Electric Underfloor Heating - onto chipboard?

darrenh · 6 Feb 2008

Hello

I have an electrician who is going to hook up my underfloor heating up to the existing cooker dedicated RCD.

I told him I would be taking up the existing tongue and groove chipboard and putting down plywood for it (to the tile on top of) and he thought I was crazy.

Does anyone have any thoughts on whether I can use put the underfloor heating and then tile onto this chipboard.

If I could it would be a bit if a godsend

Thanks all

Darrenh

darrenh · 6 Feb 2008

I should have said - another option would be for me to lay 4mm plywood over the top.....

Darrenh

securespark · 6 Feb 2008

What do the UFH manufacturers recommend in their instructions?

Jasonb · 6 Feb 2008

Tiling onto chipboard is generally a no no, have a look at the sticky at the top of the tiling forum, then ask there.

Jason

crystal ball · 7 Feb 2008

I have seen tiling on chipboard but there was an insulated board laid first, then the UHF and tiled with flexible adhesive

JohnD · 7 Feb 2008

chipboard is an awful material. It falls apart if damp, and gives way under heavy or prolonged load.

if you are going to the expense of UFH and tiling, I'd rip it up and replace with WBP ply.

Dippy · 7 Feb 2008

My builder has just laid 6mm ply over chipboard ready for floor tiling. I had expected him to replace the whole floor with 18mm ply, but he said this would be too difficult (which is fair considering that I have stud walls on the existing floor). However I'm looking into underfloor heating and I'm sure that I have seen some companies advise against having just ply on the joists.

FYI I am done a bit more research into UFH. A lot of people say it is damned expensive to leave it on all the time, but since it can take at least 30mins to warm up, in general there is not much choice.

Currently I am investigating putting an additional layer of heat reflective board on top of the ply and then using 200W/m2 matting. This might allow me to put the UFH on full blast for 10-15 mins and get the floor warm enough to the touch (which is all I want as we'll have plenty of room heat from CH towel rads).

Jasonb · 7 Feb 2008

Electric UFH is expensive if you are using it as the primary heat source, if its just for a bathroom have it on a timer to come on in the morning & evening to take the chill out of the tiles and use your towel rail to heat the room.

Insulation will make a small difference on the warm up time for upper timber floors but is a must for solid floors.

6mm ply is a bit thin, better with 12mm plus if overlaying the old boards.

Jason

JohnD · 7 Feb 2008

if it is in a bathroom, that's a good reason noot to use chipboard. Sooner or later there will be splashes or leaks and the chipboard will swell up (cracking the tiles) and turn to weetabix

Dippy · 8 Feb 2008

Jasonb said:
Insulation will make a small difference on the warm up time for upper timber floors but is a must for solid floors.

6mm ply is a bit thin, better with 12mm plus if overlaying the old boards.

Jason

Yes, one supplier told me that insulation boards won't make much difference for my setup.

Yes I thought so too about the thickness of the ply but I wasn't sure. I'll ask my builder about it again.

diynot

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Electric Underfloor Heating - onto chipboard?

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