Radiant over insul. slab in basement - Bekotec alternatives

tc60045

I have an insulated slab and very high ceilings in the basement, but no #*& heat (thank you, prior owner).

Thinking about running pex over Bekotec and then getting concrete guys in to pour the screed. Love that I'll lose less than 2" in height and can put anything on top (faux hardwood, carpet, tile, etc.).

What should I look at besides Bekotec?

Thank you!

GroundUp

Wirsbo QuikTrak, Zurn Thermal Track, build your own track with ripped plywood and Joist Trak, Warmboard if you hate your wallet (actually probably cheaper than Bekotec), maybe radiant walls or ceilings and lose no ceiling height at all, many possibilities here.

tc60045

I'll look at those, but I should be clear: I'm looking at Bekotec POLYSTYRENE PANELS.

Bekotec covers a bunch of other products, including electrical panels. I need radiant and these polystyrene panels are really inexpensive at home centers. Since that information is public, I'll mention that an orange home center has them for less than $20 per 8 ft2 panel.

GroundUp

Take into consideration the cost of the overpour and whatnot after the panels and tubing are down also, but the panels are reasonably priced- yes. Creteheat makes a similar panel at a similar cost as well.

hot_rod

What type of floor covering are you considering?

If the slab is well insulated any of the thin over the top wood products would work. Tile is a little trickier over those products as it may require a cement board being glued and fastened over the wood strips.

If you can fasten the tube to the slab, Gypcrete™ or a pea gravel mix of concrete could be used at 1- 1-1/2 thickness pour. Any floor covering can go over a cement based overpour. You can color, stain and polish concrete to a nice finished surface.

tc60045

GroundUp said:

Take into consideration the cost of the overpour and whatnot after the panels and tubing are down also, but the panels are reasonably priced- yes. Creteheat makes a similar panel at a similar cost as well.

Excellent, GroundUp -- I was not aware of Crete-Heat, and love to support a US company any time I can

hot rod said:

What type of floor covering are you considering?

If the slab is well insulated any of the thin over the top wood products would work. Tile is a little trickier over those products as it may require a cement board being glued and fastened over the wood strips.

If you can fasten the tube to the slab, Gypcrete™ or a pea gravel mix of concrete could be used at 1- 1-1/2 thickness pour. Any floor covering can go over a cement based overpour. You can color, stain and polish concrete to a nice finished surface.

We're going to put down "luxury vinyl" tile on top of this, as I have learned my lesson with carpet in the basement in Chicagoland (though thankfully never learned a laminate / wood floor lesson).

You raise excellent points re: Gypcrete -- enough to give me pause, as I really don't need to add expensive support materials and could get better PSI at a lower total thickness by simply coming up with a way to fasten the pex to the slab. I have a really simple layout down here. What kind of fasteners should I consider?

Thanks to you both!!

TC

hot_rod

However, if there seven a remote chance of flooding I would not use gyp, it reacts a lt like sheetrock whine gets wet.

Regular redo-mix, small pea gravel aggreate, two guys and a grout pump to put it down.

Methods I have used to fasten pex down, plastic strips to snap the tube in, Pex 1/2 clips with concrete nails, Tapcons with conduit clips.

Or put 6X6 wire mesh down and fasten tube to it with wire tie or zip ties.

Better yet, Rehau has a clever product for the concrete overpour. Peel and stick hook and loop mats, with hook and loop pex.