Cork Between hardwood and Radiant?

Dave Larsen

Have a customer that is installing Radiant heating in the entire house.All floors to be hickory, some wide, some not.BTU loads ranges from 16 to 20 BTU/ft2 with surface temp. at around 77deg.with a floor covering "r" value of 2.5 (originally figured carpet)Here's my question............the owner just read an article about using cork under hardwood as a "pad"this is new to me,anyone know "r" values or any problems with this?

Unknown

Cork is an insulator

It is what they insulated walk in coolers and warehouses that were refrigerated with, in days past. It has a pretty high R value.

Noel

hot_rod

A racquetball court?

why does he feel the need to pad the hardwood? I'll bet there is a R-Value for cork, I have installed radiant with 3/16" cork for the final covering. Worked fine.

I think Junkers, for one, offers a thin foam pad to be used under their floating hardwood products. It may be more suited, and more cost effective, than cork. If he really wants some spring to his step

hot rod

Unknown

R value for Cork: 3.57

http://www.roofhelp.com/Rvalue.htm

D. Larsen

Thanks

is that number for 1/4",1/8" ?? thanks for finding this for me .................much higher than I guessed,and it makes my fluid temp. MUCH too high! thanks again ,I really Appreciate it.

Unknown

Nooooo

That's for a whole INCH, by the site I linked to.

Noel

Mike T., Swampeast MO

If they do use the cork get data from the mfgr. I find r-values from about 1.6 to 3.7 (per inch).

My guess is that cork would be used under hardwood for its cushioning and sound-deadening properties. Consequently, it will probably be lightly compressed and towards the high end of the r-value range.

Finish cork flooring is highly compressed and seems towards the low end of the range.