What flooring can you put over underfloor heating?

One of the main benefits of underfloor heating is the ability to step barefoot onto a warm floor on cold winter days. This form of heating is a great way to make a home feel warm and cosy.

What is underfloor heating?

Underfloor heating is a system of pipes or wires that is installed below the top layer of the floor that heats up to warm a property.

There are two types of underfloor heating. There is electrical, which uses wires, and wet heating systems, that have pipes through which warm water flows. Electric underfloor heating is easier to install, but more expensive to run. To heat this way, installers connect the heating wires or mats to an electrical supply and a thermostat control unit that passes an electric current through the wires.

Wet underfloor heating requires a boiler or heat pump, and pipes buried in the subfloor as well as a thermostat controller. It is expensive to fit but is often installed in new buildings. However, once installed, it is energy efficient.

Underfloor heating provides uniform heating levels across the whole floor. It is reliable and easy to maintain. Wet systems require an annual boiler check and service. Electric heating is noiseless, but there is some low noise from wet floor boilers.

Most, but not all floor coverings are suitable for putting over underfloor heating.

What flooring is best on top of underfloor heating?

One way to compare floor coverings for underfloor heating is to measure the average heat output that is transferred from the underfloor heating to the floor surface. Stone or tiles are best for heat transfer followed closely by vinyl, then wood and carpets. Another quality of stone and tiles is that they also warm up particularly quickly.

Though stone and tiles are best for underfloor heating, in living areas and bedrooms, some prefer the look and feel of other floor coverings. Tile and stone floors are recommended for kitchens, bathrooms and utility rooms. Though underfloor heating under stone is cheaper to run, the difference in running costs between floor coverings is small. For most users, the look and feel of a floor over underfloor heating is more important than small increases in running costs.

Carpet is fine over underfloor heating. However, if the carpet combined with the underlay has a 2.5 tog rating or over, its insulation properties will block the efficient transfer of heat to the floor's surface. A thin carpet but with thick underlay may also be unsuitable for underfloor heating. Use a carpet underlay with a low tog rating such as Quick-Step Silent Walk that prevents dampness and condensation and has low heat resistance.

Luxury vinyl is a viable choice for underfloor heating as it allows heat to move easily around the floor. Linoleum flooring is also suitable. Some vinyl and linoleum are sensitive to high temperatures so are best suited to rooms with lower heat requirements. Check with the manufacturer or a floor retailer.

If using a solid smooth floor covering over underfloor heating, making a room cosier with rugs is fine and will not significantly affect underfloor heating efficiency.

Can I put laminate flooring over underfloor heating?

Laminate flooring is usually suitable for underfloor heating, but not all types are. Check the flooring specifications or seek advice from the manufacturer or a flooring retailer. Some laminates have the manufacturer's maximum temperature rating guidelines.

As there is a wide range of flooring available for use over underfloor heating, this means that you don't have to compromise on décor style with this heating option.

What flooring is not suitable for underfloor heating?

Cork flooring is not good for underfloor heating, as it may dry out and shrink.

Solid wood flooring may be efficient at transferring heat, but it has issues as the planks can warp and expand as their temperatures change. It is possible to use solid wood if it has been acclimatised for a while in the room before fitting to avoid the planks expanding or contracting after installation.

If you want the look and feel of natural wood without the warping issues of solid wood, choose engineered wood flooring. This type of flooring has a natural wood top layer and several layers underneath. The planks are more stable than solid wood and resist warping.

As mentioned previously, avoid high tog rated carpets and underlay combinations for underfloor heating. These carpets won't be damaged by the heat, but will create an inefficient heating system.

If you are installing underfloor heating or renewing the flooring over existing heating and need further advice about flooring options, talk to your local flooring retailer in Chester or North Wales.

Building managers have diverse demands for flooring

Managers of buildings in North Wales have varying demands for floor covering.

Areas that have heavy foot traffic require floor coverings that are robust and easy to maintain. In 2024, interior designers have been asked to incorporate floorings that have additional properties such as waterproofing and contain recycled materials.

In schools and healthcare facilities, noise is a potential issue that should be considered with flooring. This has driven demand for flooring with acoustic properties like rubber, carpet tiles and luxury vinyl flooring that reduce sound levels.

Many organisations have different floor coverings to mark distinct areas. For instance, in schools, quiet areas are marked with carpets to separate them from the rest of the classroom that has a hard floor surface. An issue with this for less able-bodied students is that the difference in height between the two flooring types is a trip hazard. To reduce floor transition differences, manufacturers are producing portfolios of differing floor covering designs that have the same thickness.

