Ground floor, flooring (bamboo) and underfloor heating advice please
Hi all, we're at the planning stage of our ground floor renovation. We like the idea of UFH as it would free-up valuable wall space and it seems to me to be more efficient than rads. But I'm reading conflicting advice...for example, if it was to run throughout the kitchen/diner into the family room and out to the hallway, would an electric or wet system be best? The floor is floorboards apart from a bit of the kitchen which has a concrete base. I've also read that if we have an electric system then it would be best to keep some rads as 'backup' to boost it. This to me seems to defeat the object. Also, it's a 1920s house and the insulation isn't great (no cavity walls here!).
Has anyone installed a UFH system in a similar layout and if so what do you think? Does anyone regret having it and losing radiators?
Secondly, we're considering bamboo flooring as we want the same flooring throughout (apart from the front lounge) and don't want tiles through the family room and into hall. I also don't like the look of LVT. But I'm concerned about cooking mess around the oven area - food, oil spills and splashes etc. Has anyone installed similar who now regrets it? Or is it pretty easy to keep clean?
Thanks in advance for any advice!
Comments (12)
PROKingfisher Designs
2 years ago
Tim Baker
2 years agoRelated Discussions
"Need help with bamboo and underfloor heating!"
Comments (0)Hi, We chose a lovely glossy natural bamboo flooring but now we have been told that as it is not engineered the underfloor heating we want to put (electrical) will cause "gapping" on it. Can you please share your knowledge, experience or advice and let me know how bad is the gapping and if it will be caused with electrical underfloor heating which is softer than the water system. many thanks, Edurne...See MoreConcreting floor before putting underfloor heating down
Comments (1)If it's a concrete slab, it will need to be completely dry before you lay insulation and a DPM (Damp Proof Membrane), followed by the underfloor heating. Concrete drying times are advised by the manufacturer and it's always best to follow their guidance. 1 day per 1mm seems right, however the actual drying time really depends on the site conditions and levels of humidity. If you're planning on putting in a screed finish then you will need to allow another day per 1mm for the screed to dry. If this is just a screed and not concrete, you'll only need 65mm, not 100mm. However, if you have 100mm to make up then we'd recommend adding 35mm of insulation for a better performance and more eco-friendly build, as well as a shorter drying time. Some people advise to dry out screeds by using the UFH on a low setting or by adding fibres, however this is more risky and should be done under the advisement of your installer/builder....See MoreUnderfloor heating - carpets, tiles or laminate?
Comments (19)Hi Tracey, We understand the importance of picking the right floor as it's a job you only really want to do once. We are the direct importers of solid and engineered wood flooring and have been trading since 2006. If there's one thing we guarantee on it that we know about wooden floors. We like to give as much free advice and help where and when we can, so here's a few for you. Firstly make sure if you do go with a wooden floor, that it is engineered, and suitable for underfloor heating. (some engineered floors actually aren't suitable as the adhesive used may not be compatible) Just to assure you, all our engineered wood floors are. The construction of engineered wood, as opposed to solid, restricts the movement of expansion and contraction due to the temperature change of UFH. Wood it'self is a great conductor of heat and more importantly retains the warmth a lot better than tiles. Also, an advantage of using wood flooring is if it's damaged, scratched/stained, it is easily repairable by simply sanding it down and reapplying oil/lacquer. If tiles were to get damaged/cracked, you would need to replace it. Why not take a look through at some of the projects we have done as we have several styles from standard planks, herringbone, chevron and Versailles panels. We hope this helps and if you have any further queries or questions don't hesitate to get in touch. WoodFloors4u Ltd...See MoreUnderfloor heating advice tiles vs wood
Comments (1)Hi Siobhan, There are so many dilemmas when renovating / extending. Floor transitions are notoriously tricky when trying to create a flow within an interior and particularly from old to new.... Engineered wood flooring is warm to the touch (underfoot) and a natural insulator . All of our engineered wooden floors are designed to work over / in conjunction with underfloor heating systems...here are our trending floors for inspiration... Douglas Fir - Saatchi - White Lye & Soap effect stain Douglas fir has been dubbed the world's most beautiful floor and gained in popularity since being installed in the Saatchi gallery.... white wide and very long floorboards really open up a space and used widely in Scandinavian style interiors. This is the only softwood engineered floor we produce however and I would advise against putting it in a high traffic area as it will dent easily. American White Ash - Saatchi - White Stain & Low-Lustre UV Oiled In response to the popularity of white washed Douglas fir (above) we created a very similar floor but in American White Ash - an incredibly hard, hardwood. Our Ash - Saatchi is inherently durable and low-maintenance, produced in equally wide and long floorboards with a permanent white stain and commercial grade low sheen topcoat. Natural Wide Plank Oak Flooring The raw, natural beauty of Oak is enhanced by a natural finish and a fond farewell to the 'honey pine' yellowing that has become synonymous with Oak flooring until recently. Oak is a naturally beautiful shade of grey & beige / greige. A clear oil / lacquer brings out warm tones within Oak and over time + exposure to sunlight this golden patina will deepen. Our Nature Oil finish retains these greige / grey biscuity hues and prevents the honey pine / golden patina . As far as style is concerned, a natural grey is the new neutral within Interior Design themes ...contemporary, coastal, minimalist etc Hope the above helps and if you have any questions or need further advice please give me a shout. Bestest, Charlotte...See More
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