With more and more people choosing underfloor heating in their homes, the question “is underfloor heating suitable for solid wooden floors?” is being asked more frequently. Underfloor heating is a way of heating your room using continuous lengths of pipe that are installed under your floor. One of the main advantages of underfloor heating is its heat consistency throughout the room. No matter where you are in a room which is fitted with underfloor heating, the temperature should be pretty much the same.
When you ask the underfloor heating companies about whether underfloor heating is suitable for solid wooden floors, the consensus seems to be “yes”, albeit subject to certain conditions about, for example moisture content in the wood. However the flooring companies have a tendency to be somewhat more specific on how suitable solid wood flooring is for installation over underfloor heating.
Any wood flooring you fit over underfloor heating needs to be resistant and capable of transferring the heat effectively. Solid wood flooring, because it is 100% natural, will expand and contract as heat and humidity levels rise and fall. This expansion and contraction will give rise to gaps in the flooring which will appear and disappear as conditions change. Although solid wood flooring is not considered the most suitable wood flooring solution for installation over underfloor heating, a narrow board, with low moisture content, which is no more than 25mm thick and is correctly and appropriately installed should prove to be satisfactory.
That said, engineered wood flooring would be a highly preferable option to fitting solid wooden floors over underfloor heating. Engineered wood flooring is much less prone to expansion and contraction than solid wood and will allow the heat to pass more efficiently and effectively. In particular, 15/5, 15/4 and 14/3 engineered wood flooring options are considered to be the most appropriate choices for installation over underfloor heating rather than solid wooden floors.
The terms 15/5, 15/4 and 14/3 engineered wood flooring are the terms used to refer to the total thickness of the board and the thickness of the solid oak lamella or top layer. In the examples used, 15mm and 14mm respectively refer to the total thickness of the board and 5mm, 4mm and 3mm to the thickness of the solid oak lamella or top layer. There is no doubt in our mind that these engineered wood flooring options win hands down over solid wood flooring for installation over underfloor heating.
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FAQ
Is solid wood flooring compatible with underfloor heating?
Yes (well sort of…), solid wood flooring can be compatible with underfloor heating, subject to certain conditions such as the moisture content in the wood. However, it’s not considered the most suitable choice due to its natural tendency to expand and contract with changes in heat and humidity levels.
What will happen to solid wood flooring fitted over underfloor heating?
Solid wood flooring will expand and contract as heat and humidity levels rise and fall when fitted over underfloor heating. This will result in gaps in the flooring that appear and disappear as conditions change. Over time, the boards will permanently damage as a result.
What wood flooring is suitable for underfloor heating?
Engineered wood flooring is considered highly suitable for underfloor heating because it’s less prone to expansion and contraction than solid wood and allows the heat to pass more efficiently and effectively.
What engineered wood flooring board thickness is optimal for underfloor heating?
15/5, 15/4, and 14/3 engineered wood flooring options are the most appropriate choices for installation over underfloor heating.
What does engineered wood flooring 14/3, 15/4, 15/5 etc actually mean?
The terms 15/5, 15/4 and 14/3 refer to the total thickness of the engineered wood flooring board and the thickness of the solid oak lamella or top layer. In these examples, 15mm and 14mm respectively refer to the total thickness of the board and 5mm, 4mm and 3mm refer to the thickness of the solid oak lamella or top layer.