Newbie Looking For Advice on Expansion Gaps With UFH System

[Nic B]

Is that broken in to 3 zones? 3 colours.
If so, why do you have multiple zones in same space?
Expansion joints should really be used to separate zones. Otherwise you have two different heat sources heating the same part of the floor which can cause problems as it’s unlikely they’ll be exactly the same temp.
That’s what I understand anyway, could be wrong.
Unless someone can advise different.
@Chalker @Uheat - Jake

The differrent colours are simply to differentiate the different pipe runs, the entire space would be running as a single zone though. I thought this would make more sense with it being a large open space and thought it would cause more problems to have different zones in such a large space

 

[Simon Dale]

You should ask @3_fall How many failures he has seen on Wunda Floor. Im sure he would upload images. I as a tiler would not listen to Mapei etc cos when it fails its down to tiler. Never heard of an adhesive manufacturer admitting liability.

 

[Old Mod]

What concerns me is the bridging of different substrates here. Have you fully informed wundafloor of your intentions, do they know you’re crossing from timber to screed?

Simon is quite correct, I was gonna deal with that later, just wanted expansions sorted first.

 

[Nic B]

You should ask @3_fall How many failures he has seen on Wunda Floor. Im sure he would upload images. I as a tiler would not listen to Mapei etc cos when it fails its down to tiler. Never heard of an adhesive manufacturer admitting liability.

I have read many of the threads and I am fully aware of the possible issues. I have also read a few threads where people have installed almost identical system without a problem. Unfortunately, as mentioned earlier, I am too far down the road to change it now, nor do I have the money to throw at it to change it all unfortunately so I am just trying to make the best of what is apparently a crappy situation! I appreciate the input though, thanks

 

[Nic B]

What concerns me is the bridging of different substrates here. Have you fully informed wundafloor of your intentions, do they know you’re crossing from timber to screed?

Simon is quite correct, I was gonna deal with that later, just wanted expansions sorted first.

Technically I did not buy the system from Wundafloor direct, but the boards are Wundafloor branded, but I have actually called them to ask about the expansion gap requirement and the lad on the phone didnt have a clue what I was talking about. He basically said that the boards are EPS and wont expand or contract, yet in their literature they say to follow the BS5385 guidelines regarding expansion gaps, so he was clearly clueless, which doesnt fill me with confidence, especially after the nightmare threads I have read which are enough to scare me to death!

which is why I signed up to the forum and asked for help from people with experience. Had I not, I would have just had it tiled and who knows where i would be in 6 months time!

 

[Old Mod]

All I can say with certainty is that the division between two different substrates and in each doorway there should be an expansion joint. And no bay should be bigger than 40m2.
As to whether it’s recommended to cross these substrates with any wet ufh I do not know.
Hopefully @Chalker will see this later, he may know.
As it’s not a @Uheat - Jake system, they may not be willing to comment.

 

[Uheat - Jake]

Unfortunately I can't comment on the EPS Panels with Tiles on top as it's not a solution we recommend to use as the panels themselves are not solid, we recommend them to only be used with a Wood or Laminate floor finish. However with our Gypsum boards which is a solid fibre board, we recommend an expansion gap is left in door ways. To do this you can use a thin edge insulation layer. But as mentioned this is for a Solid Floor panel. I've attached an example.

 

[Nic B]

Thank you all for the useful advice. I guess I havent got a choice at the moment other than to put expansion gaps between substrates and in doorways.

Any suggestions on the best place to get a good expansion gap and what I should be looking for in particular?

Thanks again

 

[Old Mod]

Unfortunately I can't comment on the EPS Panels with Tiles on top as it's not a solution we recommend to use as the panels themselves are not solid, we recommend them to only be used with a Wood or Laminate floor finish. However with our Gypsum boards which is a solid fibre board, we recommend an expansion gap is left in door ways. To do this you can use a thin edge insulation layer. But as mentioned this is for a Solid Floor panel. I've attached an example.

View attachment 98518

Thank you Jake your answer is totally appreciated.

I don’t blame you for your stance on these panels, I completely agree and would never tile to them myself, of which I’m sure you know from my previous posts.

If I can push my luck a little further please, how would you deal with a change of substrate, do you use your gypsum boards as a decoupler and just span the joint?
Or are my fears of crossing from one to another warranted?
Thanks Jake.

 

[Nic B]

Unfortunately I can't comment on the EPS Panels with Tiles on top as it's not a solution we recommend to use as the panels themselves are not solid, we recommend them to only be used with a Wood or Laminate floor finish. However with our Gypsum boards which is a solid fibre board, we recommend an expansion gap is left in door ways. To do this you can use a thin edge insulation layer. But as mentioned this is for a Solid Floor panel. I've attached an example.

View attachment 98518

I am not sure how to tag you all individually, so bear with me.

Thank you Jake for taking the time even though the system is not one of yours, I really do appreciate it.

Starting to wish I had found this forum before I ordered the system. I did check Trust Pilot and there are a lot of positive reviews on there from people saying they have used the system many times, but that is clearly not the whole picture!!!