Engineered and laminate wood flooring are both multilayered wood assemblies. Engineered wood has a thicker surface that permits multiple sanding’s while laminates generally do not. Many, but not all, of these wood flooring products, are suitable and recommended by the manufacturer for use with radiant floor heat. Check with the specific manufacturer before installing. Many engineered and laminated wood flooring products have floor temperature limits that need to be observed. Do not use the flooring if they do not supply a radiant floor rating. In general, thin laminate floors are more sensitive to overheating than thicker engineered hardwoods. Bamboo laminates vary in quality and tend to be thin and susceptible to overheat conditions. It is recommended that engineered wood flooring installed over Ecowarm RadiantBoard shall employ controls that gradually adjust water temperature going to the Ecowarm RadiantBoard with a reset curve. The installation of a temperature limiting sensor can also be installed in the Ecowarm RadiantBoard to avoid potential damage to laminate hardwood from high supply water temperatures. Always install engineered wood flooring crosswise to Ecowarm RadiantBoard. Also see: Hardwood Considerations over Radiant Floor Heating
