Replies

1. 
   davidmeiland | Sep 16, 2007 06:24pm | #1

   Take a look at Roth panels--they are designed  to retrofit radiant over an existing concrete slab.

2. 
   frenchy | Sep 16, 2007 08:15pm | #2

   rhruby,

    Interesting approach,  I take it the loss of height isn't a factor? 

     I think my approach in these circumstances would be either  to use the panels that hold tubing in them designed for this application,  or I would  pour a new floor of cement over the foam.   and then inset the plywood into the wet cement.

    If Height was critical I would jack hammer up the old floor and start over properly..   if it's an older floor you can do it in as little as three hours using a rental jack hammer I think about $50-sixty bucks ought to do it..

1. 
   plumbaris | Sep 17, 2007 02:35am | #3

   if you can eliminate the plywood, that way you can keep the temp of the water lower an be more efficient. in the long run beating out the floor installing insul, tubing and repouring is the way to go.

2. 
   Piffin | Sep 17, 2007 02:37am | #4

   or as much as twenty hoursI'd figure eight to demo it and eight to pick up and haul it plus dump costs. 

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

1. 
   frenchy | Sep 17, 2007 03:56am | #6

   Piffin,

     You obviously have more experience doing this than I have.. I have done it about three times.. once in my youth it took me about 4 hours of work (and I screwed off complaigning another 4 hours  <G>) Once I did it and the concrete was amazing poor shape while it looked solid that took me less than an hour and I had it loaded with a skid steer inside another 30 minutes..  the last time was for my nephew and it took me two hours.  (he tossed it into the dumpster by hand as fast as I broke it up) ..

    I'll admit that when I was selling air compressors I learned a few "tricks" that allow me to bust up concrete without a lot of effort and pretty quickly..

    All bets are off if there is rebar involved..

1. 
   Piffin | Sep 17, 2007 04:20am | #7

   yep, there can be lots of differences for how hard it is, access and if there is rebar. I was assuming a decent concrete hardness and some steel, which is how I find it usually. 

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

3. 
   Piffin | Sep 17, 2007 02:42am | #5

   If you do go over the old, you want to use the foil plates to disperse the heat to full contact with the underside of the ply or to use the ply subfloor made for setting the Pex in it.

    

    

   Welcome to the
   Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
    where ...
   Excellence is its own reward!

4. 
   shelternerd | Sep 17, 2007 05:24am | #8

   I have a floor like this on my studio. except it's a tower with 3/4 ply then foam and 2x4 sleepers with tubing 8" oc between the sleepers and 1x4 t&g pine for the finished floor. Works fine considering the tower has twelve large windows in a 15 x 15 foot space. It does get cold in NC occasionally.

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