Installing a radiant floor heating system in a concrete floor

Radiant floor heating systems work on the principle of heat transfer between different materials. Concrete floors are very durable and can be used for radiant floor heating panels. Installing a radiant floor heating system is very cost-efficient and will produce no noise in the process.

You can choose between two types of radiant floor systems: tubing and panels. The costs differ and you should choose the best for your needs. Here is a list of the tools and materials that you will need:

Radiant floor heating
Smoothing float
Reinforcing steel
Gravel
Poly-ethylene (plastic)
Concrete mix
Sandpaper

Polyethylene and electric panels

Lay the polyethylene on top of the gravel. To prevent any moisture from being transferred, cover 4-5 inches of the wall with the protective layer. The panels will be placed on top of the polyethylene plastic. If you are using heating panels, lay down a bar of reinforcement steel over it.

Radiant floor heating

Connect the heating panels to the main electrical circuit of the house, and attach the thermostat controller to it. In case you are using tubes, attach them to the main boiler of the house. Make sure that you attach the pipes well to prevent leaks.

Concrete

Spread the concrete mixture over the radiant floor heating. The layer must be even and 3 inches thick. Smooth out the layer of concrete. Wait until the concrete dries.

Sanding the concrete

Now it’s time to polish and sand the concrete layer. To give the concrete a final touch you can use sandpaper.