Flexibility is key for underfloor heating

Underfloor heating case study

Products: TileFix®-18, Screed system, OneBoard®

Building projects can often change significantly during the build process, so installers and homeowners should always look to work with suppliers who can adjust to deal with whatever changes might need to be made on site.

At Continal Underfloor Heating we believe in making it as easy as possible for our customers to reach out to us whenever they need support, which is why we offer simple contact channels through email, phone, via LiveChat at our website, and also through social media and other digital channels including WhatsApp.

We were contacted through WhatsApp by an installer who was fitting underfloor heating (UFH) throughout a three-storey townhouse in London. This 380m2 system stretched across all three floors, and we needed to keep the floor height build up to a minimum so as to make it easier for the UFH to be fitted on the first and second floors.

We specified a traditional screed system for the ground floor, where a new floor was being poured, combined with our OneBoard® structural system for the upper floors. OneBoard® is an in-deck suspended floor solution that consists of a structural composite chipboard panel that can be laid directly onto floor joists without the need for a sub-base. The panel depth is just 22mm – less than the diameter of a pound coin – so it can be installed with no significant raising of floor heights.

Our customer agreed and the deposit was paid, but before the system could be delivered, we discovered that the customer had gone ahead and laid a structural floor over the joists on the upper floors. That meant we could no longer use the OneBoard® system, as that is designed to be laid directly onto the joists. So we changed the specification and replaced OneBoard® with our TileFix®-18 low-profile overfloor system instead.

TileFix® is suitable for any floor construction, measuring just 18mm in depth. This high-compressive strength system is designed to accept direct tiling with a flexible tile adhesive, and is typically installed over existing solid or timber deck floors. The universal TileFix® panels provide pipe routing for return loops and distribution, ensuring simple installation.

Our customer was pleased that we were able to adjust the system even after the quote had been agreed, as it meant she did not have to pay for her newly laid structural floor to be taken up. The rest of the project continued smoothly and the customer was delighted with the final results.

Continal has been a leading UK design and supply specialist for energy-efficient warm-water UFH for more than 20 years. The company’s full range of UFH systems for solid floors, overfloor applications and joisted floors, as well as a full portfolio of controls and accessories, can be found at www.continal.co.uk.

UK's widest range of UFH systems

Designed to suit any type of heat source and enable UFH to be quickly and easily installed on any floor, with any type of floor covering. Our underfloor heating systems come with everything you need, delivered direct to site.