CrossTeam Properties Offers Advice on Home and Garden Improvements

Under tile heating refers to underfloor heating systems that are installed between the floor and the tiles. Typical systems are either hydronic (water based) or electric. They work by heating the tile from within the cementing, between a wooden or concrete base and the tiles themselves.

Different types of under tile heating systems

There are a few different types of under tile heating kits available. The right one to choose is based upon a few different factors, including the size of your space, the amount of heat you want the system to provide, and whether you are installing the under tile heating system in an internal or external room.

The first type is a loose wire or cable kit, which comes as a roll of cable on a drum. You mark out your floor, and space the cable according to however you see fit. The second type is the cable mat system, which works exactly as the loose wire kit, except that the cables have been embedded into matting and spaced for you. Cable mats come in different watts per metres squared. For instance, 150 watts per m2 is a good choice for an internal room, while 200 watts per m2 is better for something like a conservatory.

The use of underfloor heating insulation

When installing an under tile heating system, it also is a good idea to use underfloor heating insulation in the form of tile backer insulation boards, which block the heat from penetrating into the wooden or concrete sub-floor.

When it comes to bathroom design, tiles play a big role since they can set the tone for the whole room. While not all bathrooms have tiled floors, they are desirable if you are to achieve a really outstanding visual result.  Tiling the bathroom floor would therefore be a simple and cost effective way of making a great improvement if your room doesn’t already have one. The only shortcoming with tiled floors is that they tend to be very cold to walk on, but this problem can be overcome by the use of under-floor heating.

Regarding the colour of bathroom tiles, it is best to use warm shades, which tend to have a softening effect; especially in a room that already has white or light coloured fixtures.

Before installing tiles in your bathroom, there are several things you need to consider if you are to ensure a good job. The prime thing to remember is that for a long lasting result the foundation must be stable and firm. Ground floor bathroom floors should present no problem as these will usually be of concrete. Upper floors will be of timber construction and might be less stable and have a tendency to move slightly as does all wood. If a new floor is installed on such a base the likely result is cracked tiles. One effective way to get around this problem is to use a cement board (bonded particle board) as a base.

Since tiles can never be installed without cutting them, it is important to start at the centre of the floor so that full tiles are the most visible. Any cutting is then done on tiles that will be fixed around the edges and they are the ones that are least visible.

Tile installation will also involve resetting the toilet, so plans for this need to be made. This might also involve cutting tiles to a curve in some places.

When planning the design of your bathroom, the floor often takes a backseat to the other elements in the room. It seems that a lot more focus is given to the lights, the colour scheme, the bathroom furniture, the bathroom fixtures, and even the bathroom accessories in comparison to the floor.

While those other elements are undoubtedly important to the effect of any bathroom design, the flooring deserves a closer look as well. Of course safety is a primary concern with regard to choosing the design and materials for your bathroom floor, but there is certainly no reason why aesthetic appeal should be discounted entirely, especially since there are loads of options available in tiles and other bathroom flooring materials. Even tiles that are made of slip proof materials are available in a wide variety of designs and colours so you have the best of both worlds in safety and good design.

Vinyl flooring has been a popular material for bathroom floors for many years now, mostly due to their durability, low cost and easy maintenance. There are also various other natural and synthetic materials to choose from, many of which are designed just as much for form as function. It is important to choose carefully however as the flooring is not something that you can change easily or inexpensively. You have to be sure then that whatever floor design you go for will work well with the wide variety of bathroom decorations and furniture that you plan to bring in later on.

It is always a good investment to improve the look of your home especially your bathroom flooring. Replacing or renovating the bathroom floor is just one of those things that add to its value. But which is the best choice of flooring for you? This is one of the most common questions in terms of bathroom design.

Ceramic tile has great advantages in the bathroom shower area or the en-suite, the first and foremost being durability as well as being ideal when water and splashing from a bath or shower can ruin some other flooring materials. Ceramic tiling is something that should not be undertaken lightly as a DIY exercise, you are far better served by employing experts in this field, the finished product will almost certainly look better and it can be cheaper when all tools and other materials are taken into account.

Once you have decided to redesign your bathroom and you have planned out the type of suite you want along with the furniture and the fittings, then there are still some practical issues to consider; after all, you will be spending quite a bit of money on your new bathroom, so you want to make sure that when it is finished, the bathroom actually ‘works’.

Practicalities which need to be taken into account are the type of flooring you wish to install and the ventilation required. Flooring is important because it will really influence the final look of your bathroom and it is important that it is both water resistant and slip resistant, whilst looking good. Carpets can be used in the bathroom setting, but they can suffer from being less resistant to water and can, around the toilet, sometimes end up looking a little stained.  Most people opt for a flooring material which is not carpet.  Tiles or linoleum are a safe choice, but check before you buy that it is resistant to water or else it will soon need to be replaced.

Ventilation is also very important within the bathroom setting, since you will be creating steam; through using a shower or a bath and you need to get rid of this steam very quickly.  Opening windows is an obvious way of creating ventilation, but obviously this may have security implications, particularly if you forget to lock the window again. So a mechanical fan may be the answer and it can certainly help keep your bathroom free from condensation, or even any strong odours, so is certainly worth consideration.