
KRONOTEX laminate floors are wonderfully compatible with underfloor heating. As long as you keep just a few things in mind, and nothing will prevent you from enjoying cosy warmth in your home.
Water or electric underfloor heating?
Water-based underfloor heating systems are excellently suited for laminate flooring. And these days, most electric systems can also be combined with laminate without problem. But it’s prudent to play it safe and ask the manufacturer whether their product is in fact compatible with laminate. State-of-the-art electric underfloor heating systems can be used without any concerns. Many older models, however, can only be turned on or off without permitting any intermediate settings. And if you’re planning to install laminate, the ability to adjust the temperature in steps is important. But talk to the manufacturer! Only they can guarantee the suitability of their system.
Checklist for laminate flooring and underfloor heating
Heat transfer rates depend on thickness
A material’s heat transfer coefficient, or u-value, is a measure of how fast heat is transmitted through it. This varies depending on the material’s thickness and thermal conductivity. A lower u-value means that more heat is transferred, while a higher one indicates greater resistance to heat flux. The assembly of vapour barrier, acoustic underlay and laminate must not have a value greater than 0.15 (m²*K)/W. A laminate floor’s suitability for use with underfloor heating is inversely proportional to its u-value.
Example calculation:
KRONOTEX laminate flooring with a thickness of 8mm has a u-value of 0.06 (m²*K)/W. The SWISS KRONO Premium Sound acoustic underlay with integrated foil lamination adds another 0.01 (m²*K)/W, for a total of 0.07 (m²*K)/W. This is an excellent value, indicating that this combination is ideal for underfloor heating.