Laminate floor heating from water heating. We select a laminate for laying on a warm floor: what types of planks can be used? What laminate to use for underfloor heating

One of the prejudices regarding the laminate is that supposedly it is forbidden to lay a laminate under a warm floor. There are other warnings that laying is possible, but only if your floor is water, not electric.

I would like to say right away that all these prohibitions are purely prejudices. As for the truth, it is possible to lay laminate flooring under warm floors, the main thing is to use the right approach, do everything carefully and take your time.

How and what kind of laminate to lay under a warm floor, and is it possible to mount it on a warm floor at all

Regardless of what type of underfloor heating you have, it is necessary that the laminate you choose has a specific icon that looks like this:

This icon means that this laminate floor heating is allowed to be used.

Of course, laminate flooring, like any wood flooring, will not like the situation with temperature fluctuations. For this reason, after the delivery of the laminate to your home, it is necessary that it be in the same room where you plan to install it for about three days.

Laying electric underfloor heating under laminate

What is it for?

The reason is simple: the laminate gets used and adapts to the conditions where you later use it. During this time, based on the temperature and humidity conditions, the laminate will gain the desired dimensions, and after you install it, there will be no narrowing and expansion that will create unnecessary difficulties for you.

Laminate under floor heating, important points

In the event that the room already has underfloor heating in the screed, the following steps must be taken:

• 1. To begin with, the screed warms up.
• 2. After warming up, you need to turn it off 2-3 days before the laminate installation process (to be more precise, turn it off just when the laminate was delivered to you).
• 3. And do not forget that after the work is completed, within three days the temperature regime of the room should be unchanged.

With the beginning of each heating season, the temperature of the underfloor heating itself must be gradually increased every day (by about three) until you get a comfortable floor temperature.

The same must be done after the heating season is over, gradually lowering the temperature to 15-18 degrees. After that, you can safely turn off the thermostat and enjoy the warm summer season.

How to install laminate on underfloor heating

To begin with, I would like to note that under the furniture the floor can have a higher temperature, therefore, during installation, it is necessary to carry out a more durable sealing of the seams.

Laying laminate flooring on underfloor heating

In normal mode, the laminate is laid on a substrate, which is designed to improve thermal insulation and sound insulation, for this reason, the heat coming from the heating element will not pass through it well, preventing the floor from warming up as needed. As for laying laminate without a substrate, in this case it will be noisy. But, of course, there is a way out of any situation.

In order for the laminate to lie well on the water-heated floor and warm the entire floor, a thinner screed is made for the heating element. Yes, and the substrate is taken the thinnest, for example, 3 mm, which later flattens another half-millimeter-millimeter, which will make it even more thermally conductive, while the noise-insulating properties will remain. There is nothing unusual in laying laminate on a substrate - everything is standard.

We lay the laminate on the film or heating mats

Since the screed is not needed in this case, you can literally finish the job in one day. When laying the heating film itself or mats under the laminate, you need to remember some features:

1. – heating film/mats are not placed under heavy furniture;
2. - on top of the laid film or mats, a thick polyethylene film (about 80 microns) is placed, the essence of which is to protect electrical parts in case of liquid ingress.

Choosing a laminate on a water-heated floor

What is the best laminate flooring for underfloor heating? Does this solution have significant drawbacks? How to independently make water heated floors under the laminate? Many people ask these questions, and therefore, let's understand.

First, let's define terminology. What is a water underfloor heating system?

This is a system of pipes that are laid with a small step under the finish coating and warm it up. The warm-up temperature will be slightly lower than the temperature of the human body. What is the essence of such a heating scheme?

• 1. You can connect water heated floors to any boilers with circulation pumps, even solid fuel ones.
• 2. In order to create a water heated floor, there is no need to remake an existing heating system - you just update it with another circuit.
• 3. It is necessary to pay attention to the fact of adjusting the temperature, or adjusting the speed of water circulation, so that the temperature of the warm water floor is in the desired mode and does not go beyond.
• 4. Another plus - due to the fact that the heat source is located below, the air is heated throughout the volume.

Of course, we all know that the truth is in the details. So, what is needed in order for the underfloor heating to function normally? Yes, we are talking about the idea of ​​good thermal conductivity of the floor covering mass surrounding the pipe. Just in order to ensure this requirement, the pipes of underfloor heating are usually laid in a screed.

