engineered vs solid over hydronic heat

18 years ago

going crazy.. have been researching flooring and understand from most of the info that engineered floors are better over hydronic heat.

The problem is that I haven't really found anything in an engineered wood that I like. I've had a fabulous oak floor for 25 years and the floors I am looking at seem to look "fake", sound hollow and feel like something other than wood when I walk on them.

We have small ranch and floors need to rustic and be able to take a lot of abuse so I tend to favor distressed or hand scraped. I'm think being able to refinish is important also.

So, my question is this. Does anyone know of a solid wood that I can use over hydronic heat? My cabinets are alder --minwax pecan with a black wash so sort of golden. My granite is a juperana with lots of copper and grey/black so I need a wood tone in the golden/orange tones.

Any thoughts on engineerd vs. solid and recommendations would be very appreciated.

Thanks :) M

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Comments (6)

boxers
18 years ago
your not looking at the right places. I know of no one that would recommend a solid over a radiant type system. Engineered, if you find a sliced veneer are indistinguishable from a solid oak, and can be refinished. Have you looked at Anderson or Muskoka? They have lots of rustic type looks.
lazydm
Original Author
18 years ago
not sure where else to look. live in small town with limited choices.

i have looked at "palo duro" on line. they sell both solid and engineered and say either will work over hydronic. i have had them send samples but couldn't find a color that would work with my cabinets/granite.

love oak but way too much grain for my needs now. hickory seems to be good though. but, as i said before, the engineered products i have seen just don't do it for me.

doesn't someone make a good dimensionally stable kiln dried wood that would work?
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floorguy
18 years ago
Look into Owens Plank unfinished Engineered, and the get the look you want.
eandhl
18 years ago
We have pine over radiant heat. I also know of others with a variety of wood floors over radiant heat without problems.
lazydm
Original Author
18 years ago
floorguy i'll definitely take a look at owensplank---thanks

eandhl, happy to hear that hardwood really is a an option!!!
how and where did you buy your wood? was it prefinished? was there a big acclimatization period before you put it down? nailed? glued? anything i need to know, ask, think about? do you like the pine? i like the look but have heard it is vey soft--- problems with dings, dents etc?

thanks much for help....m
eandhl
18 years ago
lazydm, we are in New England in an 1870 place so wide pine was appropiate. In our kitchen we did 12 inch planks, the rest is 12-20 inch planks. Tallon Lumber. They are straight boards butted to each other. Since no edge to fit basically we just ordered boards. We faced nailed with rusted square headed nails and when the Land Ark oil hits the rust it turns them black. With pine flooring you have to be prepared for scratches/dents eventually a patina. With the oil you can just cover any deep scratches. Our radiant heat in on the the ceiling of the basement so there was no chance of hitting it with nails.
http://www.tallonlumber.com/