The ranks of those who decided to install heated floors in their home for heating water based, are constantly replenished. This technology eliminates the usual batteries and involves installing heating pipes under the floor surface. In fact, it turns out that the floors warm the room, distributing heat evenly throughout the house. It is recommended to decide on this issue already at the stage of drawing up a repair plan. It is also recommended to buy mats for warm water floors in advance.
Advantages of a warm water floor
Design versatility. The elements of such heating do not decorate, but do not spoil the interior decor; they are invisible and neutral, unlike, for example, traditional radiators.
Saving. Warm water floors give the air temperature a couple of degrees lower radiator heating. Such a slight discrepancy will not affect comfort, but will provide tangible savings in the range of 6-12%.
Microclimate. The house is heated optimally. Mats for warm water floors, the price of which may vary, hold comfortable temperature. The air does not overheat, but remains warm enough. Your feet/hands don't get cold, and your body doesn't get hot.
Easy to use. Water-based heated floors do not contain high-tech equipment; they consist of simple elements. There is no need for regular maintenance.
KNAUF floors
When the decision to install warm water floors has been made, you need to ensure the quality of its elements and the right combination components. KNAUF floors based on polystyrene foam have high rate thermal insulation in heating system KNAUF Therm.
- floor base;
- KNAUF Therm plates;
- pipe;
- KNAUF building mixture for leveling screeds.
- tile adhesive, lining for laminate;
- floor surface;
Features of KNAUF Therm floor elements
Special polystyrene panels KNAUF Therm have a special design that provides the most effective application in warm floors.
External surface of the panel:
- especially strong bosses located along the contour of the pipe with a diameter of 16-20 mm;
- special fastening for quick and easy installation around the perimeter of the mat;
- a special shape of the boss with a flap inward, designed for reliable and simple fixation of the pipe.
Inner panel surface:
- practical markings that virtually eliminate unevenness and minimize waste when cutting the floor;
- a plate with the KNAUF logo, which serves as a guarantor of the authenticity and quality of the product.
To make your home comfortable, it is worth purchasing mats with suitable characteristics. Manufacturers offer products of various sizes, which allows you to make a choice in favor optimal option. We suggest you figure out why such slabs are needed, and which model is better to give preference to.
Leading manufacturers of mats for laying water-heated floors
In order not to doubt the quality of the purchased mats for laying water-heated floors, you should choose products from leading manufacturers. We advise you to pay attention to the products:
- Oventrop showing high performance characteristics. German company offers mats with bosses, for dry laying, roll and folding insulation. The first type can be with or without thermal and sound insulation;
- Knauf. The manufacturer offers high-quality slabs with high performance characteristics;
- Rehau. Despite the price, mats for warm water floors made in Germany are in steady consumer demand. The most popular are foam styrene mats with “bobs”. Supplied with clamps for fastening pipes;
- Energyflex. Domestic manufacturer offers a wide model range, in which you will definitely find suitable option for water heated floors;
- Ecopol. Russian company offers smooth mats and with bosses. The locking connection and the presence of a waterproofing layer ensures the formation of a strong and reliable foundation. Level thermal insulation characteristics depends on the thickness of the thermal insulation layer. The latter can be 20, 30 mm or absent in principle.
Which mats are best to buy for warm water floors: popular models
If you have not yet decided which mats for a warm water floor in your home are best to buy, we suggest you get acquainted with the models that are especially popular among consumers. Perhaps you will find a suitable option among them.
Expanded polystyrene mats for heated floors Knauf Industries
The size of one mat for Knauf INDUSTRIES underfloor heating is 1200 mm × 600 mm or 0.72 m². Lugs large size and special configuration allow you to securely fix heating circuit with pipes with a diameter of 16 mm or 20 mm. For proper fixation of the elements relative to each other, a double lock is provided, located around the perimeter of each mat. The presence of markup makes it easier to execute installation work.
