Both PVC floors and underfloor heating provide a high level of user comfort. A logical question is therefore: is laying a PVC floor on underfloor heating a good and responsible choice? We can be brief about the answer: they match excellently! We have listed the most important benefits of a PVC floor with underfloor heating for you.
Fast heating due to good thermal permeability
A floor is suitable for underfloor heating as main heating when the Rc value (the thermal resistance) is a maximum of 0.14 m²K/W. For additional heating, the Rc value has been set at 0.14 m²K/W by most underfloor heating manufacturers. The following applies: the lower the Rc value, the better the heat conduction.
Most PVC floors have Rc values between 0.02 and 0.05 and therefore fall well below that. For comparison: solid oak floorboards of +/- 20 mm thickness have Rc values between 0.18 and 0.20. In other words: by flooring standards, PVC floors are heated very quickly.
The following factors play a role in the final Rc value of PVC floors:
- The thinner the PVC floor, the better the floor conducts heat;
- Glued-down PVC floors have better heat conduction than click PVC floors.
Substantial energy savings through optimal efficiency
With a PVC floor with underfloor heating, not only is the floor itself quickly up to temperature – the room where the PVC floor is laid is also heated quickly. And moreover, a lot cheaper: underfloor heating works with radiant heat and is a lot more energy-efficient than heating with radiators, which directly saves on energy costs. The higher installation price pays for itself in rapid tempo.
Executable in almost every look
Traditional wooden, concrete, and terrazzo floors are beautiful to see, but due to the material type, floor density, and thickness, they are not optimally suited for underfloor heating. PVC floors are available in wood look, concrete look, terrazzo look, and even leather look versions that are indistinguishable from the real thing. This way, you not only enjoy the appearance of the aforementioned floors, but also sustainable, comfortable, and profitable heating.
Also in terms of laying patterns, you don’t have to make any concessions. What about a herringbone or Hungarian point version, for example?
Laying a PVC floor on underfloor heating at TREU
PVC floors offer all the space to design a floor as you have in mind. The strong and dimensionally stable floors lend themselves excellently to intensively walked spaces, are easy to maintain, and extremely suitable for underfloor heating. It is not without reason that PVC floors are a popular floor choice for living and working. TREU is happy to help you select the PVC floor with the right properties for your project.
Want to know more?