Laminate is a floor covering that has gained extraordinary popularity these days due to its inherent advantages. Its main advantage is accessibility from a financial point of view. It is also practical, has a fairly good service life, and is easy to install. And for fans of warm floors who appreciate coziness and comfort in their home, the use of laminated panels as a final coating is an ideal solution! But not all underfloor heating systems can be installed under a laminate.
Heated floor under laminate
There are three main types: electric, water and infrared underfloor heating under the laminate. Which is better, of course, you decide, but the last type is considered the most modern and modernized. It is this warm field that will be discussed in our article.
IR-floor under the laminate - the lot of modernity
Electric and water options are gradually becoming a thing of the past. Infrared warm floor under the laminate, or, as it is also called, film, has gained immense popularityat the population. The relatively small thickness and homogeneity of the laminate panels provide effective distribution of IR rays over the entire surface. And the design features of the film web (underfloor heating systems) do not allow radiation to penetrate deep into the base, thus ensuring a high level of efficiency of the heating system.
How infrared floor heating works
The work of film underfloor heating is based on the use of a special technology, which consists in the features of bimetal joints. When the unit is connected to the mains, current flows through these bimetallic connections, causing infrared rays to radiate from them.
For and against
Infrared film underfloor heating for laminate has a number of advantages over its competitors:
- easy to install;
- possibility of self-installation;
- availability;
- high-quality replacement of stationary heating (in areas with warm climatic conditions);
- no temperature fluctuations;
- energy saving.
Can I install the infrared floor myself?
The warm IR floor under the laminate will not only make the coating modern, but also give it the property of functionality, which consists in instantly creating a comfortable microclimate in the room/room at any time of the day, both in winter and summer. It is more than realistic to install an infrared underfloor heating under a laminate on your own. At the same time, there is no need to resort to the use of expensive technologies and to make a concrete screed.
Required tools
For work you will need:
- laminate underlay with heat reflective properties;
- infrared film;
- temperature sensors;
- temperature controller;
- electric wiring;
- a set of fasteners in the form of clips for installing canvases;
- insulation kit for installation;
- polyethylene film, the main purpose of which is moisture protection;
- adhesive tape for sanitary purposes;
- wallpaper knife;
- scissors;
- metal ruler;
- measuring tape;
- a simple pencil.
Types of infrared film
Infrared film is classified according to the type of heating element, and it can be of two types:
- bimetallic;
- carbon.
It is worth noting that carbon film is considered more elastic and durable.
How to put infrared underfloor heating under laminate: general installation rules
- Distance. The underfloor heating system should be arranged at a certain distance from heating sources such as fireplaces, radiators, stoves and others. As a rule, the minimum indicator for such a distance is 50 centimeters.
- Freespace. It is allowed to mount infrared heated floors under the laminate only in a space free from furniture. Reviews indicate that when installing the system under furniture or equipment, the heating structure or the entire floor as a whole may overheat.
- Accessibility. The floor covering must support the ability to control the functioning of the structure and provide access to the system at any time.
- Ventilation. As you know, laminate flooring is characterized by minimal thermal conductivity. That is why it must have good ventilation, which depends in part on the correct laying of the laminate.
We make an infrared warm floor under the laminate with our own hands: installation instructions
The main requirement for laying underfloor heating is a flat base that does not have any bumps and cracks. There must also be a socket in the room that allows you to connect to a 220 V electrical network. After you have verified that these two requirements are met, you should proceed to the following steps.
Preparatory and isolation work
Step 1. Cleaning the base. Carrying out cleaning work to eliminate pollution and debris. Vacuuming equipment is recommended.
Step 2. Measurements. It is necessary to measure the dimensions of the room and make a calculation of the material. It is impossible to overlap the IR film. Therefore, if, due to the size of the room, a certain number of solid strips cannot be laidit turns out, then it is possible to create small gaps between them.
Step 3. Installation of a heat-reflecting substrate. Infrared underfloor heating under a laminate when laying involves the use of a special substrate with heat-reflecting properties. Such material is covered over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe room. If the size does not match, it can be shortened.
Step 4. Processing the joints of the substrate. The joints of the heat-reflecting material must be glued with mounting adhesive tape from the outside.
Step 5. Preparing the heating film. Cut the IR film, guided by the size of the room. Incisions can only be made in areas that are painted white.
Step 6. Laying the film. The heating film is placed on the floor throughout the room if it is free from bulky furniture. If there is one, laying should be done in free places.
Step 7. Tire insulation. Copper busbars at the film cut points should be insulated with electrical adhesive tape, twisting it through the cut point. It is very important that no air gets under the tape.
Step 8. Processing the ground bus. The tire, which, as a rule, is located in the central part of the heating sheet, must be bent on both sides. In this case, the sections should not be touched, in fact, in the same way as the remaining white areas.
Step 9. Insulate the film on the area that is freed from the copper ground bus. Electrical adhesive tape is used. glueyou need it so that there is a fold on the wrong side.
Step 10. Isolate the cuts of the IR film with adhesive tape, which is glued ½ wide and folded over the cut.
