Wooden floors and Carpets

[gc100]

Hi, 

we are having UFH on our single story build/conversion. We are now considering what flooring we want in the house. For the bedrooms we would like carpets for a softer feel however I'm concerned about how this will effect the effectiveness of the UFH.

 

Similarly we was thinking of wooden flooring in the hallway and kitchen/living area - again same question?

 

Anyone know definitely facts about this aside from 'its not going to be as effective as tiles/polish concrete/etc '?

 

Many thanks

Wayne

[Declan52]

As long as the wooden floor is glued to the concrete it will transfer the heat like tiles. You can go for semi solid or bamboo as these are more stable so less likely to twist.

For carpet you need to get one with a low tog rating. Same for the underlay, it's different to ordinary underlay. My underlay want much more expensive but my carpet choice was limited. Don't buy either underlay or carpet without seeing the data sheet which will tell you the tog rating. A rating of 2 tog is what you should aim for but obviously even less would be better.

[joe90]

I have engineered (plywood) oak in the lounge (glued down)and it appears to transfer heat ok, you never feel the heat but the room is always about 21’.right through the winter.

[ultramods]

I don't have any facts as I haven't gone for wooden floors. However you may want to research engineered boards instead of solid oak etc as it should be more stable due to the heat from the UFH.

[gc100]

Hi all,

thanks for the replies. I'd rather not have engineered boards as they never seem to last and wear as nice as solid wood. However I understand they can warp if not dried correctly.

[Stones]

1 hour ago, gc100 said:

I'd rather not have engineered boards as they never seem to last and wear as nice as solid wood. However I understand they can warp if not dried correctly.

 

I'm curious - what is your experience of engineered boards not lasting or wearing well?

[ProDave]

1 hour ago, gc100 said:

Hi all,

thanks for the replies. I'd rather not have engineered boards as they never seem to last and wear as nice as solid wood. However I understand they can warp if not dried correctly.

You are not confusing engineered boards with laminate are you?

 

Engineered boards are real hard wood, on top of 2 or more layers of softwood,  Typically 6mm thick hardwood, plenty to sand and re finish should you need to, and a lot more stable and less prone to warping or cracking than solid hardwood.

[joe90]

Yes engineered as @ProDave says above, not laminate (yuk), I fitted a real wood oak floor for a friend and he had a water leak, a big one and the floor exploded, expanded so much it ripped the fixings out and sounded like a shotgun going off according  to my mate. Luckily it was covered by his house insurance and engineered wood was advised as a replacement which would have not “exploded” like the real wood.

[gc100]

Yes engineered not laminate I am refering too. I lived in France for many years and at least in the hot climate there they warped a reasonable amount particulary around the edges and quite often in the middle, so you could 'press down' on the floor before it met the underlay (they where floating floors). 

 

 

[scottishjohn]

 Ihad carpet floor when i did my first UFH system in present house 

so i ring up axminster to ask on the insulation value of it,couldn,t afford new tiles at same time  --not a clue was the reply  it was   20years ago --never been asked that  they said 

all i can say is it did work  but not as well as the cermaic tiles i replaced it with 6years later 

but i suspect with a well insulated concrete floor,so you not loosing heat downwards you will notice little difference , may be change in temp will be slower  and it did spread the heat out 

 

[Mr Punter]

I have had a house with UFH. Some rooms had carpet, some engineered oak floor and some tiles.

 

The heating worked fine in all areas.  The carpeted rooms seemed slightly slower to warm up and the tiled ones quickest.