Installing a Heated Ceramic Floor will Make You a Hero to Your Family

Imagine stepping out of your shower onto a cozy, warm ceramic tile floor. Imagine the warmth on your feet on your beautiful ceramic tile kitchen. Now imagine yourself, and the satisfaction you will get, installing your own heated ceramic floor. It is easier than you may think. This is the perfect project for the homeowner with moderate skills and a few tools. The place to begin this project is with the planning. A good place to start is with the Internet. There are plenty of sites that you can look to help with your heated ceramic floor project. Some sites even have helpful videos you can watch online. You can also look to either Home Depot or Lowe's for project help and material. At the end of this article, you will find a useful list of websites for your radiant flooring needs.

The first thing you need to do is measure the square footage of the area you will be adding the radiant heat. You can then purchase the heating product you need. Each manufacturer makes mats in various sizes and shapes to fit the area that you need. Some will even make custom make radiant heat mats to fit your specific needs.

Your next step is to prepare the area. It is strongly suggested that you take the old flooring up to the subfloor. If need be, you might have to repair or replace the subfloor before you proceed. Make sure you clean the area well. Roll out your radiant heat mats to fit the area. Some manufacturers provide an anchoring system for the mat. Others suggest you glue or staple the mat to the subfloor to help keep the mat in place when you install the tile. Be very careful if you staple your radiant heat mat. Do not staple through the wires in the mat. You can cause a short circuit and your mat will not work.

You are now ready to lay your tile. Apply a layer of thinset cement and lay your tile as recommended. Grout the ceramic tile to finish. Remember, during this step; do not press the tile down too hard as you can possibly damage the wires in the radiant heat mat. Remember, after installation; do not run your floor heating system at full power for about 2-4 weeks while the cement and grout harden.

The next step is getting power to your system. If you don't feel comfortable with this step, hire a professional electrician. If you do it yourself, remember to adhere to local and the National Electric Code. Failure to do so can void your warranty and worst of all, may create a safety hazard. If you feel comfortable doing it yourself, run the wires from the mat to a 4X4 box. Make your junctions according to the manufacturers instructions. This is also where you will place the thermostatic control. If your floor is over 29 square feet, you will need a dedicated electric circuit. Once again, adhere to all codes for your own safety. If you don't feel comfortable with this step, call a qualified electrician.

Here is a list of helpful websites that will help you with your heated ceramic floor project:

http://www.warmlyyours.com/products/
http://www.ceramic-tile-floor.info/index.htm
http://www.handyman-business.com/How-To-Install-a-Heated-Floor.html
http://www.suntouch.com/
http://www.homedepot.com
http://Lowes.com

With a little knowledge, a little research, some tools and a weekends worth of time you will soon be enjoying your heated ceramic tile floor. You will be a hero to your family on those cold winter days.