Electric Underfloor Heating Mats for Tiled Floors
In brief: Termofol underfloor heating mats are thin heating cables fixed to a self-adhesive mesh, which you lay straight into the tile adhesive under ceramic tiles or stone. Every mat gives 150 W per square metre and comes in 18 sizes from 0.5 m² to 20 m², and you can buy it on its own or with a thermostat and floor sensor. In addition, prices start at 66 EUR for the mat alone.
On this page
- What underfloor heating mats are and how they work
- Which floors and rooms underfloor heating mats suit
- Underfloor heating mats: sizes and prices
- Choosing a thermostat for underfloor heating mats
- How installation of underfloor heating mats works
- What you receive
- Underfloor heating mats: technical specification
- Questions people ask most often
What underfloor heating mats are and how they work
A heating mat is a heating cable 3.6 mm thick, fixed at an even spacing to a 50 cm wide fibreglass mesh. The mesh is self-adhesive on the underside, so the mat sticks to the subfloor where you put it and does not move while you tile. Teflon and polyamide insulate the cable, and the IPX7 rating makes the mat suitable for bathrooms and other wet rooms.
A single cold tail (one-sided power supply) connects the mat to the mains, and a thermostat with a floor temperature sensor controls it. When the thermostat calls for heat, the cable warms the tile adhesive and the tiles above it, and the floor gives that warmth to the room. In addition, there is no boiler, no pipework and no radiator on the wall.
Which floors and rooms underfloor heating mats suit
Heating mats suit ceramic tiles, porcelain and natural stone. The mat goes into the flexible tile adhesive, so the tiles sit directly on the heat source and warm up quickly. Typical rooms are bathrooms, ensuites, kitchens, hallways and utility rooms, but any tiled floor with a free area from 0.5 m² upwards can take a mat.
A few rules decide whether a mat is the right product for your floor:
- Laminate, wood and vinyl floors take heating film, not a mat, because the mat needs adhesive around the cable to work properly.
- Lay the mat only on the free floor area and leave out kitchen units, fitted wardrobes and furniture without legs. However, free-standing furniture needs legs of at least 3 cm.
- Also, the mat must not go under a bath or a shower tray.
- Never cut, shorten or cross the heating cable. You cut only the mesh to turn the mat, while the cable runs keep at least 8 cm apart.
Underfloor heating mats: sizes and prices
All mats are 50 cm wide, so the mat length is always twice its area in square metres. Round the free floor area you measured down to the nearest mat size, because you can make a mat smaller only by turning it, never by cutting the cable. If you are not sure how to measure, then read how to choose the right heating mat size.
Heating mat sizes and prices at a glance
| Mat | Dimensions and total output | Mat only |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5 m² | 50 cm × 1 m, 75 W | 66 EUR |
| 1 m² | 50 cm × 2 m, 150 W | 69 EUR |
| 1.5 m² | 50 cm × 3 m, 225 W | 81 EUR |
| 2 m² | 50 cm × 4 m, 300 W | 90 EUR |
| 2.5 m² | 50 cm × 5 m, 375 W | 105 EUR |
| 3 m² | 50 cm × 6 m, 450 W | 119 EUR |
| 3.5 m² | 50 cm × 7 m, 525 W | 130 EUR |
| 4 m² | 50 cm × 8 m, 600 W | 145 EUR |
| 4.5 m² | 50 cm × 9 m, 675 W | 165 EUR |
| 5 m² | 50 cm × 10 m, 750 W | 180 EUR |
| 6 m² | 50 cm × 12 m, 900 W | 210 EUR |
| 7 m² | 50 cm × 14 m, 1,050 W | 230 EUR |
| 8 m² | 50 cm × 16 m, 1,200 W | 250 EUR |
| 9 m² | 50 cm × 18 m, 1,350 W | 280 EUR |
| 10 m² | 50 cm × 20 m, 1,500 W | 305 EUR |
| 12 m² | 50 cm × 24 m, 1,800 W | 360 EUR |
| 15 m² | 50 cm × 30 m, 2,250 W | 455 EUR |
| 20 m² | 50 cm × 40 m, 3,000 W | 615 EUR |
In addition, prices include VAT and delivery. A thermostat adds from 75 EUR for the TF-H5 to 160 EUR for the TF-H7 Wi-Fi, and every thermostat option includes the floor temperature sensor. For larger floors, you usually need two or more mats on one thermostat, and our team can size them for you.
