Correct build-up of subfloor for UFH + engineered herringbone planks?

[Ben R]

Hi all

I realise this is a tiling forum, but I'm guessing some of you lay wood too 😉

Does this look right? Joists > 18mm/25mm ply > 6mm UFH insulation boards > electric UFH > SLC > engineered herringbone planks.

Also, is there any requirement to stick the herringbone down, or can I just float it?

 

[Tommcd]

Can’t really float herringbone. I’d stick it down with F.ball B95

 

[Ben R]

Thanks for the product recommendation, I’ll check it out

Can I ask, what’s the reason herringbone can’t be floated?

 

[Tommcd]

If it’s normal tongue and groove you’ll never get the planks to stay in place. It’s difficult to get the first row to stay in place even with glue. I’m actually fitting herringbone as we speak, pic taken a few moments ago...

 

[Ben R]

Ah, I see, so the nature of having the boards at right angles to each other causes them to open up more than they normally would-? Presumably you still run PVA down the grooves, as well as using F.ball B95 to stick them down?

Looks doable, but I guess if the wife goes for the click/lock type planks, I could still float it?

You’ve made a nice start with that floor by the way

 

[Tommcd]

I’ve never used the click lock herringbone planks. Thing about floating is if it doesn’t work you haven’t lost anything anyway so worth a try. Advantage of gluing is you don’t get that hollow sound like you can get when you walk on a floating floor. I don’t pva the tongues as the planks won’t be moving anywhere when the glue’s cured but it wouldn’t do any harm if you did.

 

[Ben R]

Thanks Tom,

I think the only “question mark” I have left is whether bonding it to the subfloor will help conduct the heat from the UFH/SLC to underfoot-? (i.e. if I float it, will the UFH end up heating the thin airspace between the SLC & the floated herringbone?)

Edit: Hmm, now I’ve just read about foil UFH! Looks like I can just float the herringbone straight over the foil UFH (no SLC required to encase the UFH). What a minefield! Has anyone used method?

 

[Wes]

Hi Ben just done a herring bone plank floor today says it can be glued down or floated with glued joints didn't have under floor heating though. We put quality underlay down glued joints and floated it look good customer is also my Tile and bathroom supplier so they supplied it. Think it was Ekra engineered flooring.