How to use underfloor heating staple strips?

Underfloor heating staple strips are used to secure PEX, PERT, or other compatible heating pipes to insulation boards before the screed or floor covering is installed. The strips are normally loaded into a compatible underfloor heating staple gun or tacker, allowing multiple staples to be installed quickly.

1. Prepare the Floor

Before installing the heating pipe, make sure the subfloor is level, clean, and suitable for the selected insulation system.

Lay the required underfloor heating insulation boards or tacker panels across the floor. The panels should form a stable and continuous surface for fixing the pipe.

For systems using tacker boards or rolls, the panel joints should be arranged carefully to create a continuous installation surface.

2. Plan the Pipe Layout

Determine the heating circuit, pipe direction, spacing, and manifold position before fixing the pipe.

The pipe spacing should be based on the heating design rather than simply using a fixed distance for every project. For example, one installation system specifies typical spacing of 200 mm for 16 mm pipe and 150 mm for 12 mm pipe, while actual requirements depend on the project design. 

Marking the planned pipe positions on the insulation can make installation more accurate.

3. Load the Staple Strip

Place the continuous plastic staple strip into the magazine of the compatible staple gun or tacker.

Make sure the staple dimensions, length, and pipe-fixing design are compatible with both the tool and the insulation system. Different systems use different staple lengths and pipe sizes.

4. Lay the Heating Pipe

Unroll the PEX or PERT pipe according to the planned circuit.

Avoid twisting or sharply forcing the pipe into position. When forming bends, guide the pipe gradually to reduce the risk of kinking. 

The pipe should remain in the intended layout while it is being fixed.

5. Fix the Pipe With the Staple Gun

Position the staple gun over the heating pipe and activate the tool so that the plastic staple passes around the pipe and into the insulation, rather than through the pipe.

The staple holds the pipe against the insulation and prevents it from moving during subsequent construction.

With a continuous staple strip, the next staple is automatically fed into position, allowing the installer to continue fixing the pipe without manually loading each staple.

6. Add More Staples at Bends

Straight pipe sections and bends may require different fixing arrangements.

Additional staples are normally useful around bends because the pipe naturally tends to move away from its planned position. One published staple-system specification, for example, uses staples at approximately 500 mm intervals on straight runs and three fixing points around bends. The exact spacing should follow the requirements of the particular system. 

7. Check the Pipe Layout

After the pipe has been fixed, check:

• Pipe spacing

• Pipe position

• Bends and corners

• Pipe connections

• Manifold connections

• Any visible kinks or excessive deformation

• Stability of the pipe before screeding

The completed pipe layout should correspond to the heating design.

8. Complete the Screed Installation

Once the pipework has been checked and tested according to the applicable installation procedure, the screed can be applied over the heating system.

The staples remain beneath the screed and continue to hold the pipe in its designed position. Staple systems are specifically used to fix heating pipe to insulation panels before screed installation. 

Continuous Staple Strip vs. Single Staples

Important Considerations

The staple strip should always be selected according to the heating pipe diameter, insulation type, staple length, and compatible installation tool. For example, published systems use staples for pipe sizes such as 12–16 mm or 16–20 mm, but these specifications are system-dependent and should not be treated as universal requirements. 

Conclusion

Using underfloor heating staple strips involves four basic steps: prepare the insulation → plan and lay the heating pipe → load the continuous staples into a compatible tacker → fix the pipe at the required intervals. The strip format makes it possible to install multiple fixing points continuously, which can simplify and speed up large-area PEX or PERT underfloor heating installation.