Otherwise, the pipe will warm up only that section of the floor that passes above it, and the main part of the floors will remain cold. Among other things, the screed also performs the function of distributing heat. But here the question arises - what is the point in heating the screed if it is isolated from the room?

So the most traditional option for laying a water-heated floor is under a tiled or porcelain stoneware coating - they have good thermal conductivity. Another good option is homogeneous linoleum.

As for the question of which laminate to choose for underfloor heating, the answer is actually quite simple. Common sense must be followed. Since the laminate is made of pressed hardboard, its thermal conductivity is quite low, it serves as a heat insulator. Accordingly, the smaller the laminate boards are in thickness, the more efficient the heating will be. When talking about a higher class laminate, you need to understand that its density is higher, and the protective coating is thicker.

It is on this that its thermal conductivity depends. There are other reasons why you should purchase higher grade laminate flooring for your underfloor heating. The higher the class of the laminate, the less it will be prone to drying out and changing linear dimensions depending on temperature fluctuations and humidity. The more durable and durable it will be.

In addition to the laminate you have chosen, you should not forget about the substrate, because a lot also depends on it. We recommend that you choose a type of underlay for laminate flooring, which will be designed specifically for underfloor heating systems and have maximum thermal conductivity.

Laying the right laminate for underfloor heating (water)

So, as you already know, a water-heated laminate floor is reliable and safe. In this case, one of the advantages of a water floor is that the heating of the base, for example, a concrete screed, is carried out evenly, which leads to an increase in the service life of the laminate. Let's look at the main points of combining a warm water floor and laminate, depending on the type of floor.

We note right away that in order to ensure the required level of humidity of the screed after the water-heated floor is laid, it is enough to simply turn on the system. Thanks to this, the concrete will be perfectly dried and warmed up, you just need to remember about the gradual increase in temperature. Before you start laying laminate flooring, make sure that the substrate is in accordance with the conditions specified by the manufacturer in the recommendations for this flooring.

Features of installing a laminate under a water-heated floor

Installation of a warm floor Cement-sand screed

In order to carry out the installation of underfloor heating with your own hands in this case, you must:

- On the floor, which is already leveled to the horizon (i.e., has differences of no more than three centimeters), you need to lay polystyrene foam (its thickness is from 2.5 to 10 cm).

- The next layer will be either polyethylene or foil penofol (the second option is preferable).

- A reinforcing mesh must be laid on top, the cells should be no more than 1.5 cm. Thickness - 2-4 mm.

- It is necessary to lay a pipe on top (cross-linked polyethylene, aluminum-reinforced polypropylene or metal-plastic) and fix it to the grid with plastic clamps.

- It is also necessary to lay a damper tape around the entire perimeter of the room. Any elastic material will work for the tape.

- Then you need to fill the floor with a sand-cement screed with fine screenings. As for the thickness - no more than 5-7 cm. There should not be more than 3 centimeters between the floor surface and the pipe (taking into account the thickness of the laminate).

- It will take three to four weeks for the floor to gain strength.

- After the substrate is laid.

- Before you start laying laminate on a warm floor, you need to warm it up to operating temperature. As in the case of standard laminate laying, there should be gaps along the edges (from the edge of the board to the wall), the width of such a gap should not be less than 6-8mm. To do this, you can use spacers.

Installation of a warm floor on a dry screed

I would like to note right away that warm water floors under a laminate, with a dry screed, are an inefficient idea in terms of heat consumption.

The only impressive plus of this option is that installation is much faster, since there is no need to wait until the concrete becomes strong.

So how do they combine dry screed, water heated floors and laminate? It happens like this:
- To begin with, laying waterproofing on the floor

- After the floor is covered with bulk materials (it can be expanded clay screenings or ordinary dry sand).

- You need to set beacon profiles along the horizon, with their help you can level the floors under the laminate using a rule or just a straight rail.

- The next step is to lay a tape of porous materials around the perimeter of the room.

- The floor must be covered, for this you can use two layers of drywall (as an option, plywood or OSB), the main thing is that a mandatory overlap of the seams is necessary. The layers are fastened with self-tapping screws at the seams in increments of 5 cm for plasterboard and 15 cm for plywood and OSB.

- Everything else is exactly the same as in the case of a cement-sand screed. The floor needs to be warmed up, the substrate laid, and then the laminate itself.

Substrate under the laminate underfloor heating: which one is suitable for the water type, and which one for the electric one?

