Underfloor Heating

How Does Underfloor Heating Work?

Underfloor heating warms a room from the floor up, using either electric heating elements or hot-water pipes installed beneath the floor surface. Instead of blasting hot air from a vent or radiator, it turns the whole floor into a gentle, even heat source, so warmth rises steadily across the room with no cold spots. The result is comfortable radiant warmth underfoot and quieter, draft-free heating. This guide covers the two main systems, which floors work with them, the benefits, what it costs to run, and how it’s installed. Browse our underfloor heating collection to see the mats, cables and thermostats we carry.

Electric vs. Hydronic Underfloor Heating

There are two kinds of underfloor heating — electric and hydronic — and the right one depends on the size of the project and whether it’s a renovation or a new build. Electric systems use heating mats or cables and are ideal for single rooms and retrofits; hydronic systems circulate warm water through pipes and suit whole-house heating in new construction.

Electric Underfloor Heating

Electric underfloor heating uses thin heating elements — mats or cables — laid under the floor and controlled by a thermostat. It’s the most popular choice for renovations and single rooms like bathrooms and kitchens because it’s slim, straightforward to install, and doesn’t raise the floor much. See the electric systems in our underfloor heating collection.

Heating Mats

Heating mats are pre-spaced heating cables attached to a mesh backing, which you roll out across the floor for fast, even coverage. They’re the quickest electric option to install.

Best for Regular-Shaped Rooms

Mats work best in open, regular-shaped rooms where you can roll them out in straight runs. For a simple square or rectangular floor, a mat is the fastest way to get even heat.

Heating Cables (Loose Wire)

Loose heating cable is a single wire you lay out by hand, fixing it to the floor at whatever spacing you choose. It takes longer than a mat but gives you full control of the layout.

Best for Irregular Layouts

Loose cable is the choice for irregular or broken-up rooms — around toilets, vanities and islands — where a rigid mat won’t fit. You route the wire to fill exactly the space you want heated.

Setting the Cable Spacing

The spacing between cable runs sets how much heat the floor puts out, so follow the system’s spacing guide for your room. Tighter spacing gives more warmth; wider spacing covers more area with less output.

Hydronic (Water) Underfloor Heating

Hydronic underfloor heating circulates warm water from a boiler or heat pump through pipes laid in the floor. It’s efficient for heating a whole home and is usually installed in new builds or major renovations, where the pipes can be set into a concrete slab or screed.

Which Floors Work with Underfloor Heating?

Most floor coverings work with underfloor heating, but some carry and hold heat better than others. Tile and stone are the best partners; laminate, vinyl and engineered hardwood all work with the right precautions. Compare options across our full flooring collection.

Tile & Natural Stone

Tile and natural stone are the best floors for underfloor heating, because they conduct heat quickly and hold it well. They warm up fast, stay warm, and are unaffected by the heat, which is why heated floors are so popular in tiled bathrooms and kitchens. See our tile collection for options, including porcelain and ceramic tiles.

Why Tile Is the Best Match

Tile’s density lets it draw heat from the system and spread it evenly across the surface, giving the most efficient, responsive warm floor. It’s the pairing underfloor heating was made for.

Heat Transfer & Thermal Mass

Because tile and stone have high thermal mass, they absorb heat and release it steadily, keeping the floor warm even between heating cycles. That makes the system both comfortable and efficient.

Laminate & Vinyl Plank

Laminate and vinyl plank both work over underfloor heating as long as the products are rated for it and the floor temperature is kept within limits. Check that your laminate or vinyl plank is approved for use with radiant heat before installing.

Floor-Temperature Limits

Laminate and vinyl have a maximum surface temperature — usually around 27°C — above which the flooring can be damaged. A floor sensor and thermostat keep the system safely below that limit.

Engineered Hardwood

Engineered hardwood is compatible with underfloor heating because its layered, stable construction resists the movement that solid wood would suffer. Choose an engineered hardwood rated for radiant heat and follow the temperature limits.

Movement & Acclimation

Wood moves with heat and humidity, so let engineered hardwood acclimate in the room before installation and bring the heating up gradually afterward. Raising the temperature slowly avoids gaps and cupping.

Benefits of Underfloor Heating

Underfloor heating is prized for comfort, even warmth and efficiency, along with a clean, uncluttered room. It heats more evenly than radiators and frees up the wall space they’d take.

Comfort & Even Warmth

The biggest benefit is comfort: warm floors and even heat across the whole room, with no cold corners and no cold feet. Because the heat rises gently from the floor, the temperature feels consistent from one side of the room to the other.

Energy Efficiency & Running Costs

Underfloor heating can be more efficient than forced air because it warms the room evenly at a lower temperature and there’s no heat lost through ducts. Running cost depends on the size of the area, how well the room is insulated, and how you control the system.

Can Underfloor Heating Replace Your Main Heating?

