Do-it-yourself warm water floor under the tiles

In the bath, in the sauna, in our kitchen or in the bathroom, we try to use ceramic tiles as flooring. The good old tile that we are used to is very convenient and practical in terms of operation. They try to use it in those rooms where high humidity is constantly present and there is a high probability of water getting on the floor. Ceramics behave stably in contact with water. Glossy smooth surface of the tile, its dense stone structure is stable and not subject to corrosion. In addition, such a surface is very convenient to keep clean, without giving a chance for the development of fungus, mold and the accumulation of pathogenic bacteria.

Despite the high performance, tiled flooring has one significant drawback. The material has extremely low thermal conductivity. The appearance of a tiled floor already a priori gives the impression of a clean and cold surface. In fact, it is. In physical contact when in contact with cold ceramic tiles, we experience discomfort. There is always a desire to make your floor in the bathroom, in the shower room of the sauna or in the kitchen was warm. This problem can be solved quite simply if the tiles are laid on a warm water floor. How to do it? Let’s look at the whole process step by step in detail.

The combination of warm water floors with ceramic tiles

The emergence of water underfloor heating made it possible to radically solve the problem of heating in residential premises. The efficiency of this method of heating the interior is an order of magnitude higher in comparison with the operation of traditional heating radiators. The very idea of ​​underfloor heating in domestic premises where there is high humidity and it is technologically necessary to have a clean floor surface is not new. Heating ceramic floors significantly increases the level of comfort in heated rooms and improves their performance.

For reference: in the usual version, the tiled floor has a temperature of 5-10⁰ lower than the air mass in the ground layer. This is where the effect of “cold floors” arises, which we have to put up with.

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We remember very well what our feelings are in the pool, where literally everything is tiled. It is extremely uncomfortable in such an environment where the walls and floor, despite the apparent cleanliness, are cold, wet and unpleasant to the touch. For the first time, a water-heated floor under tiles was installed in England in the mid-50s of the last century. During the construction of the Olympic swimming pool, the organizers of the competitions demanded that the builders make artificial heating of the tiled floor inside the pool. Despite the fact that in those years this technical improvement was fabulously expensive, the positive effect of this know-how was immediately appreciated.

Today, such an opportunity is no longer something expensive and unattainable. Warm floors today can be found literally everywhere. Country houses, cottages and dachas, designed for long and comfortable living, are massively equipped with heating floors. Laying tiles on a water-heated floor is practiced today in the construction of saunas and baths. Many residents try to lay the water heating circuit under the ceramic tile flooring in the bathroom, in the bathrooms or in the kitchen.

Installing a heating system for underfloor heating in a house is associated with large-scale work. In old buildings, the installation of water floors is associated with the solution of numerous problems. In new residential buildings, the installation of a water-heated floor, designed for tiles, is much easier and easier to implement.

Laying a warm water floor in inhabited objects solves several problems at the same time. Even considering the very principle of operation of water floors, it is already becoming clear what floor heating in combination with ceramic tiles gives. The main thing that can be achieved in such cases is to significantly increase the level of comfort in the premises. Frequent visitors to saunas and baths know perfectly well what a warm tiled floor is!

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Tiles, any other ceramic coating in combination with the operation of water heating circuits laid in the floor, have a lot of advantages and disadvantages. Thanks to technological features, heating floors allow you to evenly distribute the right amount of heat over the entire surface of the hearth. The principle of space heating creates not only an acceptable temperature balance, but also allows you to significantly improve the quality characteristics of the floor covering. When using concrete screed, tile is the ideal flooring option, especially when it comes to furnishing a kitchen or bathroom.

It is possible to use a ceramic coating in combination with a floor heating system. Especially this method of laying is relevant for country houses, baths and sanu, the design of which is mainly made of wood. The presence of a water floor under the tiles in the bath or in the sauna, the problem is completely solvable. The main thing is to observe the stacking technology of the stacked structure and foresee the option of flooring in advance.

Advantages and disadvantages of tiled floor heating

A small bathroom, a kitchen or a whole bath complex, all these objects can be successfully heated with water heated floors. Such installation is possible under certain conditions. On hand there is a ready-made project of the heating system, in accordance with which the loops of the heating circuit are laid, the service equipment is selected. Thermal calculations will allow you to determine the power of the heating device, to make the correct scheme for laying water pipes.

