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"Thermal Union" - renewable energy sources in service in the present and future! Expanded polystyrene boards for heated floors Mounting mats with bosses for heated floors

The comfort of residential buildings is increasing all the time, which is largely facilitated by such an innovative solution heating system, like “warm floors”. The heat coming from the floor creates a special atmosphere of living and comfort in the room.

The modern market offers several basic varieties of such floors, and the water one is structurally the most promising model.

To equip it, you will need pipes that ensure the movement of the coolant and additional components that increase the overall efficiency of the system. To simplify installation and make it convenient, use mats for insulation.

The functional effect of a water floor depends on how well and technically correctly the thermal insulation system was constructed, as well as on the correctness of laying heat pipes on top of it.


It makes no sense to refuse it, because then most of energy will be used to heat floor slabs or foundations. Thermal insulation helps adjust heat flows in the required direction. If the heat is coming upward, unnecessary energy consumption is prevented.

It is also important that the mats take on a fairly large load. It consists of the weight of the pipes themselves, which are filled with a coolant, the mass of the tie closing the pipeline, the finishing flooring and dynamic external loads, which are inevitable after the start of operation.

The material used to create the substrate must be very dense in order to resist and not deform. Its minimum permissible density is 35 kg/m³.

Kinds

There are several types of mats.

Foil

Made from foamed foil polyethylene. Used in cases where the floor is laid as an addition to central system heating. The specific name of the material is penofol, which is covered with a layer of foil on one side.

It is laid with foil towards the top, and heating pipes are placed on it. Such products are unsuitable for arranging a warm water floor if the housing is on the ground floor and there are basements below it. There is no point in using them in the renovation of a private one-story house..

Under such conditions, their efficiency in terms of heat conservation is minimal, which means the entire system will be ineffective.

To secure such mats, you need to purchase additional fasteners., for example, a large-mesh metal mesh, a set of clamps, clips or staples.

With film

They can also be classified as foil substrates for water heated floors, they are made of polystyrene foam, but it is high-density, from 30-35 kg/m³.

The product also includes a layer of foil and a layer of polymer film With protective function. This film has special markings that will help when laying pipes. This type of mats is quite effective as heat insulating material.

The density is such that the brackets for securing the pipes are held very securely. A screed will fit well on top of such a substrate., which is not will crack grasping.

Mats with film are used to create a heated floor where it will be the primary source of heat. Additional system lamellas provide excellent styling, so the heat is retained for a long time.

Flat polystyrene foam

Some of the best thermal insulation mats for water heated floors. Their thickness ranges from 40-50 mm, which allows them to be used as a substrate. An important parameter is high density, from 40 kg/m³. Perfect for rooms where the floor is planned to be the only element of the heating system.

The material is practically not subject to wear and deformation. Pipes are attached to them using special plastic fasteners. The downside is that before laying the pipes, the master must apply the markings with his own hands.

After laying, the substrate is covered with a layer of polyethylene, to prevent a chemical reaction at the moment of contact between the sheets and the cement-containing screed.

With bosses (profile)

The most used model of polystyrene foam backing. They are made using the hydropellent stamping method, as a result of which bosses appear, peculiar protrusions that are located in even rows on the surface of the product.

Lugs make it possible to quickly lay pipes until test crimping and filling with screed. High-density slabs for heated floors have a square shape and a thickness of 10 to 35 mm. The protrusions are low, about 25 mm in height, usually cubic or cylindrical; a pipe can easily fit in the space between them.

The pipes are securely fixed and do not move when poured with finishing screed. They are produced with or without laminate, the first ones have a layer of vapor barrier film coating on top.

Characteristics of expanded polystyrene

Its density should be 40 kg/m³ so that the products can withstand various mechanical loads. Expanded polystyrene has low thermal conductivity, it is only 0.037 to 0.052 W/m×K. This is necessary for good thermal insulation.

