What’s the best flooring for underfloor heating?
Choosing the best flooring for underfloor heating ensures you achieve maximum efficiency from your system. It’s important to consider efficiency, along with style and comfort, to make sure you select the correct floor covering for your installation.
Top Flooring Compatible with Underfloor Heating
UFH (Underfloor heating) is extremely versatile and can accommodate a variety of floor coverings and finishes. Many people assume you are restricted to tiles; however, underfloor heating is compatible with several types of flooring, such as engineered wood, laminate, vinyl, carpet, screed, and even resin. This applies to both wet underfloor heating and electric underfloor heating.
The best flooring for underfloor heating will transfer the most heat from the UFH system to the floor surface and the room above. Hard floor coverings provide the best heat transfer due to their high conductivity, meaning the floor covering can transfer thermal energy more efficiently.
Although softer floor coverings may have lower conductivity, resulting in a lower heat output, a softer touch and style may be appealing to your installation.
Tile and Stone Floors
Tiles and natural stone are among the most popular floor coverings for underfloor heating. They offer high thermal conductivity, enabling excellent heat output and quick warm-up times. When paired with UFH, tiles lose their typical cold feel, providing extra comfort during winter. Tiles are durable and easy to clean, providing the perfect fit for kitchens, bathrooms, and large family spaces.
Pros of tiles and stone floors for UFH:
- High thermal conductivity – fast, efficient heating
- Wide variety of modern styles and finishes
- Removes the chilly surface you feel in colder months
- Ideal for kitchens, bathrooms, and even full-house use
Tiles and natural stone are bedded directly to the chosen surface in most cases. Choose the correct flexible tile adhesive that is suitable for UFH.
A decoupling membrane can also be used in certain installations. This helps prevent cracks by absorbing lateral movement between the UFH system and tile layer, especially useful in areas prone to slight movement, over joisted flooring.
Wood Flooring
Wooden flooring includes a variety of options, such as laminate, engineered wood, and parquet. It’s often a more cost-effective solution than tiles, while still offering a stylish appeal. Wood floors are warm, natural-looking, and work well in both modern and traditional spaces.
Contrary to common belief, wooden flooring, when properly selected and installed, is perfectly suitable for use with underfloor heating.
Engineered wood is one of the best options for use with underfloor heating. It has a strong, stable structure that manages changes in temperature better than solid wood. Engineered wood gives a high-end feel and is durable enough for use throughout your home.
Laminate offers a more affordable alternative to engineered wood. It provides similar thermal performance and is available in a wide range of styles, making it a popular choice for budget-conscious installations.
Pros of Wooden Flooring for UFH:
- Transfers heat well, especially engineered wood
- Large variety of styles, finishes, and colours
- A modern, comfortable choice for living areas and bedrooms
Always follow the manufacturer’s guidance when installing wooden floors over UFH. Floating or glued installations are suitable, avoid nailing or screwing into the floor to prevent damage to the heating system beneath. Ensure that the underlay is suitable for underfloor heating use.
Allow wooden flooring to acclimate to its environment before installation. This helps prevent movement or expansion once the heating is active.
Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl is a cost-effective choice for underfloor heating. Its thin profile allows for high thermal transfer, meaning an efficient system that heats and cools quickly. Vinyl or LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile) can come in a wide range of styles, colours, and finishes, often replicating the look of wood, stone, or tile. The flooring is water-resistant and easy to clean, making it ideal for kitchens and bathrooms.
Vinyl can sometimes have a lower quality finish and may look less natural compared to other flooring types. This is less desirable in high-traffic and modern areas.
Pros of Vinyl Floor & LVT for UFH:
- Good heat conductivity
- Wide range of styles
- Soft and comfortable underfoot
- Suitable for most rooms, including kitchens and bathrooms
When installing vinyl on top of overlay boards, an intermediate layer is required before installing the vinyl flooring. We recommend using a 5-10 mm self-levelling screed. Dual overlay boards or a standard 6mm ply can also be used. This is to protect the UFH pipes below and provide a smooth level surface for the flooring.
Solid and Screed Flooring
Screed is another flooring option well-suited for underfloor heating, especially when the system involves pipes embedded directly into the screed. This offers quick heat-up times and excellent heat retention, delivering maximum heat output. This is the best flooring for underfloor heating in terms of heat output.
Screed provides less comfort and can feel hard or impactful on the soles. It’s better suited to contemporary-style interiors where a harder surface is part of the design.
Pros of solid & screed flooring for UFH:
- Holds and distributes heat efficiently
- Durable and long-lasting
- Works well with modern, open-plan, or minimalist interiors
Screed is suitable for new builds or renovations where the floor has been excavated.
