electric radiant heat under wood floors
Hi all-
I’m looking for advice on installing electric radiant heat (like SunTouch) under a traditional wood floor.
I salvaged some nice CVG fir T&G flooring from a 1906 home that I would like to use. The folks at Suntouch said I could use there product as long as it wasn’t nailed – they recommended adhesive.
The Suntouch is installed in a bed of thinset – would laying the flooring on that be adequate? It’s a small bedroom 10’x14′.
I’d like to keep the subfloor/floor height from getting to high and not matching fir floor in the rest of the upstairs if possible.
Any advice or suggestions would be most appreciated.
Alan in Eugene (OR)
Replies
You’re never going to get that T & G floor tight with glue. The electric radiant floor systems are really not made for wood floors. The temperature regulation of heat output is the culprit. Even with the floor sensing thermostat, the initial heat build up is intense. Not good for wood. If possible, go with a staple up hydronic system that can have it’s loop temperature adjusted. If you have no choice, go with an engineered floating wood floor.
ssshhhh. Dude, why are you yelling?There are no electrons! It is all made up. Don't believe it.
Electricity is made by GREENIES.
I thought yelling was all CAPS? There should be a fixed font for the site. Sorry about that. Most boards have that feature.
Thanks Tileman, that's kinda what I thought but I just wanted to exhaust all possibilities before giving up on the idea.Using the salvaged fir floor is the only choice - wife wants it.Probably just end up with a hydronic baseboard heater - the room is well insulated. Spray foam and Milguard wood clad windows.I was really wanting to try the electric radiant, but I'll just have to wait for the bathroom remodel.Thanks again,Alan
you also might consider an electric radiant ceiling option. Or if you are doing hydronics, a hydronic radiant ceiling. If the room is well insulated especially, the end result will be very comparable to a floor. depends a bit on ceiling height though... get lower than 8 feet or so, and your temperature limitations need to be watched very carefully to avoid "hot head".-------------------------------------
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gotta use quartersawn or rift & quartersawn flooring over radiant heat most flooring is plain sawn and it crowns up in center of floorboards, makes a mess out of flooor
quarter or rift sawing makes grain vertically oriented and resists movement also don't want a system that's set too hot need a HUMIDIFIER to prevent shrinkage w radiant white oak iz most stable wood over radiant