THE PERFECT COMPLEMENT ThermoSphere provides a guide to specifying electric UFH with wooden flooring.
The continued rise in popularity of wooden flooring is not going to slow down any time soon. According to Rated People’s Home Improvement Trends report 2021, wooden flooring ranked fourth in the top home improvement jobs. There was also no surprise that the same report highlighted that the installation of electric underfloor heating (UFH) ranked fourth in the top eco jobs posted.
But why? Gone are the days where underfloor heating is just seen as a ‘nice-to-have’ because it was thought of as an expensive luxury. The evolution of technology and the growth of better energy efficient systems have made electric underfloor heating more accessible.
Additionally, with the launch of SAP 10 just around the corner, electric heating is becoming the preferred choice for newbuild projects. This is because the carbon emission rate of electric heating is much lower than gas which will make it easier to achieve compliance with Part L of the Building Regulations.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Most types of wooden flooring can be used with an electric underfloor heating system but their suitability depends on the density and moisture content of the board so manufacturers guidelines must be adhered to.
EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION All wood is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs moisture from around it and this moisture causes both timber (natural hardwood) and engineered wood to naturally expand and contract over time. The moisture content can vary depending on what kind of timber you choose and the environment of where your floor-heating project is located. With the changing seasons, a timber floor will expand and contract as the indoor humidity changes. If the floor is laid without allowing for movement it can bow and crack and the benefits of a warm floor are lost.
WHAT'S THE IDEAL THICKNESS
OF BOARDS? The ideal thickness of wooden boards is between 12mm to 15mm and 18mm is the maximum. Installing any board that is thicker will cause the floor, and therefore the room, to take much longer to heat up to the optimum temperature which could lead to higher running cost. It is recommended that the ratio of thickness to width should be in the range of 7 to 11. For example, a board with a thickness of 16mm and width of 160mm would give a ratio of 10, which is perfect. However, it is important to check the suitability of the wooden floor with underfloor heating by contacting the flooring manufacturer.
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY A floor surface temperature of 27°C shouldn’t be exceeded. This ‘ideal temperature’ is based on historic research exploring
22 | WOOD & LAMINATE
growth and shrinkage rates of wooden floors and it was at 27°C that the expansion was deemed ‘invisible’ to the naked eye. This temperature is now an industry-wide recommendation.
WHAT IS THE BEST TYPE OF
WOODEN FLOOR FOR UFH? Engineered wooden boards are ideal for underfloor heating. The core made of layers of ply and finished with a solid wood top layer helps to limit the growth and shrinkage caused by moisture in the atmosphere. Ideally, the thickness of the top layer of the
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50
