Hello,

I know that before you tile it helps to have a level floor, and with a
concrete floor you could use a self-levelling compound. but how do you
prepare a wooden floor? I read that you should put 18mm board down.

But: I was thinking of fitting electric UFH in the bathroom. Now if I
do this I will need 18mm board, then the aquapanel (say 9 mm), then
the UFH cable (say 4 mm), then the tiles (say 5 mm). This comes to a
total height of 36 mm. Won't this make a bit of a step as we move from
the landing into the bathroom?

I can't see that I could use a levelling compound as surely it would
fall between the gaps between the floorboards?

Thanks.

nospam wrote:
Hello,

I know that before you tile it helps to have a level floor, and with a
concrete floor you could use a self-levelling compound. but how do you
prepare a wooden floor? I read that you should put 18mm board down.

But: I was thinking of fitting electric UFH in the bathroom.

A strange idea, but hey, whatever empties your bank account..


Now if I
do this I will need 18mm board, then the aquapanel (say 9 mm), then
the UFH cable (say 4 mm), then the tiles (say 5 mm).

No, you won't. All you need is a stable floor that does not flex, which
if its chip already on decent wood joists, may be enough, and some tile
cement.

If its floorboards, is worth lifting them and shoving insualtion
undereneath to stop downstairs getting hot, then replacing with 18mm
chip, and maybe doubling up on joists if there is a lot of flexure.

This comes to a
total height of 36 mm. Won't this make a bit of a step as we move from
the landing into the bathroom?

I can't see that I could use a levelling compound as surely it would
fall between the gaps between the floorboards?

Indeed.

Take the floorboards up and put in rockwool or kingspan, then use 18mm
ply after stiffening up the joists if they 'bounce' and lay tiles using
at least 6mm of flexible Adhesive. I guess the UFH coils go somewhere
under the wood - haven't used electric. I'd be far more tempted to lay
some plastic pipe under the floor between the joists and hook it up to
the radiator cqts frankly.


Thanks.

On Thu, 20 Sep 2007 15:15:32 +0100, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:

nospam wrote:
Hello,

I know that before you tile it helps to have a level floor, and with a
concrete floor you could use a self-levelling compound. but how do you
prepare a wooden floor? I read that you should put 18mm board down.

But: I was thinking of fitting electric UFH in the bathroom.

A strange idea, but hey, whatever empties your bank account..


Now if I
do this I will need 18mm board, then the aquapanel (say 9 mm), then
the UFH cable (say 4 mm), then the tiles (say 5 mm).

No, you won't. All you need is a stable floor that does not flex, which
if its chip already on decent wood joists, may be enough, and some tile
cement.

If its floorboards, is worth lifting them and shoving insualtion
undereneath to stop downstairs getting hot, then replacing with 18mm
chip, and maybe doubling up on joists if there is a lot of flexure.

This comes to a
total height of 36 mm. Won't this make a bit of a step as we move from
the landing into the bathroom?

I can't see that I could use a levelling compound as surely it would
fall between the gaps between the floorboards?

Indeed.

Take the floorboards up and put in rockwool or kingspan, then use 18mm
ply after stiffening up the joists if they 'bounce' and lay tiles using
at least 6mm of flexible Adhesive. I guess the UFH coils go somewhere
under the wood - haven't used electric. I'd be far more tempted to lay
some plastic pipe under the floor between the joists and hook it up to
the radiator cqts frankly.


Thanks.
I used well PVA's 18mm ply on stiffened joists , electric floor mat
covered with tiling adhesive per instructions then tiles on top.

Make up any height difference with a wooden door threshold.

As I replaced 25mm floorboards with the ply and allowing for carpet
and underlay outside the bathroom the height difference wasnt much.
Robert

On Thu, 20 Sep 2007 15:15:32 +0100, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:


Take the floorboards up and put in rockwool or kingspan, then use 18mm
ply after stiffening up the joists if they 'bounce' and lay tiles using
at least 6mm of flexible Adhesive. I guess the UFH coils go somewhere
under the wood - haven't used electric. I'd be far more tempted to lay
some plastic pipe under the floor between the joists and hook it up to
the radiator cqts frankly.

Sorry I thought the 18mm wood went on top of the floorboards; i didn't
realise it replaced them! I think eUFH cable goes in the adhesive but
I will look into the wet UFH.

nospam wrote:
On Thu, 20 Sep 2007 15:15:32 +0100, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:

Take the floorboards up and put in rockwool or kingspan, then use 18mm
ply after stiffening up the joists if they 'bounce' and lay tiles using
at least 6mm of flexible Adhesive. I guess the UFH coils go somewhere
under the wood - haven't used electric. I'd be far more tempted to lay
some plastic pipe under the floor between the joists and hook it up to
the radiator cqts frankly.

Sorry I thought the 18mm wood went on top of the floorboards; i didn't
realise it replaced them!

It can go there, and for a quick and dirty, thats what you do..it's to
provide a stable base for tiles, but if you are shoving in UFH you might
want to lift the floor anyway.

I think eUFH cable goes in the adhesive but
I will look into the wet UFH.


If it does that is fine too, but with a height problem you may well want
to consider removing the floorboards anyway, and insulation under will
stop a proportion of the heat heating the downstairs ceiling.

I have a friend who had a pretty cheap and nasty refurb carried out: So
cheap and nasty that they never insulated the CH pipes running under the
bathroom floor. 15m copper, and they warm it enough to be really
pleasant in winter.

If you get some of the flexible pushfit stuff and lay kingspan on the
ceiling below, and zigzag the flexi pipe up and down the joists, before
relaying a ply floor, you have an instant very cheap wet UFH system
Strictly you should regulate the temperature in the pipes down to a
level where it won't cause expansion/conrarction issues in the wood and
tiles: In practice one or two lengths of pipe up and down between each
joist won't be a problem unless you regularly run your boiler at max
temperatures.

Couple that lot to your existing raditaor and use a TRV for a crude bit
of regulatin.