When finishing work, when the installation of ceiling tiles is carried out, it is important to correctly hide the electrical wiring. This will require the services of an electrician. There are several ways to solve the problem of hiding electrical wiring.
Method # 1... If the selected tile is two or more millimeters thicker than the cable itself, you should create a groove on the back of the cover. You need to cut a V-shaped groove. It will hide the wire in itself when the tiles are installed. In order for the wire to lay correctly in the groove, it must be pulled.
Method # 2... In the place where the electrical wire is laid, you need to install a special plastic box. It's called cable duct. Its thickness should correspond to the thickness of the tile. It must be fastened with dowels and self-tapping screws. After that, the wiring is placed in the box. Then it remains only to directly mount the tile.
Method # 3... Here, as in the first case, strobes are made, but not in the tiles, but in the ceiling itself. This procedure must be carried out before the start of installation work. Such electrical work in Chelyabinsk requires certain skills, since a perforator is used. When laying the corrugated hose in the groove, turn off the power supply.
The depth of the groove must be at least 20 millimeters, and the width must be at least 12 millimeters. At the bottom of the groove, fasteners are mounted, consisting of dowels and self-tapping screws with a wire that will press the electrical wiring to the ceiling.
Method # 4... This is not the most convenient and aesthetic method. The wires are laid between the ceiling slabs: either in the place where the slabs are joined together, or in grooves that are cut out on the front surfaces. So that the wiring is not striking, the docking points can be painted in the color of the ceiling covering. In addition, if the electrical cable is rigid enough, if it is only laid at the joints, it will not be particularly noticeable anyway.
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The technology of laying an electric underfloor heating under a tile is quite laborious, but still, even an inexperienced person can do it. So that "" readers can independently carry out the installation of a heating cable (or a thermomat), then we will consider detailed instructions with a connection diagram and a video!
Which option should you give preference to?
Heating the floor covering from the network can be represented by a heating cable or a thermomat. We talked in detail about the advantages and disadvantages of each of them in the corresponding article. Now let's briefly talk again about which option is better to choose.
An electric underfloor heating from a cable under a tile is cheaper, but at the same time, the calculation of its length and the installation itself are more difficult. It is recommended to use it in the event that you can sacrifice the height of the ceiling (because the screed will be thicker).
As for the heating mat, it has a number of advantages as is essentially an improved version of File Explorer. The design feature is that the same cable is already placed on a special fiberglass mesh, which allows it to maintain an even pitch between the turns. 
In addition, the convenience of the thermomat is that to calculate the material, you just need to calculate the area of \u200b\u200bthe room and, based on this parameter, select a roll of the appropriate size.
Which of the options to give preference is up to you, but we still advise using the installation of an electric mat, moreover, this option has many positive reviews on the Internet.
If you decide to choose heating mats for the installation of a warm floor, we advise you to pay attention to the products of the EKF company, and in particular - to the "COMFORT" underfloor heating system. You can choose the heating mats exactly for your conditions - ready-made kits vary in size and power. A choice of mechanical or electronic thermostat with weekly programming function. Speaking about the thermomats themselves, I would like to highlight the full-fledged shielding of live conductors, due to which uniform heating of the floor surface occurs. You can find out more about EKF heating mats by following the link: https://ekfgroup.com/catalog/sistemy-obogreva/sistema-teplyy-pol.
Laying technology
In this article, we will consider laying a warm electric floor under a tile using a heating cable, as well as a special mat. The preparatory work will be similar, the only difference will be in the main process.
Preparing the surface
First you need to remove the old flooring and clean the surface of debris. If there are no defects, you can do without a screed (rough). In the event that the floor has irregularities, it is necessary to initially level them with a solution, with a thickness of 3 to 7 cm.
Create schema
Before the design work, it is necessary to draw up a connection diagram for an electric underfloor heating under the tile, on which to mark the step of laying the wires or the heating mat.
- it is necessary to retreat from the walls at least 10 cm;
- in places where furniture is installed without legs, as well as household appliances, it is prohibited to lay the material (heat transfer will be difficult, and all the warm air will return back to the conductor, which will cause it to overheat and fail);
- it is not necessary to lay the material in a straight line, you can carefully cut the mesh to bend the track in the desired direction (this option allows you to reduce energy consumption by focusing heating only on the necessary areas).
