Radiant Floor Instructions
If you don't like the feel of cold bathroom or kitchen flooring against your bare feet, you can install radiant flooring in the room when you install new flooring. Radiant flooring tends to work best under flooring which conducts heat well, such as tile, but you can install it under most types of flooring. Unlike traditional radiant heating systems, which feature water piped through tubes, most radiant flooring systems are electrical and feature a wire mat that heats the floor in a similar fashion to an electric blanket. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Broom
- Vacuum
- Measuring tape
- Scissors
- Radiant mesh flooring
- Wire tester
- Staple gun
- Staples
- Self-leveling thin-set mortar
- Tile or other heat conductive floor covering
- Thermostat
Instructions
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1
Sweep your sub-floor clean until it's free of any dirt or debris. Vacuum the surface of the sub-floor if necessary.
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2
Measure your floor with a measuring tape.
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3
Use a pair of scissors to cut the mesh radiant floor mat to fit the space. Cut around the wires to create your layout. Do not cut through the wires.
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4
Use the tester supplied with your radiant flooring to make sure all the wires are working correctly.
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5
Use a staple gun to staple the mesh to the floor. Only staple on the mesh part of the mat, not on the wires. Stapling the wires can disrupt the flow of electricity. Test your wires again with the tester after stapling if possible.
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6
Mix a batch of self-leveling thin-set mortar large enough to cover the entire floor per the manufacturer's instructions. Pour a thin coat of the mortar, approximately 1/8 inch thick, over the mesh. Let it dry and harden overnight. Make sure you leave the wire leading into the system outside the mortar so you can have it wired to the thermostat later.
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7
Apply tile, stone or another heat conductive flooring covering over your radiant flooring.
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8
Call an electrician to attach a thermostat and wire your radiant flooring system into your electrical system.
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References
- Photo Credit Tile wall image by Pontus Edenberg from Fotolia.com
