Hardwood Flooring Over Radiant Heated Concrete

dear Tim,

How do I install
3 quater inch hardwood flooring on a outside porch???????????????????

Donald,
I would use galvanized nails...... I assume this floor will NEVER get wet, right?

DEAR TIM,
I AM CONSIDERING "BUILDING" A PERMANENT YURT OF 30" AS LONG TERM TEMPORARY HOUSING WHILE I BUILD. DO YOU SEE ANY SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR USING WOOD FLOORING OVER A RADIANT CONCRETE SLAB OTHER THAN THE CURVATURE OF THE SIDES (AND HOW TO FINISH THEM). SHOULD A SYNTHETIC SUCH AS PERGO BE A BETTER ALTERNATIVE? I BELIEVE THAT AFTER THE RADIANT SLAB WAS FINISHED, THE STRUCTURE WOULD NEED TO BE ERECTED SO THAT THE CONCRETE COULD DRY AND WOOD COULD STABILIZE WITHIN. HOW WOULD YOU SUGGEST FINISHING THE "RAW" EDGES OF THE CONCRETE/WOOD? SINCERELY, CYNTHIA CIANI

Cynthia,
You need to pose these questions to the manufacturer of the flooring you end up choosing. Not all floors play well with radiant heating and latent concrete-slab moisture.

Dear Tim,
I've installed radiant heating in concrete and under a wood floor (between the floor joist). Should I be concerned with the boiler water temperature under the wood floor or therunning through the tubing in the concrete? Sincerely, Marty

Marty,
Did you install the flooring according to the specs I outlined above? You can put the tubing in concrete.

can babmboo flooring be installed over hydronic radiant heated floors. the subfloor is wood/sleeper/sandwich pex-tubing installation method

George,
The people who make the bamboo flooring have the answer to your question.

When laminate flooring is installed over concrete with radiant heat in an older home, is it necessary or recommended to turn the heat off prior to installation?

i want to install hardwood with sleepers underneath.can you pour mud in between the sleepers.do you need to put wire down under the mud.we want to use 3/4 by 31/4 quarter sawn select red oak and install oak on top of sleepers.if you can help that would be great. thanks john

I would like to install a hardwood floor on a concrete slab. I live in Northern Jersey. I would like to install radiant heat under the floor. What do you recommend?

Dear Tim,

We are installing a concrete floor with radiant heat. This concrete floor is the finished product, no hardwood or tiles, maybe eventualy.
Where do I put the insulation? In between the joists and leave an airpocket, or on top of the plywood subfloor.
Thanks
Durk

I have a 50 year old house with nice solid oak floors and would like some advice as to whether putting tubing and radiant heat under them would cause any damage to the floors with them being so dry and stable. We live in Calgary with a similar dry climate to NM...colder with more heat needed to keep us warm

Thanks
Warren

Good morning,
We bought an 800 sq foot house with no basement and want to know if installing radiant heat floors would be possible and if yes, about how much would it cost (ball park of course).
Thanks much!
Carie

I have to install a solid hardwood floor over concrete, I know I need to use sleepers, but I can't find anywhere the distance between pieces or any other useful info. The wood will be 3 1/4" x long random lengths and the house is still being framed in.

HI I LIVE IN SOUTHWEST GA, AND MY FIANCE AND I ARE BUILDING A HOUSE WE HAVE CONCRETE FLOORS AND WERE WANTING TO PUT ENGINERED WOOD FLOORING IN. SOMEONE SAID THAT WE HAD TO HAVE A MOISTURE BERRIER. IS THAT TRUE. IT MAKES A LITTLE SINCE BUT IM NOT SURE. WE WANTED HARDWOOD TO BEGIN WITH BUT WE WERE TOLD WE COULD NOT BECAUSE OF THE CEMENT. WE DID NOT PUT A RADIANT HEATING SYSTEM IN. WE WERE ON A BUDGET.

Stacy, whenever you put a wood or laminate floor over a concrete slab, you will need a vapor barrier to keep the moisture that evaporates from the concrete away from the wood. It can be as simple as using a plastic sheet callled poly (usually 6 mil) or a 2-in-1 underpad which should have that attached to the back.