In a well-insulated room, underfloor heating can be the primary heat source, but in many homes it’s used as comfortable supplementary heat. Electric systems are usually added for warmth in specific rooms like bathrooms, while hydronic systems are more often designed to heat a whole home. Whether it can be your only heat depends on your climate, insulation and the system’s output.

Underfloor Heating Components & Controls

A complete underfloor heating system is more than the heating element — it includes a thermostat, a floor sensor and the controls that manage it. Getting the controls right is what makes the system comfortable and efficient. See the thermostats and controls in our underfloor heating collection.

Thermostats & Floor Sensors

The thermostat is the brain of the system, and it works with a floor sensor — a probe set into the floor — to hold the floor at your chosen temperature. The sensor also protects temperature-sensitive floors by keeping the surface below its limit.

Programmable & Smart Controls

A programmable or smart thermostat lets you schedule the heating so the floor is warm when you need it and off when you don’t, which is the key to keeping running costs down. WiFi models let you control the floor from your phone and learn your routine.

How to Install Underfloor Heating

Installing electric underfloor heating means preparing the subfloor, laying the mat or cable, setting the sensor and thermostat, and covering it with your floor. It’s work most often done by a flooring or electrical pro, since the final connection to the thermostat must be wired by an electrician. Our installation materials and installation tools cover the rest of the job.

Preparing the Subfloor

Start with a clean, dry, level subfloor, since anything under the heating affects how it performs. On concrete especially, good prep sets up how efficiently the floor will heat. See our underlayment & surface prep options.

Insulation Boards

Insulation boards laid under the heating stop heat from being lost downward into the subfloor. They’re especially worthwhile over concrete, where an uninsulated slab draws heat away and slows the floor’s warm-up.

Reflecting Heat Upward

By insulating beneath the elements, you direct the heat up into the room instead of into the slab, so the floor warms faster and costs less to run. It’s a small step that makes a noticeable difference on concrete.

Laying the Mats or Cables

Roll out the mat or lay the cable across the heated area, keeping elements away from walls, fixtures and cabinets, and never overlapping or cutting the heating wire. Plan the layout so the whole run fits the space before you fix anything down.

Embedding in Thinset or Self-Levelling Compound

The heating is then embedded in thinset mortar or a self-levelling compound, which locks it in place and spreads the heat evenly under the floor. This layer also gives tile a solid, flat bed to bond to. Find the right adhesives & sealants for the job.

Floor Sensor & Thermostat

Set the floor sensor between two heating runs so it reads the floor temperature accurately, then run its cable and the power leads back to the thermostat location. The thermostat is mounted on the wall and wired by an electrician.

Placing the Floor Sensor

Position the sensor in the finished floor, centred between cable runs and not touching the heating wire, so it measures the true floor temperature. A well-placed sensor keeps the system accurate and protects the floor.

Testing the System Before Tiling

Before you cover the heating, test it to confirm nothing was damaged during installation — this is your last easy chance to catch a fault. Check the heating element and the sensor against the manufacturer’s readings.

Recording the Resistance Reading

Measure and write down the heating element’s resistance before and after installation, so you have a record that it’s intact. Matching readings confirm the wire wasn’t nicked while laying the floor.

How Much Does Underfloor Heating Cost to Run?

Running cost comes down to how big the heated area is, how much power the system draws, and how you control it. Electric underfloor heating in a bathroom costs only a few cents an hour to run, while heating a large area continuously costs more.

Running Costs & Energy Use

Electric underfloor heating is measured in watts, and you pay for the energy it uses just like any other electric appliance. A small, well-controlled system in a bathroom is inexpensive to run; the cost rises with the size of the floor and the hours it’s on.

Watts per Square Foot

Electric systems draw a set number of watts per square foot, so you can estimate running cost from the heated area, the wattage and your electricity rate. Bring us your room size and we can help you work out the likely cost.

Should You Leave Underfloor Heating On All the Time?

For most homes, no — you don’t need to leave underfloor heating on all the time, and a schedule is cheaper and just as comfortable. The exception is a well-insulated floor with high thermal mass, which some people keep at a low constant temperature so it never fully cools.

Setback vs. Constant Temperature

A setback approach drops the temperature when you’re out or asleep and brings it back up on schedule, which saves energy in most rooms. A constant low temperature can make sense for a large tiled slab that’s slow to reheat, but for typical rooms, scheduling wins.

Using a Timer or Schedule

A programmable thermostat lets you set the floor to warm up before you wake and wind down when you leave, so you only pay for heat when you’ll feel it. This is the single easiest way to keep running costs down.

Why Buy Underfloor Heating at Besso

The right underfloor heating depends on your room, your floor and how you’ll use it, and our team can match the system to all three. Bring your room size and flooring type to our Markham or Etobicoke showrooms, see the mats, cables and thermostats in person, and use our complimentary design consulting to pair the heating with the right floor. Delivery is included on select orders, and we’re glad to help both homeowners and contractors get a warm, reliable floor. Find both store locations here.