Warm floor under the laminate: how to choose and install their own hands

Contents

1. Underfloor heating systems that can be laid under

• laminate flooring Main advantages of underfloor heating systems

Which underfloor heating system is better to choose for installation under the laminate flooring

• Electric underfloor heating( cable floor)
• Under floor heating
• DUnderfloor heating systems for laying under the laminate

Instructions for the self-installation of a heated floor under the laminate( for example, film heated floor)

Which laminate is suitable for underfloor heating?

Underfloor heating systems that can be laid under

laminate There are many advantages of laminate over other floor coverings. This is its affordability in financial terms, unlike the floorboard, which requires a considerable budget. Although the laminate is not as durable as parquet, it still has a good service life. The simplicity of its installation makes it easy to replace some part of the coating, which is deformed and it is easy to return the original look to the laminated floor without spending much money on it, as is the case with the parquet floor. For those who decide to install a warm floor system in their home, the final coating of laminated panels will be the best choice.

In order to better understand which floor heating system to choose, let's take a closer look at each of the existing options in more detail. The modern construction market today offers three main types of underfloor heating, which have different types of structural solutions, but are equally well suited for laying under the laminate flooring.

• Electric heated floor( cable floor) - this heating system is based on the principle of converting electrical energy into heat through special heating elements that are evenly distributed over the floor surface and heat the room. Installation of a cable heat-insulated floor does not demand special expenses and separate additional systems, just "turn on the socket" and adjust the intensity of heating depending on the ambient temperature.
• Water heated floor - this type of heating system is based on the principle of heat exchange of circulating heated fluid( water) through special tubes with floor covering. Tubes are placed in the same way as in the first case - evenly over the entire floor area, under the floor covering. This is one of the most cost-effective options, since water can be heated by a gas boiler, rather than by electricity, which is more expensive. This option is suitable for people who are accustomed to save.
• Infrared heat-insulated floor - this technology works on the principle of converting electrical energy into infrared radiation, that is, thermal.

Main advantages of warm floor systems

• All three types of underfloor heating have common positive characteristics, which consist in uniform heating of the entire space of the room, thanks to the impressive area of ​​the “radiator”, that is, the heating elements themselves.
• The second positive aspect is compatibility with any design solution that will be implemented indoors, because such a heating system will not be visible under the laminate floor.
• Another positive feature is the lack of “cold zones” and uniform heating with the direction of heat from the floor to the ceiling. This gives a more efficient heating and with properly implemented insulation of the house or apartment will be quite economical in terms of the cost of electricity or gas.

What is the best floor heating system to choose for laying under

laminate? Let's take a closer look at each type of underfloor heating and consider their capabilities and design features in more detail. Since each of them has its positive and negative sides. This will help you to better understand what type of underfloor heating is best suited for laying under laminate flooring.

Electric underfloor heating( cable floor)

Electric or cable underfloor heating has a construction consisting of two layers.

1. The first , of which is the special shielding thermal insulation , which does not allow heat to go to the base of the floor and will retain heat in the room. With proper and high-quality installation of insulation and the use of expensive building materials, heat savings may be about 10-15% or even more.
2. The second layer of the is the actual heating elements themselves in the form of a cable, which is evenly distributed over the entire floor area and fixed to a special grid, then a thin cement or concrete mortar is poured in from above.

This is a very easy to assemble floor, which the assembles within a few hours of the , thanks to its uncomplicated construction and ease of connection to the power supply. The thickness of the screed of the heating element varies from 3 to 6 centimeters. Also feature is a very precise adjustment of the degree of heating up to one degree and minutes. This will allow you to control the flow of electricity and turn the heating on or off at will.

Although adjusting the intensity of heating is a big plus, it still consumes an electric( cable) floor quite a lot of electricity. The disadvantage is the fact that there is a possibility of overheating of the heating system cable and, as a result, it can burn out. But it all depends on the quality of the installation of a heated floor and the use of high-quality building materials. This design is easily combined with the laminate flooring and in case of any problems you can easily unmount and fix the damage.