Products with bosses are able to absorb sounds and noise. The standard noise absorption rate is 24 dB with a layer thickness of 20 mm.

Reliable waterproofing is provided by the laminate and centering fasteners located at the ends of each panel. They are the ones necessary for laying out a continuous surface from individual elements. Profile mats for water heated floors adhere perfectly to each other, and this eliminates the possibility of the formation of seam gaps. Standard parameters slabs - 1.0 × 1.0 or 0.8 × 0.6 m.

Benefits of using mats

If the mat is installed correctly, it can serve as an excellent soundproofing material. But there is an important nuance - water heated floors must be absolutely safe for those living below. Therefore, along with reliability and durability, such a criterion as waterproofing is valued. And this same layer is designed to protect the substrate itself from the destructive effects of the cement floor mortar.

There is a non-professional opinion whose supporters talk about the possibility of abandoning mats when laying floors. But this position is erroneous, since heat losses will be so great that they will inevitably lead to significant financial losses.

If we consider the cost of all water floor systems as a whole, then the price of insulation is not so high. A a design made once and wisely will pay for itself one hundred percent during operation.

Laying

1. All parts must be connected to each other. And under the sheets, regardless of their type, there must be a backing made of waterproofing film;
2. Along the perimeter of the floor at the edge of the wall waterproofing film is fixed using damper tape;
3. Plates are laid on top of the waterproofing, mats for water heated floors made of foam board must be fastened together using locking mechanisms provided at the ends. If the weight and thickness of the insulation allow, then the slabs can be additionally fixed with glue;
4. It is strictly forbidden to use nails for fastening and so on, since this violates the integrity of the product and greatly reduces its strength;
5. Smooth plates without provided fastenings are laid very tightly and sit on a glue “pad”. Foil products are glued with tape to achieve complete tightness;
6. Once the sheets are fixed - start marking and laying the water circuit;
7. The final stage – finishing coating for heated water floors.

Prices and how to choose

The heat and energy savings speak for themselves, making water floor mats a well-reasoned purchase:

• Before purchasing a backing, you need to ask the seller for all documents, certifying not only the quality of the product, but also confirming its fire safety and environmental standards. Mats without such documents may be counterfeit famous brand and will be unable to withstand the expected loads;
• It is better to choose those products that have a laminating layer– this is a guarantee of additional insulation. This coating adheres perfectly to both semi-dry and wet screeds;
• The thickness of the mat is chosen taking into account the thickness of the screed itself and finishing coating. It is necessary to pay attention to the thermal insulation in the room, since many ceilings already have a similar layer.
• Sometimes the design of a warm water floor allows you to purchase mats with bosses that do not have thermal insulation qualities. But in this case, their only advantage is the reliable fixation of the pipeline system.

average price for mats for warm water floors:

• REHAU, Germany: from 800 rubles for one product.
• OVENTROP, Germany: from 100 rubles (roll substrate) to 1200 rubles for one product;
• Energoflex, Russia: from 20 rubles to 70 rubles for one product.

Choose only quality pipes for water supply in a private house! Which - .

If you use water from a borehole or well, you definitely need to install filters in a private house, read about it.

Take care of the uninterrupted supply of water to your home by installing a reliable pumping station water supply More information .

Once the decision has been made to create a water floor, you need to carefully consider all the small details and nuances of working with this system. Purchasing and installing correctly selected mounting mats for water-heated floors will help you save considerable amounts when heating your own home.

Main advantages:

1. Meets all European standards. Self-extinguishing raw materials are used.
2. It is possible to lay both semi-dry and wet screeds.
3. Increased density of the material, so it does not change size over time.
4. They are equipped with special bosses that allow for quick installation of pipes.
5. Excellent thermal and sound insulation.
6. Safe and harmless to people.
7. They do not allow moisture to pass through without swelling.
8. They have locks making them easy to assemble.
9. Withstands temperatures from minus 180 C to plus 180 C.

