Have you ever stepped out of your warm, comfortable bed, stumbled your way out to the kitchen for a much needed shot of coffee, only to nearly die of cardiac arrest because of the ghastly chill radiating from your tile floor? It wakes you up – quickly; there is no need for coffee after that. Fortunately, there is a simple and quick upgrade that will solve your problem. You can install a heated ceramic tile floor.
Installing a heated ceramic floor is not nearly as complicated as it sounds. If you feel confident that you can install normal ceramic tile, then the simple upgrade of the heating system will be a piece of cake. Manufactures have made kits for ambient tile heating very simple for the DIY home improvement adventurers.
General Tips for Installing a Heated Ceramic Tile Floor
Installing a heated ceramic tile floor is no more complicated than installing traditional ceramic tile. However, if you are not confident about installing tile, seek a professional to assist you with this project.
Purchase a ambient tile heating system from a home improvement center. Do not try to improvise a heating element or thermostat system, you could create a fire or shock hazard.
Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. If you fail to do so, you will void the warranty for the product.
Make sure your home’s power system can support a heated floor. If your floor is going to be over 29 square feet, you will want to have an electrician supply a dedicated circuit for the mat. For Smaller floors, you can patch into existing kitchen or bathroom circuits. If you have questions about this, contact an electrician before beginning.
Materials and Tools Needed for Installing a Heated Ceramic Floor
Measuring Tape
Ceramic Tile
Tile Saw or tools for scoring ceramic tile
Heating kit (Electric mat and thermostat)
Quickcreate or Thinset cement
Trowel
Grout
Grout Sponge
How to Install a Heated Ceramic Floor
1. Tear up your existing floor if necessary. There are some flooring products such as hard wood laminate or linoleum that you can install over existing floors, but a heated ceramic floor is not one of them. The heating element should be installed on either concrete or a wire mesh over concrete.
2. Measure your floor space and calculate how much tile you will need. After purchasing the tile, do a rough layout to calculate when and where you will need to make any odd tile cuts or use odd sized pieces. Laying tile is like doing a giant puzzle. It is a good idea to have a picture in your mind of what the finished product will look like before you begin.
3. Lay out the heating mat on the floor. Again, follow the manufacturer’s guidelines exactly. Measure out your cement and lay out a thin layer with your trowel. Be careful not to damage the heating element or mat in any way. Because there is ceramic tile going in over the heating element, you will want to make sure the cement is as level as possible. This step is often referred to as leveling the floor.
4. Lay out your tiles using desired spacers. Make sure not to press down too hard, you could damage the mat or the wires in the heating element. If you do this, your floor will not work, and you could create a fire hazard. Using your trowel and grout sponge, apply the tile grout as you would for any tile floor.
5. Install the thermostat in an accessible place. Again, follow the manufacturer’s guidelines and consult an electrician if necessary. After the thermostat is installed, wire the mat to the thermostat. Once the wiring is complete, connect the system to your home’s circuit breaker.
6. After the leveler and grout is dry, you may turn on your floor. Do not turn the unit on high for 4-6 weeks. You will want to make sure the grout and leveler are completely cured.
Your heated ceramic floor is now ready to greet you in the morning. The comfort and luxury of heated ceramic floor will add both to your enjoyment of your home and your home’s value.
