Flooring over radiant

ScottSecor

Daughter and soon to be husband are about to purchase a 1960's house with copper radiant in the first floor slab. Second floor is heated with hwbb, two zone system. I am well aware that there could be issues with copper tubing buried in concrete for over almost sixty years. We performed a hydrostatic test as part of the pre-purchase agreement and the system passed. More likely than not, there is no insulation around the perimeter and no insulation bellow the slab. In other words, they will likely need at least 140 degree water temp on a cold NJ day.

They are considering finished flooring types and are leaning towards wood floors. Most likely these wood floors will be the "engineered" type that consists of a layer of plywood with a thin layer of hardwood on top. I prefer ceramic or porcelain tile on radiant slabs, but they think they want wood floors. The current finish floor is inexpensive laminate that they are not too fond of.

Please share your thought on engineered hardwood or any other option that they might consider. If you have a preference on how to fasten or "float" the floor please share your ideas.

Thank you.

delcrossv

Ceramic tile works better than wood (even engineered wood) as wood's more of a thermal insulator. The engineered wood does solve the expansion/contraction issues with plank floors.

We've installed Roppe rubber flooring (tile and sheet goods) in some of our buildings and it's a great product. I'd call them to see how it works on radiant.

roppe.com

hot_rod

There are some really nice engineered wood flooring products. I used an Anderson brand on my mother in laws. It is made with all hardwood laminates, 5/16" thick with a micro bevel on the T&G. It doesn't dent when you drop things on it.

It was directly glued onto a concrete slab. It even held up to several flooding issues. Some of the wood is made to look like a tile surface. Have them shop around for top quality laminated or engineered products. Not the Box Store stuff.

Jamie Hall

As @hot_rod said, top end solid hardwood laminates will be OK. You don't want the floor all that hot anyway (anything much over 80 is really uncomfortable under foot).

ScottSecor

@hot_rod this is exactly the information we're looking for, thank you.

@Jamie Hall Long story….I grew up in a copper radiant slab 1950's house. My parents got new wall to wall carpet when I was about eight years old. Me and my three brothers fell asleep on the new carpet on a cold winter night while watching television with our parents (they were on the couch). I will never forget the minor burns and beat red skin the four of us endured from the radiant heat. This was with thick carpet and thick pad underneath. It looked like we sat on a tropical beach for a day with no protection. I can remember "dancing" as I stood with bare feet on tile while brushing my teeth. The boiler (GE) was fitted with a tankless coil. I do not recall the actual floor temperature, but I would guess it was at least 105 degrees on the bathroom tile! Coincidentally, my father went into the heating business a few years later. Once he understood the system, the floor surface temps became bearable.