The short answer on heating mat or heating film: let the floor finish decide. If you will tile the room or finish it in stone, choose an electric heating mat, which you lay directly in flexible tile adhesive under the tiles. If the room will have a suitable floating floor, such as laminate, vinyl or engineered wood, choose infrared heating film, which lies under the floor on a layer of insulation. The two systems are not interchangeable, because a mat does not suit floating floors and you do not lay heating film in tile adhesive.
This guide compares the two side by side. It also shows which one suits the rooms people ask us about most, and it lists what else you need to order for each.
Two electric systems for two kinds of floor
Both systems are electric. A thermostat with a floor temperature sensor controls both, and a qualified electrician should connect both to the mains, for example a Safe Electric registered contractor. However, the difference is how they sit in the floor.
A heating mat is a heating cable fixed to a self-adhesive fibreglass mesh, 50 cm wide. You roll it out, and it holds its place on the floor. Then you cover it with flexible tile adhesive and tile over it. The mesh keeps the cable at a fixed spacing while you work.
Infrared heating film is a thin, flat heating element, just 0.33 mm thick, supplied on a roll. You lay it on insulation under a floating floor, connect it with clips and wire, and seal it with tape. In contrast to a mat, you do not bond anything to it.
Heating mat or heating film: side by side
| Heating mat | Heating film kit | |
|---|---|---|
| Floor finish | Ceramic tiles and stone | Suitable floating floors: laminate, vinyl, engineered wood |
| Installation method | Directly in flexible tile adhesive | Under the floating floor, on insulation |
| Heating element | Heating cable (3.6 mm) on a self-adhesive fibreglass mesh | Far infrared film, 0.33 mm thick |
| Output | 150 W/m² | 80, 140, 180 or 220 W/m² |
| Width and sizes | 50 cm wide, 0.5 m² to 20 m² | 1 m wide (0.5 m on request), kits from 1 m² to 30 m² |
| What comes in the box | The mat, installation instructions and warranty card; with a thermostat option, the thermostat and a floor sensor | Film, connection clips, electric wire, joining tape, butyl tape, vapour membrane, manual and warranty card; optional thermostat with floor and room sensors |
| Insulation | Recommended under the mat, for example a tile backer board | Must cover the whole heated area (not included in the kit) |
| Power supply | 230 V | 230 V |
Heating mat or heating film for your room?
Tiled bathroom or en-suite: heating mat
Most bathrooms are tiled, so a heating mat is the natural fit. Mats come in small sizes, starting at 0.5 m². That suits the free floor space in an en-suite when you leave out the shower tray, toilet and vanity. The mats have an IPX7 rating. In addition, your electrician will decide where the thermostat can go in a bathroom. For help with sizing, see how to choose the right heating mat size.
Kitchen: it depends on the floor
A tiled or stone kitchen floor takes a heating mat, but you lay it only where the floor is free, not under the fitted units or the island. If the kitchen will have a floating vinyl or laminate floor approved for underfloor heating, heating film is the one to choose.
Living room, bedroom or home office with laminate or wood: heating film
These rooms usually have laminate, engineered wood or click vinyl. Heating film suits exactly this, because it lies flat under the floating floor and adds very little height. That helps in a renovation where doors and thresholds are already in place. Before you order, check that the floor manufacturer approves electric underfloor heating for your chosen floor. Our guide Which flooring is compatible with infrared heating film? goes through each floor finish in detail.
Hallway or open-plan ground floor: follow each floor finish
A tiled hallway takes a mat. However, in an open-plan space with tiles in the kitchen area and laminate in the living area, each floor finish needs its own system: a mat under the tiles and film under the laminate. If you are unsure, send us your floor plan, and we will help you work out the sizes.
Output: one choice for mats, four for film
Every Termofol heating mat has the same output, 150 W/m², so for a mat you only choose the size. Heating film, however, comes in four outputs, 80, 140, 180 and 220 W/m², although all four film kits contain the same components. The right output therefore depends on the room’s heat loss, the usable floor area and the floor construction. For example, the 80 W/m² film gives very gentle warmth, with a maximum film temperature of 32°C. Our guide How to choose the right infrared heating film output explains the differences.
What else you need to order
- Insulation. For a mat under tiles, insulation reduces heat loss into the subfloor. Our 6 mm Insulation Tile Backer Board suits this job, because you can tile over it and lay the mat directly on it. For film, insulation must cover the whole heated area, and no kit includes it. Choose an underlay such as the 5 mm insulation underlay for laminate and wood, or the Supertherm insulation board, which suits floating vinyl floors. See all insulation materials.
- A thermostat. We sell mats on their own or with one of five thermostats, and every thermostat option includes a floor sensor. Our guide to choosing a thermostat for a heating mat compares them. In addition, film kits offer an optional thermostat with floor and room sensors.
- Enough thermostats for the area. One thermostat switches up to 16 A, so it covers our largest mat, 20 m² at 3,000 W. For film, however, the area one thermostat can control depends on the output: at 80 W/m² it is up to 38 m². The heating film roll pages also list the limit for each output.
- A crimping tool if you are fitting film, because no kit includes one.
We recommend that a qualified electrician connects either system to the mains. Our underfloor heating installation guide gives step-by-step guidance, and for film under laminate, see heating film under laminate flooring.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put a heating mat under laminate?
No. We designed our mats for tile adhesive under tiles or stone. Instead, for laminate, vinyl or engineered wood, use a heating film kit.
Can I tile over heating film?
No. You lay heating film under suitable floating floors, and you do not bond it into tile adhesive. Instead, for a tiled floor, choose one of our electric underfloor heating mats.
Should I buy a film kit or film on its own?
If you are starting from scratch, choose a kit, because it contains the connectors, tapes and membrane you need for installation. In contrast, heating film on its own suits installers and customers who already have these accessories and a thermostat.
How quickly will it arrive?
Delivery is free to the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland by courier, usually within 1 to 3 working days. Therefore, we recommend that you book your tiler, fitter or electrician only after your delivery has arrived.
Choose your heating mat or heating film
Tiles or stone: browse our electric underfloor heating mats, for example the 10 m² heating mat. Laminate, vinyl or engineered wood: see our underfloor heating film kits, for example the 80 W/m² film kit. If your project mixes floor finishes or you are not sure which system fits, contact Termofol Ireland with your room measurements and we will help you choose.