Knauf Industries
Clamps with lugs Rehau Varionova
The German company offers mats for warm water floors Rehau, the price of which is fully correlated with their quality. The size of the polystyrene panels is 1450 mm × 850 mm × 24 mm with design dimensions of 1400 mm × 800 mm. Laying a water circuit with a diameter of 14–17 mm can be done in increments of multiples of 50 mm. The formed layer can withstand loads of up to 60.0 kN/m².
Foam shield WF 16-50
High-quality products that can become a worthy competitor to foreign analogues. To produce mats for water heated floors “Penoshield”, polystyrene grade PSB-S 35 with a cellular-porous structure with a density of 21–25 kg/m³ is used. Thanks to this, the slabs provide a sufficient level of thermal insulation. The laying step can be a multiple of 50 mm. Suitable for pipes with a diameter of 16 mm. The size of the slabs is 1000 mm × 1000 mm × 50 mm.
A carefully thought-out design, combining protrusions and openings, guarantees reliable fixation of water heated floor pipes. The products allow you to securely fix pipes with a diameter of 16 mm without additional fasteners. Base 30 mm. This is enough for thermal insulation of the laid coating.
Main advantages:
- Meets all European standards. Self-extinguishing raw materials are used.
- It is possible to lay both semi-dry and wet screeds.
- Increased density of the material, so it does not change size over time.
- They are equipped with special bosses that allow for quick installation of pipes.
- Excellent thermal and sound insulation.
- Safe and harmless to people.
- They do not allow moisture to pass through without swelling.
- They have locks making them easy to assemble.
- Withstands temperatures from minus 180 C to plus 180 C.
Expanded polystyrene comes in several types:
Foamed polyethylene mats with foil coating- most cheap option. Has good warmth and soundproofing property. Not very resistant to moisture, easily wrinkles.
Foil polystyrene mats- most good option for heated floors. Has excellent insulating properties of heat, sound, water, and is resistant to chemicals, has the lowest level of thermal conductivity among its analogues and can withstand temperature surges. More expensive of all substrates due to its properties, thickness and ease of installation.
Extruded polystyrene foam mats- material in the form of mats or slabs with or without foil coating, with a thickness of 2 to 5 centimeters. Has excellent mechanical properties, resistant to high temperatures, relatively inexpensive. Also, polystyrene foam can be either smooth or with bosses. Thanks to the bosses, laying underfloor heating pipes is much faster.
Buy mats for warm water floors
Do you want to buy mats for a warm water floor made of polystyrene foam? In the Teplodoma-msk online store you can purchase any mats for water heated floors at a low price from a warehouse in Moscow.
Floor surface heating systems, which not so long ago were considered “curiosities,” have now firmly gained popularity among owners of houses and apartments. All more people prefers this convenient and economical way space heating. Well-proven installation technologies and a wide range of poles necessary components allow you to carry out all the work on creation and launch on your own.
The warm one is considered the most economical to operate, since if there is a water heating system, it will not require additional significant costs for energy resources. This predetermines the popularity of such a scheme. But it will show its full potential only if all requirements for the installation of circuits are met and truly high-quality materials are used. And in this series, mats for warm water floors are a very important element.
What is the purpose of mats for “warm floors”?
If you look at numerous publications on the Internet dedicated to water “ heated floors”, then you can find recommendations for installing circuits in which the issue of mats is somehow ignored. It is unclear what guided the authors of such notes - after all, some readers, inexperienced in self-construction, may take this at face value. Judging from the point of view of cost reduction, then against the background total cost When creating a “warm floor” system, mats will not be in first place - their price is not so significant. But these expenses will sharply increase the efficiency of the system, the duration of its operation, and the level of general comfort in the premises.
- It will be useless to hope for heating efficiency at low energy costs if the energy produced by the heating system thermal energy will be spent on absolutely unnecessary heating of floor slabs or subfloors on the ground. The heat flow must be directed in the right direction - upward, to the front surface of the floor, and this is one of the main tasks of such mats.
