One of the most popular solutions for interior decoration, especially in the bathroom and in the kitchen, has recently become a warm floor. In addition to the fact that ceramic tile itself is a very reliable coating, resistant to high humidity and all kinds of pollution, the heated floor creates a feeling of comfort and coziness.
According to the type of heating element used, heated
floors are hydraulic (water) and electric. The latter, in turn, are cable and film.
The cable electric floor is mounted inside the screed, and the film floor can be laid directly on top of it. Installation of an electric heating element is much simpler than water heating , since the technology for installing a water heated floor implies the complete removal of not only the old flooring, but also screeds. In addition, this design is rather cumbersome and takes up a lot of space, and special permission is required to install it.
Installation instructions for underfloor heating
Perhaps the best option for a warm floor in combination with ceramic tiles are electric heating mats, which are a fiberglass mesh to which shielded heating sections are attached. Made by the method of couplingless connection of cold and hot parts, they are a fairly reliable design. Their installation is carried out in several stages.
- Installation of a warm floor under a tile must begin with the installation of thermal insulation, which is laid on a previously prepared surface. Thermal insulation material is cut into strips with a width of 50-60 cm and the entire length of the room. The cut parts are laid on the floor surface so that the metallized part is on top, after which they are connected together using adhesive tape.
- Then, a cement screed is installed , which will become the basis of the future tile coating.
- Now the installation of the underfloor heating under the tile itself is carried out directly. To do this, it is necessary to lay the heating mats according to a pre-compiled scheme. If it is necessary to cut the fiberglass section, this must be done very carefully so as not to damage the heating cable.
- Connecting to the network and checking the health of the system. The check is carried out precisely at this stage, since subsequently, to eliminate any malfunctions, it is necessary to dismantle the entire floor covering.
- Having finished installing the warm floor under the tile, they begin laying tiles. In this case, the thickness of the layer of glue used for laying tiles should not exceed seven millimeters.
After the floor has completely dried, which takes about three weeks, you can connect electricity and enjoy comfort.
What to look for
- When choosing a foil as a heat-insulating material, make sure that the covering film is not a conductor of electricity.
- Installation of a warm floor under the tile is carried out at a distance of 10 cm from the walls.
- Before starting work on installing a warm floor, you need to make a plan in which to provide for the location of the thermostat. In addition, you need to think in advance about the places where the furniture will be installed, since its placement on a heated surface can lead to system failure.