ᐅ Parquet flooring over underfloor heating without a basement – floating installation with a vapor barrier?
Created on: 12 Feb 2023 21:18
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xMisterDx
Hello,
I’m facing a bit of a puzzle.
Everywhere I read, it is generally recommended to fully glue parquet flooring when combined with underfloor heating, even for click-lock parquet.
Now, for the upper floor, I chose laminate flooring with a thickness of 8mm (0.073 m²K/W), and for the living room on the ground floor, parquet flooring from Living by Haro bought at Bauhaus, 11mm thick (0.063 m²K/W). The impact sound insulation for both will be Wineo Soundprotect with 0.01 m²K/W, because:
If I can install laminate flooring as a floating floor, why not also click-lock parquet, which actually has a better thermal resistance?
Am I missing something crucial?
Below the screed on the ground floor, there is 8cm (3 inches) of insulation, underneath a bitumen membrane laid over the entire surface, and then the concrete slab.
Do I need a vapor barrier, or in other words, can it cause any issues if I install a vapor barrier?
Should I use a vapor barrier on the upper floor as well?
Since moisture can escape through the underside there, wouldn’t a vapor barrier also cause no harm?
Thanks for your help!
I’m facing a bit of a puzzle.
Everywhere I read, it is generally recommended to fully glue parquet flooring when combined with underfloor heating, even for click-lock parquet.
Now, for the upper floor, I chose laminate flooring with a thickness of 8mm (0.073 m²K/W), and for the living room on the ground floor, parquet flooring from Living by Haro bought at Bauhaus, 11mm thick (0.063 m²K/W). The impact sound insulation for both will be Wineo Soundprotect with 0.01 m²K/W, because:
If I can install laminate flooring as a floating floor, why not also click-lock parquet, which actually has a better thermal resistance?
Am I missing something crucial?
Below the screed on the ground floor, there is 8cm (3 inches) of insulation, underneath a bitumen membrane laid over the entire surface, and then the concrete slab.
Do I need a vapor barrier, or in other words, can it cause any issues if I install a vapor barrier?
Should I use a vapor barrier on the upper floor as well?
Since moisture can escape through the underside there, wouldn’t a vapor barrier also cause no harm?
Thanks for your help!
First of all, all manufacturers of flooring elements—whether multi-layer parquet, laminate flooring, or any other click system with an MDF or HDF core—generally require a vapor barrier between the subfloor and the “impact sound insulation” layer.
It is not mandatory, but if you choose to omit it, you take the risk yourself. If there is later a reason for a complaint, the absence of a vapor barrier will logically be found as the flaw and used to reject a complaint that might otherwise be justified in principle.
Technically, it must be considered that cement screeds, with or without underfloor heating, absorb moisture starting at a relative humidity of about 70%. This moisture is absorbed into the screed’s structure and is released faster with underfloor heating and slower with a conventional screed.
According to the physical principle of water vapor diffusion equilibrium, the moisture contained in the screed moves toward the room, which has a lower water vapor partial pressure (in this case, the room air above the floor covering). However, this movement is stopped at the interface between the floor covering elements and the screed, where it then reaches the wood-based core material of the flooring. This material tends to swell and causes noticeable defects on the surface of the floor covering—putting it mildly.
A vapor barrier’s purpose is to reduce the rate of moisture transfer so that any moisture absorbed by the core material is released very slowly and unnoticed into the room air.
For this reason, PE foil with a vapor diffusion factor (known as the sD value) over 80 is called a vapor barrier!
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I hope I have made myself clear and unmistakable here for everyone, not only for electrical engineers (FH).
Best regards, KlaRa
It is not mandatory, but if you choose to omit it, you take the risk yourself. If there is later a reason for a complaint, the absence of a vapor barrier will logically be found as the flaw and used to reject a complaint that might otherwise be justified in principle.
Technically, it must be considered that cement screeds, with or without underfloor heating, absorb moisture starting at a relative humidity of about 70%. This moisture is absorbed into the screed’s structure and is released faster with underfloor heating and slower with a conventional screed.
According to the physical principle of water vapor diffusion equilibrium, the moisture contained in the screed moves toward the room, which has a lower water vapor partial pressure (in this case, the room air above the floor covering). However, this movement is stopped at the interface between the floor covering elements and the screed, where it then reaches the wood-based core material of the flooring. This material tends to swell and causes noticeable defects on the surface of the floor covering—putting it mildly.
A vapor barrier’s purpose is to reduce the rate of moisture transfer so that any moisture absorbed by the core material is released very slowly and unnoticed into the room air.
For this reason, PE foil with a vapor diffusion factor (known as the sD value) over 80 is called a vapor barrier!
---------------
I hope I have made myself clear and unmistakable here for everyone, not only for electrical engineers (FH).
Best regards, KlaRa
bauenmk202026 Feb 2023 12:03We also installed a vapor retarder under the floating vinyl floor. The painting contractor (a friend of a colleague) visited and mentioned that we could have sourced the flooring through him as well. When I mentioned the vapor retarder, he seriously asked what that was, saying they had never sold or installed something like it before. That made me a bit uncertain at first.
I was aware that this PE film and the floating installation method could reduce the efficiency of the underfloor heating. However, I didn’t want to take any risks.
So far, I haven’t noticed any drawbacks. During installation, the film was actually helpful, as it made it easier to lay the flooring.
I was aware that this PE film and the floating installation method could reduce the efficiency of the underfloor heating. However, I didn’t want to take any risks.
So far, I haven’t noticed any drawbacks. During installation, the film was actually helpful, as it made it easier to lay the flooring.
“I knew that this PE vapor barrier and the floating installation would be less efficient for the underfloor heating.”
Response to this:
The thermal resistance of a 0.15mm (0.006 inch) thick PE vapor barrier is so low that it can practically be neglected in terms of heat transfer!
Response to this:
The thermal resistance of a 0.15mm (0.006 inch) thick PE vapor barrier is so low that it can practically be neglected in terms of heat transfer!
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xMisterDx9 Apr 2023 10:27I have now chosen the Knilchen version, am installing impact sound insulation with an integrated vapor barrier, and extending the vapor barrier 3cm (1 inch) up the wall as well.
Thanks for the help and explanation!
Thanks for the help and explanation!
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