Can I use Quick-Step Vinyl in combination with underfloor heating or cooling?
Vinyl flooring and underfloor heating are a match made in heaven, which makes vinyl extremely popular in both renovations and new buildings. All Quick-Step Vinyl floors can be combined with low-temperature underfloor heating or cooling.
Types of underfloor heating
Quick-Step Vinyl floors are compatible with low-temperature underfloor heating. This means the maximum contact temperature of the vinyl cannot exceed 27°C.
Your Quick-Step floor can be installed on:
-
Hot water systems:
- Wet systems (= embedded in the subfloor)
- Dry systems
- Electrical Systems:
- Wet systems (= embedded in the subfloor)
- Dry systems
The floor heating must be installed in accordance with the supplier’s instructions and the generally accepted instructions and rules.
Vinyl flooring with underfloor heating: things to bear in mind
When combining a vinyl floor with underfloor heating, you should make sure that the overall thermal resistance does not exceed 0.15m² K/W. The higher the thermal resistance, the longer it will take your floor to warm up and the less efficient your underfloor heating will be.
Quick-Step Vinyl floors are perfectly suited for this: Quick-Step Vinyl 2.5 mm has a total thermal resistance of 0.015 m²K/W when glued down. For ‘floating’ installations using Quick-Step Click Flex Vinyl 4.5 mm and Alpha Vinyl 5 mm with an underlay, the thermal resistance is respectively between 0.030-0.066 m² K/W and between 0.035-0.070 m²K/W. In other words: a glued floor transmits heat slightly better. The thermal resistance of Quick-Step Vinyl can be found in the specific guidelines for underfloor heating.
It is important to put an insulating layer below your underfloor heating that insulates more than the vinyl. This way, heat is reflected away from the insulative layer and is conducted through the floor.
Vinyl flooring and floor cooling
Floor cooling follows the same principles as underfloor heating, except it uses cold water instead of hot water. That’s why it is important to have an advanced control and security system to prevent internal condensation when using underfloor cooling. This prevents your floor from sustaining water damage.
Installing a vinyl floor with underfloor heating
Quick-Step Vinyl floors can be installed in two ways: glued down or ‘floating’. The general installation guidelines still apply, unless our specific guidelines for underfloor heating state differently. When in doubt, always check with your dealer.