for those of you travelling up the M5/M42/M1 last night. We were a bit on the slow side.
Started like this.
Ended like this.
Apologies for those of you travelling up the M5/M42/M1 last night. We were a bit on the slow side.
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