Hello, I am new to this forum, and am very thankful that I found it.

I have different hardwood floor application and would like input from any person out there.

My husband and I have lived in an RV since our retirement in 2004. We currently have heated tile and carpeting in our coach.

We have been doing research for about 6 months trying to get the best options for replacing our flooring. We originally intended to replace all the flooring with a completely heated granite floor throughout the coach.

I discovered I could put wood over radiant heat. This made me very happy as wood is more beautiful than granite in my eyes. Now I will explain HOW I plan on accomplishing my goal and hope all of you will tell me where I have fallen short in either research or planning.

A............Everything must be emptied from the coach, all couches and everything that can come out. The floor will be cleaned and sanded to repair any damage done while removing the existing floor and radiant heat system.

B............The new radiant heat mats (3 total)....custom made for the coach to prevent any cold spots....will be installed in a thin concrete base..........this will be allowed to dry and cure for several weeks with the radiant heat system on.

C.............A moisture barrier, sound reduction underlayment called "Eco Silent Sound HD" will be layed with a urethane glue, possibly "Mapei Eco 995" over the radiant heat system.

D.............After that dries......the wood, a 3 inch wide, 3/8 inch thick engineered American Walnut with a VERY thick wear layer (almost 1/2 the thickness of the flooring) will be glued down with the same glue used to apply the Eco Silent Sound HD. I am not sure what you call the design I want the floor laid in. It is slanted from side to side as you walk into the coach.

The flooring is being custom milled by a mill in Sacramento California. I found this mill while doing research at Emerson Hardwood Flooring located in Eugene Oregon. The flooring is guaranteed over radiant heat................the Eco Silent Sound HD is guaranteed over radiant heat, as is the glue. The radiant heat system is manufactured In Portland Oregon by Aries Engineering and is the system, although a different configuration, I have currently in my coach.

Any thoughts on anything? Please feel free to advise me, give me opinions....I just want to do this as perfectly as possible ( an installer familiar with coaches is doing the install).....although it is very unusual to have real wood in an RV and they have NEVER put anything but granite or tile over radiant heat....this will be the first...........they have done many laminant floors in coaches, but I insist on real wood.

Thank you ahead of time for all your thoughts and input, I welcome it all

MCB

I would only have one concern about the installation, thats the glue !!! when floor heats up will the glue give off smell ,you might wont to ck this out with Manufacture being in such small area thats my only concern. I love idea of wood being installed on diagonal , gives more custom look to your rv .best of luck with your project tom wentzwood Phoenix Arizona

The glue I looked at...Mapei ECO 995......I was TOLD it had NO OUT GASSING......

I assumed that meant little odor. This is very important since my husbands lungs are compromised.

We are out of the coach now and will remain out until there is no smell....but if anyone out there can give me a better recommendation, I am open to it all.

The goal is to create a warm dry interior with as little dust etc as possible.

Thank you for your input.
MCB

I called Mapei today after reading your response.

They explained to me that all urethane glues are petroleum based and they all smell until they are covered with the flooring and dry.

In addition, she said all urethane glues continue to have a very slight smell even when dry, if exposed.....but as long as they are covered by flooring we should not be able to smell anything.

She went on to say most people never notice a smell. The only time they have ever had a complaint is when the urethane glue is left uncovered, or is wet.

She said as long as the radiant heat was not taken over 85 degrees she did not believe there would be a problem......

She also said I could use a water based glue if I changed underlayment....The underlayment (Eco Silent Sound HD) I have selected is made from recycled tires and high density polyurethane foam using soybean polyols and vegetable oils....which can not use a water base glue

A wood floor over radiant heat is not suppose to be heated over 80 degrees...keep preferably in the 70's from what I have read.

And yes, an RV is a very small space

I thought I had addressed everything, but your question made me wonder. Anymore input from anyone...please

Thank you again
MCB