In short: divide the floor area by the area of one board, add about 10% for cuts, and round up. Most of our boards are 1200 x 600mm, which is 0.72m² each. Pick a board below to get the count, the pipe it takes and the fixings that go with it, priced from our shop.
What you need
Parts list
Every board, and how much each one covers
| Board | Covers | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| MaxHeatPanel routed XPS board | 0.72m² per board | A 1200 x 600mm routed XPS board for water UFH on solid floors, with grooves at 150mm centres. Tile straight onto it, with no screed. |
| MaxHeatDeck cement-faced XPS board | 0.72m² per board | A 20mm routed XPS board for 16mm pipe with a cement face on both sides, ready to tile. Serpentine boards have return loops cut in. |
| MaxHeatPro foil-faced EPS panel | 0.72m² per panel | A 400 kPa EPS panel with a 100 micron foil face that spreads the heat, 1200 x 600mm. |
| MaxHeatFix low profile panel (12mm pipe) | 3.60m² per pack of 10 | A 15mm high, 600 x 600mm panel for 12mm pipe that you can tile directly onto. Sold in packs of 10 covering 3.6m². |
| MaxHeatFix Plus panel (16mm pipe) | 7.20m² per pack of 10 | A fast-fit 1200 x 600mm panel for 16mm pipe. Sold in packs of 10 covering 7.2m². |
| MaxHeatChip 22mm grooved chipboard | 0.72 or 1.44m² per board | P5 moisture-resistant chipboard with the pipe grooves cut at 150mm centres, for joisted floors. Minimum order 20 boards. |
| MaxHeatCrate castellated panel (15 to 17mm pipe) | 1m² per sheet | A 1220 x 820mm castellated sheet that holds 15, 16 or 17mm pipe with no clips, finished with screed or levelling compound. |
| MaxHeatSolo self-adhesive egg crate (12mm pipe) | 0.60m² per panel | A self-adhesive 1000 x 600mm egg crate panel for 12mm pipe. Sticks to a primed subfloor. Minimum order 10 panels. |
| Cement-coated XPS tile backer board | 0.72m² per board | Insulating XPS board with a cement coating on both faces, 1200 x 600mm. Goes under electric mats or wet UFH to cut heat loss downward. |
| 6mm cementitious tile backer board | 0.72m² per board | A full cement 6mm tile backer board, 1200 x 600mm, as a firm tiling base over electric UFH. Minimum order 20 boards. |
| 6mm foil-backed fibre top board | 0.72m² per board | The 1200 x 600mm cover board that goes over routed chipboard once the pipe is in. The foil backing spreads the heat. |
How the count is worked out
Boards needed = floor area x (1 + extra for cuts) / area of one board, rounded up. 10% extra suits most rooms. Use 15% for rooms with lots of corners, angled walls or obstacles, and 5% for large, simple rectangles. Where a board has a minimum order, the count is raised to that minimum.
Which board should I use?
- Solid floor, height is tight, tiled finish: MaxHeatPanel, MaxHeatDeck or MaxHeatFix.
- Joisted timber floor, laying from above: MaxHeatChip grooved chipboard with a top board.
- Floor finished with screed or levelling compound: MaxHeatCrate or MaxHeatSolo castellated panels.
- Electric mat on a tiled floor: cement-coated XPS backer board to insulate, or 6mm cement board as a tiling base.
Frequently asked questions
How many 1200 x 600mm boards do I need?
Each 1200 x 600mm board covers 0.72m². Divide your floor area by 0.72, add about 10% for cuts and round up. A 12m² floor needs 19 boards.
How much pipe goes in a routed board?
Our routed and grooved boards have grooves at 150mm centres, which is about 6.7m of pipe per m² of floor, plus the tails back to the manifold.
How many washers do I need for tile backer board on a timber floor?
Six screws and washers per 1200 x 600mm board, with the board also bonded in flexible tile adhesive.
Why is there a minimum order on some boards?
MaxHeatChip grooved chipboard and the 6mm cementitious backer board are sold in 20s, and MaxHeatSolo panels in 10s. The calculator raises the count to the minimum.