Warm floors under laminate on concrete floors: design nuances + detailed installation instructions
Maximum efficiency from the heating system can be achieved by operating a complex of various heating devices.For example, if, along with traditional radiators, you use STP (underfloor heating system) - an effective heating option that many install on their own.
The article we have proposed discusses in detail how to lay a heated floor under a laminate on a concrete floor. We have presented common and simple solutions that are popular among practical owners. Do-it-yourselfers will find assembly and connection instructions here.
Warm floors are becoming more and more popular, since it has become possible to do all the stages - from the rough screed (concrete base) to the final decorative coating - with your own hands. If the base of the floor in the apartment is a smooth concrete surface, installing the STP is not difficult.
Laminate has some advantages over other types of finishes. It is suitable for all types of electric and water floors, provided that a smooth surface, without differences or protrusions, is provided for laying the elements.
The concrete base provides the level surface needed to lay the heating elements, while the laminate absorbs and transfers heat efficiently and evenly
If you choose the combination of FSW + laminate, you need to analyze the installation conditions, make preliminary calculations, and then select materials:
high-quality laminate that does not deform over time due to high temperatures;
elements of underfloor heating, most suitable for specific conditions.
For example, if you live in a standard city apartment, then you should immediately abandon water floors. Installation of systems connected to central communications is prohibited. However, for a private house, which is heated by a gas boiler, this will be one of the most successful solutions.
When choosing laminate as a finishing coating, you have the opportunity to easily and quickly change the interior in the future.
A tired or worn-out laminate can be replaced with a softer carpet, easy-to-clean linoleum or another type of floor covering, without fundamentally changing anything in the heated floor system, except perhaps for installing another layer - plywood.
What is the basis for choosing a heated floor system?
Since the concrete base and laminate provide maximum freedom in choosing FSW, we will consider all possible options. Depending on the choice of energy source to power the heating elements of the system, there are two large categories of TP: water and electric.
Water ones are mounted both on the concrete floor and on the floor. The flooring can be wooden or polystyrene, but we will only consider a system with a cement screed. Electrical ones are most often divided into three types, but there are other classifications that are more detailed.
The main types of FSW powered by electricity include rod, cable and film types. They go well with laminate, but in some cases it requires installation of an additional leveling layer (for example, plywood)
When choosing one type or another, they rely on the characteristics of the systems and personal preferences.Cost also plays an important role, so preliminary calculations should be made. Let's say film FSW is expensive, but they are often placed directly under the finish coat, which reduces the overall cost of materials to create a multi-layer “pie”.
Let's look at different types of systems to understand the fundamental differences between them.
Taking into account the cost of the material, installation conditions and system performance, three options are recognized as the best for installation under a laminate: a water floor in a screed, a film floor under the topcoat, and a heating electric cable also embedded in the screed.
Instructions for arranging a water STP
Preferable for individual housing water system. It allows you to save electricity and use the same coolant that goes to the radiators to heat the floor. Of course, they are built according to a collector circuit, in which the floor in each room receives a coolant of almost equal temperature.
STP connection diagram.In addition to the heating circuit, for the construction of which PE-X cross-linked polyethylene pipe material is usually used, you will need a set of equipment for adjustment
Let's assume that the rough concrete floor is already ready, and it is necessary to install the STP in a separate room. In this case, it must be embedded into the finished feed system coolant, provide the ability to quickly turn off.
Step 4 - connecting the PE pipe to the heating system
Step 5 – attaching the pipe to the mesh
Step 6 - installation of equipment for adjusting the coolant supply
Step 7 - installation of metal beacons
Step 8 - laying the screed on the pipes
To prepare the cement mortar that will be poured water floor screed, use either a ready-made or homemade mixture. The ideal option is concrete grade M300.
Proper preparation of the solution, according to the instructions, eliminates drying out and the possible appearance of cracks and voids. If the surface of the screed is not perfectly smooth, after drying, you can pour a layer of self-leveling mixture 3-5 mm thick.
How to make an electric heated floor?
It is recommended to install electric floors for city dwellers who prefer to use a combined heating system. The centralized network does not always meet the expectations of apartment residents in multi-storey buildings.
But additional effective heating helps to survive the cold or create a comfortable environment in children's rooms or in other rooms where laminate flooring is installed.
Option for connecting the cable system to the thermostat and circuit breaker. To create a circuit, you can use one or more cables by making the wiring in the junction box
We recommend using proven ready-made systems. Their characteristics have been tested by the manufacturer, so there is no need to make complex calculations; just select a model according to your specific requirements power or heating area. As an example of installation, we offer photo instructions for installing an STP with a two-core Electrolux brand cable.
