When installing a warm water floor, one of the most important steps is the installation of a layer of thermal insulation. It is necessary to direct the air flow coming from the heated pipeline, as well as the screed, upward, that is, to the base of the floor. In this case, heat is not consumed to heat the floor slabs. It is the choice of a specific insulation material that will determine the total characteristics of the heated floor. In addition, mats for warm water floors must withstand mechanical stress and at the same time maintain their appearance. This indicates the need to purchase material with a density of more than 25 kg per m 3.
Usage
For heated floors, the most popular are profile mounting mats. They are based on foam plastic with a density of 40 kg per m 3. The process involves hydropellent stamping, resulting in products that can withstand mechanical stress, maintain their appearance, and also withstand aggressive environments. In addition, they have a specific base with a relief, into which a pipeline with a diameter of up to 18 mm fits perfectly. In this case, no additional fastenings are required. warm water floor does not take much time and becomes simpler and more convenient.
On the side surface of the mats for heated floors there are special locks, due to which they are laid into a continuous sheet. There is no need to perform any additional actions here. In addition, there is also a ruler on the side surface, thanks to which the mats fit together very well. The surface of the material allows you to smooth out minor defects in the floor surface and create a protective layer against noise penetration.
An important feature of mats for heated floors is the complete elimination of heat loss during the operation of the room heating system.
Advantages
When special mats are used in work, you can get whole line positive qualities, among which are:
But this is only part of the advantages that mounting mats for the heating system in the house have. Without them, it would be problematic to obtain such qualities and properties, as well as to install the entire circuit.
Types of mats
There are different classifications of mats a large number of. All of them are divided depending on the functions and qualities exhibited, and mats are also distinguished depending on how they are arranged and how they are produced.
However, more attention should be paid to last option mats for warm water floors, as their popularity is constantly growing. They found the greatest practical use due to the manifested advantages and performance characteristics.
Profile mats
The technology for producing mats with bosses has already been mentioned. They are presented in the form of rectangles, the thickness of which ranges from 10 to 35 mm. The height of the projections on each plate is usually up to 20 mm. 
The protrusions are cylindrical or cube-shaped. Between them it is possible to lay system pipes with a diameter of even 20 mm. They are attached so tightly and reliably that even during the pouring process concrete screed do not move, but remain in the place where they were originally fixed. They are presented in two types:
- Regular.
- Laminated.
Laminated options are covered with an additional vapor barrier layer in the form of a film. If such a layer is present, there is no need to create another vapor barrier when installing warm water floors. Among the shortcomings, the only point that can be noted is that such mats cannot allow the production of flooring on them with a non-standard diameter. You can note the qualities and characteristics that profile mats for underfloor heating systems have:
As for the choice of mats for, here you should proceed from certain points. The thickness of the slabs must correspond to the finishing fill layer along with floor covering. We must not forget about the possible insulation layer in the ceiling. If the thickness is suitable, then you can buy mats with bosses, since their main function is to securely hold the pipes. Under any circumstances, there will be no heat loss from the operation of the heating system. All of it will be transferred to the screed and subsequently on the base of the floor, creating comfortable conditions.
Laying order
Regardless of what kind of mat is used to construct the system, in any case a layer of waterproofing made of polyethylene film must be installed. In addition, additionally fix a damper tape around the perimeter of the room along the walls.
When the preparation has been completed, you can begin to lay mats on the surface, connecting them together locking system. If the weight of the mats is insignificant, as well as small thickness, then a special adhesive composition, with the help of which the elements are connected to each other. 
In this case, you should do without metal fasteners in your work. Otherwise, the integrity of the thermal insulation layer of the material, as well as the waterproofing layer, will be compromised. So you should forget about fasteners such as screws or nails. When using foil plates in work, their installation joints must be taped. Additionally, markings can be drawn on the surface of individual mat options. When all this is done, you can begin work on the contour of the water-heated floor or contours. To do this, select a specific pipe layout (“snake” or “snail”), or combine each of them in one room. 