- A “warm” water floor in most cases is covered with a massive concrete screed, with a thickness of 50 to 100 mm, which will promote uniform heat distribution and become a powerful heat accumulator. Naturally, pipes during pouring and during the period when the screed is gaining strength, and then, during operation, will withstand significant static and dynamic loads. To protect the contours from damage, an elastic backing should be provided - this is also one of the functions of mats for “warm floors”.
This, by the way, imposes certain requirements on the design of the mats itself - the material for their manufacture must combine high thermal insulation qualities with sufficient performance mechanical strength for compression.
- The use of many special mats greatly simplifies the process of laying out the contours of a “warm floor” and securely fixing the pipes in a given position.
- By using special mats, the homeowner not only insulates the floor, but also creates an additional effective soundproofing barrier - this is especially important for residents of high-rise buildings.
- Creating a “warm floor” with a water circuit necessarily imposes special requirements for reliable waterproofing ceilings Many of the modern mats are capable of performing this task. In addition, if the mats have a waterproofing layer, they will be able to protect the material itself from the rather aggressive chemical environment of the cement mortar.
In a word, purchasing and using such expensive mats will solve several very important problems at once.
Main types of mats for water heated floors
Rolled foil substrates
These materials cannot be fully called mats for water-heated floors, but under certain conditions they can also be used to construct thermal insulating and reflective substrates for laying pipe contours.
The simplest, but not always suitable solution— use rolled foil insulation based on polyethylene foam This situation is acceptable if the “warm floor” itself is not planned to be used as the main heating system - it will only create zones of increased comfort in certain rooms or even on separate areas floor. Of course, the base will already have a certain degree of insulation, or be located above the heated room.
When installing water-heated surfaces on the ground floor - in a high-rise building above an unheated basement or in a private building with ground floors - the insulating qualities of such materials will clearly be lacking. However, they can be used in combination with other insulation materials - this will be discussed below.
Based on similar roll materials Usually there is foamed polyethylene with a thickness of 2 to 10 mm. The front side (laid towards the room) has a reflective coating made of aluminum or aluminized polymer film. This layer not only helps direct the flow of thermal energy in the desired direction, but also becomes a reliable vapor and waterproofing barrier.
The inconvenience of using such mats for laying out pipe circuits is that it will be necessary to install some additional elements. These can be mounting strips with pipe cells required diameter, or a reinforcing mesh, to the rods of which the pipes are tied with plastic clamps.
However, in conditions where the base already has a certain insulation, and the height of the room is such that you have to fight for literally every centimeter, such substrates will become optimal solution.
Many manufacturers produce similar products. Some types of foil insulation based on polyethylene foam are shown in the table:
| Name of material | "Penofol" | "Ecofol" | "Isoflex" | "Izolon" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miniature | ||||
| 0,049 | 0,049 | 0,036 | 0.040 | |
| Density, kg/m³ | 35 | 33 | 35 ÷ 45 | 27 ÷ 33 |
| Thermal reflectivity | at least 90% | at least 80% | at least 90% | up to 95 ÷ 97% |
| Operating temperature range | from -60° to +100°С | from -60° to +90°С | from -60° to +80°С | from -80° to +80°С |
| Vapor permeability of the material, mg/m×h×Pa | no more than 0.001 | no more than 0.001 | no more than 0.001 | no more than 0.001 |
| Release form | Thickness 2, 4, 5 mm with a foil layer of 14 microns - rolls 1.2 × 30 m; thickness 8 and 10 mm – rolls 1.2 × 15 m | Rolls 1200 mm wide, insulation thickness 2, 3, 5, 8 and 10 mm, length 25 and 15 m. | Rolls 1200 mm wide, insulation thickness 2, 3, 5, 8 or 10 mm, length 25 and 15 m. The thickness of the foil is 10 microns. | The width of the canvas is 1.5 m, thickness 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 10 mm. Roll lengths are 200, 170, 130, 100, 80 and 50 m, respectively. It is possible to purchase individual sheets with a thickness of 15 mm, dimensions 1500 × 2000 mm |
Canvases of such foil insulation, as a rule, are laid out end-to-end one to the other. To ensure the integrity of the created reflective and waterproofing surface, it is recommended to glue the joints with waterproof foil tape.
