Flooring Options for Underfloor Heating
Ceramic and Natural Stone Tiles:
Ceramic tiles and natural stone finishes, such as slate, marble, porcelain, terracotta, and limestone, are excellent choices for underfloor heating. These materials have low thermal resistance, making them highly effective conductors of heat. However, when installing tiles over underfloor heating, consider the following:
- Ensure proper expansion gaps are maintained.
- Use adhesives that are suitable for bonding tiles to the subfloor.
- For suspended or batten floors, ensure the tiles are properly supported.
- Always follow the tile manufacturer’s installation instructions.
Laminate Flooring:
Laminate flooring has become a popular choice due to its affordability, durability, and wide range of styles that mimic wood, tile, or stone. It’s also easy to clean, scratch-resistant, and spill-resistant, making it a practical option for many homes.
Most laminate floors are compatible with underfloor heating, but it’s essential to confirm with your flooring supplier that your chosen product is suitable for use with underfloor heating systems.
Installing Underfloor Heating with Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring can be installed as a ‘free-floating’ floor over the underlay provided with our UFH system. If your laminate comes with pre-attached underlay, ensure it’s compatible by double-checking the flooring manufacturer’s guidelines. To protect the laminate, the floor temperature should generally not exceed 27°C. For areas with temperature-sensitive laminate flooring, UFH offers floor probes to help maintain safe and optimal heating conditions.
Underfloor Heating Energy Efficiency
Radiator systems are the modern-day counterpart to traditional fireplaces. They rely on your boiler or heat pump to deliver hot water at temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees Celsius, enabling them to radiate heat into the room.
In contrast, water-based underfloor heating operates differently. Imagine a massive radiator seamlessly spread across your entire floor. This system covers the full floor area, allowing it to efficiently distribute heat using much lower water temperatures, typically between 35 and 45 degrees Celsius. This makes underfloor heating a top choice for energy efficiency and sustainability.
Underfloor Heating
Cut down on heating costs, manage your comfort, and future-proof your home.