What flooring to choose for underfloor heating: how to avoid mistakes
The warm floor is wonderful in terms of the fight against drafts, dampness and cold at the feet, isn't it? But the installation of a warm floor system is not as complicated as the proper selection of a floor covering for it. After all, it is important not only tactile comfort for the legs, but also safety for health, agree. Therefore, we suggest you to understand in detail what is possible and what cannot be put on water pipes or an infrared film, and what are the consequences of all this.
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Underfloor heating system: heats or creates comfort?
First of all, we remind you that the "warm floor" was originally created for comfort, and not as a separate heating element. So, even in SNiPs it is indicated that the surface temperature of such a floor should not exceed 29 ° C. And for a water floor, it should not exceed 50 ° C.
So, foreign manufacturers of flooring also often warn that you should not heat the laminate over 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Translated, this is 29.44 ° C. But, the temperature of the warmest floor is not equal to the temperature of the laid laminate. And only one laminate is suitable, then up to 7 mm thick. The thicker - the worse it will let heat through.
And now a little physics. From underfloor heating in a private house or apartment, only one thing is required: to give more heat per square meter than the room is losing on the same area. But at the finish - the thermal conductivity is different, and they affect the final result in their own way. So, ceramic tiles conduct heat much better than laminate or parquet, and carpet is the worst.
Video: how to choose a floor covering for underfloor heating
Especially carefully you need to choose a floor covering for a water floor - its temperature is not so easy to adjust. For example, if you accidentally overheat an electric or infrared warm floor, it is not difficult to cool it quickly by quickly turning it off, but the water in the pipes can stay hot for quite a while. And during this time, the same flooring can have time to completely deteriorate from the inside.
But, if the floors in your house are so cold that even stepping on the carpet is unpleasant, then the underfloor heating system underneath is still advisable. Only before laying on top of the carpet, be sure to find out about its composition.
Thus, in order not to make a mistake, we suggest you buy materials only in trusted places, for example, we recommend the Gipostroy online store - here you will be offered a large assortment of floor coverings at good prices. Just keep in mind that any warm floor system is first accurately calculated, and only then installed. And the thermal conductivity of the finishing floor material is taken into account in the first place.
An interesting point: the more glue in the material, the lower the temperature has its negative effect.
Laminate: is it always safe?
And here a paradox arises: most laminate manufacturers point to their products that they cannot be used with a warm floor, but film manufacturers not only allow, but also recommend.But a laminate specifically designed for such a system has high thermal conductivity.Those.it is a laminate with a special symbol.
It's all about the material. So, it is impossible to lay a laminate on a film floor heating, which has a more porous structure, and moisture-repellent or binder impregnation is not resistant to constant cycles of heating and cooling. If you still put such a laminate - it will soon crack and begin to diverge at the seams.
You can lay the laminate on a warm water floor. It is only important to purchase a substrate special for this, the laminate itself needs at least class 32, and adjust the heating to 30 ° C. After installation, turn on the system, and install the transition bars only after two weeks. Just photograph the fixed pipes of the warm floor even before pouring the screed, otherwise it will be difficult for the carpenter to figure out where to drill.
Although usually under the laminate do not underfloor heating, but under the film. Moreover, the infrared floor itself must be laid directly on the substrate - and not under it. Like this:
And now about the danger. That’s why the myth is bad that you can buy the simplest and cheapest laminate and lay it on the underfloor heating system: in this case, no one is now immune from poisoning. Any laminate, even when it is cold, releases a small amount of formaldehyde from the MDF board - within the limits of the allowed norm. But when heated above 26 ° C, this process is already two, three times faster. And in a poorly ventilated room with such a floor, a person can feel the real symptoms of poisoning: headache, nausea and airway inflammation. That’s why it’s important to carefully select the flooring - you don’t need a “silent killer” in your own house? After all, no manufacturer will be held responsible for the fact that you used his product for other purposes. After all, there wasn’t a mark on the laminate allowing it to be placed on the warm floor? So, it was impossible to put.
Wood
So, natural wooden floors can only be heated from systems to 27 ° C. From higher temperatures, any tree will dry out. Just adjust the heating system in advance so that the level does not exceed 2/3 of the total power. In any case, immediately after laying on full, heating cannot be switched on - only gradually, over several days.
Also, be careful when choosing fiberboard as a substrate (for example, under a PVC film). For example, in Russia they produce such a kind as soft fiberboard. It is environmentally friendly, has a high specific capacity (2.3 kJ / kg * K) and low heat conductivity (0.042 W / m * K). This is a wonderful substrate on a cold concrete and completely unsuitable layer between the underfloor heating system and the floor covering.
Parquet and engineering board
You can use a modern engineering board for a warm floor system, but only the floor itself will not be able to heat very much. But such practice in construction exists. Take one that is not thicker than 16 mm and a width of not more than 150 mm. So it warms up much better. You can also use engineering flooring. Price - within 2500-3000 p.
Parquet board is also a suitable option, only it must be laid exclusively floating method:
In choosing a parquet board for these purposes, give preference to the one that is coated with oil rather than varnish. Suitable for underfloor heating and adhesive cork, 4 mm thick.
Ceramic tile: dispel myths
The most suitable floor covering of all existing is a ceramic tile. It is almost 100% environmentally friendly and easily tolerates numerous heating-cold cycles.
But tile and porcelain stoneware also have some minus. The fact is that too tangible heat is not at all as good for the legs, as manufacturers sometimes want to imagine. Yes, for those who often get cold and get a cold from just touching the foot with a cold - this is the way out. But it’s not necessary to install it in the nursery. After all, the younger generation is mobile, playful and at 18 ° C feels great. But in greenhouse conditions, children get sick more often, they are always irritated and quickly get tired.Just do an experiment someday.
If ceramic tiles suit you as the floor covering most of all, you can finish it with all floors in the apartment. Just choose the right pattern: wood, stone or a certain pattern. And here is the styling process:
In addition, this temperature has a beneficial effect on the reproduction of many types of bacteria, so that the microclimate will also not be healthy soon. It is not without reason that in pre-schools in Canada, underfloor heating is completely prohibited, and in France their use is limited. That’s why you don’t try to make the floor warm, with a temperature of 30 ° C - just make it comfortable, and a dense board will only contribute to this.
Fashionable unusual coatings: what is the advantage?
But ordinary tiles are also bad because in the summer they are still cool, and walking barefoot is unpleasant. What can not be said about modern Pvc tile - It costs not much, it looks beautiful, and heats well without underground pipes. And with a warm floor system - even better. And, at the same time, it’s also nice to walk on such a surface in the summer.
Well also raise the heat from the system modern Self-leveling floors - they can even be made with fashion 3D technology. The installation process is also quite simple:
Natural stone is also good and it really appears today even in apartments.
Which flooring is definitely not suitable?
In no case should you use materials that are not compatible with underfloor heating. And manufacturers knowingly write about it on their product. For example, bamboo flooring cannot be used - it will deteriorate immediately. Neither bamboo flooring nor bamboo carpet. And classic parquet does not tolerate heat very well - it bursts with time and forms serious cracks. We also do not recommend using linoleum.
The point is not only that the same laminate or parquet board will dry out quickly due to heat, but also that under certain conditions they can release harmful substances into the air. That is why, by the way, the floor covering which is intended for warm floors is always more environmentally friendly. And it is better that which does not just allow such exploitation, but is recommended for it. And that is important.
Hope
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