Conventional polystyrene foam boards
As mats for laying the contours of a heated floor, it is quite possible to use ordinary slabs - foam plastic, or higher quality and durable - extruded. Such thermal insulation can be used to organize floor heating even on a cold base.
Conventional polystyrene foam has the main advantage of availability and low price. Foam plastic captivates with its low price. But here it is important not to make a mistake - not to purchase low-density material (less than 35 kg/m³), since its strength characteristics will clearly be insufficient for the construction of a “warm floor”. If you decide to follow this path (not the most, let’s say, optimal one), then it is recommended to purchase PSB-S-50 grade material - with maximum density.
If you just use polystyrene foam boards, then it is better to purchase more quality material, obtained using extrusion technology. The closed cellular structure gives this insulation excellent thermal insulation qualities along with increased strength characteristics, resistance to compressive and bending loads.
You can use extruded polystyrene foam boards, for example, Penoplex-Comfort One of them typical examples- the well-known Penoplex insulation. There are several varieties of it, but for installation under a heated floor screed, “Penoplex-35” or, according to the new classification, “Penoplex-Comfort” is quite suitable.
Such slabs are also convenient because they have a locking part - special lamellas along the edges, which make installation easier without leaving gaps.
For more reliable insulation and the creation of a waterproofing layer, polystyrene foam slabs can be covered on top with thin foil insulation, which was described above. At the same time, if you use material with marked coordinate marking lines, the process of laying the contour will be significantly simplified.
Harpoon clamp - pipe holder And for reliable fixation of pipes in in this case You can use special harpoon holders-brackets - they are stuck into a layer of polystyrene foam in the right place.
| Material parameters | Extruded polystyrene foam boards "Penoplex-Comfort" | Foam plastic PSB-S-50 |
|---|---|---|
| Illustration | ||
| Thermal conductivity (W/m oC) | 0.028 ÷ 0.034 | 0.039 ÷ 0.050 |
| Vapor permeability (mg/m×h×Pa) | 0.007 | - |
| Water absorption over 24 hours in % of volume | 0.4 | 0.6 |
| Ultimate strength at static bending MPa (kg/cm²) | 0.4 ÷ 0.7 | 0.07 ÷ 0.20 |
| Compressive strength 10% linear deformation, not less than MPa (kgf/cm²) | 0.25 ÷ 0.3 (2.5÷3) | 0.15 ÷ 0.2 (1.5÷2) |
| Density (kg/m³) | 28 ÷ 35 | 35 ÷50 |
| Operating temperatures | -50 to +75 | |
| Fire resistance category | G1 | G4 |
| Standard dimensions, mm: | ||
| - length and width | 600×1200 | 1000×1000 |
| - thickness | 20; 30; 40; 50; 60; 80; 100 | from 20 to 200 |
And yet - this is still not the most best solution for water “warm floor”. It will be more convenient to use special mats designed specifically for these purposes.
Expanded polystyrene mats with film and/or foil coating
Similar mats, preserving all the advantages of those already mentioned polystyrene foam boards, have the advantage that they are, in fact, a complete structure - the foil and film layer applied to them eliminates the need to lay a “penofol” type substrate on top.
All that remains is to lay such mats on the floor, tightly join them together (very often locking slats are provided for this), and then glue them along the joint line. Moreover, some models are already equipped for this with a protruding edge of a film coating with a self-adhesive base, covered with a protective backing. That is, in this case you won’t need waterproof tape.
Such mats can be produced in the form of separate panels, as shown in the figure above. And it’s even more convenient to purchase products consisting of separate fragments, well fitted to each other, and connected by a common foil film coating, in the form of a rolled up roll, similar to a tractor caterpillar, or folded like a children’s book.
