Installing underfloor heating with stud plates

Underfloor heating with stud plates is a popular and simple way to install underfloor heating. A stud plate underfloor heating system is suitable for use in dry construction. As a finish, of course only after installation, a special filler floor can be used. Underfloor heating with stud plates is available in different thicknesses: 16 mm, 32 mm or 48 mm. You can choose from stud plates without insulation, with 1 cm insulation or even with 3 cm insulation. It depends on the situation which insulation thickness is most suitable. The stud plate underfloor heating has a clean, smooth installation without much inconvenience and dust. This type of underfloor heating is especially suitable in rooms where sufficient height is available. The stud plate underfloor heating is only suitable for finishing with a sand cement screed. Due to the floating property of an underfloor heating pipe, it is not possible to use a cast or anhydrite floor in combination with this system. This article explains how to install a stud plate underfloor heating.

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Materials Needed

For this job you will need the following materials:

• A set of pipes for underfloor heating

• Bubble plates

• Pipe cutters

• Soft brush

• Pencil or marker for marking

• Hammer

• Spirit level

• Edge insulation (possibly with adhesive strip and foil)

• Cut-off knife/Stanley knife

• Floor bends

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Underfloor heating as main or additional heating?

When installing studded floor heating, you must choose (as with any type of floor heating) whether you are going to use it as main or additional heating. The choice here determines the distance between the pipes during installation.

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Distance of the tubes:

• Main heating: 10 cm centre-to-centre distance.
  Underfloor heating becomes main heating when there are no radiators, convectors or other heating systems. It is possible to achieve the temperature of a room with underfloor heating and makes radiators redundant, for example.

• Additional heating: 15 to 20 cm centre-to-centre distance.
  When you use underfloor heating as additional heating, this serves as a supplement. In this situation, you also use radiators, convectors or other types of heating. This makes it possible to supply the correct heat demand with all the heating systems together.

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Installing studded floor heating

Follow the steps below to install a studded floor heating system.

Preparation:

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Step 1: Clean the space

In preparation, the space should be cleaned. Make sure the floor is swept clean of dust, sharp objects and obstacles. It is important that the floor is dry.

Step 2: Apply insulation

Before applying the edge insulation, sweep the bottom 20 cm of the walls with a soft brush. Then apply edge insulation. You should place this along each wall that is heated. Choose the right edge insulation for the surface on which you are going to work. Applying insulation is important because it prevents cracking as a result of the expansion of the screed.

All objects that are in the floor surface must also be provided with edge insulation. Think of pillars and walls.

 

Different floors:

• Cement screed: Edge insulation with adhesive strip

• Cast floor: Edge insulation with adhesive strip and foil

Please note: Are you using edge insulation with foil? Then the foil must be on the floor side and it must be facing inwards.

Step 3: Hanging the underfloor heating manifold

Hang de vloerverwarming verdeler op. Zorg dat de onderkant van de verdeler op ongeveer 40 cm boven de vloer geplaatst wordt. Je hebt deze hoogte nodig om voldoende ruimte te hebben om de verdeler aan te sluiten.

Place distributor:

The numbers in the text about connecting a distributor correspond to the numbers in the illustration.

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Installing the distributor on the wall:

• Supply and return connections (2) must be at the bottom of the manifold.

• Use a spirit level when placing the manifold. The manifold must be mounted horizontally on the wall.

• When the manifold is hanging straight, you can mark out four drill holes (1) on the wall.

• Drill the holes (1) with a drill. Make sure you drill the holes deep enough.

• Carefully place the plugs in the drill holes (1). Use a hammer if this is not easy.

• Place the manifold against the wall. Tighten the manifold with bolts using a ring spanner.

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Step 4: Install stud plates
Cover the floor with stud plates where you want to install the underfloor heating.
Note: Make sure that the stud plates flow neatly into each other. Each plate has an overlap to make this possible.

Step 5: Cut stud plates to sizeIf necessary, cut the plates to size. You can do this by using a snap-off knife/Stanley knife.

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Installing studded floor heating:

Below is a floor heating manifold. The numbers in the image correspond to the numbers in the explanation of the step-by-step plan.

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Step 1: Connecting the distributor (part 1)
Cut the heating pipe. Place the union nut, compression ring and grommet on the pipe in this order. Use the lower connection (1) of the distributor as the supply. Tighten the coupling on this connection using a socket wrench.

Step 2: Installing the floor bend (part 1)
Use a floor bend to ensure the pipe under the manifold makes a neat bend without kinking.

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Step 3: Installing underfloor heating

Roll out the underfloor heating pipe. Press the pipe into the correct position between the studs. Place the pipes 10 or 15 cm apart, in a snail shell pattern. This has the advantage that the supply and return of water are alternated. This ensures ideal heat distribution.
Note: Do not bend the pipes too much, the pipe must not kink. Do not make the bend in the middle of the snail shell pattern too tight.

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Step 4: Installing the floor bend (part 2)
When you get back to the distributor you need to use a floor bend to keep the pipe from kinking. Place it under the distributor to make a bend.

Step 5: Connecting the distributor (part 2)
When you are back at the distributor you can connect the heating pipe. Cut the heating pipe. Place the union nut, compression ring and grommet in this order on the pipe. Use the top connection (2) of the distributor as return. Tighten the coupling on this connection using a socket wrench.

Step 6: Installing the thermostat knob
Place the thermostat knob (3) on the supply foot valve of the manifold. This is located on the upper right side of the manifold. Unscrew the protective knob from the foot valve. Then turn the thermostat knob by hand. Make sure that the knob is set to a maximum of 40 °C.

Step 7: Place capillary

Place the capillary (4) at the bottom right of the manifold. Place this in the tube sensor provided for this purpose.
A capillary is a thin tube filled with a liquid. For example, gas or a special oil. When the temperature in the room changes, the capillary shrinks or expands. This activates the thermostat knob to adjust the amount of heat that the radiator emits.
Testing underfloor heating: connect the manifold with the plug to a wall socket. Test whether the manifold and underfloor heating are working properly, and above all: whether the system is leak-free!

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