Vinyl Floors
Vinyl flooring and luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) including Amtico and Karndean ranges are well-suited for use with underfloor heating.
Perfect UFH Systems for Vinyl Floors
Warmup offers a wide range of systems for radiantly heating vinyl floors. Both water and electric underfloor heating systems are suitable under vinyl floors. The temperature of the heating system with vinyl should not exceed 27°C. Therefore, if you are considering radiant heating with vinyl planks as the sole source of heat, carry out a heat loss calculation first to ensure the heated floor will be providing you with sufficient amount of heat.
There are four types of vinyl flooring that differ in their properties and therefore in their specification requirements for an underfloor heating system. These types are Amtico, Karndean, Click Vinyl and Tarkett floor. Always check with the floor manufacturer for the chosen type of vinyl’s compatibility with underfloor heating.
Water systems are most popular in new-builds since the heating system is usually embedded within the structural sub-floor while electric systems are most popular with renovations.
Best Electric Systems for Wet and Dry Rooms
The most suitable underfloor heating system to use with vinyl flooring is dependent on which kind of vinyl flooring you are using and whether the room you are installing the new system in is a ‘Wet’ or ‘Dry’ room: bathrooms typically being considered Wet and living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens being Dry.
Dry Rooms
A dry room is a room without a significant water element in it. Rooms like bedrooms, living rooms, hallways are so-called dry rooms, as well as kitchens, even though they feature sinks and often washing machines / dishwashers. The Foil Heater electric underfloor heating system used with Warmup’s Dual Overlay subfloor, which separates the system from the floor finish, is suitable with most vinyl floor finishes in dry rooms.
Wet Rooms
Underfloor heating can be installed in wet rooms with vinyl floors. Depending on your project specification we recommend the DCM-PRO, StickyMat or Loose Wire Systems. Remember to always cover the underfloor heating system with a 10mm deep layer of self-levelling compound to protect the system from moisture before the vinyl flooring is laid down.
Foil Heater
Specifically ideal for large areas, the Warmup Foil Heater is an electric underfloor heating system ideal for use with vinyl flooring. To help protect the system when installed with vinyl, the Foil Heater should be used with the Dual Overlay Systems – a free-floating subfloor.
StickyMat System
StickyMat features an ultra-thin 1.8mm wire that does not raise the floor levels.
DCM-PRO System
DCM-PRO is a heated decoupling system designed for fast installation.
Loose Wire System
The Loose Wire System is perfect for designed irregularly shaped rooms.
Floor Temperature and Thermostat
The temperature of your underfloor heating system should not exceed 27°C with vinyl floors. This is safeguarded by using a thermostat and indicating in the setup that the system is being used with vinyl flooring. The Warmup range of thermostats for underfloor heating has controllers for every need. The 4iE Smart WiFi Thermostat possesses incredibly smart features that ensure you enjoy your heated floor space safely and efficiently. The thermostat gives you total control of your heating settings and allows you to enjoy a warm room when desired with no wasted energy.
Transfer of Heat Limits
Everything above the heater, including underlay, overlay, and final floor finish need to be in the limits set in the table below. If the manufacturer of the vinyl flooring states that it must be used in conjunction with an underlay, the underlay must be no more than 3mm – 6mm thick and breathable.
When using the system with vinyl flooring, care should be taken to ensure effective performance of the system and we do not recommend installing the system if the limits below are not met. This may hinder the performance of the system and result in the system not working as desired.
The figures below are for electric underfloor heating systems only. Water systems have a broader range of limits due to the variables of the specification.
Transfer of heat limits | |
Tog | 1.5 (Unless otherwise stated) |
RSI | 0.15m² K/W (Unless otherwise stated) |
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