Cold granite countertops
Polished and bullnosed-edge premade granite countertop material is dirt cheap in several outlets near San Francisco. I decided to drive down and get enough slabs to do the kitchen and bathrooms for my own house. A local fellow and I installed it with good results and I now have fascinating colors and garnet crystals to look at while I eat my breakfast.
We don’t keep the heat up high in our house and the problem I never considered is the stone is cold. Sometimes uncomfortably cold to rest your elbow on and I’ll tuck a section of the newspaper under my elbow. Life is rough, you say.
I left the breakfast bar slab unglued for now until I learn if some sort of tile heat mat would be practical. But if the house is cool would the heat run constantly? A timer perhaps?
Does anyone know if warming mat is a practical idea, that won’t cost a fortune to run?
Replies
There is a electronic programmable thermostat for the electric floor heating mats. Also, the heating mat has a thermostat that operates on the temperature of the mat/floor, not just the air temperature.
I see no reason why it wouldn't work, but I've never heard of it being done before. Those mats are fairly low wattage- they wouldn't take that much energy to run. Same as a couple lightbulbs.
zak
"When we build, let us think that we build forever. Let it not be for present delight nor for present use alone." --John Ruskin
"so it goes"
How about a table cloth.
Don't know what the thermal conductivity of granite is offhand (but I'd guess pretty good), the point being I wonder if you'd have to apply so much heat to the underside that by the time it worked it's way up with the thermal mass and all if you would screw up your seams. Is it really worth all the fuss?
PaulB
http://www.finecontracting.com
PaulBinCT
I'm not certain that you really understand thermal dynamics (Trust me I'm no expert either).
but while aluminum will heat up quickly it will also cool down as quickly.. same with granite it will heat up slowly and cool down slowly the amount of BTU's radiated should be the same..
We heat our floors, our towel racks and our blankets.. If a person has an issue with cold countertops why shouldn't they be allowed to warm them as well?
(Trust me I'm no expert either).
Neither am I, which is likely why I had a mental image of some IR heat lamps in uplighters on a fan timer switch (since I just had to get that 60s bronze hanging fixture with the orange "heat" bulbs retro image out of my head . . . <g>)Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
If you go and heat the counter tops, you wont be able to roll pastry, etc, on them cause they will be to hot,,,
Bud
That would take some time to heat up, but the floor heating mats don't go up very high. In other words, you couldn't ever get the heating elements to hurt the granite or substrate, you'd just need to have the timer go on and shut off a little earlier than you needed it to.
I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work, but it's hard for me to imagine it being a big enough deal to put in the heating element. I think that about a lot of stuff though.zak
"When we build, let us think that we build forever. Let it not be for present delight nor for present use alone." --John Ruskin
"so it goes"
Came across this article in Plumbing & Mecanical Magazine:
Radiant Opportunities
John Siegenthaler, PE
by John Siegenthaler, P.E.
February 1, 2005
In floor electric mat heating would be pretty cool with a countertop!
Don't worry about the thermal conductivity of the material.....the thermostat is placed right on the material between runs of wire. It would make it warm....and probably make the inside of your cabinet warmer......
But if that's what you are looking for, you could do it for about $300 for 30 square feet including controller. I wouldn't put in a programable controller, just a thermostat. If you would like a recommendation, just post.
Paul,Thanks for your reply about putting tile floor heat mat under granite countertop. Mostly at my wife's request I'm interested in persueing it. I laid electric heat mat in readying for the tiler once and have a pretty good idea whats involved, but if you recommend any particular product I'd like to know. Thank you,Bob Felter
My experience with a heat mat under tile is that there is virtually no lateral distribution of heat. On my floor where the mat ends so does the heat. If your counter has a significant overhang or maybe even just a small overhang it may not heat that portion.
I agree that the tops are cool to the touch.
On the plus side is that food defrosts great by placing the package on the granite. So it works both ways.
Lastly, Didn't your mother teach you to keep your elbows off the table? :-)
Heated granite counter tops have been done before using PEX and hot water, so I don't see why your idea wouldn't work; it's much simpler.
Jerry
At least one manufacturer of electric under-tile heating mats lists warming counter tops as an acceptable use for the product. Can't remember the name, but it's one of the larger ones.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.