Carpet Flooring
Carpet is another flooring suitable for underfloor heating, although it has restrictions. Using carpet increases comfort in bedrooms or snug areas where cosiness is a priority.
As a thick carpet is a natural insulator, the combined tog of carpet and underlay must be below 2.5 to allow heat to pass through effectively. This setup works best where heat loss isn’t a major concern, as carpet provides a lower heat output than harder floor types.
Pros of Carpet for UFH:
- Warm, comfortable feel
- Longer heat-up times compared to hard floors.
- Carpet underlay must be below 2.5 tog
- Bedrooms, passive house
Avoid thick, fluffy carpets as they trap heat below and can impact efficiency. Ensure the underlay is appropriate for UFH.
Similar to vinyl, when installing carpet on top of overlay boards, an intermediate layer is required. We recommend using a 5-10 mm self-levelling screed, Dual overlay boards or a standard 6mm ply.
What flooring is not suitable for underfloor heating?
- Solid hardwood – Natural wood is prone to expansion and contraction due to temperature changes. This can cause various problems with UFH, such as warping.
Although some natural woods are suitable, please check with your flooring supplier. - Thick carpet and underlay – The combined tog of carpet and underlay must be below 2.5 to allow heat to pass through effectively. Anything more will limit heat transfer and block heat from rising to the floor surface.
- Excessive thickness can become an insulator and increase heat-up times. Thinner floor coverings perform better with UFH, allowing the room to heat up quickly.
- Ensure your chosen floor is suitable for UFH by checking the product description or contacting the flooring supplier.
Choosing the best floor for underfloor heating
When choosing the best floor covering for underfloor heating, it’s important to evaluate thermal performance, installation type, style preferences and cost. Making the right selection will impact your system’s efficiency and your everyday comfort.
The goal is to find a solution that not only performs well but also suits your taste.
Key points to keep in mind when selecting UFH-compatible flooring:
- Consider the room type, heat requirements, and overall interior design.
- Make sure the flooring is suitable for use with underfloor heating.
Check if the material has an upper temperature limit and whether a floor probe is required.
Comparing each flooring type
Our table displays a comparison of cost, room type, and key points to allow you to choose the best floor for underfloor heating needs.
| Floor Covering | Cost | Room Type | Key Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screed | ★★★ | Open Plan, Modern Kitchen |
|
| Tile & Stone | ★★★★ | Kitchen, Living, Bathroom |
|
| Engineered Wood | ★★★ | Living Room, Bedrooms |
|
| Laminate | ★★ | Living Room, Bedrooms |
|
| Vinyl / LVT | ★ | Kitchens, Bathrooms |
|
| Carpet | ★ | Bedrooms, Snug |
|
What floor give the best heat transfer?
To give you an idea of how different floor types compare, we’ve created a rough output table showing the typical thermal performance of each covering. These values are based on a system with a 50°C flow temperature, 150mm pipe spacing, and in-screed installation. Actual performance may vary depending on the specifics of your system.
The graph illustrates the thermal performance of various flooring types used with underfloor heating systems. Screed/polished concrete leads with the highest heat transfer, followed by tile and stone, and then low tog carpet showing the lowest performance.
Protecting your floor covering
Various floor coverings like wood, vinyl, and carpet often have an upper temperature limit, typically around 27–28°C, though this may vary depending on the supplier.
To protect these materials, the temperature must be monitored by a floor probe. The floor probe connects to the thermostat and is installed between the floor covering and the UFH system. This monitors the floor temperature and will prevent damage to heat-sensitive floor coverings. The system may occasionally cut off if the floor temperature gets close to this limit.
This is not required with tile or screed floors, making this a key benefit when choosing those materials.
Sourcing a UFH System for your flooring
There’s no single answer to ‘what’s the best flooring for underfloor heating,’ the right choice depends on your specific needs and preferences. When choosing a floor covering, it’s important to consider thermal efficiency, comfort, and your home’s style. The goal is to find a solution that not only performs well but also suits your taste.
Key points to keep in mind when selecting UFH-compatible flooring:
- Consider the room type, heat requirements, and overall interior design.
- Make sure the flooring is suitable for use with underfloor heating.
- Check if the material has an upper temperature limit and whether a floor probe is required.
The ideal flooring will depend on your installation and lifestyle. If you’re unsure or need further information about this topic, feel free to get in touch, we’re here to help.
For added support, we include a full design service with every order. Our team will create a custom CAD pipe layout based on your specific requirements.
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