Right choice
When it comes to choosing mats for, you should pay attention to certain points:
- Require certificates. Each seller must have documentation for their products confirming their high quality. In addition, the seller must provide a warranty. Otherwise, you may encounter counterfeits that will only cause negative consequences during operation. Cheap foam plastic is unlikely to withstand loads.
- The choice of mat thickness will depend on the future screed and its layer along with the floor covering. When pre-leveling the base of the floor, it will be enough to buy thin versions equipped with bosses for better installation. Such mats for underfloor heating will have the best characteristics.
It’s better to immediately buy laminated products suitable not only for dry, but also semi-dry screed.
Expanded polystyrene boards are an innovative construction material, which is very popular today when preparing underfloor heating systems. This the best way to reduce energy consumption of equipment containing heating elements. Another task is to ensure the safety of employees and the premises in which this equipment is located.
Advantages of polystyrene foam boards
- Excellent thermal insulation properties. Due to the low degree of thermal conductivity, it is achieved high level heat-saving properties.
- Good sound insulation. The product consists of cells, which allows you to achieve increased noise absorption values.
- Resistance to adverse factors. Expanded polystyrene boards withstand the action of saline solutions and do not rot. This significantly increases their service life.
- Ease and simplicity of installation. With a relatively low weight, polystyrene foam products boast excellent strength. Laying is carried out on the ceiling, which allows you to attach heating elements to them flexible pipes. As a result, this increases the reliability of the entire underfloor heating system.
- Durability. Throughout use, the material retains its original performance characteristics.
- Environmental friendliness. The production uses environmentally friendly materials that are safe for humans and animals.
The efficiency of floor heating depends solely on properly organized thermal insulation of the base; mats for warm water floors are ideal for this. Without this ingredient, the whole idea becomes meaningless. For this purpose, sheet or roll polymer foams – mats – are used. In this article we will look at what mats there are, how to choose and use them correctly.
Their main task is to minimize heat loss. All other functions are ranked far in second place.
Types of mats and their characteristics
Mats for water heated floors are in almost all cases made from extruded polystyrene foam. This material has a lot positive qualities:
- Low thermal conductivity.
- Service life of at least 40 years.
- There is virtually no water absorption.
- Excellent sound insulation.
But at the same time, there are a couple negative properties:
- Flammability.
- Instability to solvents.
We learned to cope with flammability. In order to recognize polystyrene foam as fireproof, during its production, instead of air, air is used for foaming. carbon dioxide. But poor resistance to solvents cannot be corrected. Therefore, manufacturers place each such mat in a film of polyethylene terephthalate (PTEF) or even polyethylene. At the same time, under the film there is also a layer of foil, if there was one on the mats.
Heating mats for electric heated floors are also on sale. But this is a little different, because... The heating element in this case is a resistive cable.
To facilitate the work of laying water-heated floor mats, some manufacturers produce sheets with locking fixation. The fastening of such slabs resembles the connection of a laminate.
Somehow dividing such mats into groups is quite problematic. Because they have the same material, only the release forms differ. And so, mats for warm water floors are:
- Leafy
- Rolled
Sheet mats, This polystyrene foam boards, in which two-centimeter protrusions are formed on one side - pegs. Mats with pegs are called “mounting mats”. This size of bosses allows you to fix pipes with a diameter of up to 20 mm between them. They do not have a single sheet size. Therefore, each manufacturer has its own standard sizes and methods of attaching one sheet to another. There are “composite mounting mats” on sale, for example the NP series from Oventrop. For those upper layer with protrusions, has a base thickness of only a few millimeters. And it needs to be laid on already laid polystyrene foam slabs. On the one hand, this is convenient, because you can choose the thickness of the insulation to suit your needs. But the price is similar products is off scale.
Square meter of mounting mat Oventrop costs $25, and that's without the insulating layer. Domestic manufacturer sells its products cheaper. From the manufacturing company Format, a one-piece mounting mat with an area of 1 m2, made of polystyrene foam 4 cm thick, costs only 400 rubles. At the same time, the Russian company integrates bottom part mat bubble film, which, in addition to improving the quality of heat and sound insulation, contributes to a more even fit to subfloor. And add here locking connections on every sheet.