Material calculation
If you decide to make a warm floor under the tiles with your own hands as the main heating, it is necessary to carry out the calculation taking into account that 1 m 2 will require a heater with a capacity of at least 140-180 W. For the auxiliary heating system, you can use a power of no more than 140 W / m 2 (80 W is also possible, it all depends on how high-quality the insulation of the room is).
All you need is to calculate the area of \u200b\u200bthe room (length * width) and subtract from this value the area occupied by furniture without legs and household appliances (since it is forbidden to lay material under them). As a result, you get a useful heating area. After that, based on the result obtained, the required total power of the heating element and its length are determined. The linear power of one meter of the heating cable can vary from 16 to 21 W / m.
For example, if the area of \u200b\u200bthe room is 10 m 2 and you have chosen a heater with a power of 100 W / m 2, then the result will be a total required power of 1 kW. We choose a cable of 20 W / m, the length of which should be 50 m (1000/20).
The thermomat is selected according to the same principle, based on the usable area and the required power. Additionally, it is necessary to purchase a mounting tape with which the heater will be fastened to the concrete screed.
Checking old wiring
As you understand, a room with an area of \u200b\u200b25-30 m 2 will require a sufficiently powerful electric heated floor under the tiles, which will have a noticeable load on. You must implement and determine if your wiring is suitable for the new heating system. If it turns out that the diameter of the veins does not match, it is imperative to use a new, more powerful one. Also check that the circuit breaker and RCD are suitable for the new current load.
Thermal insulation of the surface
Now we turn to installation and the first thing to do is to qualitatively insulate the surface for laying an electric warm floor. The efficiency of using the system, as well as its economy, will depend on this. The best insulation in this case is penofol - a roll material with a self-adhesive layer and a foil coating. All you need is to glue the entire concrete surface with a butt joint, and then glue the joints with foil tape. It should be noted that penofol should go on the walls for several centimeters to increase the thermal insulation of the room.
If you want to slightly reduce the height of the room, then instead of foam foam, you can put another insulation, for example, polypropylene or expanded polystyrene.
At the end of the robot, it is recommended to glue a damper tape on top of the insulation along the perimeter of the walls, the purpose of which is to compensate for the expansion of the coating when heated. You also need to put a metal mesh on top of the heat-insulating layer, which will prevent direct contact with the heater and will simplify the process of installing an electric underfloor heating under the tiles. 
Temperature sensor installation
To monitor and control the system, a special thermostat and temperature sensor must be installed. The thermostat is a regulator (mechanical or electronic) with which you can set the optimal temperature regime, as well as the system on / off time. It is mounted in the wall, next to the outlets.
As for the temperature sensor, it must be installed in the floor itself. For this, a special groove is created in the wall from the thermostat, which is directed strictly vertically to the ceiling. Then the sensor is placed in a corrugated pipe and led to the place where the temperature of the electric warm floor is controlled under the tile. This place is the middle between two turns of the cable, while there should not be any intersections near. The corrugation protects the sensor from damage, and also allows access to it at any time (for example, when it fails). The end of the corrugation, which will be in the screed, for reliability, it is recommended to fill it with sealant so that the solution does not get inside. 
Heater control check
Before laying the cable (or mat), it is necessary to measure its resistance. This value should not differ from the passport data by more than 10%. To do this, you need to use a special device - a multimeter (shown in the photo below), which also determines where the phase is, if absent. If the resistance corresponds to the nominal, then you can install an electric underfloor heating under the tiles. 
Fastening the cable (or thermomat)
Now that the surface is already fully prepared, it is necessary to fix the heating element. If you use a cable, fix it with mounting tape, as shown in the photo:
The distance between the turns must be the same over the entire area, otherwise the electric heating of the floor will be uneven. Heating mats are easier to install because the distance between the turns is maintained along the entire length. All you need is to spread the material according to the diagram and connect it to the thermostat correctly.
When the installation of the electric underfloor heating under the tiles is completed, it is imperative to check the correct connection by measuring the resistance with a multimeter. The resulting value should be the same as the one you measured before laying.
Filling the screed
In order to make a concrete solution, you need to prepare the following ratio of materials:
- 4 pieces of sand;
- 1 part cement;
- 5 pieces of crushed stone;
- 0.6 parts of water;
- 1% by weight of cement is a special plasticizer (gives elasticity to the solution).
