Installation of a warm floor for tiles

The arrangement of warm floors is especially relevant for rooms with high humidity, such as the kitchen, bathroom or hallway, where ceramic tiles are used as a floor covering. Tile floors can also be equipped in a sauna, on balconies and verandas, where the installation of a warm floor for tiles will be no less appropriate. Moreover, a warm floor for tiles can become an effective addition to the main radiator heating. The advantages of ceramic tiles are obvious: it is characterized by moisture resistance, practicality and durability, as well as an original appearance. It is unpretentious in leaving, but at the same time, it remains cold to the touch even in the summer, which creates discomfort when walking barefoot on the tile floor. However, in view of the high thermal conductivity of ceramic tiles, the solution to this problem was found, it implies the installation of a warm floor under the tile. Note that ceramic tiles are an ideal flooring in the case of arranging the system warm floor, since heating elements that are located under the flooring contribute to the warming of the room, due to which, valuable in the summer period of the coin of the tile floor, is replaced by comfortable warm, necessary autumn. There are several methods of arranging a warm floor system, and the choice of the most suitable depends on many factors, each of which must be considered in more detail.

Content

1. Advantages and main varieties of heating systems warm floor
2. What needs to be taken into account in the process of installing an electric warm floor?
3. Electric warm floor: arrangement options
4. Varieties of electric warm floors: advantages and disadvantages
5. Installation of a warm floor for tiles: step -by -step instructions
   •   Creation of a warm floor scheme: recommendations of specialists
   •   Calculation of materials for installing a warm floor system
   •   Surface preparation: features of the choice of insulation
   •   Installation of the temperature sensor and control check of the heater
   •   Fixing of the heating cable or thermometers
   •   Pouring concrete screed and laying ceramic tiles

Advantages and main varieties of heating systems warm floor

• Compared to the traditional radiator heating system, a warm floor for tiles, the arrangement technology of which will be considered further, is characterized by a number of advantages:
• During the operation of the system, the warm floor remains natural humidity in the room;
• A uniform distribution of warm air in the room is created;
• The arrangement of a warm floor is an ideal option if ceramic tiles are selected as a floor covering, which is characterized by high thermal conductivity and is a kind of heat accumulator.

The main varieties of the system warm floor:

• Electric warm floor, the design of which involves the use of:

1. heating mats;
2. electric cable.

• Infrared (film) warm floor, which according to some classifications is a type of electric warm floor;
• Water warm floor.

What needs to be taken into account in the process of installing an electric warm floor?

Heating of the floors made of ceramic tiles can be carried out in several ways, in connection with which, choosing the best warm floor for tiles, it is necessary to answer several questions, which will most accurately decide on the choice. First of all, it is important to find out the following:

• Is the system you equipped with the main or additional source of heating?
• What is the maximum thickness of the warm floor, taking into account the height of the ceilings in the room?
• What is the type of heating system in a residential facility where the installation of a warm floor (central or autonomous) will be installed?
• Do you plan to install a concrete screed?

Warm floor for tiles photo

Electric warm floor: arrangement options

The laying of a warm floor for tiles based on an electric cable or heating mats is carried out mainly in apartments, where there is no way to install water floors characterized by greater efficiency. In addition, the electric warm floor is characterized by ease of installation and is one of the most economical variants of the warm floor for tiles.

In the process of installing electric warm floors, there may be variations, which depends on the conditions in which styling will be carried out.

• The installation of a warm floor can be carried out in a layer of screed, after the arrangement of which the flooring will be laid. This option will be the most successful in the case of installation of a warm floor in residential premises, for example, a kitchen and loggia. It implies the installation of a system based on an electric cable, under which a layer of insulation and waterproofing material is placed. After laying the cable, on top of it, the installation of a small layer of concrete screed is carried out;
• The laying of a warm floor can be carried out on top of a layer of concrete screed without additional thermal insulation material. Installation of a warm floor directly into the screed is possible only if the floor below is the insulated housing. This is due to the fact that ceramic tiles and a layer of tile glue will be able to provide proper protection of heating elements without the use of additional materials;
• The laying of a warm floor can be carried out directly for the flooring, however, this method is considered the most suitable in the case of arranging one of the varieties of the electric warm floor of the film floors. If you are faced with the need to arrange a warm floor for tiles, and the desire to carry out capital work associated with the replacement of a concrete screed, you do not have this method most preferable. However, it is important to remember that it involves the installation of a thermal insulation layer, which uses foamed polyethylene with a foil surface, which is laid on top of an existing concrete screed. The next stage is the installation of electrical heating elements and, if necessary, laying waterproofing materials.