Step 2 - preparing the area for fixing the thermostat
Step 3 – cleaning and priming the concrete base
Step 4 – laying the thermal insulation layer and mounting tape
Step 5 - installation of heating circuits
Step 6 - Installing the Temperature Sensor
Step 7 – wall mounting of the thermostat
Step 8 – filling the cable with a tie
Besides the simplest thermostats With mechanical control, there are programmable models that are as convenient as possible for use at home. By pressing a couple of buttons, you can adjust the heating of the room by time of day and even by certain hours. Thus, significant energy savings occur.
Installation procedure for the film system
If we talk about self-installation, then film flooring has two significant advantages: it takes very little time to install (experienced builders can do it in 1 hour), the laminate is laid directly on the heating elements, bypassing the leveling layer.
If you use soft-textured carpet or linoleum as a decorative finishing coating, you will additionally need a leveling layer of plywood.
The SPTP connection diagram is quite simple: each module is connected by a pair of wires to a thermostat, which, in turn, is connected to a power line
Typically, the reflective material that serves as the substrate is laid directly on the concrete base. In the photo instructions provided, the concrete is covered with plywood, since the floor is not very level. Instead of plywood, you can use a self-leveling screed - the installation technology does not change.
Step 2 - laying heat-reflecting material like Izolon
Step 3 – gluing the strips with tape
Step 4 - installation of film heating elements
Step 5 - Install the Mounting Clips
Step 6 - Connecting Electrical Wires
Step 7 - connecting the thermostat and temperature sensor
Step 8 - installation of protective film
Protruding joints, which can complicate the laying of the laminate, are buried by cutting small holes in the substrate.
Unlike water and even cable analogues film floor installation done quickly and easily. Using instructions and diagrams, even a beginner can cope with connecting wires - this is the reason why apartment owners who are far from the construction industry like to purchase film systems.
Rules for laying laminate flooring
Whatever FSW you prefer, the finishing layer of laminate is laid using the same technology. There are several installation methods, which depend on the type of laminate chosen.
For self-installation, the “CLICK” locking system is best suited, which is based on simple snapping.
Connection diagram of two parts. You should calculate the amount of material and decide on the layout of the elements before starting work. You also need to prepare a circular saw to fit the parts.
The option with a film floor is considered the easiest to install and popular among city residents, so we present it as an example of laying laminate flooring. For the purpose of acclimatization, before installation, it is necessary to keep the material in the room where installation will take place.
Step 1 - control testing of the floor heating system
Step 2 - installation of protective coating
Step 3 - start laying the laminate
Step 4 - connecting individual parts at the end
Step 5 – arrangement of expansion joints
Step 6 - connecting parts along the long side
Step 7 - installation of fasteners for the baseboard
Step 8 - installation of the baseboard
If there are pipes in the room, then the deformation gaps around them must be masked with decorative elements. Typically, plastic fittings that match the color are used for this.
The most serious violation of the technology of laying panels is their rigid fastening. In the process of the slightest swelling or drying out, firmly fixed elements are deformed, and the locks fail.
Will introduce you to the installation of heated floors on a wooden base next article, which comprehensively examines the issues of system selection, design and project implementation.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
To take a closer look at the process of installing a heated floor and learn how to avoid serious mistakes, we suggest watching a useful video.
Practical recommendations for installing a TP under laminate:
Tips for installing film flooring in a wooden house:
How to make a concrete base - “rough screed”:
Instructions for installing STP, installing a thermostat and laying laminate:
Both the installation of FSW and the laying of laminate can be done independently. You don’t need to buy expensive tools for this; knowledge of special technologies is also not useful.
We recommend that beginners start with a film floor, while more experienced home craftsmen can handle a water system. But do not forget that, regardless of the chosen type of FSW, it is necessary to make preliminary calculations.
Would you like to talk about how you built an underfloor heating system on a concrete base with your own hands? Do you have useful information that is worth sharing with site visitors? Please write comments in the block below, ask questions about the topic of the article, and post photos.
Warm floors are such a nice thing, especially in the autumn-winter period. Moreover, they help the heating system to warm up the room in which these warm floors are installed. The only thing is that you should choose a high-quality laminate, as I understand from what I read. And so there are no particular difficulties in installation and operation. I will definitely decide to use their device someday.
Yes, underfloor heating is my main concern now. I want to create such luxury in my home. For now, I’m studying the very essence and price of the issue. Our floors are wooden. I thought that the whole thing needed to be torn down, then concreted, then pipes laid, laminate flooring laid. And here it is proposed to lay this very floor directly on a wooden one. I liked this idea. Well, half of the planned work won’t have to be done. And what kind of work, laying concrete is very difficult. And in terms of money, savings. I shared a new idea with my brother, and he laughs and says that I’m lucky, I haven’t done anything yet, but half the job is already done.
