A Guide To The Types Of Flooring Available For Your Under-Floor Heated Conservatory

For many people, having a conservatory has proven to be a great decision. Conservatories are a brilliant solution if you would like to extend your property and benefit from enhanced comfort as well. Apart from this, conservatories bring in more natural light, instantly transforming your space and making it look brighter, airier, and more spacious.

But if you are planning to have a conservatory in your property, whether it’s commercial property or residential, one important consideration is the heating. Under-floor heating is highly recommended by a good number of experts, simply because with under-floor heating, you can benefit from more efficient heat without any cold spots, and it is comparatively easy to install as well. But with under-floor heating comes flooring considerations. The good news is that under-floor heating can conveniently be used with different types of flooring including stone and ceramic and even with floor coverings such as carpeting.

A look at your different flooring options when it comes to under-floor heating:

Stone, Terracotta, Ceramic

When it comes to flooring for your conservatory such as stone, terracotta, slate, or ceramic, you should be aware that the time it takes to heat up your entire conservatory will also depend on the tile’s thickness. If you opt for thicker tiles or flagstones, it might take a longer time for your conservatory to reach its maximum temperature. The good news, though, is that once the ideal temperature is met, the quality of the heat with regards to either thin or thick tiles is the same.

Carpeting

You can have carpeting in your conservatory provided you are using your conservatory more as an extension of your property and a lounging area rather than a greenhouse or a place for your plants. Also, if you are using carpeting for your conservatory, you should make sure that the carpet and its underlay is equipped with not more than 2.5 (tog) thermal resistance or insulance. Fortunately, most carpet types have a thermal insulance of not more than one tog.

Laminate

If you prefer, you can use your under-floor heating system with laminate or vinyl flooring, provided it is of high quality and is compatible with under-floor heating.

Wood

Wood is a popular flooring for conservatories, and under-floor heating can be used with this as well. However, the timber or wood you use should be specifically designed for under-floor heating. This means that the wood or timber must have a restriction in temperature of around 27 degrees C, and the wooden flooring, when installed, must have a gap for expansion around its edges.

Other Considerations

Aside from the flooring, you need to think about other factors regarding the type of under-floor heating system that will work best for your conservatory. For this, you have two main choices: a hot water system, or an electric or wire system. A wet system, for instance, is better if you are planning to take up existing floors or construct entirely new flooring. An electric or wire system, on the other hand, is more suitable for an existing space or room, as it can even be placed under rugs on an existing floor.

You can easily have the perfect conservatory as long as you choose the right builder and installer (such as The Window Store – learn more about their conservatory services at http://windowstoreplastics.co.uk) who can guide you in all the steps of the process and give you the right advice on the best type of flooring, materials, glazing, security features, and other elements you need.