Engineered Wooden Flooring - what thickness

rampantbunny

I'm looking around for wooden flooring at moment (dark wood such as walnut).

Anyone offer any opinions on the merits of the different thicknesses available. I see 12.5, 14, 18 & 20-22mm on one website alone.

I'm installing UFH on ground and first floor. Is thinner better for UFH or does thinner imply a budget product that won't last.

Also, glued or floating (I've been told glued for UFH performance).

cork2

Hey there, I've fitted alot of wood floors with underfloor heating. Every shop you go to will have a different opinion but in my experience the thicker the board you can get the sounder a floor you end up with. 22mm is a brilliant floor!! I wouldn't recommend wide boards as they're prone to cupping with the heat, 150mm is plenty wide enough. As for fixing down the floor I always recommend floating floors because people don't realise the strength of wood. Glue it or nail it if you like but if that floor is going to cup, swell or expand it will do it no matter what fixing method you choose. I've fitted a few aswell recently with a special 2mm foam under with loads of tiny holes in it, apparently this is designed specifically for underfloor heating to let the heat up. The most important thing of all is make sure the house is dry.If you can borrow a moisture meter.

rampantbunny

Was sure I posted back on this..

Thanks Cork2, some good info there.

22mm of a floor sounds like a beast. Other posters on boards have suggested that they are using 12mm-ish timber flooring with 3mm underlay = 15mm.
This matches the level of a 10mm porcelain tile and 5mm adhesive.

If using 22mm (with or without underlay), how do you bridge the gap between both?

cork2

rampantbunny wrote: »

Was sure I posted back on this..

Thanks Cork2, some good info there.

22mm of a floor sounds like a beast. Other posters on boards have suggested that they are using 12mm-ish timber flooring with 3mm underlay = 15mm.
This matches the level of a 10mm porcelain tile and 5mm adhesive.

If using 22mm (with or without underlay), how do you bridge the gap between both?

Well I suppose it all comes back to personal preference. In an traditional build with no underfloor 12mm is a great floor, I have them myself at home. It's my opinion they're a bit light with underfloor. It comes back to what temperature you heat the house to aswell. Today I was in a house we built last year. It's a passive house and it's heated to 32 degrees Celsius, in that 12mm would pull and twist at a crazy rate. You can purchase a range of saddles to match the species of wood floor you have.They are rebated on one side or on both sides to sit over the floor coverings depending on what you need, they also comes with fillers that you slip into the side with a lower covering. If you have a carpenter fitting the floors he'll understand and probably be able to show you a sample of the saddle.

BarneyMc

rampantbunny wrote: »

Other posters on boards have suggested that they are using 12mm-ish timber flooring with 3mm underlay = 15mm.
This matches the level of a 10mm porcelain tile and 5mm adhesive.

This is my plan of attack.

Tigger

12mm is laminate thickness you need 14mm and 2mm foam if you are using engineered. 12mm engineered has a very thin top that I generally only use on houses that are for sale and the customer wants the look at the cheapest price and hang the durability

rampantbunny

cork2 wrote: »

Well I suppose it all comes back to personal preference. In an traditional build with no underfloor 12mm is a great floor, I have them myself at home. It's my opinion they're a bit light with underfloor. It comes back to what temperature you heat the house to aswell. Today I was in a house we built last year. It's a passive house and it's heated to 32 degrees Celsius, in that 12mm would pull and twist at a crazy rate. You can purchase a range of saddles to match the species of wood floor you have.They are rebated on one side or on both sides to sit over the floor coverings depending on what you need, they also comes with fillers that you slip into the side with a lower covering. If you have a carpenter fitting the floors he'll understand and probably be able to show you a sample of the saddle.

32 degrees...sure it wasn't 22?
I thought one of the main advantages to using engineered was that it prevents warping, but I suppose, heat it enough and it will give in one way or another.

Yea, down to preference as you say. Personally I'd prefer to have things nice and even between the different surfaces if possible. I've seen the saddles you've mentioned but only used in doorways. I'm more concerned where my floor changes from tile to wood as the kitchen merges into the dining area, all open plan.

Finally cork2, there's the too thin argument covered above. But would thicker floors not decrease the effectiveness of the UFH ..almost acting like an insulator?
I remember posting on here a few months back about a fella that indicated that he had trouble tailoring his stats for UFH due to his mix of tile and wood floors. The wood floor was much slower to heat up/emit the heat. He wished he'd gone tile throughout.