Choosing a thermostat for underfloor heating mats
We sell every mat either on its own, if you already have a suitable underfloor heating thermostat, or with one of six Termofol thermostat families. Also, most of them come in white or black.
- TF-H5: manual thermostat with a dial, no programming, air and floor sensors.
- TF-H1: programmable touch thermostat with 5-2 or 6-1 day schedules.
- TF-H6: programmable touch thermostat with 5-2, 6-1 or 7-day schedules and an electricity consumption readout, IP31.
- TF-H6 Wi-Fi: the TF-H6 with control from the Termofol or Tuya Smart app.
- TF Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi thermostat you control from a phone or tablet.
- TF-H7 Wi-Fi: smart touch thermostat with a colour display, app control, humidity and air quality readings, IP31.
Furthermore, our page about thermostats for underfloor heating explains the differences model by model.
How installation of underfloor heating mats works
In short, laying a mat is tiling work with one extra layer. The order is always the same:
- Insulation first. Clean and level the subfloor, then cover it with the 6 mm Insulation Tile Backer Board, so the heat goes up into the tiles instead of down into the concrete.
- Mat on the floor. Roll the mat out over the free floor area, press it down on its self-adhesive mesh and turn it at the walls by cutting the mesh only. Then route the cold tail to the thermostat position.
- Floor sensor. Place the sensor supplied with the thermostat in a conduit between two cable runs, so you can replace it later without lifting the tiles.
- Tiles in flexible adhesive. Cover the mat with a flexible tile adhesive made for underfloor heating, and lay the tiles as usual.
- Connection by an electrician. A licensed electrician wires the mat and the thermostat. Switch the floor on only after the adhesive and grout have fully cured.
In addition, step-by-step instructions with photos are in our underfloor heating installation guide, and these two short videos show the work on site:
What you receive
- The heating mat in the size you ordered, with the cold tail attached.
- Installation instructions and the warranty card.
- With a thermostat option: the thermostat and a floor temperature sensor.
The mat does not include insulation board, tile adhesive or the sensor conduit, so order them separately. Also, delivery is free to the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland by courier, usually within 1 to 3 working days.
Underfloor heating mats: technical specification
| Power output | 150 W/m² |
| Power supply | 230 V, 50/60 Hz, one-sided cold tail |
| Width | 50 cm |
| Sizes | 0.5 m² to 20 m² (18 sizes) |
| Heating wire thickness | 3.6 mm |
| Carrier | Self-adhesive fibreglass mesh |
| Insulation materials | Teflon and polyamide |
| Protection rating | IPX7 |
| Floor finish | Ceramic tiles, porcelain, natural stone, laid in flexible tile adhesive |
| Warranty | 25 years |
Questions people ask most often
Which adhesive should I use?
A flexible tile adhesive made for underfloor heating. Standard rigid adhesive, in contrast, can crack as the floor warms and cools.
Can I put a heating mat under laminate?
No. For laminate, wood and vinyl we offer heating film, which we sell in our shop as rolls and complete kits. The mat is for tiles and stone only.
Can the mat go under furniture or kitchen units?
Not under fixed units or furniture without legs. Free-standing furniture is fine if its legs are at least 3 cm high, so the heat can escape.
Can the mat go under the bath or the shower tray?
No. The mat stops at the edge of the bath and the shower tray.
Can I cut or shorten the mat?
You can cut the fibreglass mesh to turn the mat and follow the room, but you must never cut, shorten or cross the heating cable itself. Also keep at least 8 cm between cable runs.
Does 150 W/m² mean the floor always draws that much power?
No. 150 W/m² is the maximum output when the mat is on. However, how long it runs each day depends on the thermostat setting, the room, the insulation under the mat and how you use it. In addition, our heating cost calculator gives an estimate for your floor and your electricity tariff.
Do I need an electrician?
Yes. A tiler or a confident DIYer can lay and tile, but a licensed electrician must make the electrical connection of the mat and the thermostat. Otherwise, incorrect handling can damage the cable and void the warranty.
Ready to choose your mat?
Pick the size that matches your free floor area, add a thermostat if you need one, and we deliver free of charge anywhere in Ireland. If you would rather have us check the sizing first, send us the room dimensions.