Is it possible to lay a laminate on a warm water floor?

Today, the "warm floor" system has ceased to be a luxury for the elite. It is so popular that it is sometimes used as the main source of space heating. Many people think: is it possible to lay a laminate on the water floor? Will the flooring be damaged? The question, as they say, is not idle, because the laminated coating is quite sensitive to changes in the microclimate in the room.

According to experts, the arrangement of a "warm floor" under floor coverings from a parquet or a massive board is undesirable. Practice shows that wooden floors in such cases behave not in the best way. But with laminate the story is completely different. The use of this coating in combination with a warm floor has proved very good. We will deal with all the nuances.

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Selecting the material

Those who used this cover in the apartment know that no additional insulation can save you from the fact that at any time of the year the laminate remains cool. Alas, this is not wood, and its surface is just a high-strength organic resin, which prevents abrasion of the boards. This resin remains cool in the summer heat, and in the winter cold. And if you arrange under the lamellas a warm floor, it will be pleasant to walk even barefoot.

Important! Not all grades of laminate are combined with insulated floors. Cheap varieties of this coating behave the same way as a tree - simply deformed.

Before answering the question, whether it is possible to make a warm floor under the laminate, it is necessary to choose the right material. Here are the criteria for choosing a floor covering:

• The presence of a special marking, indicating the compatibility of lamellas with warm floors.
• Thickness of boards from 8 mm. Slats of smaller thickness are deformed from the temperature drop.

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How to choose the right floor heating system?

There are 3 types of systems used for floor heating:

• Water.
• Electrical.
• Infrared film.

Each of these systems has its advantages and disadvantages. All of them are approximately equally popular. Let us consider them in more detail.

Water

This is a system of hidden pipes of small cross-section that are connected to a central heating system. Can I put a laminate on a warm water floor? In principle, the water system of floor insulation and laminated flooring are compatible, but only in private houses. In multi-apartment buildings, such systems are prohibited.

This method of floor heating has many disadvantages:

• The complexity and costliness of installation, repair and maintenance.
• If there is a leak in the pipes, you need to change not only the entire pipeline, but also the floor covering. Hot water will make it unusable.
• The complexity of temperature control, and the laminate does not tolerate high temperatures very well.

Cable( electrical)

This is the most common option, but, unfortunately, it is not suitable for coatings with low thermal conductivity, including for laminate. The reason is that before installing the finishing coat the cable is poured with a screed. Before heating the laminate, the cable must first warm up the screed itself. The efficiency of such a system, of course, is small.

Important! The case is further complicated by the fact that a laminate is placed between the lamellas and the screed, made of a material with low thermal conductivity. Thus, the floor will be heated slowly at a significant energy cost.

Film

The principle of operation of such a system is based on the phenomenon of infrared radiation. The name "film" system has received from the thinnest film with the built in strips of a conductor.

Advantages of film floors include:

• No need for glue and screed.
• Cost-effective.
• Efficiency for floors from materials with low thermal conductivity, including for laminate.
• Environmental safety.

Important! Heating of the laminate to a temperature exceeding 30 degrees is unacceptable, since the material can be deformed. In addition, heating to high temperatures can provoke the release of formaldehyde.

Conclusion

Thus, the optimal option is a film infrared system.

Important! Some western companies produce a laminate with a built-in heating system, but it is very expensive.

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How to lay a warm floor under a laminate - the order of mounting

It's not at all difficult. It is enough to have knowledge of electrical engineering and desire to make something with your own hands. Warm film type floors are sold as a set:

• Film.
• Contact clamps with insulation.
• Wiring.

In addition, to equip the film warm floor will need:

• Heat reflector on a soft base, which at the same time will serve as a substrate for the laminate. Do not use materials with aluminum foil.
• Polyethylene( protects the thermal film from moisture).
• Scotch.
• Thermostat with temperature sensor, for regulating the heating temperature.

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How to lay a warm floor under a laminate?

1. Pre-prepare the surface.
2. Place the heat reflector, fastening the joints with adhesive tape.
3. Cut the thermal film with strips, lay it over the heat reflector and fix with adhesive tape.
4. Fit the thermostat.
5. Connect the thermal film strips in parallel using the supplied wires.
6. Using bitumen insulation, fix the sensor on the back of the thermal film.
7. Connect the thermostat to the network and test how the system works.
8. On top of the installed system, spread a protective film of polyethylene.

Now it is possible to mount lamellas using conventional technology. Knowing how to make warm floors in an apartment under a laminate, you can significantly improve the microclimate in the apartment. But this is an important component of comfortable living conditions.