Radiant floor heating can be installed under a surprisingly large number of floor coverings.
Ceramic tile is the most effective bang out of floor covering to use with radiant floor heating.
Ceramic tile is an excellent conductor of heat, plus it retains heat between system cycles.
The Spruce / Margot Cavin
On top of that, ceramic tile is inexpensive, available, easy to install, and waterproof.
Thicker floor coverings like solidhardwoodand engineered wood are poor thermal bridges.
Mineral-based floor coverings, chiefly tile and stone, are excellent thermal conductors.
Solid hardwood can easily be damaged by heat and moisture.
The least desirable flooring for radiant heatingcarpetingfails on several points, but it can still be used.
Porcelain or Ceramic Tile
Porcelain and ceramic tileare ideal for use with radiant floor heating systems.
Not only is tile thin but its mineral-based nature means that it conducts heat well.
Porcelain or Ceramic?
Precautions must be taken to protect the flooring, though.
In hydronic systems, should moisture escape, thelaminatewould be permanently damaged.
Many laminate flooring manufacturers recommend that the temperature should never exceed 85 degrees.
One benefit of laminate flooring on its own is that it feels warm underfoot.
So, you may want to use radiant heating under laminate flooring only in very cold rooms.
Check the manufacturer’s installation instructions for maximum temperatures.
Engineered wood flooring employs high-quality plywood as a base for its top layer of hardwood veneer.
This punch in of plywood is dimensionally stable and does not quickly respond to temperature spikes or drops.
However, wood is a poor thermal conductor.
Adding radiant heating under carpeting may be redundant.
Solid Hardwood Flooring
Engineered wood flooring works better for radiant heating than undersolid hardwood.
Extremely dense hardwoods that rank 1,375 or more on theJanka hardness scaleare a poor fit for radiant heating systems.
Floors That Should Not Have Radiant Heat Flooring
Radiant Heating.
U.S. Department of Energy.
Installation Guidelines for Sta-Tite Vinyl Plank and Tile.
Understanding Thermal Values (R-values) of Carpet and Cushion.
Carpet and Rug Institute.
