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Have an interesting opportunity for a house we’re pricing:
Customer wants a finish floor of stained concrete panels separated by a wood strip grid appr. 3′ square. This is going over a radiant heating system embedded in 1 1/2″ of gypcrete on top of an engineered floor system(I-joists) with 3/4″ Advantech subfloor. Unfortunately, she picked this up from a magazine picture with no details.
I’ve gotten this far:
1) floor system designed to l/700 or better deflection to minimize possibility of cracking
2) will probably do concrete as a 3-coat Portland stucco system with a good dose of acrylic admix over self-furring lath to keep curing cracking to a minimum
3) 1x? wood grid will probably have to be cypress, ipe, teak, or some other naturally rot-resistant species
Need suggestions for:
1) attaching gridwork to gypcrete without penetrating radiant tubing
2) how to place and finish the stucco without trashing the wood
3) how to stain the stucco without ditto
Any of you guys ever do anything like this? I toyed with the idea of using lightweight concrete for the panels instead of the expense of a 3-coat system, but I’m afraid that pouring such a thin slab will surely result in cracks. I’m also not sure if lightweight concrete can take a steel-trowel finish. Are there precast panels available in these sizes?
I know this is not gonna’ be cheap, but I would like to do it as cost-effectively as possible.
Any help would be extremely appreciated.
Thanx,
Bill
Replies
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Bill,
just $.02 about:
> 1) attaching gridwork to gypcrete without penetrating radiant tubing
maybe you can reduce the risk of penetrating the tubing. mill the grid pieces to a trapezoid, short width on top, and fasten the grid members to each other. If the grid isn't loosely joined, and fastened in a few select spots, the edges of the panels may hold the grid tight.
We saw this the other week in 2x material cast into the slab under a hardwood floor. Of course, where water had got under the floor, all of these pieces were rotted out.
chrs, GO
*OK this is just a stab in the dark. How about using forms to create the grids. remove forms and stain the concrete. Insert grid wood(ipe/teak whatever) adhearing it with a nice epoxy or poly urethane weight it down till it sets up.I don't know...... just an off the cuff idea. Keep us posted.
*Our old tile setter used to make a mud bed with dry pack mortar (sand, masonry cement, and a tiny bit of water) that looked great if you could come up with a finish for it. He even used wooden screeds that would have made a nice grid work. Maybe you can try it and let the rest of us know how it goes.
*Thanx guys! All good ideas, helps open up the old neural pathways..Schelling, I know a guy just like you talked about. Did a house full of tile for me(the house was for his aunt) and a wonderful job. Mud-bedded all the tile, every door was within 3/16" of the top of the tile, and I didn't have to trim a single one. I couldn't believe it!Tried like Hell to get him to do some more work for me, but he said it was just too far to travel since he had more work than he could do within 30 minutes of his front door.Now, maybe if I offered him something interesting to do and a little more money.....Thanx again, guys! Keep 'em coming..Bill
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Have an interesting opportunity for a house we're pricing:
Customer wants a finish floor of stained concrete panels separated by a wood strip grid appr. 3' square. This is going over a radiant heating system embedded in 1 1/2" of gypcrete on top of an engineered floor system(I-joists) with 3/4" Advantech subfloor. Unfortunately, she picked this up from a magazine picture with no details.
I've gotten this far:
1) floor system designed to l/700 or better deflection to minimize possibility of cracking
2) will probably do concrete as a 3-coat Portland stucco system with a good dose of acrylic admix over self-furring lath to keep curing cracking to a minimum
3) 1x? wood grid will probably have to be cypress, ipe, teak, or some other naturally rot-resistant species
Need suggestions for:
1) attaching gridwork to gypcrete without penetrating radiant tubing
2) how to place and finish the stucco without trashing the wood
3) how to stain the stucco without ditto
Any of you guys ever do anything like this? I toyed with the idea of using lightweight concrete for the panels instead of the expense of a 3-coat system, but I'm afraid that pouring such a thin slab will surely result in cracks. I'm also not sure if lightweight concrete can take a steel-trowel finish. Are there precast panels available in these sizes?
I know this is not gonna' be cheap, but I would like to do it as cost-effectively as possible.
Any help would be extremely appreciated.
Thanx,
Bill