ᐅ Parquet flooring over underfloor heating: which type of wood is recommended?

I just have a quick question. Which wood flooring is best suited for underfloor heating, and which definitely isn’t? Can you say that—are there differences?

The reason I’m asking is that I lived in a terraced house with underfloor heating and a beech wood floor. After 1 1/2 years, the floor has already shifted significantly, and dark gaps are appearing everywhere. That doesn’t seem normal, does it?

Now we are moving into our new house, and during the interior planning stage, the question arises about which flooring to choose. I would have liked an antique parquet floor "link removed", but now I’m wondering if this type of flooring is really suitable to be installed over underfloor heating. After all, we don’t want to have to replace the floor again after just a few years.

I would really appreciate any feedback!

Best regards

The dark grout is dirt. This will happen to you (more or less) always, as every wood expands and contracts. With dark wood, you simply don’t notice it (for example, I really like wenge—it has a great color and is almost indestructible; oak in "antique" or "barrique" finishes or similar is also great).

karinarofler schrieb:
I just have a quick question. Which type of parquet flooring is best suited for underfloor heating, and which ones are not suitable at all? Can this be generalized – are there differences?

Check the manufacturer’s specifications to see if it is suitable. This information should always be provided.

Regards, Yvonne

Hello karinarofler,

ypg schrieb:
Check the manufacturer's specifications to see if it is suitable.

That is one thing.
You should also check that the surface floor covering resistance does not exceed 0.15 m²K/W.

Best regards
miraculum

I have also recently looked into this and arrived at the following conclusions:

Suitable wood types have low thermal resistance and a low to medium rate of moisture content equalization. Woods like beech or alder are not suitable, while oak or wenge are well suited. Furthermore, the thickness (due to heat transfer) and construction (2- or 3-layer instead of solid wood) should be chosen appropriately. Full-surface gluing might be beneficial but is not absolutely necessary. Smaller wood assemblies (parquet with small strips) are less prone to gaps than long planks because gap formation is better distributed.

Preparatory measures and later heating behavior are also important:
- The screed must be ready for covering, meaning it is dry enough to prevent residual moisture from reaching the parquet.
- The impact sound insulation must also have very low thermal resistance and protect against rising moisture.
- Edge gaps and, if applicable, expansion joints in large areas must be provided.
- The parquet should be stored beforehand under indoor conditions prior to installation.
- Installation must be done properly, preferably by a professional company if you are not confident doing it yourself or if full-surface gluing is planned.
- Room temperature and humidity should be kept relatively constant, especially during heating periods. A wood-burning stove, for example, can significantly affect the indoor climate.

Hello,

FrankH schrieb:

... well suited [...] Wenge.

I hardly think that Wenge (very dark) – due to its price – will find many supporters here among potential builders.

Regards, Bauexperte