Installation of quality wood flooring on underfloor heating?

Maybe few people know, but wood parquet and straight planks are suitable for installation on hot water based underfloor heating. However, the installation must be carried out strictly according to the regulations, ensuring that the floor serves its owner properly even through generations. In this post, we’ve gathered what you need to know before choosing the wood flooring you’ll lay on your underfloor heating.

It is important that you also read our technical documentation before you start planning and constructing your underfloor heating.

Parquet, straight planks and underfloor heating?

Can parquet and straight planks be installed on underfloor heating? This is one of the most frequently asked questions of interior design blogs. Our answer is: yes, on condition that all regulations are followed. Above all, it is important to note that on underfloor heating, which also has a cooling function (cold water in summer), is not recommended to lay a wooden floor. However, in case of traditional hot water based underfloor heating, there is no reason to worry.

If there is underfloor heating under the parquet or straight planks, there are a number of technical factors to consider, starting with the preparation and drying of the subfloor. The information required for this is summarized in the chapter "Installation of Edelholz solid wood floors on underfloor heating" in our installation guide. So that your wooden floor will serve your comfort in good quality for many years, please make sure that your constructor strictly follows the instructions written in the installation guide.

Which flooring structure is the ideal choice for underfloor heating?

In case of underfloor heating, we recommend our engineered straight planks and parquets. The two-layer Duplex and the three-layer Triplex wood floors offer a great number of technological benefits that increase the lifespan of the wood floor installed on underfloor heating. Let’s take a closer look at our Triplex floors to see what these benefits are.

As all three layers of Triplex floorings are made of solid oak, the physical properties of each layer are the same. This is especially advantageous in case of frequent fluctuations in temperature and humidity, which also occur, for example, when operating underfloor heating. In these cases, the layers of the Triplex floor move perfectly together thanks to their identical properties, and thus do not lose their stability. As a result, our Triplex floors stand out with almost the same properties as of the solid wood floor. Why almost? Because, in fact, this three-layer structure is stronger and more flexible than solid wood floor.

Quality preservation of straight planks, herringbone and chevron parquets

If the instructions in the technical guide have been precisely followed, only a few things have to be paid attention to in everyday life to maintain the quality of the installed straight planks or parquet. During the heating season, the warm air generated by the underfloor heating results in lower humidity, which can result in gap formation inside the flooring. Although this is a natural phenomenon for quality wood parquet and straight planks, it is better to prevent it by keeping the humidity between 40-60%. Furthermore, in case of underfloor heating, it is very important that the surface temperature of the wooden floor never exceeds 25 ° C. If you follow these and our instructions exactly, your floor covering will appreciate it with its long lifespan and beautiful appearance.

The best option for underfloor heating: hardwood core or softwood core engineered floors?

Many people consider choosing softwood core parquet instead of hardwood core parquet, but it is clear that due to its composition, the softwood core engineered parquet is a less ideal choice for underfloor heating. The bottom and the middle layers of the softwood core engineered parquet are typically made of pine, but in the middle layer even woodchips or MDF can be used.

Arguments for hardwood core engineered floorings

EDELHOLZ quality wood, engineered herringbone/chevron parquets and straight planks are composed of three layers of solid oak. But why is this especially important in case of underfloor heating? The pine wood used in the lower layers of softwood core engineered parquets has very high thermal insulation capacity. This is why it is an excellent raw material for making doors and windows, as it keeps the cold outside and the heat inside. However, this feature becomes a disadvantage when it is laid on underfloor heating, as the pine insulates a significant part of the heat coming from below. In contrast, hardwood oak is a good thermal conductor, thanks to which EDELHOLZ herringbone/chevron parquets and straight planks easily transfer the heat of underfloor heating to the top layer.

Engineered floor with layers of different materials has another disadvantage. As already discussed, wood species with different characteristics react differently to both air humidity and temperature. As the layers will move more intensively when using underfloor heating, layers of different types of wood in the parquet may crack. It is the most spectacular when the cracks appear in the top layer. Thus, overall, for a long-term and quality solution in case of underfloor heating, a hardwood core engineered floor with layers of the same material is the best choice.