Underfloor Heating General Information

Richard Burbidge Connect flooring can be installed on top of ‘low temperature hot water’ underfloor heating systems only. It cannot be installed with electric floor heating or storage heaters. If you are in any doubt as to the suitability and compatibility of your underfloor heating system with laminated flooring please check with you underfloor heating supplier and/or manufacturer.

Richard Burbidge Lifestyle flooring is not recommended as suitable for underfloor heating installations.
Connect flooring should be installed as normal, as a floating floor with a minimum 9mm expansion gap around the full perimeter of the floor using the appropriate Richard Burbidge polythene and foam underlays with the exception of wood-fibre underlay which is unsuitable for use with underfloor heating.

Installation instructions for Connect are detailed on the back of flooring labels contained in every pack of Richard Burbidge flooring and must be used in conjunction with these instructions.

The subfloor must be structurally sound, clean, level and thoroughly dry. Boards should be left for a minimum of 2 days to acclimatise.
Concrete base floors

The type of concrete floor and the method by which it was installed when combined with the floor heating, must comply with the instructions of the suppliers of both the concrete and underfloor heating.
To obtain an even temperature over the whole floor area, the maximum distance between the heating elements must not exceed 30cm. The depth of the pipes should be defined by the underfloor heating suppliers.

The concrete must be sufficiently dry, maximum 1.5 % CM method, before the laminate flooring is installed. Wait a minimum of 21 days after the concrete floor has been laid before switching on the floor heating, and run the floor heating for at least 14 days before installing the laminated flooring, in temperature increments of max 5oC. Run the heating at 50 % capacity for 14 days and 100 % for the last 2 days.

Underfloor Heating

The heating system should be switched off before installing the flooring. The maximum floor temperature should be 18oC. After installation, wait at least 24 hrs before switching the heating back on. This should be done in increments of 5oC daily, to a maximum contact temperature of 28oC. Please note that the maximum hot water temperature should not exceed 50oC.

Always reduce and increase the temperature in increments at the end and beginning of the heating season/period.

It is important that the relative air humidity is not too dry during the heating period/season. At 18-22oC (64-71oF) there should be a guaranteed relative humidity of 50%. If necessary a humidifier should be installed.

A pre-heating report should be drawn up, following the advice and instructions of the system/heating installer. This should be kept for future reference. During the heating season open joints between panels can occur and this must be accepted.