When such a mat is rolled out over the floor surface, a large surface area is immediately covered, and the individual blocks of polystyrene foam immediately fit one to the other as tightly as possible. A well-insulated and waterproofed surface for laying the contours of a “warm floor” is very quickly created.
The figure clearly shows the protruding edge of the film - for reliable sealing of the joints between the mats On the top film coating, a grid of lines is applied in increments of 50 ÷ 100 mm - this is extremely convenient for laying out pipes in accordance with a pre-developed scheme - it is easy to maintain the required laying step.
The pipes can be secured to the mat using the same harpoon brackets discussed above. However, other methods of fixation cannot be ruled out - with the installation of mounting strips, with tying to a reinforcing mesh, etc. - how convenient it is for the master.
| Options | PS 50125 | "Energoflex Energofloor Tacker TP" | “Penoroll – 35” (based on extruded polystyrene foam) | "Rehau Rautak" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illustration | ||||
| Thermal conductivity coefficient, W/m×°С | 0.036 | 0.034 | 0.032 | 0.035 |
| Dynamic strength, kgf/cm² | 3,0 | 5,5 | 6,0 | 5,0 |
| Noise absorption, dB | 23 | 23 | 27 | 25 |
| Dimensional parameters, mm: | ||||
| - width | 1000 | 1000 | 600 | 1000 |
| - roll length | 5000 | 2000 (roll or “book”) | 5000 | up to 12000 (roll or “book”) |
| - thickness | 25 | 25 | 20 | From 20 to 70 |
| - grid step | 50 | 50 | 100 | 50 |
Profile mats with bosses
Such mats can easily be considered the most convenient - they are specifically designed for laying pipes for “warm floor” circuits.
They are also made from polystyrene foam, but using hydropellet stamping technology, which ensures high density and reliable retention of specified forms. And their main distinctive feature– availability on upper plane special profile elements - so-called bosses in the form of cylinders, parallelepipeds or other three-dimensional figures. These bosses are located in such a way and with such a step from one another that the pipe laid between them receives very reliable fixation without the use of any additional fasteners. The likelihood of the contour shifting during the laying and pouring of the screed is practically absent.
Profile protrusions - bosses securely fix the pipe in the desired position - Such mats are made from high-density polystyrene foam - about 40 kg/m³. The resulting products are quite capable of coping with all possible static and dynamic loads in residential premises.
- Despite the increased density, the insulating qualities do not suffer from this - the thermal conductivity coefficient is within 0.040 W/m×°C, which is a very good indicator.
- Mats can be produced “naked”, that is, without coating, but the optimal solution would be to purchase products coated with special technology durable polymer film. Since high-quality mats have special locking joints that ensure tightness at the joints, after installation a continuous, perfectly waterproofed surface is formed. You can safely lay both semi-dry and classic “wet” screed on it.
- Using such mats makes it extremely easy. This can be done alone, carefully inserting the pipes into the spaces between the bosses and “pushing” them until they are completely fixed with a foot shod in soft-soled shoes.
- Since the mats are made on the basis of polystyrene foam, they also create an anti-noise barrier. Thus, the reduction in the level of impact noise with a thickness of the insulating layer of only 20 mm can reach 23 ÷ 25 dB.
Mat sizes various manufacturers may be their own. Usually a certain range of thicknesses is provided - from 10 to 50 mm. In addition, mats can be designed for specific pipe diameters.
Which pipes are optimal for “warm floors”?
The issue of choosing components for creating a floor heating system is extremely important, since all elements are subject to special requirements. How to do it correctly - read in a special publication on our portal.
