[Beepster]

I have done a good amount of remodeling, but this is the first time I will be installing in floor heat. I plan on covering the wires in self level concrete before I tile.


My question is: whether to go with the mat system or just go with the wire without the mat?


I have a pretty basic "L" layout that is approximately 40 sq ft with the electric coming out in the middle, back of the "L". What I am looking for is the simplest way even if more time consuming. I have Durock mortared and screwed to two layers of subfloor.



I am leaning to the wire over the mat. I question whether the mat will lay completely flat for pouring self leveler when you are cutting and turning. It seems to me that laying the wire with the grids is much simpler and you can space house you need to fit the space.


Any recommendations from people who have done this? I was looking at SunTouch. Any recommendations?


Beep

 

[ktownskier]

I have used both, they work equally well. I usually go by which is cheaper for the space I want to do.

The only thing I would suggest is to put in multiple floor sensors. I have bad luck with them and they tend to go bad so it is nice to have back ups in place.

 

[Beepster]

Do you mean embed a few different floor sensors in the self level and just leave loose in the box?



How the heck do you replace a floor sensor if you don't look forward like this?


Any particular brand you like for the just-wire method?



B

 

[Chris616]

Before we did three floor tiling projects in our current house reno I did a lot of research of “uncoupling membranes” and used the Schluter DITRA product. We have hydronic floor heat so electric heating was not required, but if it was I would have used DITRA-HEAT. It makes it simple to integrate the heating cables with the uncoupling membrane.

Chris

 

[ktownskier]

Ditra is a good one like Chris mentioned
3

 

[Beepster]

I am sure it is. I wasn't looking to "uncouple". I have Durock down and am going to encase the in floor heat in self level. I was looking for feedback on the wire alone versus mat with wire.


B

 

[jeffnc]

Ditra would be the best system, but then you'd have wasted that Durock. Of course if you had asked earlier I would have told you to use Ditra instead of Durock anyway, even without using heat. (Modern uncoupling mats have basically made cementitious backerboards obsolete.) So of course it kills 2 (or 3) birds with one stone. At this point Ditra Heat might be too expensive for you.