Important!The film floor is a type of warm floor that cannot be laid under tiles and mounted in a layer of concrete screed.

Varieties of electric warm floors: advantages and disadvantages

Laying an electric floor for tiles can be carried out using an electric cable or heating mats (thermometers). Each of them is characterized by its advantages and disadvantages, which will be discussed later.

• Heating of a warm floor based on an electric cable is a variety that appeared earlier than everyone else, but still remains relevant and is worthy of competition methods of installation based on more modern heating elements.

Advantages of warm floors based on a heating cable:

• Low cost of materials used;
• After turning off the electricity, it retains heat for a certain period of time, which allows you to save electricity.

However, the disadvantages are also characteristic:

• If the system repair is required, difficulties may arise related to the need to dismantle the concrete screed;
• Difficulties associated with the correct calculation of the length of the conductor;
• In the case of a loose fit of the cable to the concrete screed or in the case of placement of furniture above the place of its occurrence, an increased risk of overheating of the system and its failure arise;
• Low electrical safety system.

• An improved option for arranging a warm floor system is the use of thermometers, which can be both convection and infrared. Convection mats are a more modern version of the heating cable fixed on a mesh base.

The advantages of a warm floor based on thermometers:

• Lightweight calculation of the required amount of material;
• Less thickness of the required concrete screed;
• Less time -consuming styling in conjunction with a more affordable price.
• Disadvantages of the system warm floor of this type:
• Difficulties arising during the repair of the damaged area;
• Fire hazard, which is characteristic of any type of electrical wiring.

• Installation of a warm floor based on the film coating is another option for arranging a warm floor, during which the installation of a concrete screed is not acceptable.

Advantages of the method:

• Low electricity costs;
• In the process of laying the film coating, specialized professional skills are not required;
• Lack of need for complex preparatory work;
• It can be used to arrange a wooden floor heating.

Disadvantages of the method:

• High cost of materials used;
• The need to arrange a waterproofing layer due to low moisture resistance of the film coating;
• Higher fire hazard associated with the absence of fire resistance of a concrete screed;
• High risk of damage when exposed to mechanical loads;
• Instant cooling after disconnecting from the network.

Installation of a warm floor for tiles: step -by -step instructions

Creation of a warm floor scheme: recommendations of specialists

The initial stage of work involves the creation of a warm flooring scheme on paper, in the process of which it is necessary to consider that laying heating elements should not be done in places of arrangement of massive furniture and household appliances. In places of pipe and other heating devices, it is necessary to organize a buffer system, implying the absence of heating elements of a warm floor. This is due to the features of electrical heating systems, the heating elements of which, unlike hydraulic systems, are heated the same and, in the presence of obstacles to heat output in the form of furniture without legs, overheating of the elements of the system from the outside, followed by its failure. Furniture can also overheat and fail.

According to the results of the development of a layout scheme for warm floors for tiles, reviews of which can be read on specialized construction forums, a wrong figure is obtained in a rectangle depicting the room. The contour of this figure is a guideline for laying electric warm floors. The indicated feature of the system can subsequently be one of its largest disadvantages, since rearranging furniture can cause breakdowns in the warm floor system.

Important! If you plan to lay underfloor heating in several rooms, you need to take care of the organization of several heating contours with individual regulators and a power source (even if the demarcation of the rooms is symbolic). In the process of filling the concrete screed, if any, a damper tape is laid between the heating contours on the floor surface.

Before proceeding with the calculated work, having made a warm floor diagram, consider the step of laying an electric cable or heating mats. At the same time, try to focus on the following recommendations:

• From the walls, it is necessary to retreat at least 10 cm;
• If the configuration of your room does not allow laying the heating elements straightforwardly, you can cut the net, which will be bent in the right direction. Using this option of installation, you can reduce electricity consumption and create accents in the necessary areas of heating.

Calculation of materials for installing a warm floor system

If you decide to install a warm floor for tiles, the price of which can be approximately at this stage of installation, and use it as the main source of heating, calculate the materials, taking into account that 1 sq. The surface needs a heater with a power of at least 140-180 watts. If the warm floor for tiles is used as an auxiliary heating source, the capacity of heating devices should be no more than 140 watts and on average does not exceed 80 W, provided that the construction is warming up.

In order to calculate the required number of materials, it is enough to calculate the area of \u200b\u200bthe room (length X width) and from the resulting value to subtract the area of \u200b\u200bthe room, occupied by furniture without legs and household appliances. As a result of these calculations, the area that is heated should be obtained. Next, the total power of the heating element and its length are determined. Remember that the headquarters of one meter of a heating cable can range from 16 to 21 W/m.

