Installing Nailed Hardwood Over Radiant Heating Panels

Installation Guidelines for Heated Floors Under Hardwood

The following specific cautions and instructions shall be followed when installing heated floors under hardwood using Ecowarm RadiantBoard:

1. Care shall be taken to avoid nailing tubing.
2. Avoid placing hardwood floor joints directly over Ecowarm RadiantBoard joints.
3. Ensure floor nails are long enough to penetrate both the hardwood and the subfloor.
4. Hardwood floors installed directly over Ecowarm RadiantBoard shall employ controls with a reset curve, that gradually adjust water temperature going to Ecowarm RadiantBoard; the floor will expand and contract gradually with temperature changes. This will reduce the likelihood of warping, gapping or shrinkage problems. The use of a floor temperature limiting sensor is recommended.
5. It is extremely important that the designer know which way it is desired that the strip flooring be aligned prior to the design of Ecowarm RadiantBoard system, since the direction of Ecowarm RadiantBoard should run perpendicular to the direction of the strip flooring.
6. Install strip wood flooring with mallet driven nails and nails penetrating Ecowarm RadiantBoard.
7. Structure humidity shall be kept within the range specified by the flooring manufacturer.
8. The wood flooring shall be installed at the relative humidity recommended by the manufacturer for the climate involved.
9. Use narrower 2”-3 1/2” strips of wood flooring over radiant floors.
10. The lessons of local practice and climate shall be referenced.
11. Make sure the heating system has been running and space has been maintained at least 65F° long enough that temperature and humidity have stabilized to predicted future levels.
12. The flooring product shall be allowed to acclimate before installation.

Use woods that are known to be dimensionally stable.

These guidelines help ensure the optimal performance and longevity of heated floors under hardwood.