8 simple steps. Installation of an underfloor heating mat. This is a very simple process, and with our guidance, you will find that anyone can do their own underfloor heating installation! Let’s take a walk through the process…
Supplies, supplies, supplies! What you need before we begin:
You will need a few basic supplies before you start your installation of an underfloor heating mat. You will need your heating mat from JC Heat2Tile. Your thermostat. A piece of trunking if you are placing your thermostat on the wall’s exterior surface. Some double-sided tape. *If you do not wish to drill for mounting the thermostat* Some normal tape. A measuring tape and a pair of GOOD scissors (your kiddie’s safety scissors probably won’t work for this). Although it is not necessary, feel free to recruit some minions for extra assistance at this stage!
First things first:
As I mentioned to you in the video, you will need to do a little bit of math! The heating mat will need to have a starting point, then make a zig-zag across your floor area and then come back up and across to return back to your starting point. As stipulated in the video, take a bit of time doing this initial math, as when you come to laying the mat, having little markings on your floor surface will help you a lot! Let’s start our installation of an underfloor heating mat…
Moving on:
Now that you have given your brain a workout and figured out how you will cut and lay your mat, take your marking pen. Measure out these guideline measurements and make little markings on your floor to guide you as you go along. I strongly advise that you do not miss this step. Believe me, when you are in the process of laying the mat and suddenly have to start trying to measure out your cuts, my voice will be ringing in your head saying “I told you so!”
Very VERY important:
Now that you have done all your math, and markings had a cup of coffee and decided to start, stand at your starting point and ensure that your heating elements will be facing down onto the floor when you roll out your mat. Let’s carry on…
Start rolling, rolling, rolling:
Roll out your starting point until you get to your first marking. Now, take your scissors and cut along the mat to the bottom. MAKE SURE that you do not cut the element during this process!!! Now turn your mat and start rolling back again! Carry on rolling up and down until you get to your marking that stipulates that you must go up again towards your starting point. Roll up to your marking, and then back to your starting point again. In essence, you should have now formed a square of heating with both the beginning and end of the mat now at your thermostat point.
As you will see in the video, you must now ensure that your cold leads from the heater do not cross over each other when you stick the edges down. You should now be gazing upon a pretty little square of heating and patting yourself on the back for your achievement!
To screed or not to screed, that is the question:
Now, this is a decision you will have to make, based on a few things that I am going to point out to you. Firstly, what type of flooring will you be laying on?
If you are laying tiles, you will be using a tile adhesive and this is really not a necessary step. If you are using laminated wooden flooring, personally, I would say screed! Laminates are floating floors and you would want your heating to be one with a concrete base. (This is my opinion and not an absolute instruction!)
Should you be laying vinyl flooring, then you must screed! The reason I say this is that vinyl floors “mould” to the floor surface. After time you could end up actually seeing the heating on the vinyl surface. In my humble opinion, it is worth spending the extra time to add a thin smooth layer of screed over the heating mat. This will make sure that your heating is protected and actually becomes “one” with the concrete base.
Now for the thermostat:
Now that you have done all the heavy labour, all you have to do is connect the thermostat. Either you will have trunking in the wall that goes to a box, (This will have direct lines from your DB board and should be done by a qualified electrician) or you will place a piece of trunking on your wall surface. You feed the cold leads of the heater through this. Now all you will need to do is connect your thermostat according to the instructions… Taaa daaaaa! You have now completed your underfloor heating installation!
A final word or two:
Before you run off to gloat about your achievement to all your friends, remember to watch the installation video. It goes through all these steps in a visual guide. Also, have a squizz at our video that explains all you need to know about setting up your digital thermostat.
YAY! You are now officially an underfloor heating D.I.Y pro! Congratulations on your installation! Don’t forget to pop over to our various social media pages. You can gloat about your success or simply ask us any other questions that you may have.
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