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Artifical Tiles

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  • 06-10-2010 10:36pm
    #1
    imitation
    Registered Users Posts: 1,815 ✭✭✭


    Firstly, apologies if this is not the most suitable category for this.

    I'm building a home without underfloor heating, and im keen to get a flooring for my kitchens and bathrooms that will not be ice cold during the winter. Apart from the obvious choices (Lino, laminates & timber) I have spotted artificial tiles which apparently are better insulators than porcelain or stone tiles. I can't find a huge amount of info from the makers though and they seem to be based in the UK. Does anybody have experience with these ?

    Also, I will have 120mm kingspan insulation under the slab, I imagine this would make tiles a bit warmer than a house with nothing, on the other hand I can imagine the slab being quite cool and difficult to heat, any thoughts ?


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    #2
    antiskeptic
    Registered Users Posts: 9,555 ✭✭✭antiskeptic


    imitation wrote: »
    Firstly, apologies if this is not the most suitable category for this.

    I'm building a home without underfloor heating, and im keen to get a flooring for my kitchens and bathrooms that will not be ice cold during the winter. Apart from the obvious choices (Lino, laminates & timber) I have spotted artificial tiles which apparently are better insulators than porcelain or stone tiles. I can't find a huge amount of info from the makers though and they seem to be based in the UK. Does anybody have experience with these ?

    Also, I will have 120mm kingspan insulation under the slab, I imagine this would make tiles a bit warmer than a house with nothing, on the other hand I can imagine the slab being quite cool and difficult to heat, any thoughts ?

    I'd imagine that if your house is well built and is adequately/consistantly heated during cold periods then the slab will pick up/maintain temperature and won't be ice cold (although it will be cold).

    In my own place, I routed standard lagged central heating pipes along kitchen walkways/stand areas in order to get the benefit of heatloss into the slab in areas likely to be walked on barefoot. It only helps in localised areas like the bathroom sink or along my galley-kitchen floor but it has converted me to the idea of UFH should I ever build.

    Why are you against UFH anyway?


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    #3
    CJhaughey
    Registered Users Posts: 14,906 ✭✭✭✭CJhaughey


    Put in a Devimat in areas where you have tiles that need to be somewhat warm.
    They are cheap and simple to install at the tiling stage.


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    #4
    galwaytt
    Registered Users Posts: 12,761 ✭✭✭✭galwaytt


    CJhaughey wrote: »
    Put in a Devimat in areas where you have tiles that need to be somewhat warm.
    They are cheap and simple to install at the tiling stage.

    Cheap-ish and easy to install, yes. But costs a fortune on electricity. I had it in my old house, in the only room I didn't put UFH in, and you'd be afraid to switch it on, such was the speed the meter would run at !

    Besides, being practically the dearest country in the EU for electricity, I'd be reluctant to fit ANYTHING electrical, heatwise.......

    Ode To The Motorist

    “And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, generates funds to the exchequer. You don't want to acknowledge that as truth because, deep down in places you don't talk about at the Green Party, you want me on that road, you need me on that road. We use words like freedom, enjoyment, sport and community. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent instilling those values in our families and loved ones. You use them as a punch line. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the tax revenue and the very freedom to spend it that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said "thank you" and went on your way. Otherwise I suggest you pick up a bus pass and get the ********* ********* off the road” 



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    #5
    galwaytt
    Registered Users Posts: 12,761 ✭✭✭✭galwaytt


    antiskeptic wrote: »
    I'd imagine that if your house is well built and is adequately/consistantly heated during cold periods then the slab will pick up/maintain temperature and won't be ice cold (although it will be cold).

    In my own place, I routed standard lagged central heating pipes along kitchen walkways/stand areas in order to get the benefit of heatloss into the slab in areas likely to be walked on barefoot. It only helps in localised areas like the bathroom sink or along my galley-kitchen floor but it has converted me to the idea of UFH should I ever build.

    Why are you against UFH anyway?

    UFH by another name ?? :D

    Besides, if your pipes are losing heat, well, the lagging isn't doing much ! I'm afraid even with 120mm insulation, your slab will still be the cold spot in the room.

    Ode To The Motorist

    “And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, generates funds to the exchequer. You don't want to acknowledge that as truth because, deep down in places you don't talk about at the Green Party, you want me on that road, you need me on that road. We use words like freedom, enjoyment, sport and community. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent instilling those values in our families and loved ones. You use them as a punch line. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the tax revenue and the very freedom to spend it that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said "thank you" and went on your way. Otherwise I suggest you pick up a bus pass and get the ********* ********* off the road” 



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    #6
    Joey the lips
    Registered Users Posts: 10,262 ✭✭✭✭Joey the lips


    CJhaughey wrote: »
    Put in a Devimat in areas where you have tiles that need to be somewhat warm.
    They are cheap and simple to install at the tiling stage.

    Cheap to install but not cheap to run especially DEVI unless they changed recently
    galwaytt wrote: »
    Cheap-ish and easy to install, yes. But costs a fortune on electricity. I had it in my old house, in the only room I didn't put UFH in, and you'd be afraid to switch it on, such was the speed the meter would run at !

    Besides, being practically the dearest country in the EU for electricity, I'd be reluctant to fit ANYTHING electrical, heatwise.......

    Bang on...


    The reason DEVI mats are expensive is they have a hunting stat which constantly "hunts" for more energy when the temperature drops...

    The best thing to do is a matt with an on off or a timer... Forget the program stat. just set it high...


    On the tiles op.... no i have not seen them and i am years in tiles which means they are "new" or "unproved"


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    #7
    galwaytt
    Registered Users Posts: 12,761 ✭✭✭✭galwaytt


    imitation wrote: »
    I'm building a home without underfloor heating, and im keen to get a flooring for my kitchens and bathrooms that will not be ice cold during the winter.
    antiskeptic wrote: »
    Why are you against UFH anyway?

    I think that's the nub of it, really. If floor temp is important to you (and it is, to me !), why aren't you fitting it ? :confused:

    Ode To The Motorist

    “And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, generates funds to the exchequer. You don't want to acknowledge that as truth because, deep down in places you don't talk about at the Green Party, you want me on that road, you need me on that road. We use words like freedom, enjoyment, sport and community. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent instilling those values in our families and loved ones. You use them as a punch line. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the tax revenue and the very freedom to spend it that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said "thank you" and went on your way. Otherwise I suggest you pick up a bus pass and get the ********* ********* off the road” 



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    #8
    CJhaughey
    Registered Users Posts: 14,906 ✭✭✭✭CJhaughey


    I have the Heatmats in the two bathrooms and I don't find them to be particularly hard on juice.
    I do run them at a low level though and I have electric UFH as well.
    If the OP is worried about cold flooring then they have to fit UFH, heatmats or something like cork flooring that won't feel as cold underfoot.


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    #9
    Mellor
    Registered Users Posts: 39,159 ✭✭✭✭Mellor


    Wear socks or slippers imo


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    #10
    imitation
    Registered Users Posts: 1,815 ✭✭✭imitation


    Mellor wrote: »
    Wear socks or slippers imo

    Judging from the responses, I think I'll go with this one :D

    Id love to go with UFH, but I dont think the economics of it work out well with gas heating. My home is also single story, which makes me think a heating system with a faster response time would be better than using the house as thermal mass.


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