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Engineered Hardwood over electric heating mats

5 years ago

I am looking for recommendations for Engineered Hardwood brands that is acceptable to go over electric heating mats. This will be installed in our new kitchen. We recently converted our family room to the new kitchen and used to have radiant water baseboard heaters but had to cap them off due to kitchen cabinets being installed in the heater location.

We prefer hardwood over tiles due to it being more comfortable for aging joints, as we will be spending a lot of time in the new kitchen standing on the floor. We have contacted a number of places and have not found anything yet. Any feedback is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Featured Answer

_sophiewheeler

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

Regardless of moving back to tile, the kitchen will need real and actual HVAC, and likely hydronic PEX loops in the floor will be the easiest choice since you already have a boiler and hydrinic system in place for the rest of the home. With the right temperature loops, engineered wood can be a possibility. But you may need modifications to the boiler to achieve the lower temps that wood needs in order to work.

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Comments (6)

PRO
G & S Floor Service
5 years ago
You will have to pour a thick layer of leveler first, then glue on top.
_sophiewheeler
5 years ago
There is no hardwood that can deal with the higher temps of electric radiant. And electric radiant is designed as a floor warming system over tile, not a home heating system. You need hydronic, and you need low temp hydronic at that.

You need to get your HVAC guy out there and redesign the heating system of the home. ASAP.
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How was the flooring installed? Bead glued? Just pull up the quarter round and expose the underlayment. Electric underfloor systems are warming systems only, not room heating systems. They keep your feet from feeling cold. That's it. The temerature that you describe would be almost the max that you would want to heat the wood. Even hydrionic systems which are designed to heat the room shouldn't heat the floor above about 82-85ÃÂ°.
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I'm not sure what LVT is. :) I have an appointment with the flooring person for Saturday to test out samples. Cherie, we hate forced hot air because it bothers my and the kids' asthma and allergies so I am actually very happy about these baseboard radiators as radiant heat is much easier on the lungs since it's not blowing hot air all over the place. There is central air for the summer months. We live in Northern NH... it gets cold here for sure. I am going to keep the tile in the kitchen for now and the rest will be new flooring *all going in the same direction* ! We are ripping out the red carpeting, which is in all four bedrooms as well as on the stairs. We want to replace that with flooring and we don't want yet another type of flooring in the house so it makes sense to do the living and dining room as well. When we reconfigure the kitchen, we'll have to match it up and remove the tile at that time.
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avalon4
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks for your comments Sophie and GS. Our house has a hydronic baseboard heating system in all rooms except for the new kitchen. We thought the electric heating mats (1/16" over a separate cork underlay) would be more comfortable to warm the kitchen flooring. We will contact an HVAC contractor for advice as we have not purchased anything yet. Although our preference is hardwood flooring, tile can be a consideration if that is our only option.
PRO
Cancork Floor Inc.
5 years ago
I agree with Sophie. The electric mats are limiting. The ADVERTISING says "anything" can go over top....but that is useless information. The floor MANUFACTURER "allows" or "disallows" electric heat. And most floors on the market do not like electric. Ceramic, porcelain, stone or concrete are the one's that work best with electric.

If you want wood floors, then hydronic heat is best. If you want comfortable and warm, cork is always an option...no need for "extra" heating underneath because cork is warm all by itself. Just a thought.
avalon4 thanked Cancork Floor Inc.
PRO
G & S Floor Service
5 years ago
It certainly is not a smart thing to do, but not impossible. You have to pour a thick-set, at least 1". Which will cost more than the flooring itself. And if, there is a broken wire, you're screwed. Good luck trouble shooting.
avalon4 thanked G & S Floor Service

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