A heated floor only works as well as the concrete around the tubing. Gatineau Concrete pours the underlayment that encases hydronic or electric radiant heat under your finished floor, polished concrete, micro-topping, tile, plank or stone, so the heat radiates evenly across the surface above. Every project starts with a free written estimate.
Radiant heat works by warming the floor surface and letting that surface warm the room. If the concrete around the tubing has gaps, voids or low-density spots, the heat radiates unevenly, cold patches, hot spots, slow response. The underlayment is what makes the heat actually work.
We pour the heated-floor underlayment so it fully encases the radiant tubing with no voids, bonds to the substrate below, and leaves a flat, dense, finish-ready surface above. Hydronic systems (water through PEX) and electric mat systems both go in the same way.
From there, the finish goes on top: polished concrete, micro-topping, stained concrete, or any tile or plank. The radiant heat warms the underlayment, which warms the finish, which warms the room. It works because the chain is built properly.
Recent work
How it works
How We Pour Heated Floor Underlayment in Gatineau
Plan tubing layout
We confirm the tubing layout with you and your heating contractor, hydronic or electric, the loop spacing, the manifold location, and where the underlayment will fully cover.
Set tubing and insulate
The tubing is fastened to the substrate or insulation board, every loop tested to operating pressure before the underlayment goes in, so any failure is caught before it is encased.
Encase tubing in underlayment
Self-leveling underlayment is poured around the tubing to the finished elevation, fully encasing every loop with no voids, settling to a flat, dense, finish-ready surface.
Cure and pressure-test
The underlayment cures to schedule, the tubing is pressure-tested again to confirm nothing was damaged during the pour, and the surface is ready for the finish above.
What finishes work
Polish, Micro-Topping, Tile All Take Radiant Heat
Once the underlayment cures, the floor is ready for any finish that suits the room. Polished concrete over a heated underlayment is a popular Gatineau combination, hard surface, warm underfoot, low maintenance.
Micro-topping over heated underlayment gives an even thinner finished build-up; stained concrete adds colour to the finish. Tile and plank lay straight on the underlayment too. Pair with self-leveling for substrate flatness first.
Hydronic vs electric, finishes above, 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 Their Heated Floors
Hydronic heated floor underlayment under polished concrete in the basement. Even heat top to bottom and the polish brings out a warm glow that feels great in winter.
T. U.
Gatineau
★★★★★
Electric mat under micro-topping in the bathroom. Underlayment encased the mat perfectly, no cold patches, the floor is exactly the temperature we set.
I. G.
Kanata
★★★★★
They coordinated with our HVAC contractor on the pressure tests before and after the pour. Caught no issues but we knew the install was clean before the finish went on.
F. O.
Barrhaven
★★★★★
The polished concrete over the heated underlayment is the best floor in the house. Warm in February, cool in July, and the polish is dead easy to keep up.
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 radiant 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 put it in a written quote.
