With technology advancing as it is today, one of the best inventions as of late is radiant heating! For those who don’t know what it is, radiant heating is a special type of heating that is placed underneath the flooring. The heat radiates through the flooring, making it warm on your feet. Many people love these floors in bathrooms and for good reason! No one likes stepping out of a shower onto a cold floor. And since you’ve kept up with our blog, you know that vinyl plank flooring is one of the best choices for bathrooms. But can you use vinyl plank flooring on top of radiant heating?
Yes, You Can!
Vinyl plank flooring is a great option for on top of radiant heating, especially if you need a flooring that is waterproof! Be sure to keep the radiant flooring heat under 80 degrees Fahrenheit. You don’t want the heat too high, as you could compromise the integrity of the flooring. Be sure to check with the manufacturer for specific heat restrictions, as not all floors are created equal.
Warning: Be sure to always check your warranty to make sure installing your vinyl plank flooring will not void your warranty! Most vinyl flooring should be alright over radiant heat, but be sure to follow all manufacturer’s recommendations for your flooring!
Be Sure To Use A Floating Vinyl Flooring
Using a floating (or click-lock) vinyl plank flooring is your best choice over radiant heating. This floor does not glue down or staple into the subfloor, giving it the space your radiant flooring wires need. You may need to lay down a vapor barrier or thin underlayment underneath the flooring to help allow it to float evenly over the radiant heat flooring. Be sure to check with the manufacturer of your flooring and the manufacturer of the radiant heat to choose an underlayment that is suitable for both!
Have any tips you would like to share? Questions? Please feel free to contact us using the comment section below!
34 comments
Can I lay lvp
straight on top of the heat mat
Hey Geoff – I would suggest checking with the manufacturer on that one.
I have the same question as Kristina but not sure I understand the answer based on my flooring situation. I also have radiant floor heat but it’s in a basement floor with poured concrete (i.e. the tubes are in the concrete). The heating/plumbing expert that installed said he runs the water at 100 degrees, which I would assume, would be the “temperature in the pipes”. But would not think this represents the temperature on the floor surface itself. My confusion on Alana’s answer is when you refer to “the radiant heat”. In my situation, would that be the temperature of the floor surface?
To be sure, can I just try and take the temperature of the floor surface, as long as it’s 80 degrees or less (or whatever manufacturer recommends), I should be good?
hope that make sense. appreciate your help
Steve, you would be correct in that sense. As far as I’ve seen this would be okay. To be 100% sure I would recommend contacting the manufacturer of the flooring to double check with them too that this is okay.
If using a heat film such as Quiet Warmth that requires a 3/16″ underlayment, how thick does the vinyl plank need to be?
Hey Kathy, I would suggest at least 4 mm thick! Thanks for reaching out.
we are looking at options for our florida room. One option is vinyl flooring but it has to be over 50 degrees or it will shrink the floor. So we thought of putting heated floors in that room. What are your suggestions?
Hi Scott, thanks for the question! Vinyl can move with temperature changes, but it is at a much smaller scale than a laminate. You could go with a COREtec or SPC vinyl, which have the least possible expansion with temperature changes. You could put radiant heating in, however, the flooring will still be reacting to room temperature and humidity changes.
I’m thinking about installing vinyl plank flooring over in floor radiant heat. Everything I read says not to turn the heat about 80 degrees F. Does that mean the water temp in the tubes or the thermostat on the wall?
Hi Kristina, great question! The radiant heat should not exceed that, so in your case, the water in the pipes. Your room temperature can vary in temperature, as long as you keep a proper humidity level in the home. Dry temperatures will cause the laminate to shrink, which could cause gaps. Hope this helps!
Hi Kristina,
We have a basement with a concrete floor with radiant heat.. we are getting some mixed reviews. Souls we be using a floating vinyl floor or do we use a product that is glued down? We are not getting straight answers on this.
Thanks
Hi Michele, great question. As far as we know, the best option is a floating vinyl. This lets the heat and airflow run under the flooring without anything blocking it, such as glue. It is important to check with both the floor and radiant heat system with what the requirements are. Most floating vinyls are compatible with radiant heat systems. Hope this helps! Let us know if we can help you find a floor.