Roll mats They are the same, only narrower, sheets, but glued to a polymer matrix. As a result, they can be rolled. By appearance, they resemble a tank caterpillar. To fix the strips to each other, they have a self-adhesive tape along one edge, and an overlap film is left on the other. Such mats for heated floors no longer have protrusions for fixing pipes, but they have markings on them, in increments of 5 cm. Accordingly, you can fix the pipe in them using:
- Mounting tape.
- Staple harpoons.
- Clip.
- Reinforcement mesh.
The prices for rolled mats are also unreasonably high. For example, roll from ROTH, will cost 385 rubles/m2, this is with a material thickness of 3 cm. But it will require clamps for the pipe. Domestic manufacturer " ROLS ISOMARKET", which produces products under the Energoflex brand, offers a roll mat of the Energofloor®Tacker series, 353 r/m 2, with a thickness of 3 cm. It also has installation mats of the Energofloor ® Pipelock series, which instead of round pegs; oddly shaped fasteners are located on the front surface. Sheets measuring meter by meter and 30 mm thick cost 965(!) rubles.
Pros and cons of using mats when laying
The advantages of such mats include the extreme simplification of work on thermal insulation and pipe laying. This is especially true for mounting mats. Simply press the pipe between the protrusions and it is already fixed.
Rolled mats are also convenient in their own way. But not by the release form, but by the fact that markings are applied to them. With its help, it is convenient not only to place pipes according to plan, but also to combine thermal insulation elements during installation.
Please note that all the advantages are not in the area of increasing the efficiency of water heated floors, but exclusively in the area of installation. After the work is completed, no one except you will know what is under the screed.
But the disadvantages of these materials are quite significant. And above all the price! To deal with this issue, it is necessary to bring all prices to a common denominator. Let's say the price is for 1 m 3. From the Format company, a square sheet 4 cm thick costs 400 rubles. This means that there will be 25 sheets in 1 m3. And it turns out that the price for 1 cubic meter = 400 x 25 = 10,000 rubles. Another Russian manufacturer, « ROLS ISOMARKET", a sheet of mounting mat meter by meter, 3 cm thick, is offered for 965 rubles. This means that 1 m3 will cost 33.3 x 965 = 32134 r/m3. With a declared density of 35 kg/m 3, one kilogram of this expanded polystyrene costs 920 rubles (!) And yet polystyrene itself costs about 50 rubles/kg.
By the way, an ordinary sheet of extruded polystyrene foam with a thickness of 5 cm and a density of 37 kg/m 3 costs 210 rubles/m 2, or approximately 114 rubles/kg.
How to lay pipes in mounting mats with bosses
With this foundation, the process of laying pipes turns into a holiday. Following a pre-prepared plan, you need to bring the pipe into the room, and moving along a certain route, press it between the bosses. All!
Just? Yes, but you will have to pay dearly for it (prices are written above). Even for a beginner, laying 100 m of pipe on mounting mats takes no more than half an hour. Then you can begin pressure testing the system.
Laying pipes on roll mats
Depending on the mats used, the options for attaching the pipe may also change. Most cheap way – reinforcement mesh. It is laid on top of the thermal insulation and the pipe is fixed to it using clamps (or wire). The disadvantages of this method are:
- Increasing the volume of work.
- Adding an additional item to the work - laying the mesh.
- The need to carefully monitor pipe bends (possible bending).
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But the advantages are also significant. This is the most reliable way. After all, the reinforcing mesh is connected into a single fabric, and this ensures its stability and solidity. And after pouring the screed, nothing but joy from the work done will be noticeable.
Fastening with mounting tape (tire) has its own characteristics. Such a tire is fixed to the surface of the thermal insulation every 25-30 cm with special clips (or anchor harpoons). The distance between adjacent tapes is no more than 25 cm. Fixing the pipe is possible in different ways:
- The pipe is secured in the mounting tape using folding tabs.
- The pipe snaps into the mounting strip in much the same way as between the pegs of a mounting mat.
- The pipe also snaps into place in the mounting rail, but there is a fundamentally different type of lock.
Some manufacturers of accessories for installing water heated floors offer special metal rotary plates. But they are more required when installing water-heated floors without screed.