Expanded polystyrene comes in several types:

Foamed polyethylene mats with foil coating- most cheap option. It has good heat and sound insulating properties. Not very resistant to moisture, easily wrinkles.

Foil polystyrene mats- the best option for heated floors. Has excellent insulating properties of heat, sound, water, and is resistant to chemicals, has the lowest level of thermal conductivity among its analogues and can withstand temperature surges. More expensive of all substrates due to its properties, thickness and ease of installation.

Extruded polystyrene foam mats- material in the form of mats or slabs with or without foil coating, with a thickness of 2 to 5 centimeters. Has excellent mechanical properties, resistant to high temperatures, relatively inexpensive. Also, polystyrene foam can be either smooth or with bosses. Thanks to the bosses, laying underfloor heating pipes is much faster.

Buy mats for warm water floors

Do you want to buy mats for a warm water floor made of polystyrene foam? In the Teplodoma-msk online store you can purchase any mats for water heated floors at a low price from a warehouse in Moscow.

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 flat roof 200mm of insulation, a film so that the cement laitance does not run away, 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 at the bottom, since the screed should not be too thick/heavy (the ceiling is made of hollow core slabs), in general, while they were laying them out, while they were tying 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 monolithic slab 250mm with double reinforcement and it lies stable, judging by the fact that there are not even spider 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. TO masonry mesh you can’t tie anything) 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.
There's also the issue of insulation. external walls plays its 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...

It is important to consider that this is sufficient a complex system, requiring 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 environment and can go to the neighbors or to the basement, depending on where the apartment is located. Properly installed thermal insulation will help avoid this unpleasant problem. 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. They continue to be used even 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 vary appearance, the 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 foamed polyethylene, and have a coating on top of aluminum foil. 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 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 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. Great 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 chemical substances. 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 it’s not difficult to lay them - usually the mats have special fastenings at the ends, which allows them to be laid on the floor in one piece.

Expanded polystyrene, often used for the production of mats, has high thermal insulation properties, its vapor permeability is also low, unlike the same 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 both insulation and the basis for laying the contour, 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 quality certificates for products and fire safety certificates from the seller.

A warm floor consists of many components, but the most important are thermal insulation and waterproofing. High-quality waterproofing allows you to avoid flooding of neighbors or structural units in the event of a breakdown, and good thermal insulation– reduce utility costs. One of modern materials For insulation under heated floors, there are special mats that are very easy to install and operate. But they are different and it is important to be able to distinguish them depending on the task.

Features: pros and cons

Main function thermal insulation material for the installation of any type of heating, including underfloor heating, is to reduce heat loss, as well as redirect the heat to the room itself where such a floor is installed. When installing pipes without insulation, the efficiency will be extremely low, because most of the heat will go into the ceiling from below: to neighbors or to basement. This is precisely why thermal insulation exists, which not only performs the task of preserving heat in the room, but also prevents the penetration of cold air from below, especially from the basement (mainly on the first floors in private residential buildings).

Thermal insulation also performs the function of uniformly distributing heat throughout the room.

Properly selected and, importantly, installed thermal insulation directs the flow of warm air predominantly upward and prevents the accumulation of condensation. The thermal insulation property is also important, which almost completely prevents the appearance of mold on walls and partitions.

Previously, they used quite classic types of insulation, such as polystyrene foam and ecowool. On this moment these materials have not lost their client, since their cost is relatively low, and technical properties they have remained virtually unchanged, if not improved by new technologies. But at the same time, with the progress of technological progress, more convenient and practical options for thermal insulation materials have appeared - mats for heated floors (water).

The main material for the production of modern mats is polystyrene foam.

It is distinguished by its excellent thermal insulation properties. But besides this, he has another advantage - good vapor barrier. In other words, expanded polystyrene does not allow steam to pass through and does not accumulate moisture, which leaves it dry all the time, and this prevents condensation. It also has low thermal conductivity, which has a positive effect on maintaining heat in the room.

