Warm Floors Start with Radiant Underlayment in Gatineau
Radiant heat tubing needs concrete around it to transfer warmth to the room above. Gatineau Concrete pours the self-leveling underlayment that fully encases your hydronic or electric tubing, bonds to the substrate, and accepts any finish, polished concrete, micro-topping, tile, or plank. Heat flows evenly when the concrete is poured right. Free written estimate, firm completion date.
Radiant heating systems depend on the concrete slab to conduct and distribute warmth. If the slab has voids, low density, or poor contact with the tubing, heat escapes unevenly. You get cold zones near the walls, hot spots over the loops, and slow response when you turn up the thermostat.
We pour a self-leveling underlayment that wraps every inch of the tubing with no air pockets, settles to a flat, dense surface, and bonds to both the substrate below and the finish above. Whether your system runs hot water through PEX (hydronic) or electric mats (electric), the underlayment encases it the same way.
The result is a floor that radiates heat evenly across the room. Pair the underlayment with polished concrete, micro-topping, or stained concrete, and you get a warm, durable, low-maintenance surface that feels good underfoot in winter.
Recent work
Installation sequence
How Radiant Floor Underlayment Gets Poured in Gatineau
Verify tubing layout
We review the tubing plan with you and your heating contractor, confirm loop spacing, manifold location, and the area the underlayment will cover.
Secure and test tubing
Tubing is fastened to the substrate or insulation board and pressure-tested to operating specs before the pour, so any defects are caught early.
Pour underlayment
Self-leveling underlayment is poured around the tubing to finished height, fully encasing every loop with no voids, and settles to a flat, dense, finish-ready surface.
Cure and retest
The underlayment cures on schedule, the tubing is pressure-tested again to confirm no damage during the pour, and the surface is ready for the finish.
Finish options
Any Floor Finish Works Over Radiant Underlayment
Once the underlayment cures, you can apply any finish that suits the room. Polished concrete is a popular choice in Gatineau basements and kitchens, hard-wearing, warm to the touch, and easy to clean.
Micro-topping creates a thin, seamless overlay; stained concrete adds colour and character. Tile and plank flooring lay directly on the underlayment too. If your substrate is uneven, start with self-leveling to bring it into tolerance before the radiant tubing goes down.
Hydronic vs electric, finishes, response time, and what to expect in Gatineau.
Yes, both. Hydronic systems run heated water through PEX tubing fastened to the substrate; electric systems use mats or cables. Either gets encased in the underlayment the same way, with the heating contractor handling the source side.
Faster with thinner underlayment, slower with deeper concrete above. The trade-off is heat capacity, deeper concrete stays warm longer between cycles. We pick the underlayment thickness to balance response and retention for your use.
All of ours: polished, micro-topping, stained, plus tile and plank installed by a flooring contractor. The underlayment is engineered to take any finish above.
Not when it is engineered for the thermal cycling and the loops are properly insulated. We use products designed for heated-floor encasement and detail any expansion joints so the underlayment moves where it should.
We pour the underlayment and coordinate with the heating contractor who handles the tubing, manifold and boiler or panel side. The handoff is sequenced so the tubing is pressure-tested before and after the pour.
Homeowner reviews
What Gatineau Homeowners Say About Radiant Heated Floors
Hydronic radiant system with polished concrete finish in the basement. The heat distributes evenly and the polished surface has a warm glow that makes the space feel inviting in winter.
T. U.
Gatineau
★★★★★
Electric mat system under micro-topping in the bathroom. The underlayment encased the mat perfectly, no cold spots, and the floor reaches the exact temperature we set.
I. G.
Kanata
★★★★★
They coordinated with our HVAC contractor on pressure tests before and after the pour. Caught no issues but we had confidence the install was done right before the finish went on.
F. O.
Barrhaven
★★★★★
The polished concrete over the radiant underlayment is the best floor in the house. Warm in February, cool in July, and the polish is simple to maintain.
O. S.
Nepean
From the blog
Concrete Guides & Articles
Practical reading on planning, finishes and caring for concrete in Gatineau.
Tell us the room, the heating system you have or plan to install, and the finish you want above, and we will spec the underlayment, coordinate with the heating contractor, and send a written quote.