Soldering the wires and connecting the thermostat
Step 11. Aligning the film at the installation site and attaching it to the substrate on the side that is opposite to the side where the temperature controller is located.
Step 12. Soldering the wires that connect the individual sections of the film. Bend the film from the side where the temperature regulator is installed, so that its wrong side looks up. In order to increase the level of comfort during work, it is allowed to temporarily fix the film with mounting adhesive tape. Next, the preparation of materials begins: an installation wire with a cross section of 2.5 m2, a soldering tool with a power of not more than 60 W, solder. From the protective tires, which are located along the edges of the film, the insulating layer is removed by using a heated soldering iron or a clerical knife. The cut edges are marked with a soldering iron, the insulation melts. After that, it remains only to clean with a knife.
Step 13. Connecting sections of the film in parallel by soldering. Stripping the installation wire from the insulating coating should be carried out carefully on an area that will be enough for soldering. In this case, the wire core is not cut. Connectingsections of the film, one should be guided by the “phase-zero” rule. Based on this, it is more rational to use a wire with a multi-colored insulating coating. During soldering, it is impossible for the wires to intersect, and also to be too tight. Otherwise, damage or breakage cannot be avoided.
Step 14. Insulation of soldering points. The places where the wires are soldered are insulated with electrical adhesive tape.
Step 15. Mounting the floor temperature sensor. Such a device is installed under the film, in a recess that was made in advance in a substrate with heat-reflecting properties. The temperature sensor is placed under the film in the central part of its working area, in the warmest place in the room. Fulfilling the last requirement, the master reduces the risk of film overheating. The wire that is included with the temperature sensor is laid along the substrate and leads to the thermostat. The latter is fixed to the substrate with mounting tape.
Step 16. Stripping the wires, tinning their ends and connecting to certain terminals of the temperature controller. In the same way, you need to connect the installation wire that goes to the heating tires of the film, and the power cable.
Step 17. Following the previous algorithm of actions, you need to connect the grounding strips of the film. They are stripped, cut and connected by using a strip of copper or cable. The output wires are placed in a corrugated pipe.
Step 18. Fixing the film. You need to fix the film on the substrate using mounting tape. In this case, it is impossible for individual sections of the film to overlap each other.
Testing and laying laminate panels
Step 19. Attaching the ground wire from the corrugated pipe to the ground terminal of the temperature controller, and if there is none, to the ground loop.
Step 20. Before laying, you need to check the infrared film underfloor heating. Installation under a laminate is carried out only after a preliminary check of the operability of the thermal structure. To do this, it should be connected to a 220 V power supply, set the temperature controller to the middle position and start the heating process by pressing the toggle switch. Hold in this state for no more than 1 minute, after which the quality and degree of heating of all parts of the film are checked by hand.
Step 21 Clean up. Elimination of remnants of the installation cable and other debris. Vacuuming is considered acceptable.
Step 22. Laying polyethylene film to improve its waterproofing properties. The IR film is covered with polyethylene so that there is an overlap on the walls of about 15–20 cm. The thickness indicator should be more than 160 microns.
Step 23 Laying the laminate.
Say no to carpets
Remember! It is not recommended to use carpets and other floor coverings as decor and interior decoration in the room if infrared heated floors under the laminate are installed. Consumer reviews confirm this. After all, such things create the effect of delaying warm air, which can cause overheating of the flooring. For example, if you lay a carpet where the thermostat is installed,the power relay will systematically turn off, which means that the efficiency of heating a room or room is out of the question.
Tips & Tricks
Before laying the infrared warm floor under the laminate, you should draw up an appropriate scheme, taking into account the following nuances:
- The temperature controller should be located at a height of 15 cm from the floor in the most accessible and convenient area.
- The surface temperature of a laminate floor as a whole is in direct proportion to where the temperature sensor is placed. It is best to place the device near windows or doors - where it is coolest.
- Laying infrared underfloor heating under laminate is prohibited under installed furniture and equipment. If, due to lack of sufficient space in the room, this requirement is violated, then the creation of so-called air pockets is mandatory, the minimum height of which is 10 cm.
- The edge sheets of the film should not be tightly pressed against the wall surface. They should be at a distance of about 15-40 cm from the wall around the entire perimeter. In this case, the length of the canvas should not be more than 8 cm.
- Cut film heaters only in special places.
- Location of the infrared floor system under the overlap laminate is unacceptable.
What are users saying?
Most people who have laminate flooring choose infrared underfloor heating for laminate flooring. Reviews, however, are both positive and negative.
Alonenote the effectiveness of such floors as a heating system for the whole room. Others complain about the unaesthetic appearance due to the loss of evenness of the laminate floor, as well as the instability of the structure. The disadvantages that users talk about may be the result of neglecting one or another rule of installation or operation, since it is very important to correctly install infrared warm floors under the laminate. Reviews when choosing the type of heating for the floor, of course, are worth reading, but you still don’t need to take them to heart. It is better to study the technical characteristics of the IR film and the laminated coating itself when choosing, and entrust the installation work to a specialist if you doubt your own abilities.