One of the properties of this material is sound insulation. For country houses It is also notable for the fact that it is an “inedible” material, due to which it prevents the appearance of various rodents and microorganisms. Average term service life is 50-60 years, subject to the temperature thresholds specified on the packaging by the manufacturer. The density of this material reaches 40 kg/m3, which makes it suitable for heavy loads. This has a good effect when installing heated floors, since not only is a mesh of reinforcement or rods laid on the mats, but also a layer of concrete and leveling mortar is poured (on top of the water pipes).

For the design it is better to use carbon fiber cable.

Mats for heated floors (water) are a modern thermal insulating material, which is manufactured in accordance with European standards (quality and safety). They are produced using the latest advanced technologies. By technical specifications combine the advantages of conventional insulation materials, eliminating the disadvantages.

The main advantages of mats are:

• decent thermal insulation and sound insulation properties;
• allow both semi-dry installation and installation in a damp (even wet) screed;
• during long-term use they are not subject to deformation or change in size;

• Modern mats have a locking system that allows them to be connected much faster and better and prevents the structure from slipping;
• most of the materials produced are marked, which significantly facilitates the process of installing pipelines;
• do not rot, do not retain bacteria;

• not exposed to moisture;
• non-toxic (at normal temperatures, from -180 to +180 degrees), safe for humans;
• The service life is about 50-60 years.

It should be taken into account that unrefined polystyrene foam is considered a flammable and fire-hazardous substance and, when burned, releases poisonous gas.

In order to reduce this feature, fire retardants are added to the material during production, which makes it a self-extinguishing substance. In Russian-made products, this kind of material is marked with the letter C at the end.

The heating element must be used with extreme caution. Among the disadvantages, it can be noted that it can cause a fire.

Varieties

There are 4 types of mats that are suitable for installing heated floors. Each of them has its own characteristic features and serves for laying in specific situations.

The following types are distinguished:

• narrow-roll materials equipped with a foil layer;
• expanded polystyrene boards, consisting of expanded polystyrene with foil coating, sometimes film coating is also found;
• profile mats with special design features(bobs).

The selection of a thermal insulating coating depends on the characteristics of the building, the coating on which the masonry is made, the mechanical load that the insulation will have to endure, as well as the dynamic load on the insulation. The plates have various sizes, including height, for this reason the thickness of the upcoming screed must also be taken into account.

Narrow-roll foil material

Made from material with a width of 2 to 10 mm. On one edge the insulation is covered with duralumin foil or polymer layer, whose role is to direct the thermal jet and distribute heat according to the total floor area. This type of thermal insulation material can be classified as mats extremely conditionally, since it has low thermal insulation quality. This determines a rather narrow range of its operation. It is used only when the heated floor is used as an additional heating structure and the main flooring already contains one or another level of insulation.

It is by no means rational to place rolled material on the first floors of buildings and in rooms, at the bottom of which there are unheated areas, since the productivity of insulation in this case will begin to approach sad indicators. Installing the pipeline in this heat-insulating material also involves some difficulty, since it is necessary to use auxiliary fastening components: staples, clamps, reinforcing mesh, etc. When installing the coating sheet, they are placed end-to-end with each other. In order to ensure best insulation The seams are taped with special foil tape. But despite its extremely modest properties, material in rolls under specific conditions is considered the only acceptable type of insulation, for example, with a small building height, if every meter of the site counts.

Expanded polystyrene insulating boards

It is possible to use thin polystyrene foam mats as thermal insulation for heated floors. A very light and inexpensive type is ordinary polystyrene foam, the most reliable and high-quality material is tiles made of extruded polystyrene foam. When you decide to go with the most inexpensive polystyrene foam, when purchasing it you need to concentrate your interest on the density of the material. This coefficient must be no less than 35 kg/m3. If this value is less, then the material may not be enough to support the load of the heating structure.