It should be noted that the amount of water must be small, otherwise cracks in the screed may occur. As for expanded clay and perlite, it is strictly forbidden to add them to the solution, because these materials disrupt heat transfer and are one of the reasons for overheating of the conductor.
The thickness of the screed cake should be from 3 to 5 cm. It is not recommended to go beyond these values. After pouring, you must wait until the solution has completely solidified. Despite the fact that the screed will harden in a couple of days, its complete drying will take place only after 4 weeks (and maybe more). Until this time, it is prohibited to turn on the electric floor heating.
We also draw your attention to the fact that the screed is required only if a heating cable is used. The thermomat can serve as a base for tile adhesive immediately after installation.
Laying tiles
After the screed has set (2-3 days), you can waste no time moving on to finishing the floor with tiles. It is recommended to do this only with experience, because you need to ensure that the surface is strictly horizontal. The tile "sits" on a special glue, after which the installation of an electric heated floor under the tile is considered complete! 
That's the whole do-it-yourself styling technology. We recommend that you watch the video in which you can see some of the nuances of the event:
Video instructions for installing a warm electric floor
Heating cable installation
Also read:
Tile is an excellent finishing material that looks beautiful and is not afraid of moisture, dirt and dust. Due to its technical properties, tiles are often used for facing works, which makes the premises attractive and easy to use. But before tiling the walls with tiles, it is very often necessary to lay electrical wiring for various household appliances. Tips for the correct routing of electrical wires or cables are given in this article.
Regardless of the room in which the laying ceramic tilesif you need electricity in the room, it is better to take care of this in advance. Electrical sockets and switches may be needed in the bathroom and kitchen, in the boiler room and on the balcony. And before, it is recommended to properly lay the wiring so that it is not damaged during operation.
Very often, repair work is done by hand, which can significantly save money, since the services of craftsmen are not cheap. But homeowners do not always know how to do certain jobs correctly, which can lead to disastrous results. Due to the fact that it is often necessary to drill a hole in the tile, and you do not remember where the electrical wiring is located, the wire or cable is damaged by a drill or drill and the wiring becomes unusable.
When laying the wiring horizontally in a room where the walls will be tiled, it is best to choose a height where you cannot damage the wires when drilling in any way. For example, you need to lay the wires along the wall, lay them under the very top, as high as possible, where it is only convenient to make grooves for the wire / cable. But even in this case, it is advisable to remember well, or even better, draw and save a drawing with drawn wiring in order to avoid damage to the wires when you need to hang any cabinets on the wall.
If there is an opportunity, for example, you will be installing a suspended or suspended ceiling in a room, then it is better to lay the wiring in this void and this way you will make the work easier and protect yourself from damage to the electrical wires. Even more often, vertical wiring is damaged when wires run down from the ceiling to outlets and low-level switches. In order to reduce the likelihood of damage to the wires when drilling holes in the tile, you need to lay the wires strictly vertically.
Due to this, when you need to drill a hole and fix something, you will know for sure that the wire / cable runs strictly vertically and you need to drill, stepping back three to five centimeters to the left / right. Then you will definitely not break the wiring, and you will not need to lay new wires in the baseboards or use an extension cord. If you do not need a lot of fastening strength, then it is better to use a good glue that can be used to glue a shelf in a bathroom or hooks for towels / bathrobes.
If you need to fix something heavy on the wall, for which you need to drill holes in the wall tiled with ceramic tiles, then choose the mounting location so as not to damage the wiring. Try to move cabinets, boiler and other heavy objects away from the place where under the tile wires... Otherwise, the electric cable can be damaged with a drill or a perforator drill and then part of the electrical wiring will not function. And in order to repair it, you will have to either remove and repair the wire, or lay new wiring, which is also troublesome and long.
Underfloor heating installation is possible in rooms with high ceilings. Most often, they are mounted in the bathroom, but a warm floor under the tiles can be installed over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe apartment.
There are several heating methods that you need to choose individually, depending on the height of the ceilings, the state of the wiring and the water pressure in the apartment or country house. The most popular are heating mats, which are easy to install.
In this article, we examined the basic rules for laying infrared and cable floor heating. They also gave a detailed instruction on the arrangement of a heating system under a tile using heating mats. The material is provided with step-by-step photos and video recommendations from specialists for installing underfloor heating.
Before you start choosing a floor heating system, you need to take into account that they have limitations. Despite the fact that heating systems can completely replace heating in an apartment, this cannot be done according to the norms of Russian legislation.