Warm floors, today, are no longer a luxury item and do not surprise anyone. The implementation of a warm floor is possible in various modifications, depending on how the heater is arranged. Important is the fact that with warm floors you can use any floor coverings, in particular, laminate.

It is worth noting here that in this case the system “substrate under the laminate - warm floor” works. Let's see what properties a good substrate has:

• The substrate has high waterproofing and heat-insulating qualities.
• It has an extremely high reflectivity.
• Resistant to various temperature changes.
• Resistant to deformation.
• Has soundproofing properties.
• Good vaporizer.
• Environmentally friendly.
• Easy to mount.

Laying laminate on electric underfloor heating

Since laminate belongs to the category of natural flooring, it is natural that it has all the advantages and disadvantages of natural wood. This is precisely the reason why, when laying laminate boards on warm floors, it is impossible to do without a substrate. If you don't lay it down, the floors will be very noisy.

If the installation of a warm floor is carried out on a self-leveling floor or on a thin screed, then you will need the thinnest substrate, its thickness should be 3 mm. As already mentioned, since other layers will press on it, then under their weight it will flatten to the required 2-2.5 mm and will serve both as a good heat insulator and have high soundproofing properties.

Substrate requirements for water floors

The main condition in the underfloor heating system is to provide an increased degree of heat transfer. In this case, there will be no waste of heat. If the floors are based on pipes, then, at a minimum, if an accident occurs, then the substrate will perform the function of additional waterproofing.

Alternatively, sometimes you can use a special molded foam cover - you can easily fix the pipeline into it, and it will act as a substrate.

More often than not, the typical underlayment is foil, which helps to reflect heat, because this heat should not heat the ceiling of your neighbors on the lower floor. If the foil has sufficient thickness, then it can be either polymer-based (you need to glue it in a thin layer), or in its pure form. In principle, the degree of waterproofing of the heat insulator is low. This protection must be taken care of and a separate layer of insulating material must be laid.

No special fastening for the substrate is needed, since it is laid on a heater. When installing water-heated floors, a reinforcing screed is used, with which the substrate is pressed down.

When arranging underfloor heating, laminate is often chosen for decorative coating.

But there are different types of warm floors, therefore, when purchasing a laminate, you must definitely know whether a particular brand is suitable for an existing or planned heating system.

The intensity of heat generation can be different, and excessive warming up can adversely affect the performance of the laminate flooring.

Only having understood the properties of the material and the requirements for it when laying on warm floors, you can be sure of reliability and durability.

Warm floors can be water, electric and film. In principle, any of them can be covered with a laminated coating, if the correct installation of the heating system itself and the requirements for the material are observed.

Film underfloor heating

This type of underfloor heating seems to be specially designed for laminate flooring. It is thin, has the required uniformity of surface heating, and is easily amenable to precise temperature adjustments.

The heating system does not require a screed, and the heating of the laminate takes place practically from direct contact with the heating element, through a thin layer of the substrate.

This ensures rapid set-up of the required temperature and economical operation.

Water heated floor

The thickness of the screed covering the heating pipe system should be in the range of 30-60 mm.

In thick screeds, it is harder to regulate the temperature, it warms up more slowly.

Thin screeds, on the contrary, can quickly overheat, as a result, cracks will appear on them, which will negatively affect the laminate.

In addition, with a thin screed, heat transfer will be distributed unevenly over the area.

If it is planned to connect the water-heated floor to the central heating system, then it is better not to think about the laminate. In order for such a coating to last for a long time, individual control of the temperature of the coolant is required.

Thus, such a scheme can be applied only if there is an autonomous adjustable water heating system.

Electric underfloor heating in screed

If a heating cable is laid, it will also require a tie. Its thickness should not be more than 30 mm, otherwise there will be a significant waste of energy. There must be a reliable monitoring and control system that allows you to accurately set the required level of heating.

Regardless of the type of floor heating, the screed must be of high quality, dense, without voids, with a perfectly leveled surface. To do this, use special mixtures or apply.

A good screed, although it warms up for a long time, serves as an excellent heat accumulator, which allows you to significantly save on energy consumption.

The distance between adjacent heating elements must not exceed 300 mm.

What surprises can laminate flooring bring?

Why are there higher requirements for both the flooring and the quality of the laminate?

1. Woodworking technologists have not yet found a worthy alternative to formaldehyde resins for the manufacture of wood-based composite materials.