You can also use another type that has significantly better performance. Penoplex is considered the optimal representative of this series. It has a closed coarse-cell texture, is durable, and can withstand overloads well. In order to improve thermal insulation characteristics You can put foil material in rolls on top of the mats.

The sides of the slab are equipped with special locks that simplify their installation. In the trade you still come across material with previously applied markings. The pipes are attached using plastic brackets, which are easily driven into the slabs in a suitable place.

Expanded polystyrene panels with foil

This type of insulation is nothing more than mats made of expanded polystyrene, where a foil or other layer has already been applied. They are produced either in the form of separate tiles equipped with a locking connection, or in the form of panels fastened together with a single film coating. In one case, when laying the tiles, they are fastened together with waterproof tape, in the other, the mats are easily laid out on a plane. On the outside of the panels there is a coordinate network with a pitch of 50 to 100 mm. Marking can help you figure out how best to lay pipes, and also makes it possible to quickly lay pipes according to the chosen scheme.

Staples can also be used to secure pipes here.

A type of installation with a reinforcing mesh that is laid on top is also possible.

Profile mats with bosses

The most ideal, practical and comfortable material. The mats are specially invented for installing heated floors. The material from which they are made is still the same - polystyrene foam, however, due to the use of improved hydropellet stamping technology in the manufacture, there are special protrusions (bobs) on the mats.

The bosses can be of various shapes: round, tubular, cubic, polyhedral and others.

The protrusions, located at a specific distance from each other, guarantee a safe connection and fixation of the pipeline in the required position. When using these mats, there is almost no possibility of pipes moving during their installation and subsequent pouring of concrete.

The coating of the mats depends on the modification and manufacturer. Certain types of thermal insulator are produced, in principle, without any spraying, but it is possible to purchase models with a top film layer or a stretched waterproofing shell. This coefficient does not have any greater influence on the properties of the product. For comfort and ease of installation, the material is equipped with special locking connections, which, among other things, guarantee excellent tightness of the joints. The mats form a continuous plane in the absence of cracks and gaps, on which any type of screed can be placed.

Another indisputable advantage of profile mats made of expanded polystyrene is that they form an excellent noise barrier: the material makes it possible to significantly reduce the degree of hum to 25 dB.

How to choose?

Today you can choose any heating element and mat, for example, with clamps, with pimples, foam plastic, two-core, thermoplastic (thermoplastic), etc.

When selecting insulation, it is necessary to pay attention to such characteristics as waterproofing properties and the ability of the material to withstand constant and dynamic overloads.

It is also necessary to take into account the diameter of the pipes and the properties of the building in which the heated floor is being installed. Thus, roll material due to its low waterproofing properties, it is not suitable for installation on lower floors. It should also be used with caution in apartments where people live below, since in the event of a pipe leak, it will not be able to contain water, and the moisture will flow directly onto the neighboring living space.

Sheet mats and foil-clad polystyrene foam structures, on the contrary, have excellent waterproofing properties, which eliminates the possibility of leakage. In addition, they belong to materials whose thermal conductivity is very low, which is why their use guarantees greatest degree heat transfer to the floor.

When organizing a heated floor, the property of the material such as load retention plays no small role.

Profile mats made from polystyrene foam with a density of up to 40 kg/m3 can handle this perfectly. Thin slabs and foil mats also have significant density. These insulation materials can be safely used in an apartment or in an individual building when laying a heated floor, which will be used as the main heating. But narrow-roll material also loses from the point of view of this position: its density is not enough to support loads, so it can only be used for the purpose of organizing auxiliary heating.

Another parameter that needs to be taken into account is the thickness of the mat. If one or another thermal insulation was previously laid on the floor, it is allowed to use the thinnest slabs. In addition, when choosing, you still need to take into account the level of the room, the diameter of the pipeline, the layer of the upcoming screed and the external floor covering.