It is advisable to use pipe fastening with clips and harpoons if all components are purchased from one manufacturer: pipes, rolled mats, tires, clips (or harpoons). With such an integrated approach, it is highly undesirable to deviate from the technological process.
The entire set of accessories is offered by the manufacturer " Rehau" But it is recommended to attach it with harpoons only to branded roll mats. Just in case, we add that the harpoons must fix the pipe every 25 cm.
A pipe with a diameter of 20 mm is laid in increments of 0.2 m. This is a standard value, but it is not an axiom! Depending on the location of rooms, windows, external walls, the frequency of installation may vary. For example, in a children's room, we recommend leaving 15 cm between pipes. The same distance is recommended in the hallway and bathroom. Near walls with windows or a balcony door, you can make the step denser, 12-13 cm.
At the same time, after passing through a critical area of the room, you can take fewer steps. Carefully monitor the bending radius of the pipes! Don't reduce it!
Particular attention should be paid to the thickness of the screed. The fact is that if the screed is not massive enough (3-4 cm), then you can constantly feel the “zebra effect” with your feet. That's why The minimum thickness of the screed should be 5 cm.
At the end, we will add about the direction of laying the water-heated floor pipes. Try to organize the installation of the system in such a way that the hot coolant first passes through pipes laid along the coldest walls.
The use of special mounting mats when organizing a water-heated floor is extremely attractive, but extremely costly. In some cases, the cost of such thermal insulation can be half the budget.
It is important to consider that this is a rather complex system that requires careful thought through the entire work process. Especially when it comes to a water heating system. Here you will have to take into account not only the location of the manifold cabinet, the layout of the circuit and much more. It is also important to take into account the features of thermal insulation of such a floor and the process of fixing the pipes themselves. Moreover, the thermal insulation layer is one of the main elements of the entire system, since due to the fact that it is properly equipped, the heat will remain longer. To create thermal insulation, mats under heated floors are used, and in some cases the heating circuit itself can be directly fixed to them.
Minimizing heat losses when installing any heating system in a room is the primary task facing any master. The heat coming from the heating circuit should not leave the room, but be directed directly inside, otherwise there is simply no point in installing a heating system. Or rather, the room will still warm up, but much longer, and the thermal energy, if the arrangement is incorrect or there is no thermal insulation, will not be retained inside at all.
When creating a heated floor system, it is important to remember that there is no point in laying the heating circuit itself on a bare base. This will be of little use - the heat energy will be partially wasted on heating the environment and may go to the neighbors or to the basement, depending on where the apartment is located. Properly installed thermal insulation will help avoid this unpleasant side effect. It will make it possible to direct heat directly towards the room, preventing it from spreading outside.
Previously, for thermal insulation when installing heated floors, materials such as foil polystyrene, polystyrene foam, mineral wool, etc. were used. They continue to be used now, as they have a number of advantages, among which we can note, at a minimum, their low cost. But now special mats have appeared on sale, used for arranging heated floors, which will not only provide an excellent level of thermal insulation, but also provide the floor with additional soundproofing properties; They are also capable of performing other functions.
On a note! A number of craftsmen still continue to prove the uselessness and ineffectiveness of using floor mats, also citing their cost. You shouldn’t listen to them - sometimes mats may not be used, but still progress is progress, and new materials in any case have higher performance qualities.
Prices for heated floors Caleo
warm floor caleo
Choosing mats
There are several main types of mats for heated floors that are used when installing these systems. They may differ in appearance, type of material used for manufacturing, functionality, etc. Let's consider each of the main variations.