For example, here are several types of profile mats for water-heated floors:
| Options | "Rehau Varionova 30-2" (Germany) | "Format" (Russia) | "Ekopol 20" (Russia) | FT 40208 (Russia) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illustration | ||||
| Thermal conductivity coefficient, W/m×°С | 0,037 | 0,036 | 0,035 | 0,035 |
| Overall dimensions, mm | 1450×850 | 815×615 | 1100×800 | 1000×500 |
| Thickness of insulation layer, mm | 30 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| Height of bosses, mm | 20 | 20 | 18 | 20 |
| Total mat height, mm | 50 | 40 | 38 | 40 |
| Applicable pipe diameter, mm | from 14 to 17 | from 14 to 20 | until 17 | Up to 20 |
| Laying pitch, mm | multiples of 50 | multiple of 150 | multiples of 50 | multiples of 50 |
| Coating | stretched waterproofing film | Available without coating and with a top film layer | durable black film coating | green film coating |
| Design Features | hermetically sealed lock connection between the mats | stamped lock connection | hermetic locking connection between mats, double density of material on the bosses | digitized marking scales along the perimeter, embossed lower surface to smooth out unevenness and enhance the sound insulation effect. |
General recommendations for choosing and laying mats for heated floors
Although the cost of mats is quite moderate, you still shouldn’t throw away the day by purchasing low-quality products. When choosing mats, you should follow a few simple rules:
- If there is a choice, without any doubt, you should give preference to mats with foil or lamination top layer. As already mentioned, this will immediately solve the issue of waterproofing before pouring the screed, and in addition, will increase the efficiency of the floor heating system.
- Pay attention to the compliance of the mat parameters with the planned diameter of the circuit pipes and the pitch of its installation - discrepancies cannot be excluded here.
- The thickness of the insulating part of the mat is selected depending on the degree of insulation of the floors. In this case, the thickness of the future screed must be taken into account and finishing coating floor - so as not to exceed the permissible limit of the concept of surface height. If the floor does not require special insulation, then you can purchase profile mats with bosses, minimal thickness, practically without a thermal insulation layer - only to facilitate the process of laying the contours.
Profile mats are produced without an insulating layer at all - just to simplify the process of laying contours - There are many workshops producing products from expanded polystyrene in any region. If you plan to purchase really high-quality products famous manufacturer, then it makes sense to demand from the seller the appropriate documents confirming the originality of the products. This way, there will be much less chance of purchasing foam “homemade products” of unknown quality, made in some semi-handicraft workshop.
When laying mats, certain requirements must be observed:
- Whatever mat is used, waterproofing must be installed underneath it. This can be a film coating of the surface of the subfloor, coating or penetrating type insulation. It is important to exclude capillary penetration of moisture from below, and also to create a barrier that will prevent leakage downwards if the integrity of the circuit pipe is suddenly compromised. Damper tape must be glued around the entire perimeter of the room.
- The mats are laid on a waterproofed surface and fastened together with locking joints (if they are provided for in the design of the mat).
- Sometimes thin and light mats may require fixing them to the floor. This can be done using glue. But it is strictly forbidden to use for this metal fastener– both the waterproofing of the floor and the strength characteristics of the mat will suffer.
- If flat mats (slabs) that do not have interlocking joints are used, then it is also advisable to glue them to the floor surface. In addition, the joints between them must be taped on top with waterproof tape. If the mats have a foil surface, then it is better to use adhesive tape with a foil coating.
You can proceed only after completely covering the entire surface of the room with mats.
At the end of the publication - educational video material on laying the contours of a heated floor on profile mats produced by another well-known European company - HENCO.
Video: installation of water heated floors using HENCO profile mats
Heating and floor heating systems have gained a strong foothold and gained trust among the population. Most people prefer to heat their homes this way. It is important to install the system correctly and ensure proper thermal insulation. Main function heat-insulating ceiling is the direction of warm air masses from the floor heating system upward to heat the floor surface and room.
In addition to the pipes through which it moves hot water, a special layer of material is required to distribute heat.
The correct choice of such material will save on electricity. Products made of polystyrene foam installed on a structure made of water floor tubes are recognized as the best in terms of functionality.
These additional devices For a heating system, they must be resistant to weight loads and not deform during operation. Failure to comply with this rule will disrupt the proper functioning of the heating system itself.