It is clear that the strict framework of sanitary supervision regulates its content, but it has not yet been possible to completely get rid of possible fumes.

If at a normal temperature of 20-22 degrees the laminate is not more harmful than ordinary furniture, then when heated to 30 and above, the intensity of formaldehyde evaporation increases dramatically.

The indicator of the content of this substance must be indicated on the packaging of the material. Classes E3 - E2 for underfloor heating cannot be used, you need to choose more environmentally friendly E1 or even E0.

1. Significant temperature fluctuations inevitable during the operation of a “warm floor” can lead to “drying out”, deformation of a low-quality laminated board.

As a result, gaps appear at the joints of the panels, and the floor itself becomes “noisy”. Excessive dryness of the air in the room can lead to the same consequences.

If the relative humidity falls below the 50% mark, it makes sense to purchase a humidifier.

1. In case of non-compliance - neglecting the issue of waterproofing and, due to the temperature difference in the thickness of the floor and in the room, condensate may accumulate under the coating.

And this, in turn, will significantly reduce the life of the coating, lead to rotting processes, mold formation, and an unpleasant smell of dampness.

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Which one will do?

The conclusion is unequivocal - not all models of laminated flooring are suitable for use on a warm floor.

Marking

First of all, when choosing, you need to pay attention to the labeling of the goods.

There are types of laminate that are directly intended, or acceptable, for floor heating systems.

This will be indicated by a special pictogram, or the inscription "Underfloorheating" or "Warm Wasser".

You can find pictograms indicating "H 2 O" - this is a model specifically for a water-heated floor and should be used strictly for its intended purpose.

Experienced craftsmen advise using class 31-32 laminate with a thickness of about 8–10 mm for underfloor heating in apartments.

This type of coating is designed for heavy loads, and must withstand the special operating conditions on a heated floor.

There is a popular belief that for a heated floor it is better to use a laminate that is joined together by glue - supposedly this is less likely to cause cracks.

However, the "Click" lock system, if the laminate is allowed for use on a warm floor, should fully justify itself.

Some manufacturers equip their products with special locks with metallized reinforcement.

Thermal resistance

Another important parameter is the thermal resistance of the material.

According to existing standards, it is possible to talk about the profitability of heating if the total floor resistance does not exceed 0.15 m²K / W.

Considering that the substrate itself has a resistance of about 0.04-0.06 m²K / W, then a laminate with this indicator not higher than 0.8-0.10 is required.

It is worth paying attention to the value of the maximum surface heating temperature. Usually it lies in the range of 25-27 degrees.

A few important notes

Even the highest quality laminate will require a special approach when installing on a "warm floor".

• The screed over the heating elements must fully gain strength

In the case of a concrete mortar, the curing period is at least four weeks, and have a moisture content of not more than 1.5% (concrete) or 0.3% (anhydride compounds).

The floor must be dried and heated throughout its thickness.

To do this, at least 2 weeks before laying, turn on the heating system and, adding no more than 5 degrees per day, bring it to 50% of the design power, and then, within 2 days, to full.

Then the system is turned off, and laying is started when it cools down completely, but the temperature should not be below 15 degrees.

• After the installation is completed, the commissioning of the system is carried out in the same step.

Practice shows that in order to achieve the optimum floor surface temperature of 22-25 degrees, it will be necessary to set the operating temperature of the coolant (heating cable) to 40-50 degrees.

The exact value will need to be determined experimentally and strictly adhered to during operation so as not to cause overheating and deformation of the surface.

The same actions, but in reverse order, are carried out at the end of the heating period.

Sudden temperature fluctuations are detrimental to laminate flooring.

To prevent the formation of condensation between the screed and the substrate, a polyethylene film with a thickness of approximately 0.2 mm must be laid.

How much does laminate flooring cost?

For example, the table shows prices for several laminate models that are quite suitable for underfloor heating:

Arbitrary	Model (collection)	Class	Warranty, years	dimensions	Price per sq.m.
UNILIN, Belgium	Quick Step Creo	32 / AC 4	20	1200×190×7	560
TARKETT, Russia	Woodstock Premium	33 / AC 5	25	1292×194×8	630
TARKETT, Russia	ARTISAN	33 / AC 5	25	1292×194×9	645
PERGO, Sweden	living expression	32 / AC 4	25	1288×195×9	1190
CLASSEN, Germany	Futuro Harmony ML	32 / AC 4	15	1286×194×8	555
KRONOTEX, Germany	dynamic	32 / AC 4	20	1380×193×8	500

Characteristic reviews of the laminate for underfloor heating

“... It took a long time to choose a laminate for the bedroom in order to lay it on a warm water floor. We studied many offers in online stores. We learned a lot of useful information, for example, that it is divided into endurance classes.

