Wooden and Laminate Flooring
When selecting a wooden floor for your home, under floor heating does pose a few issues which must be addressed. The ideal choice is an engineered floor which consists of a plywood backing to support a layer of solid timber. This backboard restricts the movement in the solid timber and cuts down the possibilities of warping and shrinkage. The most popular and easy to recognize is the Semi Solid floor which has a 10mm plywood back and a 4mm layer of whichever species of timber that you have selected. These floors are traditionally in a 3 strip board but single plank boards are becoming more popular. At Point Building Supplies we stock both the 3 strip and single variations.
As we like to stay in line with new developments and products we now stock a 22mm Engineered plank which has a 16mm plywood support board and a 6mm White Oak top layer. This board has all the qualities and effect of a Solid board without the worry of shrinkage and warping. This is the floor that we recommend to our clients with under floor heating systems. If you choose a solid timber floor keep the board narrow and don’t choose too long a length.
The floor should be glued to the screed using special rubberized glue which will allow for differential movement between the boards, or nailed to batons which have been sunken into the screed. Do not float the floor or use a baton system nailed to the screed as this will allow air pockets to form and create a huge amount of problems.
It is important to remember that your wooden floor is subject to expansion and contraction according to the moisture level of the environment that it is in. Boards may contract slightly during winter months (when heating is on high and produces a dryer atmosphere) and expand in the summer months when the windows are open heating is turned down and there is more moisture in the air. This may be magnified when under floor heating is in operation as the timber is subject to higher levels of heat and moisture in the air. The best system for wooden floors is one that is on at a constantly low level rather than one which is turned off and on several times over the course of a day. Either system may be used, but timber is better suited to a constant heat/humidity level rather than a changing one.
It has been noted that keeping a constant heat level combined with raising or lowering the temperature according to weather and or occupancy, will reap the best benefit from under floor heating. A traditional heating system requires a huge amount of energy to heat a room to 20-23 Celsius to a comfortable level two or three times a day. So once we get over the mental block of leaving the heating on at a constant level all the time the system should prove to be more efficient.
After selecting your floor it must be left in the house with the heating on for a minimum of two weeks to find its form and do any expanding or contracting prior to fitting. Also prior to fitting the heating should be off for at least 48 hrs and when the floor is fitted it should be allowed to settle for at least 24 hours before the heating is turned on and then built up gradually, not just turned straight to full power! (Approx 5 degrees at a time). This gradual build up is vital at all stages. Do not just turn straight on to full heat or switch off straight to no heat. Remember you have invested hard earned cash into this floor and it should be treated with respect!
THIS INFORMATION IS TO BE USED AS A GUIDELINE AND IS NOT A GUARANTEE!!