These limitations are due to a number of reasons:
- It is allowed to use in apartments only, and the massive use of such systems in the house leads to an increase in the load on the electrical network.
- A massive or partial transition to electric heating leads to an imbalance in the heat supply system in the house.
Since the floor will not be used as the main source of heat in the apartment, you can save on installation costs. The savings lie in laying the heating cable or foil only in those places that are free from furniture.
This will reduce the consumption of thermal energy, which will make it more economical in the long term, as well as at the same time, when purchasing building materials and installing
In a private house, the possibilities of using this technology are much wider. Depending on the available energy sources, you can choose an acceptable option between water and electric heating.
If the house is equipped with autonomous sources of electricity, such as or, undoubtedly, it is worth making a choice in favor of electrical, i.e. cable or infrared heating systems.
If electricity is supplied over power lines, then using the electric option for heating a private home will be very expensive. In that case, it is better to opt for. It will last about 35 years, after which it will require replacement.
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Installation of mats and installation of the control system
The installation of electric mats is easier and faster than cable installation. It is enough to place them on the heating area, which was determined when drawing up the scheme.
The cable will have to be laid on the mounting tape, which is a metal fastener that is fixed in the floor screed. When laying the cable, it is necessary to make turns of the same width
This will ensure an even level of heating of the floor surface. It is not recommended to make cable breaks during installation.
After laying the cable, you need to install. It performs an important function - maintaining the desired temperature of the floor covering.
This allows you to reduce energy consumption, since the heating will periodically turn off when the set temperature is reached. If the temperature sensor detects a decrease in the mode set by the user, the heating will automatically turn on.
To mount the control unit in the wall, drill a hole of the required diameter. There must be a power source near the unit installation site. It could be an outlet
The hole should be located more than 30 cm from the floor surface. A vertical channel is drilled down from the hole, where the corrugation for the temperature sensor will be installed.
The opposite end of the corrugation should be equally spaced between the turns of the heating cable. If this rule is not followed, then the sensor readings will be overestimated.
When connecting the heating cable to the control unit, follow the instructions from the equipment manufacturer. Before connecting, you need to check the resistance of the wires with a special device.
Rules for laying infrared underfloor heating
Despite the structural differences, it can be installed just like electric mats. But there is a difference between them. When connecting a film heater, not a serial, but a parallel connection is used.
From a constructive point of view, this is a more reliable way, since if a separate module fails, the rest will continue to function.
Such a floor has the advantage that it allows you to reduce energy consumption, due to its reduced consumption compared to electric mats. The film is sold in rolls and purchased in the amount required for the heating area. The film can be cut, but only in those places where it is allowed by the manufacturer
The film must be laid with a slight overlap, strictly following the markings. The modules are held together with molar tape. This is a temporary method of fastening, since after filling with a self-leveling floor, the need for fastening will disappear.
We considered the features of the film type of heating in more detail in.
Electric underfloor heating installation guide
The quality of the coating depends on the condition of the base on which it is to be laid. The work should start with dismantling the old coating. Everything must be dismantled, including the old screed.
A bump stop is required for work. It is also necessary to think in advance how to transport and where to export old concrete. Dumping construction waste into garbage bins is prohibited
After removing the old coating, it is necessary to remove all fine debris and dust. After that, you need to inspect the floor area and, if there are cracks, they must be repaired. When the floor surface is prepared, you can proceed with waterproofing and insulation.
Stage # 1 - installation of insulation under the electric floor
Insulation must be laid on the prepared base. Cork sheets are preferred. They have sufficient density and do not sag under the weight of the screed, as happens with expanded polystyrene.
The use of low density insulation will lead to the need to dismantle the finished floor due to the material's cushioning.
Cheap expanded polystyrene makes the screed under the tiles crack. This inevitably leads to delamination and deterioration of the tile. Small cracks appear first, and then the tile peels off
The insulation is attached to the surface by gluing it onto the bituminous mastic. Due to the use of this material, not only the fixation of cork sheets is achieved, but also waterproofing.
The service life of warm floors also depends on the quality of gluing. After waiting 5-6 hours, you can proceed to filling the screed. The thickness of the screed must be at least 3 cm.
When using a self-leveling floor, there is no need for leveling by the rule, as is the case with independently mixed cement mortars. After work, you need to leave the surface until completely dry, for about 3-4 days.