We decided to choose class 32 for ourselves, although it is intended for public spaces, so it will last a long time, since it will not be subjected to heavy load in the bedroom. When buying, we looked to see if there was an icon on the package about the possibility of flooring, and they did it right, since our friends, without doing this on time, then changed the entire coating.

And the most important thing for me is the aesthetic value of the coating. I really wanted a light coating, it seems to me that it visually expands the room, so I convinced my husband to choose PLATINUM "Standard" "Smoky Oak" - inexpensive, for only 370 rubles. In general, I am very satisfied with our underfloor heating and beautiful flooring. I advise everyone who wanted to change to a new one, take a closer look at the laminate for a warm floor ... "

Irina Larionova, 37 years old, medical worker, Klin.

“...I'll tell you about my impressions of warm floors covered with laminate. Since I live on the ground floor of a high-rise building, my family has long dreamed of insulating the floors. We chose an electrical structure under the screed, and laid a laminate floor for a warm floor on top. The “fake” masters advised me to choose PALLADIUM class 22 laminate, but I didn’t dare to take up the flooring myself, so I called the team, which at first did everything just fine.

The coating worked in excellent mode for a season and a half and went cracks. Not critical yet, but already getting on your nerves. I don’t remember about the icon about the warm field on the laminate, but the masters did not focus my attention on this. By the way, despite the completely European name, it turned out to be inexpensive China ... "

Alexander Zabolotov, 45 years old, Izhevsk.

“... I laid the laminate on the infrared floor myself, I chose the most reliable 33 class dark color PAUL MAYER “Family” “Scandinavian Oak”. Working with this material is easy and pleasant. Good resistance to mechanical stress. There are two sons in my family who love to roll a toy dump truck on the surface - no traces.

Laminate is a great flooring and looks beautiful in any room. Just be sure to choose a material for underfloor heating - do not trust cunning sellers, look for a special designation on the packaging ... "

Vyacheslav Andreichenko, 28 years old, Yaroslavl.

If the laminate is correctly selected and laid, operated in compliance with the required temperature conditions, the coating will last a long time. Along with excellent decorative qualities, it will provide a special comfortable microclimate in the apartment.

In order to enjoy the quality and beauty of the flooring, as well as not endanger your loved ones, you need to carefully choose a laminate for a warm water floor.

What is a water heated floor?

The water heat-insulated floor is one of three kinds of heat-insulated floors. The heating system is based on a boiler that heats water and circulates fluid through pipes. There is a uniform heating of the floor surface.

Due to a number of features of this design, a certain laminate with special markings is required for such a system.

Marking - material passport

The marking is a sheet on which all data about the coating are indicated. Standard laminate dies have thermal insulation properties. It is important that the coating transmits heat and does not warp. To minimize these indicators, manufacturers have invented a special coating, the use of which is possible in combination with warm water floors.

The marking is located on the packaging of the laminate. Usually it indicates the color, material, as well as the maximum temperature regime. Most often, the temperature indicated on the marking sheet does not exceed 28-29 degrees. Also on the form it will be indicated that a laminate designed for a warm water floor cannot be used for a film or electric floor heating.

Laminate thermal insulation

The accompanying documentation will indicate the coefficient of thermal resistance. This indicator is very important. The figure indicated on the form should not exceed 0.15 sq.m. xK/W (European standard). Between the parameters of the laminate and the coefficient of thermal resistance there is a direct relationship. The lower the density and thickness of the coating, the better. 0.8-1 cm is the recommended thickness of the laminate coating. Minor changes and inconsistencies increase the risk of overheating of the coating.

Laminate class

Since the laminate for a warm floor experiences the maximum load, in addition to strength, it must also be heat-resistant. From which it follows that the material should be as resistant as possible - class 33 or 32. This indicator corresponds to a laminate for a warm water, as well as an electric floor. The lower the class, the less the laminate will last.

