Have you ever wonder if wood flooring and underfloor heating can be combined? The answer is yes, they can for sure. Wood flooring is indeed perfectly compatible with the under-floor heating. The wood radiates heat like any other kind of floor material.

Many people appreciate the underfloor heating for their homes since it ensures an excellent diffusion of the heat and therefore a good energy efficiency. Let’s start from the basics: what do we mean by “underfloor” heating?  It is a form of heating system cast in the sub floor and running in the whole room. This technology is made of coil-wound pipes radiating both heat and/or cool.

The main benefit you get from the underfloor heating is thermal comfort, thanks to the uniform radiation of the heating. It also helps the room to look aesthetically clean, as radiators or air conditioners are no longer needed. This system also leads to energy saving.

Why combining the wood flooring with the underfloor heating is a convenient choice?

Wood flooring can be installed on radiant heating subfloor that interchanges heat with the room, warming or cooling it. The wood floor offer a big exchange are and therefore allows an excellent and uniform distribution that means cost saving.   

The type of wood flooring having the best conductivity is the prefinished two-layer one. It is very stable because, thanks to its structure, it is not easily conditioned by temperature and humidity variations.

For the proper use of wood flooring when there is underfloor heating, it is recommended the glued or the floating laying systems. The mats and the vapour barriers shall be suitable for the heat transmission; no room for air at all has to be left between the floor and the subfloor.

Advices to lay a wood flooring on underfloor heating

Before laying the floor, make sure the underfloor heating has been working for three weeks at least, so the subfloor has become steady. Make sure also the air the rooms for long in order to lose the humidity accumulated over this time.

A few rules for the proper laying on underfloor heating:

  • Mats and vapour barriers must be suitable for the heat transmission;

  • The operating temperature (of the water inside the pipes) has to be max. 28°C;

  • During the test of the heating system cause thermal shock;

  • Ask the plumber for the report of the test;

When laying the wood flooring make sure you are using a quality glue, for this reason we suggest the Corà Parquet glue. Besides these rules, in order to keep your wood flooring in good conditions make sure the humidity must be between 45% and 65%.

Which are the wood species suitable with underfloor heating?

The wood is a living material, it reacts to the external conditions; it is also a good insulator so it evens out the heat coming from the radiant panels and offers a comfortable sense of warmth even if you’re walking barefoot in the cold winter.

The best wood species for the underfloor heating are Oak and Teak. Among the Corà Parquet collections, the EVO GARANT line is the most suitable to be combined with underfloor heating.

Discover here all the benefits of walking barefoot on a wood floor.