Stage # 2 - laying heating mats
After the filling solution has hardened, you can start installing the warm floor under the tiles. First, you need to outline with chalk the places where the mats will not be installed. This will help you navigate and not overuse material.
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Most often, electronics fail, which is easy to replace and continue to use underfloor heating. If the control unit breaks down, it will be difficult to get a new one if the manufacturer stops producing heating systems. Temperature sensors are easier to match as they are interchangeable in many models.
Have you equipped your home with a warm floor under the tiles? What kind of heating system did you use? How satisfied are you with the result and have you encountered any type of breakdown? Share your experience in installing and operating a warm floor - leave your comments under this article.
Warm electric floors are suitable for any type of flooring. The device and the principle of operation of the heating cable and mats allows you to use a heating system of this type for laminate, parquet and linoleum.
You can also install warm electric floors under tiles, install an anti-icing system for paving stones and apply under other types of flooring.
Is it possible to lay the heating cable under the tiles
For cold rooms, finished with tiles, electric floors are better. The heating cable or mats provide quick and uniform heating of the surface, have good heat transfer characteristics, and are completely safe during operation.The installation of an electric cable underfloor heating under the tiles is the best option for heating: a bathroom, hallway, baths and saunas, balconies and loggias, sidewalk paths, etc.
The heating system has several main advantages over water heating and:
- Electric floor thickness... The heating cable must be installed in a screed. According to the manufacturer's manual, the minimum floor thickness can be in the range of 3-5 cm. The mats are laid directly under the tiles, therefore they reduce the ceiling height by only 0.5 cm.
- Ease of installation... The technology of laying warm electric floors under ceramic tiles is much simpler than that of water or infrared heating. It is easy to do self-installation of the heating system, and you will need a minimum set of construction tools.
The easiest way is to put a self-regulating cable under the tile, when you connect it, you don't even need to use a thermostat. Heating mats are simply mounted. - Possibility of installation in rooms with complex layouts... The use of a two-core cable allows you to make a heating system taking into account the future placement of furniture, walls, insulating even small areas of the room that have an uneven shape.
Ceramic and any other tile has good heat transfer characteristics. As a result, the optimal temperature in the room is easily achieved, overheating of the cable is excluded, which leads to a significant increase in the service life.
Varieties of cable floor systems
The technology of laying an electric underfloor heating under the tiles depends on the type of cable chosen. All types of wire are usually classified as follows:- Resistor - the cable can have one or two conductors. It has a simple device, it works exclusively for heating. The heating intensity is controlled by a thermostat.
- Self-adjusting - the cable has two cores, between which there is a matrix that releases heat. The heating intensity depends on the room temperature. No thermostat required for operation.
The cable independently regulates the heating temperature, providing the most comfortable conditions for each part of the room. The only drawback of self-leveling floors is their high cost and slightly increased energy consumption when used in large rooms. - Electric cable mats - the optimal solution for rooms with low flows and the impossibility of carrying out wet work on the arrangement of the screed. After installing the heating mats, the height of the ceilings is reduced exactly by the layer of tile adhesive and the thickness of the floor covering, which is no more than 2 cm.
The main advantage of heating mats is ease of installation. Do-it-yourself styling is allowed. For installation, it is required to properly lay the mats and connect them to the nearest power source.
When choosing a floor heating system, it is important to consider who will install the electrical cable. If you plan to invite professional builders, it is better to purchase a single-core or two-core heating cable. In other cases, mats should be preferred.
How to properly lay a cable floor system
It is possible to start laying the cable floor only after drawing up a detailed laying scheme, as well as a consistent work plan.
Laying tiles on an electric floor heating is carried out only after the screed has completely dried. The exception is heating mats. Tiles can be mounted on top of the mats immediately.
How to install tiles on a cable
There are several basic rules for laying tiles, the adherence to which significantly affects the performance and operation of warm floors:
The choice of cable depends on the conditions in which you plan to use it. For paving slabs, it is best to choose a single-core wire with a reliable degree of internal and external insulation.
Why cable floor heating is better for tiles
The principle of operation of electric cable floors optimally meets the requirements for the efficient operation of ceramic and any other tiles:
Ceramic tiles are one of the few types of flooring that, when heated, does not emit harmful toxic substances. Therefore, the combination of electric floors and tiles is advisable and fully justified.