Flooring Types Over Radiant Infloor Heating

• Radiant in floor heating allows the floor to heat the room. Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

  Radiant floor heating involves a series of pipes set into a concrete slab. A liquid medium circulates between the pipes and a heat source (often a series of solar water panels). The liquid, which can be water in a temperate climate or a glycol solution where outdoor temperatures drop below freezing, heats up in the panels and then circulates through the pipes, where it warms the concrete slab and is passively distributed through the living space.

Paint

• The easiest and least expensive way to finish a concrete slab that contains radiant in-floor heating pipes is to paint it. If you are planning to do this, you will want to finish the slab with a power trowel at the time of pouring to leave an even, smooth finish on it. You can then treat the concrete with muriatic acid to ensure that the paint you put on it will stick. A painted concrete slab is still as hard as concrete, so it may be more appropriate for a shop or work area than a living space.

Tile

• Tile will provide a more finished and attractive surface than paint, and it is easy to apply to a flat concrete slab. The radiant heat infuses the tiles along with the concrete slab, and heat will expand into the living area just as effectively. It is advisable to leave the slab for several weeks prior to applying the tiles, to give it time to cure effectively and to allow much of the moisture to evaporate from it before you add the tiles.

Wood

• Wood finish flooring over a concrete slab will make the floor surface more forgiving for bare feet and dropped glasses. Like tile, wood will make a negligible difference in the ability of the ambient heat to infuse the living space. You don't need to worry about the wood blocking the rising heat. Allow the slab to cure completely before applying a wood floor over it. If moisture still emerges from the slab after you apply the wood, it may cause the wood to shrink and swell. This may leave gaps between the flooring if it becomes too dry or cause it to buckle if it becomes too wet and swollen.