Water heated floor

This type of underfloor heating, unlike the previous version, has a more complex structure, since pipes used in hot water are used as a heating element. This requires additional costs for waterproofing and an additional piping system for connecting to equipment that will heat this water. Heating equipment is a gas boiler or an electric heating boiler, the installation of which also requires financial expenditures.

The water floor system consists of four layers.

1. The first of which is a waterproofing protection, which cuts off the water pipes from the base of the floor to the .Waterproofing protection acts as a safety barrier in case of breakthrough tubes, which happens very rarely, but it can happen.
2. The second layer is a heat-insulating layer, which creates a screen of heating elements and does not allow heat to go to the base of the floor.
3. The next third layer is the actual heating pipe system or heating circuit.
4. And the last layer is a layer of cement screed or self-leveling compound.

The advantages of the underfloor heating are its independence from the electricity , unless, of course, the water is heated by equipment that runs on electricity. Indeed, in the event of a power outage, the heating will stop. If the circulation of hot water stops, for whatever reason, the water will give off heat for quite a long time.

The disadvantage of this type of heated floor is the thickness of the heating element, which can reach 15 centimeters, which is very difficult to create a screed, because such a plate will be difficult to make, which will require significant financial costs. There is also a risk of a breakthrough in the heating circuit and the formation of an undesirable flood that can ruin relations with the neighbors below if you live in a high-rise building. Or damage decorative coating, in our case the laminate. Therefore, manufacturers of laminated panels are not advised to use their products as a finishing layer in water floor heating. But it all depends on the quality of building materials and the professionalism of the craftsmen who will install the floor heating.

Infrared warm floor

The main feature of this type of underfloor heating is its construction, which is an film consisting of infrared heating elements. Unlike cable or pipe systems, it is easy to install and does not require special fixings or other additional building materials, for example, to create a screed. At installation of an infrared heat-insulated floor creation of a coupler is not required and the finishing decorative coating can be laid on top, which is very convenient and quick.

This floor consists of three layers:

1. The first of which is an screen made of penofola or penoizol , is a layer of foil and foamed polymer, which does not allow heat to escape to the floor overlap and leaves it indoors.
2. The second layer is the film itself with infrared heating elements that are very easily and quickly mounted on the floor.
3. Well, the last layer is the finishing coating.

The efficiency of such a floor is very high and has an efficiency of about 90 percent , since there is no screed and the small thickness of the entire system, which is only 2-3 centimeters, which allows heat to pass freely through the finishing coating of the laminate in the room.

It should be noted that the energy consumption of an infrared heated floor is much lower than that of a cable heater, but the heating film itself is more expensive than a system of heating wires. Also, the advantage is easy replacement of the damaged sections of the infrared film, which, in case of a break, does not break down at any place over the entire floor surface, as is the case with cable floor heating.

Such a warm floor will be easily combined with the laminate floor, as it allows you to lay it directly on the infrared film of the heater. Manufacturers position this floor, as an ideal solution for laying laminate on it. Often the way it is, it all depends on the quality and strength of the infrared film. After all, with a strong pressure on the laminate floor, the heating elements of the film may be damaged, which may lead to rupture, so this should also be taken into account when choosing a warm floor on the infrared principle.

A few tips on choosing the best floor heating system for laying under

laminate In principle, each of the three types of underfloor heating described above can be used under the floor laminate flooring. The main thing is that the quality of materials and professional skills of specialists who will install a warm floor and laminate, have a high level. In order to avoid the unpleasant consequences of , you should not save on building materials and try to use products that use new developments with which manufacturers improve their products.

