The debate over solid wood flooring versus engineered wood flooring for use with underfloor heating rages.

Although it is possible to lay solid wooden flooring over underfloor heating it is important to know the reasons why it may not be the best option.

The main point to realise is that a wooden floor is subject to expansion and contraction, depending on the amount of moisture in the local environment. Solid hardwood boards will contract during winter months when heating systems create a much drier atmosphere, and expand during the summer when heating is turned off and there is more moisture in the air. This expansion and contraction is magnified when using underfloor heating as the wood is subject to a higher than usual temperature and degree of moisture loss.

There are a number of ways to try to avoid the unsightly gapping created by this excessive expansion:

• Use narrow width boards
• Have the flooring kiln dried to a lower than normal moisture content 7-9%
• Dry install the floor for a few months (fit the boards together without fixing them down) before fixing it permanently
• Run the underfloor heating all year round

These options will help to avoid the wood shrinking once installed. The constant heating will help ensure the wood does not take on moisture. Obviously, this is costly and not particularly eco-friendly, and can be very unpleasant on hot summer days, but it will help to maintain constant moisture content in the wood.

This entire rigmarole can be avoided by choosing an Engineered Wooden Floor. The construction of these floor boards with a ply cross core and 14mm backing stabilises them making them 70% more stable and therefore ideal for fitting over underfloor heating. With a 6mm hardwood wear layer this engineered floor has the same life as a solid wooden floor, as a solid floor can only be refurbished to the level of the tongue and groove of the board.

Engineered flooring is available in either wide floorboards or random width boards, both as long planks. It comes prefinished or unfinished. It therefore can be stained or finished to match existing wood beams, furniture etc already in your home – in fact,  all the same options you are given with a solid floor. The underfloor heating can be run when, and for however long it is required with the safe knowledge it will not affect the flooring.

The pros for the use of engineered wooden flooring heavily outweigh the cons in this debate over which is the best flooring for use with underfloor heating. It also has the added bonus of being far more environmentally friendly as it uses only a third of the slower growing hardwoods than a solid hardwood floor, and will not require additional heating to combat expansion during the summer months.

Livinghouse Engineered Flooring is available in all popular hardwoods.