Device

Regardless of what type of mats will be used for the heated floor, a layer of waterproofing should be placed under it. This is necessary to preserve and protect the lower layer from moisture, and also to form a strong barrier that can prevent flooding of the lower floors of the structure in the event of a leak. Waterproofing can be a highly compacted polyethylene layer, bitumen coating or penetrating insulation. If film is used, it should be attached to the walls with damper tape. This strip is installed along the entire perimeter of the building after laying the mats.

The easiest type of installation is the use of profile mats.

They must be placed on a layer of waterproofing and fastened together with a lock. Next, pipes are inserted into the openings between the bosses using a selected laying method and by simply pressing the legs are secured in the required position. Installing thin polystyrene boards also does not cause any difficulties: the panels are either fastened with locks or simply glued, and their joints are secured with waterproof adhesive tape.

Narrow web material causes the most installation problems. It is placed in such a way that the foil shell is on top. The thermal insulator should also be attached to the base, and the joints between the tiles should be sealed with mounting tape. Next, markings are applied to it and pipes are placed. The pipeline is fixed using clamps or clips.

The difficulty of laying is that the thinnest and lightest material is very mobile. For this reason, it is necessary to tie it very carefully so as not to move the system attached to it. It is necessary to take into account that when laying mats of each type, it is allowed to use only plastic fastening components - iron parts have every chance of ruining the entire system of mats and disrupting their density. Installation pipeline system It is allowed to carry out only after all work on laying thermal insulation has been completed without exception.

Manufacturers and reviews

Heated floor mats are produced by numerous foreign and Russian companies. But the best positions belong to only four companies, whose products are in great demand and have numerous positive reviews builders and customers.

Insulation materials from a German company have good material quality characteristics. Oventrop and Knauf.

On sale are: profile mats with bosses, dry floor slabs, prefabricated narrow-roll and folding insulation in a polypropylene shell.

Another German manufacturer of thermal insulation is a holding company Rehau, whose mats also attract increased attention from buyers. The main product is polystyrene foam mats with bosses, equipped with layers of thermal insulation and sound insulation.

Russian manufacturer swear words Neptun IWS produces mats with bosses. The insulation is very inexpensive for its segment. Polystyrene foam boards with a special film on top. The kit includes holders that allow you to quickly and efficiently install this type of insulation. These mats perform the functions of both a thermal insulator and a waterproofer, but their sound insulation is much worse than that of their competitors.

Which is better: comparison with others

The choice of mat depends, first of all, on the design of the structure, as well as on financial costs. The cheapest heat insulator is ordinary mineral wool in rolls with a duralumin layer, but the most expensive is insulation with bosses. From an installation point of view, the fastest way would be to install mats with bosses, but in terms of price, it is more profitable to use rolled material. Sheet mats for heated floors with a duralumin layer are average in all respects: they are not so complex, but installation is not elementary either, and their price is higher than for rolled materials.

Warm water floor is the most economical and effective solution compared to others.

Comparing it with an electric heated floor, the main difference is safety. An electric heated floor consists of infrared rods, but in some cases these are IR plates (this is the most repairable solution). If there is direct mechanical damage to the water mat, the room below can be flooded, but in the case of damage to the electric floor, a short circuit may occur (the structure will have to be completely changed).

The installation is approximately the same, from which we conclude that when troubleshooting the problem, the financial costs will be equal, but if you can put a patch on a water-heated floor, then this will not help with an electric one. The service life of a high-quality heated floor is 35 years (water) and 20 years (electric). From famous brands we can highlight the company Rehau, which has long proven itself in construction market, as well as Unimat. These companies provide a long warranty and warranty repair at the expense of the company. And if suddenly a defect is discovered after installation, construction works are also included in the company’s invoice, but it is better to check such information with the manufacturer and seller.

Conclusion

No specialized knowledge is required to install heated floors. However, for selection, it is better to contact a specialist who will select materials for a specific room. Also in the field of floor insulation, a plumber can help, who will directly install the main (pipe) structure.