Table. Types of mats for heated floors.
| View | Description |
|---|---|
| This option is the best if heated floors are not installed on the ground floor and act as an addition to the main heating system of the house. These products are made of penofol or polyethylene foam, and are coated with aluminum foil on top. Thanks to the top layer, they are able to reflect heat into the room without letting it out. Therefore, during installation, it is important to ensure that the foil side is facing up. Also, on such mats, the pipes themselves will not be fixed; you will still have to think through a system for fixing the contour. It is usually fixed to a reinforcing mesh laid on top of a layer of mats. But this is the cheapest option for this kind of insulation. It is sold in rolls and can have a thickness of 2-10 mm. When laying a layer of such material, it is necessary to seal the seams between the individual parts with foil tape to prevent heat leakage through the cracks. |
| These are polystyrene foam mats, which additionally have a layer of foil, as well as a polymer film. It is easier to lay pipes on such a surface, since there are markings on the film. This is an excellent option for mats to achieve high thermal insulation performance. Mats can be made in the form of separate slabs or panels connected to each other. The heating circuit will still have to be secured using clamps and reinforcing mesh laid on top of a layer of mats. |
| The base is the same polystyrene foam, but they are stamped differently, and special protrusions are created on them during the production process - the so-called bosses. These protrusions can have different shapes - from round to multi-faceted. They are located at a certain distance from each other and with a certain pitch, and are used to fix the heating circuit pipes. In this case, there is no need to fix the floor heating system separately - the pipes fixed between the bosses will still not be able to move anywhere during the screed pouring. Also, such mats are equipped with locking connections at the ends, which simplifies their installation. The layer of mats will be continuous, without cracks or gaps. Pipes with a diameter of up to 20 mm can be laid on such mats. The thickness of the mats themselves can vary between 10-35 mm. The height of the bosses is approximately 20 mm. |
| There are also simple flat mats made of high-density polystyrene foam, about 5 cm thick. They are not subject to mechanical deformation, do not deteriorate over time, are strong and retain heat well. An excellent option for arranging floors on the ground floor or in a private house. They are afraid of the impact of cement, and before pouring the screeds they will have to be additionally covered with film. |
On a note! When choosing mats, you should take into account the weather conditions of the environment, the purpose of the building, the number of floors and a number of other parameters. Of course, budget will also play a significant role in your choice.
When choosing a material, it is worth, first of all, to clarify the level of its thermal conductivity, as well as the possible loads that it will have to experience. For example, on the ground floor it is not recommended to use thin material options, no matter how good the price they may seem. Also, the material must be able to withstand the weight of the warmest floor and screed without visible deformation. If you have a previously installed layer of thermal insulation, you can choose thinner mats, but if the house is being built from scratch and no thermal insulation layers have been installed previously, then it is better to choose thick and dense mats.
A little about mounting mats
Profile or simply mounting mats, which are produced specifically for arranging a floor heating system, are produced by hydropellent stamping from high-density foam plastic (40 kg/m 3) or polystyrene foam. They are quite resistant to mechanical stress and serious loads, and are not afraid of exposure to a number of aggressive chemicals. They will not only provide the proper level of heat and sound insulation, but will also significantly facilitate the process of installing heated floors. The fact is that such mats have a special structure, thanks to which pipes can be laid without the use of additional fasteners. And laying them is not difficult - usually the mats have special fastenings at the ends, which allows them to be laid on the floor in a continuous pattern.
Expanded polystyrene, often used for the production of mats, has high thermal insulation properties; its vapor permeability is also low, unlike mineral wool. So you don’t have to be afraid that the mats will accumulate moisture - on the contrary, they will be dry and will not lose their properties due to humidity, and condensation will not accumulate on them. The thermal conductivity of the material is also low, which allows it to perfectly retain heat in the room.
On a note! Floor mats are not afraid of rodents - the material is not of interest to animals. There is no need to worry about damage to one of the layers of the heated floor system, even if mice get to it. And bacteria and mold practically do not create colonies on them.
The service life of polystyrene foam mats is about 60 years. At the same time, temperature differences can be significant – from -40 to +40 degrees.
The mats are manufactured in accordance with European standards regarding health safety, reliability and quality. This is insulation, and the basis for laying the circuit, and soundproofing material. But, unfortunately, mats also have their disadvantages:
- Such swear words are flammable. During production, special substances are added to them - fire retardants, but, nevertheless, they can catch fire, although they usually go out on their own and quickly;
- high price.
Attention! In order not to run into a fake, when purchasing a material, be sure to request from the seller quality certificates for the products and fire safety certificates.
