How to Heat a Tile Floor
- 1). Plan the layout of the heating system. The heating coils are commonly fine cables that are laid out in a series of loops around the room. You want to concentrate the loops where your feet will be. Stay away from close proximity, within 6 inches of walls, tubs and other fixtures. Use the plan to determine the number of feet of heating cable necessary.
- 2). Fasten the cables to the subfloor according to manufacturer's instructions. Some makers furnish clips that hold the cables in place. The project commonly also includes a temperature sensing cable as part of the thermostat function.
- 3). Connect the cable and sensor wires to the thermostat. The thermostat is commonly installed near eye level at a convenient location within the room. Place a 1-inch conduit in the wall cavity with one end opening at floor level, and the other connecting to a fixture box at the planned location of the thermostat. Use a fish tape to pull the heat cable and sensor wire ends to the thermostat box. Attach these wires and a 120-volt wire from the household wire system to the thermostat according to manufacturer's instructions.
- 4). Test the heating system. It is easier to replace a defective cable now than after the application of the thinset or tile.
- 5). Apply a self-leveling thinset mortar to the floor. Pour between 1/4 and 3/8 inch of mortar. This should be enough to cover the wires of the heating system. Allow the mortar to level into a smooth surface and dry.
- 6). Install ceramic tile over the thinset mortar. Apply tile mortar to the floor using a grooved trowel. Set the tiles in place and press down to seat against the mortar. Place the next tile working from the center line of the room toward the wall. Use a tile saw to cut tile to size along the wall. Use a pencil or other fine pointed tool to remove any tile mortar that worked its way up into the seams between the tiles.
- 7). Grout the tiles. Clean the tiles of any tile mortar left in place before applying the grout mortar to the tile. Use a grout float to spread the grout mortar across the tiles, allowing the mixture to fill the seams between the tiles. Allow the grout to set for about a half hour before cleaning the tile surface.