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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6318   
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wondering if anyone can help
(I'm sure someone out there will have the answer). 
so having some work done at home and I'd like to use underfloor heating for various reasons (wet system). The issue I have is I'd like to use solid wood for the floor finish - and there lies the problem - wood being an insulator etc. having done some research there's a suggest some of the engineered wood plank is ok to use. I'm not sure why the engineered wood would be ok but not the real thing if it's been suitably acclimatised before install? your informed responses would be most welcome  |
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31st Aug 2020 10:18am |
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| Race.it Member Since: 27 Aug 2019 Location: Algeciras Posts: 830  
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Just installing it myself. I have 4cm for the heating underlay and tubes then 5-6cm of screed on top. Our floor though will be tiles due to the cost of wood here, so not much use but the guys selling said any floor was ok above (I guess non engineered wood will shrink/expand with the temp changes) and may cause some issues. Searching for my first Defender...and started just as Covid hit, so talk about timing.
5 months after starting the search I found it, and here is the details |
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31st Aug 2020 10:23am |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6318
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thank you and good luck with yours.
as you'll probably be aware stone is perhaps the best option with the underfloor heating. I suspect your comment about the non engineered wood is correct however my thoughts are this. take for example the school halls when I was but a wee little boy. I'm reasonably confident in saying the temperature range was probably greater in there from mid winter through to mid summer than I'll be expecting. for example during the winter I'm sure that hall dropped to a temp lower than I'll be expecting at home and the high temps probably similar???  |
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31st Aug 2020 10:32am |
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| Race.it Member Since: 27 Aug 2019 Location: Algeciras Posts: 830
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The other thing to consider is you don’t get the ups and downs you will prob put it on at the start of winter and not turn it off till spring and keep it a constant heat. Unlike radiators that will be up and down in temp.
Other thought is condensation when we were looking at it people around us were saying not to do it due to condensation as it makes the floor slippy, not found any evidence of this unless you get a very large change in temp and humid air, maybe that would also be an issue for wood as it could then rot. Searching for my first Defender...and started just as Covid hit, so talk about timing. 5 months after starting the search I found it, and here is the details |
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31st Aug 2020 10:40am |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6318
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Not heard about the condense issue before but worth considering I guess?
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31st Aug 2020 10:53am |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6318
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what I expected but wanted some reassurance. thank you. |
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31st Aug 2020 12:08pm |
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| Ads90 Member Since: 16 Jun 2008 Location: Cots-on-the-Wolds Posts: 812  
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As above, your heating engineer will calculate the floor surface temp required based on heat loss calculations for your house.
Caveat emptor - if it's an older, less well insulated house these could of course be higher than I mentioned, so you could do with finding this out.
Even then, you could still have a combination of UFH & a few strategically placed rads (running at higher temps) - the hot water from your boiler/ASHP is then blended to suit. |
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31st Aug 2020 12:59pm |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6318
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no ashp in this case. utilising the old boiler conventional boiler. insulation shouldn't be a problem as its a new build / extension to latest regs. remainder of house with rads pretty staying as is. extension doesn't lend itself to rads and hence ufh. worst case scenario I'll have to get the log burner going  |
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31st Aug 2020 1:36pm |
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| bodstruck Member Since: 09 May 2020 Location: Wiltshire Posts: 944
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As engineered wood is effectively plywood with a nice top layer it is more dimensional stable than proper wood. I believe it has a lower u value as well so better for heat transmission.
I have UFH and have carpet, tile and engineered wood. Of the three the wood looks the best but performs the worst. Your shout clearly but if you insist on wood then I would go engineered wood. |
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31st Aug 2020 3:03pm |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6318
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thank you. would you say the wood flooring is close to useless or just not so good as the other materials? |
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31st Aug 2020 3:10pm |
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| Zed Member Since: 07 Oct 2017 Location: In the woods Posts: 3348 
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We have an airsource system. Wood flooring and stone downstairs with underfloor heating and rads upstairs. We were told we may have to set it slightly warmer downstairs but it has never been a issue. WARNING.
This post may contain sarcasm. |
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31st Aug 2020 3:40pm |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6318
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31st Aug 2020 3:52pm |
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| Grenadier Member Since: 23 Jul 2014 Location: The foot of Mont Blanc... Posts: 5878  
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Yes you can use engineered flooring on top of UFH, but make sure it’s good quality. Consider using panel systems rather than screed, so you don’t have any thermal mass. Thermal mass is great if you can guarantee a stable ambient temp inside, i.e. that whatever the outside temp, internal airflow, heat through windows, insulation levels etc assure a fixed temp. Then you can set your UFH at a given temp, let the slab add some thermal mass and voila, fixed internal temp. But if you live in an old building or like to open a window for fresh air, slabs aren’t as reactive as a panel system. We’re talking hours to heat up or conversely cool down. Outside of a super modern, super insulated house where the owners are religious about never opening doors and windows, slabs are never as efficient. Either too hot or not hot enough. A good panel system is quicker and easier to fit, requires no curing time for the concrete screed, is as reactive as a radiator but 30% more efficient, and can be used on any floor including with jousts. Have a look at https://www.ufh.co.uk/. They don’t sell to the public but you can get your plumber to contact them. Look at their OneBoard system, or their Slimfix/Tilefix system. They do full kits (not including the heat source), delivered to site In 24-48hrs. Manifolds, thermos, valves, panels, tubing etc. They use the best tech throughout the system and have great customer service throughout your project and beyond. They also work out the entire system, how many zones, temp, pressure, and provide a pdf for you to copy when fitting. Great guarantee as well. And yes, i used to work for them, but don’t anymore, but would never shaft a forum member. You will not go wrong.
Monsieur Le Grenadier
I've not been everywhere, but it's on my list..... 2011 Puma 110DC - Corris Grey |
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31st Aug 2020 4:23pm |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6318
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Many thanks Grenadier however if I now don't go the thermal slab route my builder might well kill me
we had the conversation about the two variants and I decided to go the slab route. 
the only real question now is whether non engineered / solid wood option it going to work or not. I understand the pros and cons (at least I think I do) of thermal mass and I'm reasonably relaxed about that. the area in question has no opening windows (just doors which I only expect to be opened during the summer during which times heating should be less of a concern. thank you very much however for your response. |
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31st Aug 2020 5:07pm |
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