Thanks for the answers, I don’t really want to deal with welded masonry mesh that has a diameter of 4-5mm, in the nearest construction stores it is everywhere in the form of strips 0.5m wide and 1-1.5 meters long (masonry), normal cards are 2x3 meters with a 50mm cell only on metal depot, we had to go there, they barely brought 10 of these cards on the top trunk of a Tajik Zhiguli. I have a flat roof with 200mm insulation, a film so that the cement laitance does not escape, then this mesh, in order to raise it above the EPS, I also had to trim the clamps so that there was a distance of 2-2.5 centimeters from below, since the screed should not be too thick/heavy (the ceiling is made of hollow-core slabs), in general, they laid them out for now, while they tied the cards together, while they were walking around, the rods sticking out at the edges pierced the film in some places, they filled everything with ready-mixed concrete, it turned out fine, but there were a lot of hemorrhoids. Well, okay, there the roof gets wet from the rain, the snow lies in drifts, a serious screed is needed, but here inside the room why such hemorrhoids, especially since the base is not soil, but a 250mm monolithic slab with double reinforcement and it lies stable, judging by the fact that on There are not even spiderweb cracks on the aerated concrete walls. As I understand it, if you make a thick screed of 80-100mm (this is the thickness together with the pipe inside), then the likelihood of cracking decreases sharply, and the uniformity of heating improves (there will be no zebra). Instead of reinforcement, you need to add about a kilogram of polymer fiber per cube of solution, having first mixed it in water, and you also need to add a plasticizer, and then the mesh for reinforcement is not needed. The only thing I haven’t understood yet is the thickness, I watched Vitaly Luzhetsky’s videos, he says that the screed should be 80mm, this is an average option, so to speak, if it’s thinner it will warm up faster, but it may crack, if it’s thicker it will take a long time to warm up and cool down. Therefore, in my case, it is impossible to make it thinner, since I also want to get the effect of a heat accumulator from the floor, in order to make maximum use of energy at the night rate, but it’s just not clear where this border is, after which the floor will become uncontrollable, I will also have radiators for fine tuning temperature. In general, I decided that for now I will not touch the living room-kitchen, there is an area of 30 m2, I will practice in small rooms, a toilet, a bath, a small bedroom. I will also think about mounting options. If you say that the installation of cross-linked polyethylene is more expensive than metal-plastic, it is most likely due to the fact that metal-plastic, in principle, does not need a mesh for fixation; once you bend it, it stays in shape and it is easier to bend, which is why there are films with markings and plastic anchors-clips for the eyes and ears, and the cross-linked polyethylene is very clear, so it constantly tries to take its shape back and forth, so it is difficult to unwind and needs to be fastened well, which is why I’m not sure that I can unwind it evenly and fasten it on my own, but The mats fit easily between the bosses and can be unrolled alone.
I'll hang a small radiator in the boiler room. Thank you for participating.I made one floor out of cross-linked polyethylene. This thing is not difficult and bends easily, if it is not 3/4) no one recommends metal-plastic now)
About the high cost of installation for hire. I was just surprised by the workers, since there was nothing complicated with the tools. It is available for rent in any major market.
And yes, I didn’t fully express myself about the grid, I meant maps. You can’t tie anything to the masonry mesh) make the thickness at least 3 cm above the pipe. You definitely won't miss it.
Fiber is a placebo. Good coarse and washed sand plays a much larger role than fiber).
On a warm floor.
I'll be a little upset. It is not effective to heat it at night. You will “die” from the heat at night. If only in the morning before 6 am you start rocking it. It is still inert and takes a long time to heat up. This will be more effective. In addition, you probably won’t be at home all day; you can leave it out during the day for some periods. Well, in the evening, raise the temperature.
This winter, the warm floor kept the temperature in the house well when the electricity was turned off. In 10 hours the temperature dropped by 2 degrees at -25.
Here the issue of insulating external walls also plays a role. And by the way. Insulate the pipes in the boiler room so as not to heat the air in vain. A radiator will do a better job, or install a heated floor in the boiler room.
You should do well.
Just don't mess with stout pipes.
Take rehau, tese or barbie, but not stout...