PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post

wheelguru · #6 10-16-2006, 06:32 PM

Cement backer board comes in 3' x 5' sheets.
For the simplest kit you will need:
2 sheets of backer board (cement, not re-inforced gypsum)- 1/2" thick.
Thinset mortar (comes either premixed or dry mix-your-own)
Wire for radiant floor heat (comes either by the foot or in a kit embedded in silicone mesh material)
A lighting dimmer switch and a plug.

First: this is electric. The radiant wiring is well sealed, but not made for a wet environment. Use common sense
Basically you are going to use the thinset mortar to sandwich the wiring between the two sheets of cement. Follow the directions that come with the radiant wiring. Run a power wire out, put the dimmer switch in line to control the temp, and plug it into the wall.
I would lay this apparatus on a 1" piece of styrofoam insulation and hammer together a simple wooden frame to keep the edges from getting chewed up.

For a more swank look, you can use 12" or bigger ceramic floor tiles on top instead of the sheet of backer board.
This apparatus will be heavy but you should be able to slide it around with a helper.

If you want to make it safe for a wet environment you will want to use hot water for heat and make it with PEX tubing instead. This application will be more permanent. IF you can live with a high spot on your floor do this:
You'll need:
1/2 " Pex tubing O2 impervious
1/2" clips to hold the pex in place
pex connectors
1/2 copper pipe and fittings (maybe not needed, depends on how you plumb it)
Bleeder valve
2 gallon, 1500 watt water heater
small boiler pump
All this should be in the plumbing section of your home center
You'll also need :
cement
styrofoam

build a wooden frame 3" high, big as you want. Keep in mind that PEX tubing only bends down to a 6" (I think) radius. You are going to put styrofoam on the bottom again and then lay in a length of PEX. Zig zag it back and forth with about 8" spacing. Tack it in place with the 1/2" clips. Leave a healthy amount coming out the side of your frame. Fill with concrete. You want at least 1" on top of the tubing.

For the boiler you are going to use your 2 gallon heater. Plumb the pump onto it (it works well to put the pump on top of the heater. Plumb the bleeder valve into the high point of the system, after the pump. Your pex will form a circuit and should include 2 "T"s with garden hose fittings (the ones with an on/off valve). The Ts will be for filling with water. Wire the pump to an on/off switch and just run it all the time when your system is on. Fill with anti freeze if you will not be running constantly.

For a much sleeker system, get a diamond blade for your Skilsaw and cut a rectangle in the garage floor then put this whole thing in level with the floor.

There is a lot of information online about in-floor radiant heat. There may be a DVD at the home center that will give you the basics, there was at Menards when I put my system together for my kitchen. Everything will be in the plumbing section, but it may not be labeled as stuff for radiant heating. You should be able to build a water heated system for about $500, an electric one should be as little as $200.

I don't claim to be an expert, please pile on and add insight anything that I might have missed.