Garage Conversion

cheftim

I'm a handy person, through lots of great help from this group, was able to do a complete electric baseboard to hydronic conversion with radiant heat on one floor and baseboard on second by myself two years ago. I'll post some photos one of these days.

Anyway, I'm converting an existing attached garage to living space and want to add a zone of radiant to it. It's a concrete floor. I don't know if there was insulation under the slab or not but the house was built as an energy efficient electric model in 1980. I guess I do some digging to see.

What are the suggestions about insulation, concrete pour, suspending the tubing, and such? What's the minimal thickness pour and of what type? I'm on Cape Cod.

Couderay

existing concrete

I would start with plastic overlapped a few inches over the top of the existing floor. Then foam board at least an inch thick and put foam at edges of new pour. Place wire mesh on top of foam to tie your tubing too and fill tubing with air and maintain that pressure thruout pour. I like floors that are at least 1 1/2" thicker (over the top) than the tubing. ie. 1/2" tubing 2 inch thick pour min. for my liking. Make sure tubing can not float while pouring the new floor by anchoring to old floor

cheftim

existing concrete

Thanks Joe.

I understand that it's best to put the foam around the perimeter of the pour as well. If I do that, won't I have a band of exposed foam running around the edge of the floor as viewed from above? How do I avoid that since I want to use the concrete as the finished floor (stamped and stained)?

Bob Bona_4

taper

the exposed edge of insulation as thin as you can so the bulk of the pour covers.

Hard to describe:)

Bruce M

Ceiling Radiant

If you are able, I would suggest using ceiling radiant. No concrete pours to worry about. Should be less costly and better result if done right.

cheftim

ceiling radiant

Thanks Bruce,

Why would make the ceiling radiant a better choice? Wouldn't having the mass of the concrete be more beneficial?

Bruce M

Quicker response Time

The ceiling radiant would not have objects blocking the heat (whatever objects are on the floor to include carpet etc). It takes a good while to heat up concrete. You would be saving the cost of a concrete pour. Concrete is also more of a problem in the event of a leak. Finally, ceiling heat feels beter.

cheftim

ceiling radiant

So how do you install the radiant in the ceiling? I did extruded aluminum staple up in the rest of the first floor.

Do I go about it the same way in that you need the plates? I'm seeing plates, strapping, and sheet rock over the top.

The garage has a sheet rocked ceiling with a space above that I'm going to convert into bedroom using radiant as well.

Bob Bona_4

you

will have to run higher water temps to make ceiling radiant work. You can expect your legs to feel cool when sitting at tables. You have less cushion for various floor coverings w/ ceiling radiant. The floor will still draw heat from your body.

Doing the floor w/ a 1.5- 2" overpour is more desirable. Do your plates under the subfloor for the room above.