There is a common belief that laminate flooring is not suitable for underfloor heating. It is worth figuring out if this is true or a myth. Indeed, some believe that it is possible to lay a coating only on an electric floor, but not on a water one. Others reject both options, or rather three, because the electric floor can be cable and film. You should not take this for granted, you need to figure out for yourself which laminate to choose for a warm water floor and how to properly carry out the installation work.

Source of conflicting opinions

Different opinions have arisen due to the fact that the material does not tolerate exposure:

• moisture;
• high temperatures.

Laminate has strength, wear resistance, durability, but its enemies are high humidity and temperature changes. Wood swells with water, and laminate flooring, as a product containing wood, also does not “like” moisture too much.

Panel parameters change under the influence of high and low temperatures. At high temperatures, they expand; at low temperatures, they contract. This negatively affects the locks and evenness of the lamellae. In addition, at temperatures above 30°C, formaldehyde resins are released from the heated panels, which are used as a binder. Having learned about this, those who thought about whether it is possible to put a laminate on a warm floor lose their last doubts.

But it is possible to lay a laminate on a warm floor, including on a water one. The coolant circulates in sealed pipes, so there is no need to worry about moisture. And if the tightness is violated, any coating will have to be removed and look for a leak. Whether it will remain suitable for secondary installation is another question. The heating of the floor surface is not so significant as to cause the release of harmful substances. The temperature is usually around 27-28°C. With such heating, you can not worry about the health of those who are in the room.

Not every flooring will be suitable for such conditions, for the reasons that a cheap laminate may not meet the specifications, for example, more formaldehyde resins will be used than is acceptable. In this case, formaldehyde vapors are also emitted at room temperature.

When choosing a laminate for a warm water floor, it is necessary to approach the process with all responsibility in order to avoid negative consequences.

Permissible formaldehyde content

The first thing you should pay attention to when choosing a finish is a low content of harmful substances.. This requirement corresponds to the coating class E0 and E1. Class E0 material contains virtually no formaldehyde. However, the cost of lamellas will be significantly higher compared to laminate of other classes. Laminate E1 - most of them on sale - tested for safety for installation in children's rooms. Classes E2 and E3 are intended for installation in industrial premises. More accurate figures can be seen in the table. The effect of formaldehyde on the human body is manifested by headaches and nausea.

Approval marks from the manufacturer

Since the underfloor heating has become quite often installed under laminated panels, manufacturers, in order to make it clearer to the buyer which laminate to choose, indicate on the packaging whether a particular model is suitable for laying on a water floor. To determine this, it is enough to carefully consider the packaging. All necessary designations are applied in the form of intuitively clear pictograms.

Laying capability may be labeled "H20", "Warm Wasser" or "Underfloorheating".

Optimum density and thickness of the lamellas

Works well in combination with underfloor heating coverage 32 and 33 class with a board thickness of at least 8 mm, but not more than 10 mm. Thin panels do not tolerate temperature changes, and thick ones have poor thermal conductivity. In addition, by producing thick slats, Chinese manufacturers mask the lack of material quality. The density of such boards is much lower, which means that they absorb moisture well. The optimal density of laminated panels is >900 kg/m 3 .

What should locks look like?

Locks are very sensitive to temperature changes. For installation, you can choose a coating that involves laying on glue. It is believed that such a coating will be more durable. However, in practice it has been verified that the Click locks also behave well when installed on a warm water floor. Now it is possible to purchase a laminate with aluminum or reinforced locks.

Material resistance

The resistance of the material plays an important role. You should choose a coating with an indicator of 0.05–0.10 m 2 K / W. It cannot be used with a higher indicator for a water-heated floor, because the total resistance of the “threshold” should not be more than 0.15 m 2 K / W. The average resistance of the substrate is about 0.04–0.06 m2 K/W. From here, the desired value of the resistance of the laminated coating is obtained.

On video: how to choose a laminate floor heating.

How to make a water floor under a laminate: features

Choosing a laminate according to all the rules is, of course, important. But it is equally important to properly prepare the underfloor heating system and lay the laminate according to the technology.

