Parquet and underfloor heating: elegance plus warm feet
A pleasant feeling of home comfort and cosiness: parquet is a good choice for underfloor heating.
Parquet is more than an eye-catching feature in the room: it brings cosiness and warmth, particularly if combined with underfloor heating. This means that you can enjoy the unique feel and natural flair of parquet barefoot, even in winter.
Achieving the perfect combination of parquet and underfloor heating means considering a few points in advance: specifically, the choice of the parquet, its laying pattern and the way the underfloor heating is to be operated will have a significant influence on the flooring's longevity.
Choosing the right parquet
In general, multi-layer parquets should be preferred when choosing a floor: they swell and shrink less than solid wooden floors. However, the type of wood also has a significant effect on how long the parquet will last. Timber that swells and shrinks less is better suited for use in combination with underfloor heating because it absorbs and gives off less moisture contained in the air. These types of wood include:
- Oak
- Smoked oak
- Walnut
Parquet floors with a high level of swelling or shrinkage, such as those made of beech or maple, are a less suitable option here. They are prone to relatively more swelling and, during heating periods, you have to reckon with somewhat more expanded joints and cuppings. However, a healthy indoor climate can prevent this.
Tips for a healthy room climate
Maintain a room temperature of 20 °C to 22 °C.
Depending on the season, the relative air humidity in the room should be 30 % to 70 %.
Use air humidifiers during heating periods.
Underfloor heating should not be adjusted up or down too often.
Bauwerk parquet for installing on underfloor heating
Bauwerk parquet is well-suited for installation on underfloor heating that uses electricity or hot water. The surface temperature should, however, be adjustable, and never exceed 29°C at the surface of the parquet. Particular caution should be exercised in cold rooms: if turned up too quickly, the underfloor heating can cause significant fluctuations in the room climate, with a negative effect on the parquet.
It is also recommended that the parquet elements are fully glued down to their base: This prevents heat from lingering in the empty spaces between the screed and the parquet.
