QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT HARDWOOD FLOORING
When should hardwood floors be installed?
If you’re having a home built or making some renovations, it is highly suggested that the hardwood flooring work be scheduled near the very end. Far too many times, builders rush the flooring installation and major repairs become necessary due to inconsistent temperatures, worker traffic and/or mishaps.
How do I acclimate the wood?
For new construction or remodeling, the heating system must be operational and the house must be heated for a week at 71 degrees F. Plastering and concrete work must be fully dry prior to installation. Basements or under floor crawl spaces should be dry and well ventilated.
What types of wood floor is best over a radiant heating system?
Engineered, laminates, and floating floors work the best with radiant heat because of their dimensional stability. Not all species of wood are good candidates for an installation over radiant heating. Quarter sawn or rift-sawn flooring is preferable to plain sawn. And strip flooring is a better choice than plank flooring because narrow boards expand and contract less than wide boards do. Using narrow boards also means there are more seams in a floor to take up movement.
When should hardwood floors be installed?
If you’re having a home built or making some renovations, it is highly suggested that the hardwood flooring work be scheduled near the very end. Far too many times, builders rush the flooring installation and major repairs become necessary due to inconsistent temperatures, worker traffic and/or mishaps.
How do I acclimate the wood?
For new construction or remodeling, the heating system must be operational and the house must be heated for a week at 71 degrees F. Plastering and concrete work must be fully dry prior to installation. Basements or under floor crawl spaces should be dry and well ventilated.
What types of wood floor is best over a radiant heating system?
Engineered, laminates, and floating floors work the best with radiant heat because of their dimensional stability. Not all species of wood are good candidates for an installation over radiant heating. Quarter sawn or rift-sawn flooring is preferable to plain sawn. And strip flooring is a better choice than plank flooring because narrow boards expand and contract less than wide boards do. Using narrow boards also means there are more seams in a floor to take up movement.
