Best flooring for radiant heat system?

Question

We currently have laminate wood floor in our great room (19x19') and we want to go with something more durable (it's already bowing) as we have radiant heat under the floor. We would like to go with real bamboo (cost effective and eco-friendly). Is this a good choice? What would you recommend?

Answer 1

In my opinion there are very few good choices for wood flooring over radient heat.  The reason you cant put any wood over radiant heat is the change in heat dries the wood out.  This is a problem because the wood shrinks as it dries in different rates along different axes.  For example it will shrink more long ways than it will side ways.  This causes cupping or twisting in the board.  I have however installed mesquite flooring over radiant heat with success.  This is due to mesquite's unique stability.  Mesquite is the most stabel commercial wood available.  Not only does it not shrink near as much as other woods but it shrinks the same along all three axes which prevents the cupping or twisting I mentioned earlier.

Eric

www.elcumbre.com

Answer 2

A semi-solid floor is the best way to go, the cheap laminate looks good and seems a good idea but it never lasts long and solid marks very easy. Semi-solid is cheaper then solid and lasts longer!

I always thought that the radiant heat system will smell funny because if your floor is dirty it heats up the dirt and if you have just cleaned it it will give off a smell of your cleaning product!  Is that true?

Answer 3

The bamboo will dry out and not hold up at all.  I grew up in a home with radiant heat in the floor ( California rancher). The best would be large floor tiles, maybe 16 or 18 inchers, with area rugs. That's what we did.