Tiled Floors

As the various elements of the floor expand and contract at different rates when underfloor heating is fitted it is important that, as well as making sure that the floor is stable enough to accept a tile, to also account for the thermal movement. It is therefore important that a flexible grout and adhesive is used and an expansion gap of at least 15mm left around the edge of the room. For information on flexible adhesives follow this link to the Bal website.



It is not advisable to lay tiles over a floating floor, however, they can be laid on a battened or joisted timber floor using a suitable flexible adhesive and grout. Plywood is usually preferred to tile onto rather than chipboard. It is possible to use a single layer of plywood, although there are advantages to using a tongued and grooved chipboard deck with a thin plywood layer bonded to the top.

Some less robust tile or stone floors, for example limestone, require particular attention especially when laid over a timber floor. In such circumstances it is advisable to use a decoupling layer; however care must be taken to ensure that this does not add significantly to the thermal resistance of the floor buildup. One suitable decoupling layer is Schluter™ DITRA. Download technical information on Schluter™ DITRA.