HOW-TO GUIDES
How to install underfloor heating
Updated 07/26
By: Content Team
Reviewed: Alex Peters
Underfloor heating is a great way to heat your home without the need for space on your walls for radiators. Find out how to install underfloor heating.
The difference between wet and dry underfloor heating
Which type you can realistically DIY, and which you can't
What's involved in installing each system, step by step
How different floor types affect your installation
How much underfloor heating typically costs to install
When you'll need a professional to sign it off
Underfloor heating spreads warmth evenly across a room rather than relying on a single hot spot by the wall, which makes it a popular upgrade for bathrooms, kitchens, and open-plan extensions.
Before you start pulling up floorboards, though, it's worth understanding exactly what each type of system involves - because one of them is genuinely DIY-friendly, and one really isn't.
Find an underfloor heating installer near you
Wet vs dry underfloor heating
Wet underfloor heating
This connects to your central heating and circulates hot water through pipes laid beneath the floor.
It's the system most commonly used in new builds and major renovations, and it's usually cheaper to run - but it's also a plumbing job that involves connecting into your heating system, which is why it isn't something to take on without a qualified heating engineer.
Dry (electric) underfloor heating
This uses electrical heating cables or mats laid beneath the flooring. It's a less invasive installation than a wet system and is the option most realistically suited to a competent DIYer - right up until the point of connecting it to the electrics, which always needs a qualified electrician.
Our underfloor heating cost guide has a full breakdown of running costs and installation prices for both.
If you're only heating one room - a bathroom, say, or a small extension - electric underfloor heating is usually the simpler and more cost-effective option. Wet systems make more financial sense when you're already re-plumbing several rooms or building an extension from scratch.
Can I fit underfloor heating myself?
Partially, and it depends which system you choose:
Wet underfloor heating involves connecting into your central heating system, and in most cases isn't a realistic DIY job - it needs a heating engineer for both the plumbing and the final connections.
Dry underfloor heating is more achievable for a confident DIYer to lay, but you will still need a qualified electrician to make the final connection to your thermostat and mains supply, and to check the system is installed safely.
Whichever system you choose, if you reach a point where you're not sure how to proceed, or you've made a mistake you can't put right, that's the moment to bring in a professional rather than risk your home's electrics or plumbing.
Underfloor heating cost: 2026 UK price guide & breakdown
Here, you'll find the typical underfloor heating costs in the UK, including the installation and running costs for both electric and wet systems, and factors that affect pricing.
Tools and materials you'll need
Damp proof membrane
Insulation boards
Underfloor heating pipe (wet) or heating mats/cables (dry)
Pipe staples or fixing tape
Manifold (wet systems)
Floor sensor and thermostat (dry systems)
Self-levelling screed and a chemical stabilising spray
Stanley knife, trowel, and tape measure
How to install wet underfloor heating
Preparation
Lift your existing flooring and clear the area completely. This is a good time to lay insulation boards and a damp proof membrane, which help direct heat upward into the room rather than losing it downward into the subfloor.
Installation
Attach the heating pipe to your manifold.
Lay the piping following your system's manual, typically in a looping pattern that covers the area evenly.
Fix the pipework in place using pipe staples as you go.
Once you're happy with the layout, bring in a qualified heating engineer to make the final connection and check everything over.
Pressure test the pipes and confirm they're holding water before laying screed.
Pour self-levelling screed over the pipework, covering the whole room evenly.
Use a chemical stabilising spray on the poured screed.
Tamp the screed to achieve a smooth, even finish.
Once fully cured, lay your new flooring.
How to install dry (electric) underfloor heating
Preparation
As with a wet system, remove the old flooring and clear the space, adding insulation and a damp proof membrane where needed.
Installation
Lay your underfloor heating mats across the whole area for even heat distribution.
Secure them using double-sided tape.
Install the floor sensor, connecting it to your thermostat, and position it at floor level in a conduit between two heating cables.
Secure the sensor with tape.
Bring in a qualified electrician to feed the power lead to the controller position, make the final mains connection, and check the system's safety.
Cut a groove into the insulation boards with a Stanley knife so cables lie flat where needed.
Pour and spread self-levelling compound to the manufacturer's recommended depth.
Once cured, lay your chosen flooring.
This job usually needs more than one trade - a heating engineer for wet systems, an electrician for the final electrical connection on dry systems, and sometimes a flooring specialist to finish the job.
Underfloor heating with a combi boiler
Wet underfloor heating works perfectly well with a combi boiler - it's a common setup and shouldn't cause you any issues.
The main difference is that you'll usually need a two-port valve fitted, so your radiators and underfloor heating can each operate independently on their own zone.
Installing underfloor heating by floor type
Concrete floors
These are excellent conductors of heat, making them well suited to underfloor heating - but insulation is essential first, otherwise the system won't perform as efficiently.
A damp proof membrane (see our damp proofing cost guide) followed by polystyrene insulation boards is the standard approach before laying the heating system itself.
Wooden floors
These pair well with underfloor heating, but choice of timber matters - engineered wood copes with the heat cycling better than solid hardwood and tends to be more durable in this application. Always leave an expansion gap around the room's perimeter, since timber contracts and expands with temperature changes.
Vinyl flooring
This works with underfloor heating, though it's worth checking compatibility with the specific manufacturer, and you may need to run the system on a lower setting to avoid damaging the vinyl - which can limit how effectively it heats poorly insulated rooms like conservatories.
Tiles
These are one of the best choices for underfloor heating: waterproof, easy to clean, and good at both conducting and retaining heat, which makes them popular in bathrooms and kitchens.
Laminate flooring
This is compatible with underfloor heating and resists warping well, but leave an expansion gap of around 1.5cm between the flooring and the walls to accommodate movement.
Find underfloor heating installers near me
Whether you're renovating a single room, extending your home, or planning a whole-house heating upgrade, finding trusted local underfloor heating installers is the first step towards a successful installation.
On Checkatrade, you'll only find trades who meet our high standards and pass up to 12 checks.
Finding the right professional for the job
Given that both wet and dry systems need a qualified professional at some stage, it's worth involving them earlier rather than later - ideally before you finalise your flooring choice, so they can flag any compatibility issues in advance.
Find underfloor heating specialists
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FAQs
Underfloor heating is generally cheaper to run than radiators, since it distributes heat evenly across a larger surface area rather than relying on convection from a single point. Wet systems tend to be cheaper to run than electric ones, though electric systems are usually cheaper to install.
Yes, provided you install the right hub and compatible thermostat. Many modern systems support app-based control as standard.
Yes, as long as the necessary hardware - separate zones and thermostats - is installed for each room.
Timber and concrete absorb and conduct heat at different rates, so each surface typically requires a different wattage of heating mat to perform efficiently.
Not realistically. Wet systems connect into your central heating and involve pressure testing and plumbing work that needs a qualified heating engineer, both for safety and to avoid invalidating your boiler's warranty.
It's not always a strict requirement, but it's strongly recommended - insulation directs heat up into the room rather than losing it downward into the subfloor or ground below, which significantly improves efficiency.
A typical single-room installation takes around one to two days, though this varies depending on the system, floor preparation needed, and whether screed needs time to cure before flooring goes down.
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