Thinnest radiant pour??

Jason_29

How thin can you get radiant tubing into a new pour over an old basement floor? I'm just about to pull the trigger and have 1 inch of a self leveling product poured over the crappy concrete and 50 year old vinyl (asbestos) tile.

The product to be used is spec'd to encapsulate such material. The installer will knock up any loose tiles, prime the solid ones and fill any divots in the concrete before pouring. The product is attractive to me because I won't lose much headroom in the basement and I'll have a nice clean floor to finish with either tile or a waterproof floating floor.

I'd love to heat the space with radiant using my beautiful new Prestige. It's exactly 400 square feet.

Thanks,

Jason

hot_rod

depends on the choice of products

any concrete type of product that has aggregrate in it needs 1-1/2 times the aggregrate size over the tube.

With a pea gravel mix you can get a 1-1/2" pour over 3/8 or 1/2' tube.

I suspect the thinnest pour would be the Viega 5/16" tube with a leveling type cement that could pour to the top of the tube.

Many of those leveling type of products can feather down to a knife thin edge.

Be sure to select a product that could handle moisture. Some of those leveling products come apart if they get wet.

Any of the gyp based products would work, but these are not water proof so to speak. sealers can be used on the top of them, but if they get wet from below they will crumble.

hot rod

Jason_29

Thanks Hot Rod, getting wet from below is a concern. It was suggested yesterday that I consider the Viega Snap panels right over the old floor and a layer of thin insulation.

Has anyone had good experience with this product? And what would be the best material to pour over it?

Thanks again,

Jason

Rich L.

Quik -Trak

Jason, What about a Quik-Trak (Uponor) type of system? You could put down 1/2" of pink insulation board and then these panels on top. This would give you a thermal break from the floor below and only raise your floor 1" from what you have now plus whatever floor covering you use. You would use a 5/16" tubing with these panels. A nice benefit of these panels is a quicker reaction time than tubes in concrete or gypsum products.

Rich L

Jason_29

Thanks Rich, I thought briefly about it, but if I get any water in the basement, I'm cooked unless whatever is on the floor is waterproof ie concrete.

I'm even thinking that if I use concrete over the snap panel over insulation over the existing floor (vinyl tile on slab) and I get any water, the whole monolithic unit might lift slightly and crack. I'm in CT, and this spring's two 30 year rain events didn't wet the basement, but all it takes is one time, and my effort and expense is ruined.

Thanks,

Jason