Depth of floor for underfloor heating

[Ginga]

Hi, Wonder if anyone can help?

we have a kitchen which has a tiled floor. The sub floor is solid not timber ( presumed concrete ). We're having the kitchen "done" and would like electric underfloor heating installed. Everything I've read about ufh says that you should really put insulating boards underneath to maximise the perfomance and running costs.

Presently, the tiled kitchen floor is level with the suspended dining room floor, which ajoins the kitchen. The issue I can see is that when the old tiles and adhesive are removed and then the ufh 10mm insulation boards are added, then tiling redone, surely we will have a slight step up into the kitchen?

I would like to avoid this step if possible so I guess the question is "can the original concrete floor be reduced in depth ( apprx 10mm) to accomadate the new ufh tiled floor so that the final level will be level with the dining room"

Phew! sorry for the essay

Any help appreciated.

Thanks

 

[joe-90]

It's not feasible to reduce the concrete floor. It's possible but a big messy job.

 

[Ginga]

Mmm....Have to accept the step then or do without the insulation...thanks for the post Jo

 

[PaulTheTiler]

either live with the step, or....

don't lay the ufh right upto the door. leave about a tile width away then "ramp" the last tile down to meet the dining floor.

not an ideal solution but depends on how much you don't want a step

 

[dextrous]

Or overboard (laminate?) the rest of the downstairs so it's level with the kitchen floor.

 

[Ginga]

Thanks for the ideas chaps.

We are acutually going to address the floor on the rest of the downstairs ( after the kitchen work). If the original floorboards are no good then we were going to look at engineered wooden floor on top, so all I have to do then is pack the new floor off of the original boards by the same amount as the ufh insulation....nice one!

If the original boards are good then we "ramp" up with a tile.

Great, I feel more confident about speaking to the builders

Cheers Guys