• The most advanced in this regard is the film underfloor heating, which is best suited for laying under the laminate. The main advantages of this type of underfloor heating are low power consumption, unlike cable underfloor heating, simplicity and ease of installation of the entire system, does not heat the laminate flooring above 26 degrees, which can cause the formation of formaldehyde vapor, which is often used by laminate manufacturers, in their productionproducts. But the more expensive types of floor laminate are environmentally friendly, so the last factor should not be given much importance.
• The electric( cable) floor is also a good and efficiently warms the room of the , but it is more difficult to install and in some cases can be more expensive than a film underfloor heating. However, when creating a screed, the cable system does not damage the load, which will come from furniture or heavy equipment, but it can damage the film system. But it all depends on the correct installation and quality of materials, as well as a significant budget will allow you to purchase products from the best manufacturers.
• Water floor is undesirable to install under the laminate flooring, as there is a risk of breakthrough water pipes, which are mounted on the entire area of ​​the room. But here the same situation, if everything is done at a high level, there will be no problems. Moreover, water heated floor is considered the most cost-effective, as heating water with gas is much cheaper than using electricity.

Instructions for self-installation of a heated floor under the laminate( for example, film heated floor)

Each type of underfloor heating requires its own approach to laying it on the surface, but the main thing is to follow the basic rules that must be followed for more efficient and safe use of this type of heating. For example, let's consider the laying of infrared film underfloor heating, which fits the laminate floor best. But this is not necessary, because other types of warm floors also have their advantages.

1. The first stage of the is to first prepare the floor surface, that is, leveling and removing all defects, such as cracks or through holes. Infrared film, like other types of warm floors, requires a perfectly flat surface, so this is an important stage of the work. The ideal would be to use a finished self-leveling cement mortar screed.
2. The second stage of the is a further layer of penofol or penoizol, which is a shielding heat insulator, one side of which is made of foil coating, onto the prepared surface that has been leveled. This heat insulating material prevents the loss of heat that can sink to the base of the floor. This stage is carried out after the complete drying of the screed, which should have a perfectly flat surface.
3. The third stage of the is the installation of a heated floor when laying the infrared heating film. When installing the infrared floor, you should unfold the roll and divide it into strips that must correspond to the dimensions required for the zone being warmed. The film is laid with the copper side down to the insulating layer. The distance between the strips should be at least 10 millimeters, and the distance between the stripe and the wall should be 50 millimeters. You should also consider the length of the band, which has limitations.
   If the width of the infrared film strip is 80 centimeters, then the length should not exceed 10 meters.
   If it is 50 centimeters, then you can use a 13-meter long strip.
4. The fourth stage of the is the connection of the terminal clamps, which is easy to make with pliers. Contacts are usually located at the baseboard on the copper side of the infrared heating film. Contacts that have not been used should be insulated with special bitumen mastic.
   Next, you should install the temperature sensors by attaching them to the contacts and hide the line behind the plinth. After all the lines are connected to the contacts together with the temperature sensors, connect to the control unit.
5. The fifth stage of the is the finishing stage, which involves laying laminate or other flooring. Read more about laying laminate here.

Which laminate is suitable for floor heating?

When choosing a laminate for underfloor heating, you should consider the heat load that will come from these systems of room heating. After all, the laminate flooring can be deformed along the line of joints, which will lead to damage to the floor surface and spoil the aesthetics of the interior. Modern types of laminate are divided into classes, which speak about the durability of the coating and its durability, it also shows its resistance to temperature changes and indicates the service life.

• Laminate class 31 has an average strength and will last about 10 years. It can be used in offices with a small number of visitors and at home, where it is best suited.
• The next highest class is 32 .It can be used in offices with medium traffic, as well as in hospitals and schools. The service life is about 15 years.
• The next class is 33 , which has excellent strength and wear resistance, and also resists well the temperatures emitted by the warm floor. It can be used in high traffic areas. Some manufacturers give a lifetime warranty on their laminate 33 class.

From this it can be seen that for a warm floor is better suited laminated coating of the highest class , to avoid unpleasant consequences.