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?
My s-i-l has real wood on her underfloor, and there's been no movement in five years. However, it was kiln-dried, v expensive, and sat in the rooms for a while with the heating on, to acclimatise. You wouldn't have the kiln-dried guarantee but for my money, if you put it in the rooms to dry out to the ambient levels (I'd leave it six weeks - I researched it and would have done the same but found a good engineered product)then why wouldn't you? A little bit of movement is natural, A squeaky board is something to add character!
I'm going to jump right in and say, given that the solid floor is reclaimed so is therefore well seasoned,it will be fine, as to performance of UFH using wood instead of stone, obviously stone is better but wood will still give good results as it has done on many of my jobs.
One thing I will say, and I really have to make this point, is please use a decent glue to stick it down, it will be really expensive and the only company I would choose for your situation would be a company called Sika, they really do make the best glues.
Talk to a wood flooring company and tell them what wood it is, And they will tell you which one to use, Sikabond is the best but comes in different types, if the flooring company recommends a different company then walk away, seriously.
I have used several glues in the past, and I won't stick a floor now with anything else.
One thing I will say, and I really have to make this point, is please use a decent glue to stick it down, it will be really expensive and the only company I would choose for your situation would be a company called Sika, they really do make the best glues.
Talk to a wood flooring company and tell them what wood it is, And they will tell you which one to use, Sikabond is the best but comes in different types, if the flooring company recommends a different company then walk away, seriously.
I have used several glues in the past, and I won't stick a floor now with anything else.
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.
Honestly, I'd do it. If you don't then can you send me the details? We had a properly lovely maple floor from an old gym - it was there before we bought. Hard as nails,( I know, I sanded the b*gger, by hand, twice) but really nice. We're going for engineered in the build only becaue I've found a nice sample. If not, I would have gone though the solid floor trauma. Call me a snob...
Worth saying that if the tiled floor you are used to does not have UFH then you shouldn't be put off going for tile or stone this time. I've got slate with UFH through our kitchen/dining/utility, it looks pretty cold but is actually great to live with giving a gentle heat and meaning I can be barefoot throughout the year. We've got wood floors + radiators throughout the rest of the house but I'd have stuck with stone and UFH throughout the whole ground floor if I'd known how well it would turn out.
Worth saying that if the tiled floor you are used to does not have UFH then you shouldn't be put off going for tile or stone this time. I've got slate with UFH through our kitchen/dining/utility, it looks pretty cold but is actually great to live with giving a gentle heat and meaning I can be barefoot throughout the year. We've got wood floors + radiators throughout the rest of the house but I'd have stuck with stone and UFH throughout the whole ground floor if I'd known how well it would turn out.
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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