The answer is yes, but if a room has under floor heating, it is doubly important that it be properly installed to allow for expansion and contraction. We are able to supply manufacturers' technical specifications regarding underfloor heating.

No. You should never wet mop your wood floor. Standing water left after wet mopping can dull your finish, damage the wood, and leave unsightly discoloring. If you happen to spill water on your floor, clean it up as quickly as possible. If massive amounts of water leak out onto the floor, such as a dishwasher that has leaked, it might damage the floor to the point where it would need to be replaced. Most homeowners insurance companies would cover the repairs needed if this were to happen.

This is possible but there are a number of extra steps involved. All underfloor heating cables require fully encapsulating. The application of a leveling compound screed will be necessary to prepare the heated floor prior to laying the underlay and laminate flooring.

Yes, you can install a 3/4'' or 9/16'' solid wood floor over a radiant heating system, provided you know how the latter works and how it may react to flooring. Solid wood floors installed over such a system must meet certain specifications and recommendations.

It is very easy to clean a Pre-finished hardwood floor. Simply dust mop, sweep, or vacuum (vacuum should have rubber wheels so not to scratch the floor). Most flooring dealers also sell cleaning kits, which come with a mop as well as an approved cleaner. If you are not sure which cleaner is appropriate for your floor, contact your local dealer for assistance.

Radiant floor heating is a comfortable and efficient form of heating where warm water circulates through flexible, specially designed tubing (PEX) installed under the floor. The heat radiates evenly up through the floor warming people and objects in the room and providing more comfort for less money.

All units carry a 10 year manufacturers warranty, however, if installed and used correctly the life-span is unlimited. It will easily last as long as your floor covering.

We would prefer that you did not. Floor heating systems are professionally installed through our trained personnel.

One method is to use hot water pipes placed below the floor. The water tubing is connected to a water boiler. The hot water from the boiler is circulating through the tubing to generate the radiant heat. Hydronic systems require maintenance for pumps and valves, are difficult to use for smaller areas and for retrofits in an existing home. Another alternative is the use of electric cables. These systems are fixed wattage and carry higher voltage (100V - 230V).

It's not difficult at all! The pipe is really easy to handle because of its metal core and it is simply laid out as per the AutoCAD drawings Unipipe provide. There are no joints to be made in the floor and the manifolds, which the pipes are connected to, are pre-assembled and just need fixing to the wall. Unipipe will also provide schematic layouts showing interconnection to boilers, cylinders etc. to ensure compatibility.

Yes, the control systems and design allow hotter water for radiators, towel rails, whilst cooler water flows to the floors.

No, it is a common misconception that this is the case; your floor heating system is turned on and off to suit your needs by the controls.

This will depend on the U Value of your room. This is an industry term for the total measure of resistance of each component that makes up the fabric of the building. Simply put, this means that old buildings will lose heat faster than modern buildings where the latest materials are incorporated. Insulation will go a long way towards offsetting these drawbacks, helping to retain the heat within the room.

Cablewarm underfloor cable heating mats are manufactured from twin conductor, thin profile (3mm), double insulated and earth braided heating cables attached to a 500 mm open weave mat backing at 70mm centres to produce a standard 160 watts per square metre (W/m² ) output.

Each installation is controlled by a programmable, digital thermostat. This will look after your day to day, on and off requirements to your own individual settings.

Ceramic tiles and ceramic encaustic tiles can be used with an under-floor heating system as they are superb conductors and retainers of heat and, having been fired to around 1,100F degrees, there is no risk of them cracking. Conversely, carreaux de ciments tiles are unsuitable for under-floor heating systems as they are in the first instance cured rather than fired and would likely be too thick for heat to dissipate effectively anyway.

The natural characteristics of wood include the grain pattern, dark gray or black marks and knots of various sizes. They are a result of the growth process of a particular species and are influenced by sunlight, soil and climate. Minerals can appear in several forms such as a light gray streak across a board to black lines in the grain. The same holds true for grain patterns and knots.

Cupping, or "washboard". Across the width of one piece of the flooring material, the edges are high, the center is lower. Generally develops gradually. Moisture imbalance through the thickness is the only cause. The material was manufactured flat and was flat when installed. Job site or occupant provided moisture is greater on the bottom of the piece than on the top. Find the source of moisture and eliminate it.

Depending on the type of flooring, it is usually graded from clear being the best - to #2 common, know as a rustic grade. CLICK HERE for an example.

Never damp mop a waxed floor. When cleaning a surface-finished floor, follow the manufacturer's recommendations. You may generally use a dampened (near dry) mop to maintain a wood floor, however excessive moisture will cause damage. Standing water can dull the finish, damage the wood, and leave a discoloring residue. If water spills on a wood floor, immediately wipe it up with a clean cloth.

Yes, Bruce offers several suggestions. If you have a minor chip or slightdamage, we offer a color-blended filler. Our touch-up kits take care of several different issues, such as scratches and chips. If the damage is severe enough, you can have individual boards replaced.

Correctly fitted and maintained a solid wood floor will last a lifetime, but correct fitting is crucial.

Three grades relate to the floors visual appearance only and not to quality. Select is the highest grade. It is knot-free, giving floors with uniform colour and texture. These floors command the highest prices, but some people find them monotonous. The cheapest grade is Rustic, where there may be small knots and colour variations in the wood. This can make for a lively, interesting floor full of character and in no ways impairs the quality. It depends what effect you want.

With all wood floors it's just a simple question of running a damp mop over them as part of your normal house cleaning routine.

Yes. However, tile will not bond directly to a wood floor. We recommend the following methods to prepare your wood floor for tile installation: Install Schluter Ditra, from Schluter Systems, with a latex thinset. Then install the tile using a non-latex thinset.

Answer: In most cases if a person has basic carpentry skills they can install a hardwood floor themselves. The only equipment needed is a hammer, nail set, and a table-saw. Some installation methods require use of other equipment, check with your retailer.

This really depends on the type of wood floor you have, the finish you have and how deep the scratches are in the top layer. For small minor scratches in a urethane finish you should be able to order a touch-up kit from the store you purchased the flooring from. Be sure to use the manufacturer's recommended finish products and test first by applying a small amount in an out of the way area. For deep scratches you will probably have to have a professional do a screen and recoat.

Some of the better quality engineered wood floors have a 1/8" thick finish layer and can be sanded and refinished 1 or maybe 2 times. The sanding and refinishing of an engineered wood floor is best done by an experienced hardwood flooring refinisher. If you have heat vents in your floor you can remove a heat cover to get a side view of your wood floor. This will help you check to see how thick you finish layer is.

Gapping in solid wood floors cannot be stopped completely. Wood expands and contracts with changes in humidity. Using a humidifier during the heating months may help reduce the amount of gapping in solid wood floors. Also, some wood species may gap expand and contract less than others. Engineered wood floors are much more dimensionally stable than solid wood floors and will show little or no gaps between planks.

The low surface temperature that an underfloor heating system generates should never reach a temperature that could cause damage to your floor surfaces.