What Kind of Flooring is Best For Underfloor Heating?

Underfloor heating works by transferring heat generated on the floor to the surrounding air. The materials that work best for this are those with high thermal conductivity, as they transfer heat quicker and more efficiently. Even though there are some materials that are not as conductive as others, it does not mean that you cannot use them with underfloor heating. Tile and stone make the best flooring for underfloor heating. However, there is a compatible radiant heating system available for most floor types. To choose the right heating for your floor type, it is best to contact heating and cooling companies.

Types of Flooring

You can install underfloor heating under any floor covering, but the floor’s thermal conductivity determines which one you should use.

Stone

Tiles and stone are the best flooring materials to use with underfloor heating because they have high thermal conductivity. This means that heat from a pipe or wire heats up the floor surface quickly. Tile and stone are excellent insulators, making them ideal for underfloor heating. They can be heated to up to 29°C or more, giving a high heat output of up to 200W/m².

Wood

Underfloor heating is often installed in wood flooring, but different types of wood flooring have different thermal properties and are not equally suited for this purpose. The denser the boards and the thinner they are, the better they conduct heat and the more suitable they are for underfloor heating.