Hard flooring over underfloor heating in a flat with sound insulation

[DoneTeachin]

I have moved into a block of flats on the 2nd floor. I have UFH, but also carpet which isnt a great match. I want to switch to hard floor but cant find a fitter who knows how to balance the need for heat to flow, up but sound not to! has anyone experience of this, i cant believe I am then only person in London in this situation! thanks

Where is the UFH installed? What type is it?
What is under the carpet?

It is a water based UFH through the lounge and hall only. The sub floor is pine and I dont really want to rip it up.

Ok, so you have UHF water system that is attached to the underside of the pine subflooring?

Or is the UHF embedded in concrete that then has pine on top?

UHF water system that is attached to the underside of the pine subflooring? It sits on a concrete slab.

Are you actually allowed to have this in your 2nd floor flat ?

Many flats do not permit hard flooring on upper floors.

Ok, so both the pine and carpet will be blocking the heat flow.
Keeping the pine will increase the noise.

If the UFH is rated for being embedded, then I would take up the pine and add a layer of 6mm of micro-cément which is a resin based hard floor that is eco-friendly, durable, easy to clean and will reduce noise, make the UFH operate more efficiently. You can also run cold water through it in summer to act as a passive aircon. You shouldn’t have to cut your doors down or anything as the pine and carpet mean your floor level is already quite high.

Usually they prohibit hard wood floors and similar like laminate because wood floors are noisy, which is why I’d recommend removing the pine wood.

Its a bit old fashioned not to allow hard flooring now, as the technology on acoustics is so improved. You just need permission, if you can show the set up keeps the dbs low enough. But that's just at my block, I dont know about others but thats probably why I cant find anyone else who has this set up anywhere!

@AmberTigerEyes if there were no ufh would that make any difference as to how the hard floor is fitted?

You’ve only got to be a regular MN reader to know that hard flooring on upper floor flats is a big problem. Most don’t allow it and rightly so as when new neighbours move in and change from carpet, those below soon know about it. It may lead to a lot of complaints from neighbours. No idea on tech, but you regularly see neighbour issues in flats caused by lack of carpet.

Not for microcement.