Mats completely eliminate heat loss. The operation of the device is simple. Heat accumulates in this layer and rises. The cooling air descends, warms up, and air currents rise to the ceiling. This cycle happens constantly.
There is a lot written in articles on the Internet about installing a heated floor circuit. And the question of how to preserve heat using them is not considered.
Parameters of mats for heated floors
An inexperienced beginner installs a floor without a thermal insulation layer, and then wonders why so much electrical energy is wasted.
The cost of this material is inexpensive, but it significantly increases the efficiency of the warm water heating structure and its durability. Ignorance of this detail will not allow you to save money if your floor heats floor slabs or concrete screed.
Mats contain many functions. The most important are protection, distribution and direction. warm air. How does this work?
Thermal circuits are laid on concrete base and on top, as a rule, are filled with concrete screed. Naturally, during operation the pipeline will experience loads.
It is necessary to secure them at the installation stage before laying. To do this, a special protective substrate is placed under the tubes - construction mats. 
It will protect the water-heated floor structure from contact with concrete. The material from which they are made must be dense and withstand heavy loads. In addition, they prevent the bevel of the laid coolants during the pouring of the screed.
It is necessary to lay a waterproofing layer on the substrate to protect the neighbors below from sudden pipeline leaks. It is installed at the top and bottom to protect it from the effects of the concrete environment.
During the operation of the underfloor heating system, the insulating layer heats up evenly and transfers heat to the concrete poured on top, distributing it over the entire surface. 
The main feature is that, by generating heat, they warm up the upper base. Therefore, warm air masses quickly warm up the room.
IN apartment building Sound insulation is very important. This is another task that construction substrates cope with remarkably well.
Materials from which mats are made
Previously, the pipes in the system were laid with ecowool or ordinary polystyrene foam. Today's technologies have come a long way.
Expanded polystyrene is the main raw material for the manufacture of the insulating layer. He has a large number advantages compared to other materials.
The advantage of thermal insulation material
Manufacturing of mats according to high technology from modern materials comply with European recognized safety and quality standards.
They have the advantages of conventional insulation materials, but they do not have the same negative qualities. Advantages:
The polystyrene foam material itself is very flammable and, when burned, emits dangerous acrid smoke, so in production it is treated with special fire retardants. This allows it to self-extinguish.
Types of expanded polystyrene boards
The choice of a heat-insulating layer largely depends on the base of the floor, on the weight load, which can be quite large, and on the type of room itself. At sheets different thickness, take this criterion into account when choosing.
In production, penofol is used, the thickness of which is 2-10 mm. The outer side is covered with foil, and the bottom has a plastic film.
This allows the insulating material to store heat upward and distribute heat flow throughout the room. Suitable for additional heating as it has low thermal insulation properties and is conditionally classified as construction mats. Due to low performance. 
When laying coolants on such an area, it is necessary to additionally lay reinforced mesh to secure them with clamps or brackets. In addition, they do not have a lock and the joints need to be taped.
But its use is advisable in low rooms, where every millimeter is valuable.
Expanded polystyrene boards
This is a more durable, reliable and high-quality insulation, in contrast to the cheap analogue of polystyrene foam. Penoplex is the leader in this series. He has standard sizes length and width 60x120 cm.
The thickness of the mat varies from 2 to 10 cm. It has a cellular structure, which has high values density and withstands heavy weights. To increase thermal insulation, the material can be rolled out on top of the laid tile mats.
The sheets are equipped with locks on the sides, which allow you to quickly assemble the coating. Some manufacturers equip them with markings for tubes, which are attached to the plane of the insulating layer with plastic clips.
They are tiles covered with foil on one side and on the other plastic film. Manufactured in the form independent tiles with a lock connection or I combine them into rolls with a single layer of film coating.
In one case, they will need to be glued with moisture-proof tape during assembly, and in the latter, simply laid out on the floor. In essence, this is a ready-made structure that just needs to be rolled out on the floor and glued. There is no need to make an additional layer of foam foam. 