1. If the rough base is not even enough, then it is first necessary to pour a concrete screed. First, a layer of waterproofing is laid, a damper tape is rolled around the perimeter of the room. Then beacons are installed and the screed is poured. Waiting for the screed to gain strength. If the base is even, then immediately proceed to the next step.
2. Now put insulation on the floor. Most often it is extruded polystyrene foam. Both ordinary sheets such as traditional foam plastic and special plates with bosses are used.
3. Someone lays a waterproofing film on the insulation, someone does not. It is believed that penoplex itself perfectly performs waterproofing functions.
4. For fastening pipes, a pre-laid metal mesh and plastic ties, for example, are used. When using special mats, the mesh is not laid.
5. Pipes are usually laid out with a snake (in small rooms) or a snail (to achieve uniform heating). Laying is carried out in increments of no more than 30 cm.
6. To fill the finishing screed, it is recommended to use ready-made mixtures that contain plasticizers.

Temperature control. Since the situation is being considered when a laminate is laid on a warm floor, it is important to provide for the possibility of adjusting the temperature. One option is to install thermal heads on the supply and return manifolds. However, fine tuning of the system with this method cannot be achieved, because all adjustments are made manually literally “by touch”. In addition, the result of the adjustment will be noticeable only after a couple of hours. Adjustment "up to a degree" is possible only when using sensors and automation. But this method is more suitable for laminate flooring, when it is necessary to adhere to a certain temperature regime.

Screed thickness. The pipes for laying the laminate must be covered with a screed, although some people neglect this: the distribution of heat, subject to the technology, becomes more uniform. Boards are heated over the entire surface, and not just in places where pipes pass. They try to make the screed as thin as possible. The ideal thickness of the screed, when both sufficient heating and uniform distribution of heat are provided, is 7 cm.

Rules for laying panels on a warm water floor

When laying laminate on a warm floor, it is better to read the step-by-step instructions from the manufacturer. But one rule should be followed in any case. Where laminate flooring will be laid on underfloor heating, the lamellas must spend a few days before installation. Thanks to this, they will acquire the temperature of the room and the problems when laying the material associated with the expansion of the panels will be eliminated.

Before laying the floor covering, the room must be kept at a constant temperature for several days.

Before laying a laminate for a warm floor, the screed is heated to a temperature of 27–30 ° C. This removes excess moisture from the screed. Substrate moisture should not exceed 5%. At the same time, the performance of the system is finally checked. After warming up, the system is turned off a couple of days before the installation of the laminate.

Characteristics of the substrate for the laminate

But not only the laminated coating must be chosen correctly. When laying a laminate on a warm water floor system, a substrate is usually used as a layer. But it must be borne in mind that the substrate will isolate heat, and the floor will not warm up properly, since the thermal conductivity of the laminated coating is small. But it is impossible to lay boards without a substrate - they will be too noisy. There is only one way out - to lay a thin substrate with a thickness of no more than 3 mm, which, on the one hand, will perform noise-insulating functions, but, on the other hand, will not interfere with the heating of the laminated panels.

Commissioning conditions

When putting the system into operation, the following conditions must be observed:

1. The temperature is raised gradually, starting from 18°C ​​to 27°C. Every day, with the help of a thermostat, increase the indicator by 3 ° C.
2. Turning off the system in the spring, you should also follow the rule of gradualness, lowering the temperature by 3 ° C every day to a temperature of 15-18 ° C.

Varieties of substrates for laminate (2 videos)

If during the repair it was decided to use a water floor heating system, and laminate flooring as a floor covering, then the question would be appropriate - for a warm floor? Do not take any laminated coating that comes to hand. There are a number of rules for selection.

Before choosing a laminate for, you need to understand what it is made of and why it cannot be used indiscriminately for underfloor heating. Laminate is made by pressing small sawdust and wood dust. To connect the components to each other, various resins are used, which have formaldehyde in their composition.

As you know, this substance adversely affects human health. The release of formaldehyde into the space of the room occurs when the laminate is heated above +26 degrees. Conventional laminate is operated in a temperature range from 0 to +25 degrees. At this temperature, the release of harmful vapors does not occur.

When choosing a laminate for a warm water floor, you must carefully study its characteristics on the package or ask the seller if it can be used for laying on a heated floor. The second mandatory rule is the thermal conductivity of the selected coating.

It's important to know! The thermal conductivity coefficient of the laminate should not exceed 0.15 m2 x K/W.

If the coating has a coefficient value from 0.05 to 10 m2 x K / W, then it is ideal for laying on a warm floor. Underfloor heating under a laminate, or rather, its source is also very important. Laminate for a warm water floor cannot be laid on a floor with electric heating. Ask the seller for a certificate for the laminate. It contains all the conditions for the use of the coating and its characteristics.