For example! The area of \u200b\u200bthe room is 10 square meters. m., and the power of the heating cable you used is 100 W/sq m. As a result, the calculated power is 1 kW. If the power of the selected cable is 20 W/m, its length should be 50 m (1000/20).

The choice of heating mat is carried out according to the same principle, taking into account the useful area and the required power. In addition, you need to purchase a mounting tape, which will be used to attach heating elements to the concrete screed.

Surface preparation: features of the choice of insulation

First of all, the dismantling of the old layer of the concrete screed is carried out until the base, followed by surface cleaning. Next, the waterproofing materials are laid, which should go to the wall at least 10 cm. A damper tape is fixed along the perimeter of the floor on the wall, the use of which will compensate the thermal floor expansion during heating. At the end of these measures, cut excess waterproofing and damping tape.

So that during the operation of the warm floor, thermal energy does not go down, isolate the base of the floor. The choice of thermal insulation material depends on the location of the room in which installation is carried out, such as the flooring and the target orientation of the heating system.

• If the warm floor system is used as a secondary heating source, foamed polyethylene, characterized by reflecting foil coating, will successfully cope with the function of heat -insulating material;
• If a heated room is located below, polystyrene foam or extruded polystyrene foam with a thickness of 20 to 50 mm can be used as a heat insulator;
• If the installation of a warm floor is carried out in a room that has not previously been heated (veranda or loggia), it is necessary to take care of the formation of a more thorough heat -insulating layer, the thickness of which can reach 1000 mm. Polystyrene or mineral wool of similar thickness can be used as a material.

On top of a layer of insulation, a reinforcing mesh is laid. Theoretically, you can do without a reinforcing grid, but in this case you will have to add a microfiber or plasticizer to the solution.

Installation of the temperature sensor and control check of the heater

In order to carry out control and control of the system during the operation of the warm floor, it is necessary to install the temperature sensor and a special thermostat, which is an electronic or mechanical regulator designed to install the optimal temperature regime and turn on/off the system. It is mounted in the wall, in the immediate vicinity of sockets, while the temperature sensor is mounted on the floor. To carry out installation, they create a special gap in the wall from the thermostat, which in the vertical direction is brought to the floor. The sensor is placed in a corrugated pipe and led under the tile to the place of control of the temperature of the electric warm floor, which is the middle between the two turns of the cable. The corrugated pipe will protect the sensor from damage and, at the same time, provides free access to it at any time, for example, if necessary, repair. The end of the corrugation, which is in the screed, is filled with sealant to prevent the solution from entering the corrugation.

Immediately before laying an electric cable or heating mats, its resistance is measured, the final result of which should not differ from the declared passport data by more than 10 %. To do this, use a multimeter, which will also determine the phase in the absence of color marking of wires. If the measured resistance corresponds to the declared values, you can proceed to the installation of a warm floor under the tile.

Fixing of the heating cable or thermometers

Having carried out the preparation of the surface, proceed to the consolidation of the heating element. If you use an electric cable as a heating element, which must be fixed using a mounting tape, as shown in the photo.

To facilitate the process of fastening the cable, use plastic clamps that simplify the installation process. In order for the heating to be uniform, it is necessary to ensure that the distance between the turns of the cable is the same over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe floor. In the case of laying heating mats, you do not need to monitor the distance between the turns, since it is already withstand over the entire length. When using heating mats, it is enough to spread the material in accordance with the scheme and connect to the thermostat.

Having completed the laying of the cable, check the correctness of the connection by making the resistance using the multipramer. The resulting value should coincide with what you measured before laying.

Pouring concrete screed and laying ceramic tiles

To prepare a concrete solution, use materials in accordance with the proportions below:

• 1 part of the cement;
• 4 parts of sand;
• 5 parts of crushed stone;
• 0.6 parts of water;
• 1 % of the mass of the plasticizer cement, which gives elasticity to the concrete solution.

Important!The amount of water should be small, which will prevent the appearance of cracks in the concrete screed. Ceramzit and perlite is forbidden to add to a concrete solution, since the use of these materials contributes to a violation of heat transfer, which is the cause of system breakdowns.

The thickness of the concrete screed layer should not exceed 3-5 cm. Having flooded the concrete screed, wait for the complete solidification of the solution. Despite the fact that primary hardening will occur in 2 days, it is recommended to include electric warm floor no earlier than after 4 weeks, when the final solidification of the solution occurs.

Important! Installation of a concrete screed is necessary only in the case of using an electric cable, while heating mats themselves are a base for glue for tiles.

After the initial setting of the screed, proceed to the floor finish with ceramic tiles.

Warm floor for tiles video