Facility managers are asking questions about sustainability, health and wellness. These figures are likely to prefer eco-friendly, non-allergenic floor coverings that reflect their organisation's values.

Though modern floor coverings are made to last a long time, high-traffic areas wear unevenly. Manufacturers are transitioning from large sheets and rolls to modular flooring such as carpet tiles and luxury vinyl tiles. Instead of replacing whole floors, only the worn areas need new floor coverings installed.

To see the wide age of options in commercial flooring in North Wales, visit a local flooring retailer.

How do old carpet fibres enhance the durability of concrete flooring?

Numerous households and commercial properties have carpets installed on concrete subfloors. Recent research conducted at RMIT University in Australia suggests that concrete floors could include materials derived from carpets in the future.

One of the primary challenges with concrete flooring is cracks, which weaken the concrete and pose a safety hazard due to compromised structural integrity. Dr Chamila Gunasekara, the lead researcher at RMIT University School of Engineering, asserts that by incorporating fibres from discarded carpets into concrete, its strength can be enhanced by up to 40% and prevent premature cracking.

Field studies are currently underway to evaluate the performance of concrete slabs mixed with these added fibres. Additionally, fibres sourced from worn-out clothing are being seen as another viable option for concrete reinforcement. Dr Shadi Houshyar, a textile and material scientist at RMIT University, estimates that 70% of textile waste could be repurposed into valuable fibres for various new products.

Disposing of old carpets in landfills is not environmentally sustainable. In North Wales, initiatives have been implemented to recycle carpets by extracting reusable materials for new product manufacturing. The key challenge lies in discovering additional applications for discarded carpets to increase recycling rates. While burning carpets is an alternative to landfill disposal, it is discouraged due to the emission of harmful toxins.

Concrete floors, unless equipped with underfloor heating systems, can feel chilly underfoot during cold weather. Adding carpets to North Wales floors adds warmth to areas with concrete subfloors, adding to a growing list of benefits for this application of carpets.

119-year-old carpet restored in Turkey

A carpet that was first created well over a century ago has undergone some much-needed restoration work.

The average life of a carpet is between five and fifteen years, depending on traffic and the carpet quality, but this does not apply to all carpets. The largest carpet in Istanbul, Turkey, is in the Dolmabahçe palace, the residence of the crown princes during the Ottoman Empire. This 124-square-metre carpet was woven at the Hereke Imperial Factory 119 years ago during Sultan Osman Abdülhamid's reign.

The carpet, which weighs around one ton, has sections that have been damaged by the sun. Restoration work on the carpet was started by eight expert carpet restorers, who are meticulously repairing the carpet at the Yıldız Şale Residence Carpet Workshop Restoration. Work started several months ago and is expected to take around a year to complete. After the work has finished, the carpet will be returned to the palace, where it should last many more years.

Carpets in Wrexham homes are unlikely to last for a century or more, but there are things that can be done to extend a carpet's life. Regular vacuuming stops dust and dirt from settling in the carpet and causing wear that reduces the carpet's lifespan. When spills occur, it’s important to clear them promptly with a clean cloth or kitchen roll and avoid excess moisture.

Every twelve to eighteen months, carpet owners are advised to deep clean the carpet using a cleaning machine or professional carpet cleaning service.

Are carpets in bedrooms an outdated style?

Paris Forino, a New York interior designer, has said that bedroom carpets are "dated and suburban".

However, many others believe that carpets do belong in bedrooms. Those who prefer carpets in their bedrooms say the pros outweigh the cons.

The main benefit of using bedroom carpets is that they make the space cosy. A lot of people enjoy the soft feel on their bare feet when they get out of bed in the morning. Emma Breislin, interior editor of Livingetc summarises this view:

"Softness and comfort outweigh all else, so why would you want to step onto cold timber floorboards when you could sink into a plush carpet?"

You don't have to sacrifice style by choosing carpets. There is an abundant selection of patterns, colours and textures available. Visit your local carpet retailer in North Wales to see their extensive carpet range. Done right, bedroom wall-to-wall carpets can make a striking visual style statement.

Wall-to-wall carpets are more difficult to keep clean than hard surface flooring, requiring regular vacuuming and an occasional deep clean.

Carpets are available in many materials from natural luxurious wool to synthetic fibres. For an environmentally friendly option, install wool carpets and arrange for the old carpets to be sent to a recycling centre which extracts the materials for use in new products.

An alternative to carpets is to place deep pile rugs on hard floors to add softness to the bedroom.

Many owners of carpets in North Wales firmly believe that carpets are far from outdated and unstylish.