Hello. Personally, I'm skeptical of this idea, just like your brother.Wood has high flammability, a tendency to dry out and low thermal conductivity. Not to mention mobility. Although, yes, IR or electro people do it.
However, I still recommend thinking about the lower layers of the “pie” - OSB, concrete-contact, screed, TP... And you won’t have to rip out your old floor, most likely, if its condition allows it.
This is not a matter of any specific time frame. You need to watch when the screed actually dries. For some it takes a couple of weeks, for others longer. Depends on humidity and many other factors. But it must dry completely. This tile can be laid on a relatively damp screed, laminate, like parquet, only on a completely dry one. In general, it’s better to wait than to redo it later when it swells.
Hello. How good it is is difficult to answer. It is simply perfect for TP, it is recommended by experts, durable and of sufficient quality. And it’s not difficult to work with her. Among the popular models of pipes for TP, I can also suggest Valtec; these are perhaps the most popular pipes on the domestic market.
Who can tell me? I want to lay laminate flooring on a heated water floor that is screeded. The store recommends a foil backing for the laminate. I think it will trap heat under the laminate. To everyone who has encountered laying on different substrates.I would like to ask you to tell me how to do it correctly. Thank you in advance. Vladimir.
You are absolutely right about the foil backing - it is not a practical solution for your case. I don’t even know what kind of consultants work there, most likely they just want to sell what’s in the warehouse. I have caught them like this more than once, knowing in advance what I needed best from the materials, asking for advice, and they offered me a solution that was far from the most practical.
So, you need a material with high thermal conductivity (having low resistance to heat transfer) to smoothly transfer heat from the heating plate to the laminate. The task, of course, is not easy, given that most substrates are made with opposite qualities. I recommend using chemically “cross-linked” PPE, but in order for it to conduct heat better, you need to make technological holes for this.
Warm floors are such a nice thing, especially in the autumn-winter period. Moreover, they help the heating system to warm up the room in which these warm floors are installed. The only thing is that you should choose a high-quality laminate, as I understand from what I read. And so there are no particular difficulties in installation and operation. I will definitely decide to use their device someday.
Yes, underfloor heating is my main concern now. I want to create such luxury in my home. For now, I’m studying the very essence and price of the issue. Our floors are wooden. I thought that the whole thing needed to be torn down, then concreted, then pipes laid, laminate flooring laid. And here it is proposed to lay this very floor directly on a wooden one. I liked this idea. Well, half of the planned work won’t have to be done. And what kind of work, laying concrete is very difficult. And in terms of money, savings. I shared a new idea with my brother, and he laughs and says that I’m lucky, I haven’t done anything yet, but half the job is already done.
Hello. Personally, I'm skeptical of this idea, just like your brother.Wood has high flammability, a tendency to dry out and low thermal conductivity. Not to mention mobility. Although, yes, IR or electro people do it.
However, I still recommend thinking about the lower layers of the “pie” - OSB, concrete-contact, screed, TP... And you won’t have to rip out your old floor, most likely, if its condition allows it.
Do I understand correctly that after cement screeding with a heating cable you need to wait a whole month and only then lay the laminate?
This is not a matter of any specific time frame. You need to watch when the screed actually dries. For some it takes a couple of weeks, for others longer. Depends on humidity and many other factors. But it must dry completely. This tile can be laid on a relatively damp screed, laminate, like parquet, only on a completely dry one. In general, it’s better to wait than to redo it later when it swells.
Tell me, how good is the REHAU Rautherm S floor heating pipe? Is it worth overpaying for the brand or can you get by with a cheaper analogue?
Hello. How good it is is difficult to answer. It is simply perfect for TP, it is recommended by experts, durable and of sufficient quality. And it’s not difficult to work with her. Among the popular models of pipes for TP, I can also suggest Valtec; these are perhaps the most popular pipes on the domestic market.
Who can tell me? I want to lay laminate flooring on a heated water floor that is screeded. The store recommends a foil backing for the laminate. I think it will trap heat under the laminate. To everyone who has encountered laying on different substrates.I would like to ask you to tell me how to do it correctly. Thank you in advance. Vladimir.
You are absolutely right about the foil backing - it is not a practical solution for your case. I don’t even know what kind of consultants work there, most likely they just want to sell what’s in the warehouse. I have caught them like this more than once, knowing in advance what I needed best from the materials, asking for advice, and they offered me a solution that was far from the most practical.
So, you need a material with high thermal conductivity (having low resistance to heat transfer) to smoothly transfer heat from the heating plate to the laminate. The task, of course, is not easy, given that most substrates are made with opposite qualities. I recommend using chemically “cross-linked” PPE, but in order for it to conduct heat better, you need to make technological holes for this.