Floor coverings
Underfloor heating can be used with a wide range of floor types – even carpet.
Underfloor heating is often associated with tile, stone or wooden flooring. Whilst these are some of the most popular floor types to be used, underfloor heating is actually really versatile and can be used underneath a wide range of floor types.
Choosing the right solution
Wooden floors
Underfloor heating can work well with wooden floors. The underfloor heating system will gently heat your wooden floor and can actually prevent wooden floors cupping.
However, it is essential to choose a floor with compatible thermal properties which can cope with the changing floor temperatures. We advise you liaise with the flooring manufacturer before installation.
Laminate flooring
Most laminate flooring is suitable to use with underfloor heating and is most popularly used in kitchens and bathrooms. Laminate works well as it isn’t thermally resistive and transfers heat around the room well. Similarly to carpets, it’s important to ensure that the underlay used has low thermal resistance and again, we do recommend checking with the flooring manufacturer to ensure suitability.
Engineered boards
Compatible with underfloor heating, engineered boards have naturally progressed from laminate and solid wood flooring. If the engineered boards are less than 20mm thick then they need to be supported and fixed to additional decking in order to provide structural strength.
Carpet & rugs
Underfloor heating can be used with a wide range of floor types – even carpet. However you need to ensure that the carpet you use doesn’t act as an insulator which then blocks the heat. We recommend that the combined tog rating of both carpet and underlay shouldn’t exceed 2.5 and that the underlay on its own is no thicker than 1 tog. Your carpet retailer can advise on tog ratings if you are unsure.
Tile
Tile is one of the best types of flooring to use with underfloor heating. Not only is it naturally cold underfoot, making a real difference from a luxury point of view but its high thermal conductivity means that the heat makes its way to the surface really quickly. Tiles with lower thickness work best and are the most compatible floor covering for underfloor heating.
Stone
Stone and heavier flooring is compatible and has high thermal conductivity, meaning that the heat from the underfloor heating pipe or wire transfers to the floor surface quickly. Stone will also retain heat well, improving the efficiency of your system.