Important to remember! When installing a warm water floor system, it is recommended to use programmable thermostats. Using them, you can set the maximum allowable temperature, not exceeding the threshold of +26 degrees.

Laminate selected - proceed to installation

After the laminate is delivered to the room, it needs to undergo acclimatization. The process should take place within 48 hours at room temperature. This is necessary so that the laminate does not change its geometric dimensions after installation.

While the acclimatization process is in progress, it is necessary to check the evenness of the sand-cement screed, in which the contours of the water heating system are laid. Laminate locks are very sensitive to drops and irregularities. So that they serve for a long time and do not diverge, the difference for every 2 m should be no more than 1-2 mm. Let's figure out how to prepare the floor for laminate.

If the differences are large, then they can be removed with a grinder or, in extreme cases, with a self-leveling mixture. However, it is worth remembering that the effective heat transfer of the heating circuits occurs with a screed thickness of not more than 30 mm.

It is impossible to lay a laminate on a wet screed. The moisture content of the sand-cement coating should be no more than 2-3%.

It is not difficult to check this, even without a special device. A piece of polyethylene film 1 x 1 m is glued onto the screed. If after a day water drops appear under the film, then the screed is not ready for laying the laminate and should still dry. In place of the film, you can put a 2-3 liter jar with a neck on the screed and the effect will be the same.

The procedure for installing flooring is as follows:

•  Installation of vapor barrier
•  Shock-absorbing underlayment
•  Assembly of laminate
•  Plinth installation

The installation of laminate floors on a cement screed of a warm water floor requires laying a vapor barrier layer. To do this, you can use an inexpensive polyethylene film with a thickness of 0.2 mm. It is laid on the base of the floor with an overlap of at least 20 cm. After that, the sheets are firmly connected with adhesive tape or adhesive tape.

A layer of polypropylene foam is laid on top of the vapor barrier. It will create depreciation under load on the laminate, and will play the role of additional sound insulation. This is necessary because laminate floors are laid in a pattern called "floating".

Such a coating should not rest against the walls, because its linear expansions when heated are significant. If you do not make gaps between the coating and the walls, swelling and deformation of the laminate will occur when heated.

The substrate under the laminate under the warm floor is rolled out, and the joint is connected butt-to-butt with adhesive tape. Everything is ready for laying the laminate, but the question arises - in which direction to lay it?

Lay the laminate in a direction perpendicular to the source of natural light or a window. In this case, the joints between the plates will be the least noticeable.

Laying laminate on a warm floor starts from the corner. Lay out the first row of plates along the wall. Wedges with a thickness of at least 15 mm are inserted between the wall and the plates. They provide thermal insulation. At the ends and sides of the laminate has locks for docking with the "neighbors".

The last plate in the row will most likely not fit, and it will need to be cut to size. To do this, use an electric jigsaw or a hacksaw for metal, for marking - a tape measure, a pencil and a building corner of 90 degrees.

Laying the second row begins with a segment from the last board of the first row. This will provide the so-called "runaway" of the plates and securely fix the entire coating. The offset of the end joints of adjacent rows must be at least 40 cm.

The plates of the second row are brought into the side lock of the first row at an angle of 30-40 degrees and lowered to the floor. A characteristic “click” will inform you that the board has fallen into place. For a secure fit in the locks and to reduce gaps, the panels are tapped with a hammer through a wooden extension.

Laminate flooring is performed until all panels are laid. The last row may need to be cut lengthwise. Don't forget to insert wedges between the laminate and the wall. This gap will later hide the baseboard. If it is necessary to bypass the heating pipes, then the slots are made with a drill and a crown on a tree of the desired diameter. In this case, a neat hole is obtained.

Skirting board installation

The installation of the laminate on the floor is considered complete when the plinth is installed on it. To install a plastic plinth, you will need a hacksaw, a drill, dowels and self-tapping screws. To the plinth rails in the kit, they buy internal and external plastic corners of the desired color. In the doorway, the plinth is closed with plugs.

The slats are cut to size, and holes are made in the walls for dowels. A plastic skirting board may contain a bar or insert that will hide the heads of the self-tapping screws after attaching to the walls.

In the event that it is planned to install a wooden plinth, you can not do without a joiner's miter box. This is a 45 degree cutter. A wooden plinth is laid in it and cut with a hacksaw at an angle to make a beautiful joint in the corners.