Underfloor Heating boasts the most comfortable way of heating your home. With a heat bank across the entire floor that is generating heat up into the room, it ensures even consistent heat throughout the entire room.
As Underfloor Heating is such a comfortable way to heat then of course, you want to make sure it is going to be suitable for your floor finish. One of the questions that we regularly get asked is can the heating be used with a vinyl floor.
As a general rule Vinyl is a suitable floor finish for use with Underfloor Heating however there are some points that you should consider.
Firstly a vinyl floor typically needs to be laid on a perfectly smooth surface therefore it is common that the floor would have a screed or self-level poured prior to the flooring being laid. The floor heating would typically be installed below this layer helping to spread the heat and heat the room.
If the floor finish is a vinyl plank there are some further points that you should consider.
Firstly you will need to make sure the planks that are intended for use are suitable with Underfloor Heating. Generally boards that are 5mm or less would be fine but it does depend on the build up of the board. We recommend that you check with the vinyl manufacturer, it is very common that the flooring would have been tested for use with Underfloor Heating.
The other point to consider is if the board has a rubber backing. If so you will want to check with the manufacturer as the rubber backing may act as an insulator, therefore, preventing the heat from radiating up through the floor.
If it is a loose lay vinyl then it would be quiet typical that a cushioning layer would be installed below the flooring. Similar to the rubber backing, you want to check that this product is not going to act as a high insulator, therefore, preventing the heating from rising.
When calculating the heating output for your under vinyl heating you should be working on no more than 150 watts per square meter. It is also recommend to put a layer of insulation below the heating where possible to minimise downward heat loss ensuring energy efficiency and improved heat-up times.
We recommend speaking with both the flooring manufacturer and the Underfloor Heating supplier regarding your plans for installing Underfloor Heating below your vinyl floor to ensure the most suitable solution is achieved.