HOW TO INSTALL FLOOR HEATING UNDER TILES

POSTED ON: FEBRUARY 22, 2022 5:30 AM
TAGS: 
CATEGORISED IN: 

WHY YOU SHOULD HAVE FLOOR HEATING UNDER TILES?


Underfloor electric heating not only heats up the room, but it also has become a popular way for people to take the chill off cold floor finishes. Speedheat’s underfloor heating system is so thin that it sits directly underneath the tile, within the tile glue or a thin screed and therefore can be used as an on-demand heating system rather than a system that has to be left on for long periods of time. Not only does this make it more cost effective to run but it also makes it very easy to install.

 

Underfloor Heating

It is said that our feet play an important role in regulating the bodies temperature. If our feet are warm, we are warm. This is a perfect example of why underfloor heating is the best option for areas where the floor finish is cold and may impact the temperature in the room. Why just have a warm room when you can have a warm room and a warm floor?!

WHAT ARE THE MATERIALS REQUIRED?


Tools & Materials Required for Under Tile Heating Installation

Tools Required Tools Required
Broom Tape measure
Chalk or pencil Chalk or pencil
Small wood/cold chisel hammer RCD Protected circuit
Scissors Contactor (if over 16A)
Cloth backed tape Insulation tape

There are no power tools required to complete an install of our underfloor heating.

WHAT IS THE INSTALLATION PROCESS FOR INSTALLING UNDERNEATH TILES?

Ensure the floor surface is smooth and dry, unpainted and free of dust, oil, grease, tar or glue residue. If installing in a bathroom/wet area, we must ensure that the waterproofing is completely dry.

Before starting, we need to carefully plan the position and layout of the heater in the area to be heated. Then we need to mark the heater layout on floor with chalk/pencil, ensuring we leave enough heating to get back to the start spot. It is recommended to keep 100mm away from the walls and permanent fixtures to allow a buffer around the perimeter. This will enable the heater cold tail leads to be returned to the starting point. For an unsealed floor, you can apply an acrylic primer or use spray glue. This is to ensure that the tape on the heater will stick and hold the heater in place throughout the installation.

Undertile Heating

Cupboards, toilets, showers etc. should have been installed prior to installation. If this has not been done, mark the position of the bathtub, vanity, door stops etc., so they can be left free of heating  (wall-hung vanities are an exception).

Starting from the floor directly below the thermostat location, we unroll the heater until we reach the end of our first run. When we reach the end of the first run, we cut the tape and turn the heater to its new position. This is done until the whole floor space is covered and then the cable is brought back to the thermostat position.

The main thing we need to take care of is to ensure that the element wires never cross. We also try maintain a gap between elements of approximately 50mm otherwise the floor will not be evenly heated, or possible hot spots can occur.

A floor probe is then installed between 2 heating cables and taken up the wall with the heating cables. The installation of a draw wire helps get the cables up the wall easily. The floor probe tells the thermostat what temperature it is on the floor to help it regulate how much heat is required.

We lay a mesh, sticky side down, over the heater. This provides protection to the heater during the floor covering install. Cut the mesh as necessary to cover the entire heating element including the individual wires to the connector blocks.

Once the cables have been taken up the wall to the thermostat location, a monitor is attached. This tests the continuity of the heater and will alert the tiler if the heater gets damaged at all during the tiling process.

UNDERTILE HEATING INSTALLATION VIDEO


UNDERTILE HEATING INSTALLATION FAQS

Question: Can you install heated floors under tile yourself?

Answer: We offer supply and installation by fully qualified and trained electricians as well as supply only options. We recommend that our system is installed by a qualified electrician.

Question: Can we put underfloor heating under ceramic tiles?

Answer: Yes, underfloor electric heating works very well under ceramic tiles.

Question: Can you put heat under porcelain tile?

Answer: Yes, underfloor electric heating works very well under porcelain tiles.

Question: How do you install tiles over radiant heat?

Answer: Tiles are installed exactly how they would normally be installed. The tiler just needs to be slightly more careful when using their trowel over the heater and when they are cutting out the glue before grouting. Our heater is so thin that the heater can sit with the tile glue or a very thin self-leveler and therefore won’t impact overall floor levels.

Related Articles

Quick Guide To In-Floor Heating in Melbourne

Should I Put Underfloor Heating Underneath Carpet in the Bedroom?

10 Things to Consider Before Installing an Electric Floor Heating System

Introducing the MCD5 Touch Screen Thermostat

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Shopping Cart
Cart Summary
There are no products in the cart!
Scroll to Top