What do you expect in the end? Recall the advantages of underfloor heating, covered with tiles or other ceramic material on top. For example:

• The heated floor creates a comfortable temperature inside the room.
• The surface of the floor dries quickly, remaining warm and dry during the operation of the premises.
• Laying underfloor heating under the tiles does not require additional financial costs.
• Underfloor heating in the bathroom can be used in combination with traditional, radiator heating.
• The tiled floor with heating is absolutely not subject to the formation of mold and pathogens harmful to humans.
• The tiled floor with water heating will be warm, pleasant to the touch at any time.
• Compliance of the warm tiled floor in baths and saunas with the necessary sanitary norms and standards.

Knowing about such advantages, you will certainly want to make a warm floor with your own hands, laying the water circuit under the tile. From a technical point of view, this process is not particularly difficult. The only condition is strict adherence to the laying technology. The design of the water floor requires strict adherence to the sequence of all stages of installation.

Important! It should be remembered that tiles significantly increase the strength of the entire structure. In addition to the concrete monolith, a solid ceramic coating is added. In case of emergencies, without knowing the exact location of the water circuit, you will have to tear off a rather large fragment of both tiles and concrete screed.

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For the equipment of water floors in wooden buildings, it is necessary to properly lay the floor structure, not forgetting about additional sheets of plywood, GVL or chipboard. Without additional rigidity, the tiled floor will play, which will certainly affect the integrity of the ceramic surface.

We are considering options for a warm water floor for ceramic tiles

There is no particular difficulty in choosing the option of a water-heated floor for space heating. The only difference is which installation method to choose: concrete underfloor heating or flooring system. It already depends on what room you plan to work in.

For country houses, wooden buildings, a flooring system would be ideal. The absence of solid concrete floors does not allow installing heating floors in a concrete screed in baths and saunas, in the country house. Here it will be successful to use a modular or slatted flooring system. In the usual version, in a capital durable stone structure for underfloor heating, it is best to focus on the construction of a concrete-based water floor.

For reference: weight of one sq. meters of concrete screed with heating circuit pipes is 200-300 kg. In a stone building, interfloor floors are able to withstand such an additional load, which cannot be said about wooden buildings.

Having a task in front of you, to make a warm floor throughout the house or to equip floors with underfloor heating in the bathroom, start designing water floors on a concrete basis. Tiles on such a surface fit without problems. The main condition for using tiles is a perfectly flat surface. With wooden structures of water floors, it is rather problematic to achieve such an indicator, especially over a large area.

On a note: for the installation of underfloor heating under ceramic tiles, the technology allows you to create a dry screed. The design differs in necessary durability and rigidity. On top of the typesetting structure, sheets of plywood, GVL or chipboard are laid, with the help of which the surface is leveled.

Having achieved a solid and reliable design of the water floor, having started the heating system, you can start finishing work, installing flooring.

How to lay pvc tiles on underfloor heating

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In principle, the installation of water-heating floors under tiles or under any other ceramic coating is no different. The pipes of the water circuit are laid in the traditional manner, in the usual pattern, snake or snail. The pipes of the heating circuit should lie closer to the wall panels. Be sure to follow the step in the process of laying the pipe. For small heated rooms, it is best to focus on a laying step of 20-25 cm. Then everything is done according to the knurled pattern. Either a wooden structure is being set, or water circuits are being poured with concrete.

Important! Laying tiles is carried out only after checking the performance of the heating system. Otherwise, in case of improper laying of the loops of water circuits and in case of emergency leakage, you will have to tear off the tile. All your work will go down the drain.

Before you start working with tiles, you need to carefully prepare the surface of the floor. Concrete screed or flooring system, you will still need to clean the floor, bringing it to a perfectly clean and even condition.

The evenness of the floor is not a whim of the masters. In addition to keeping the tile firmly on the floor, a level screed will ensure proper heat distribution throughout the entire floor surface. The tile is laid on an adhesive base. Tile adhesive must be waterproof and non-toxic. When the floor is heated, intensive evaporation of the chemicals that make up the floor coverings is often observed. Therefore, when choosing an adhesive, be sure to look at its marking.

In custody

For small rooms, the optimal scheme for laying the pipeline under the tile is the snake scheme. For large rooms, a snail or spiral laying scheme is perfect. Due to parallel circuits, main and return, uniform heating of the entire floor surface over a large area is achieved. Technologically, a do-it-yourself tile floor must meet the requirements and tasks that are set for the heating system in each case.

The main difficulties with tiles arise when the technology for creating a layer cake is violated during the installation process. Lack of waterproofing or poor thermal insulation will cause your heat to go down the main stream. Ceramics have low thermal conductivity, therefore, if the heating medium temperature is insufficient, concrete screed and ceramic tiles will become a serious obstacle. The optimum coolant temperature for concrete floors with ceramic tiles is 50⁰C. Otherwise, the concrete layer and ceramic tiles will warm up for a long time, respectively, heat will flow into the room in a limited space.