Choosing the best flooring for underfloor heating
If you’re looking for a way to make your home feel cosier and more efficient, underfloor heating is bound to change your life.
Many homeowners are now ditching ineffective radiators and heaters for underfloor heating, enjoying all the benefits of warm floors and lower energy bills.
You may be thinking, ‘Perfect, I can just choose any flooring and pair it with underfloor heating.’ However, it’s not that simple. You can’t just use any old flooring for underfloor heating systems.
Choose the wrong one and you’ll end up paying the price—but don’t worry, Mersey Flooring is here to make sure you select a great, compatible choice for your home. Are you ready to get into it?
Underfloor heating systems: How do they work?
If you’ve been wondering how modern underfloor heating systems work, it’s a lot simpler than you’re probably thinking.
Unlike radiators, which fail to heat floors and leave cold spots in the room, underfloor heating systems produce heat from underneath the floor at lower temperatures. It distributes this heat evenly across the surface, where the warm air rises to heat the expanse of the room.
Your home will feel warm even at slightly lower thermostat settings, which can help reduce energy bills over time and avoid draughts—especially when paired with the right flooring. There are two main types of underfloor heating systems:
Water-based systems (Wet UFH)
Water-based underfloor heating systems are one of the most popular types of underfloor heating.
For this, the pipes pump warm water underneath your floors, which is connected to your boiler or heat pump. A thermostat allows you to adjust the room temperature quickly and easily.
Once the system is running, the floor acts like a giant radiator—but without any bulky equipment taking up wall space. While this can be expensive to install, it’s cost-effective to maintain in the long run (this is why it’s so popular in large buildings or new builds).
Electric systems (Dry UFH)
As you can probably guess, electric underfloor heating systems produce heat by using electricity, often in the form of electric cables or heating mats. These are installed directly underneath your floors, providing efficient heating throughout your home.
While these are quicker to install than wet UFH systems, they tend to be more expensive to maintain in the long run. However, timers or zoned heating controls can help manage energy usage.
Our compatible flooring picks for underfloor heating
If you’re ready to make the change and invest in something that will ultimately transform the way your home feels and operates, then say no more.
We’ve combined a list of the best compatible flooring for underfloor heating for your home. No matter your style or budget, there’s something for everyone!
1. Tiles & natural stone
If you love the minimalist, clean, and sleek look, then tiles and natural stone flooring are ideal for pairing with your underfloor heating system.
Materials like porcelain, granite, ceramic, and marble are excellent at transferring heat throughout your home, as they’re excellent heat conductors.
You’ll be able to enjoy warm and toasty feet within minutes of turning the heating on— plus, tiles and stone are perfect for moisture-prone areas, like bathrooms and kitchens.
Another benefit: stone and tile retain heat well, keeping your home warm without straining your heating system.
2. Luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) & SPC Vinyl
If you want something beautiful, budget-friendly, and easy to maintain, then look no further than LVT and SPC vinyl.
These floors are underfloor heating friendly and are one of the best options due to their versatility and thickness. With a wide range of designs and colours to choose from—wood, stone, ceramic, you name it—these floors fit perfectly with any interior.
As these floors are designed to handle the heat, they warm up quickly, maintaining a stable temperature to eliminate cold spots. Plus, they feel incredibly soft underfoot, so it’s really a win-win!
Better yet, they’re easy to clean, resistant to scratches, and moisture-resistant. LVT and SPC provide the look of natural materials without spending too much.
3. Engineered wood
Engineered wood adds warmth and depth to any home and is great at handling temperature fluctuations. It provides the beauty of real timber but with added stability, making it perfect for underfloor heating systems.
Additionally, it deals better with expansion and contraction than solid wood, and there are many styles, colours, and tones to choose from.
The key is to pick engineered boards specifically rated for use with UFH and adhere to the recommended thickness (ideally no more than 18mm).
4. Laminate flooring
This popular flooring choice is not only budget-friendly and beautiful but also works well with UFH—so long as you choose the right product.
Laminate floors provide the look of real wood flooring for less and without all the added maintenance costs. Most modern laminates are engineered with underfloor heating in mind, providing great heat transfer and good resistance to warping.
Better yet, it’s hard-wearing, making it ideal for high-traffic areas. However, you will need to invest in a good underlay (one that won’t block heat).
5. Carpet
Do you want something softer and cosier in your home? If so, low-tog carpets are actually suitable with UFH and make your feet feel toasty whenever you walk across them.
While it’s not as good a thermal conductor as wood, LVT, SPC, or laminate floors (as it traps heat), it works great as an extra layer of insulation for your floors. To avoid this, opt for a carpet and underlay that’s less than 2.5 tog combined.
This option is ideal for making bedrooms and living rooms more inviting.
Three floors to avoid with underfloor heating
If you take anything away from this blog, remember to steer clear of these options when picking a flooring for your UFH.
Below, we’ve included what flooring isn’t suitable for underfloor heating.
1. Solid wood flooring
As we brushed upon before, solid wood flooring doesn’t hold up well during expansion and contraction.
Attempt to combine this with an underfloor heating system, and you’ll end up with warped and frail boards that crumble when walked upon.
Even though it’s tempting to go for traditional hardwood, we always recommend switching to engineered wood if you want the look of real timber without the risk.
2. High-tog carpets
As we said, if your carpet and underlay combined weigh more than 2.5 tog, you’re asking for trouble.
Thick, plush carpets create too much insulation, meaning your floors will stay warm, but everything else in the room will struggle to heat up. You’ll end up with a lukewarm floor at best.
3. Certain laminate products
While laminate is a great option for UFH, older or cheaper laminate products simply aren’t designed to cope with underfloor heating.
The excess heat can cause them to warp, leading to gaps and cracks in your floor. They may also act as an insulator, trapping heat beneath the floor. It’s best to check if your laminate flooring is UFH compatible before installing it.
We also must stress that anything thicker than 18mm, whether that’s laminate, engineered wood, or LVT, will reduce heat transfer and slow the system down. Thin, heat-conductive floors are always a better match.
Find compatible underfloor heating options with Mersey Flooring
Are you ready to make the splurge and invest in an underfloor heating system?
If so, Mersey Flooring offers a range of beautiful flooring options that are compatible with underfloor heating at competitive prices and long-lasting lifespans; you can’t go wrong!
Before purchasing, check the specifications of our flooring products for guidelines when using them with UFH systems.