Some models already have adhesive self-adhesive strips. On outside a mesh is applied for easy placement of the pipeline on them. The grid pitch is 5 or 10 centimeters. The pipes are fastened with staples to the sheets. You can pre-lay the armored mesh.
Construction products with protrusions “bosses”.
The most convenient and easy-to-install insulation of all types presented on store shelves. Their design is designed specifically for underfloor heating systems.
Modern manufacturing technology using special stamping creates small protrusions on the surface coating, which are called “bobs.” They allow you to attach tubes in them, and the structure will not move when you pour concrete.
These protrusions may be various configurations: round, square, cylindrical, and polyhedron. They are located at the same interval and ensure strong fixation of the tubes on the substrate area. 
Their height is from 20 to 25 mm. This is quite enough for installing pipes with a diameter of up to 2 cm. The thickness of the insulating product is 4-5 cm.
Top coating varies by manufacturer and model. There are slabs that are produced without any coating at all, then you will have to buy it separately.
For easy installation the sheets have locks. These connections create a tight seal between the sheets. The spacer layer forms flat surface without gaps and cracks.
Expanded polystyrene boards create a noise barrier and can reduce sound waves by up to 25 dB. Which is also not unimportant.
Aspects of choice
The cost of construction lining materials is relatively low. However, in order to buy high-quality mats for heated floors, you need to know the following rules.
When purchasing, ask the seller to show the certificate of conformity of the selected product with environmental and fire safety. 
Cheap, non-certified products do not withstand the loads placed on building insulation materials well, and the purchase may disappoint you as a waste of money.
Manufacturers
On modern Russian market Many manufacturing companies are represented. The main and proven three leading brands are:
- NP-35 – profile mats with projections with good characteristics with a film surface on one side. Can be used with self-leveling floors.
- WLG-045 – roll models with polypropylene film.
- “Energoflex TP” is polystyrene foam sheets with a foil layer applied and markings for tubes, 50 mm in pitch.
- “Expanded polystyrene board” - mats with twenty-millimeter “bobs” on which it is convenient to place tubes without fasteners. They have a locking connection around the perimeter and markings for pipes.
- "Energoflex Super TP" is a rolled insulating material with foil and coordination markings.
Regardless of what mats will be used when installing a heated floor, experts advise installing additional waterproofing.
This must be done to protect the lower layer of the foundation from water and prevent flooding of the lower floors. Bitumen or a special waterproof film can serve as waterproofing.
It must be glued with special tape. The same adhesive tape must be used to seal the entire perimeter of the room after installing the backing. 
Installation of profile supports insulating materials, the simplest. They are laid out and connected with special locks located along the perimeter of the sheet. Then the tubes of the heated floor system are laid into the protrusions and fixed in them.
Installation of smooth ones involves either a key connection or gluing the tiles to the waterproofing. Be sure to seal the joints with waterproof tape.
Rolled insulation is laid with the foil side up. It is glued to the base, and the gaps between the rolls are sealed with moisture-resistant tape. 
Then, with a pencil or marker, the places where the structure of the future tubes will be laid are manually marked on it. thermal circuit. The tubes are fixed with clamps or special clips.
It is important to note that the pipeline is fixed to the surface of the material only with plastic fasteners, otherwise the metal will damage not only the waterproofing, but also disrupt the technological characteristics of the mat.
Lay the system only after fixing lining material on the floor plane. The pipes are laid out at the same distance from each other, which ensures uniform heating of the entire floor surface.
In conclusion, I want to say that this is not a material that you should skimp on when installing a heated water floor system.
The examples given show how technologies in their production have expanded: from basic flooring made of mineral wool, to specialized plates, with a marked plane for precise installation of the pipe system.
The correct choice depends on the room in which the heated floor is installed, on the careful calculation of the area, the purchased material, and on the quality of the material. And the improved material makes installation easy even for a non-professional.
