Underfloor Heating Timber Floorboards

When we refer to hardwood we generally mean natural timber that is wood that has been cut and treated specifically for flooring and most commonly produced as floorboards.

Underfloor heating timber floorboards. The natural properties of timber also mean that it has a fast heat up time whilst also resisting heat from escaping too quickly making timber helpful in maximising the energy. Engineered timber is the best type of wood flooring to use with an underfloor heating system as it performs well with changes in floor temperature. When considering installing floor heating with a hardwood floor finish the quality of the wood is very important. One property we recently green deal assessed located in north london was going through a major retrofit including the installation of an air source heat pump with underfloor heating.

Rehau pex pipe is specific for under floor heating. Its aluminium diffusion plates spread the heat evenly throughout the timber floor finish and its pipework and insulation is fitted within the void between joists. We have received lots of conflicting advice regarding this and the latest is that we shouldn t install same as all wooden floorboards have a moisture content which will dry as the heating is on causing the. These are all the same reasons why fitting solid wood flooring over underfloor heating is a bad idea.

An alternative method the use of electrical wire heating under. With under timber hydronic heating we aim for a heat output of 70w m. Other wood floorings may also be used but with softer and less dense wood attention must be paid to the thickness of floorboards so that the floorboards do not act as an insulator blocking the heat. Installing underfloor heating with suspended timber floors in our home energy surveys we encounter some interesting properties on our travels.

This heating method generally uses hot water running through pipes under the floorboards giving warmth to both the floor and the air in the room. In most cases supplementary heating is required to warm the room. Electric underfloor heating systems work well with timber floors as timber conducts and holds the warmth produced by the floor heater and radiates this into the room. If you consider that the heat that comes from underfloor heating needs to pass the floor above it in order to heat the room it s in it becomes clear that the very nature of solid wood flooring makes it a bad proposition.

With timber floors it is essential that the relative humidity of the timber not be reduced to the point where shrinking or warping of the timber could become apparent. It is a cross linked polyethylene pipe with oxygen barrier to prevent corrosion. Underfloor heating timber floors can be a very effective way of heating your home in australia however there are a few restrictions to keep in mind.