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Cowracer
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# Posted: 1 Mar 2022 11:49
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Most of what I did on Cabin 1.0 worked well, but the floors/foundation was something I was never happy about. Luckily Cabin 2.0 will be on a very level spot so I have a couple of options and I'd like opinions. (again, this cabin is being built out of one-half an existing camper size pole-barn type carport. Here is the best picture I have of underneath it)
Option 1- Wood frame the floor. The ground is level and compacted enough that I could put a few piers in to support an I-beam in the center, and then frame up a floor in the usual way with a small crawl space. The perimeter posts (6x6) are already there, on 8' centers, so I could run the header boards right off that, and then run the stringers to the I-beam from both sides. This way would be cheaper and I could do all the work myself. Drawback is the floor will be raised up about a foot of so off grade, meaning I'd have to have a step or two at the front door. Not a terrible thing,but not exactly what I was thinking. I do have plenty of roof height, so raising the floor is not an issue.
Option 2 - Go concrete. It would be less 'work' for me as I would have to get a contractor in to do it. It would be solid as hell for building on, and no step-up to get in cabin. But it would cost quite a lot more. But one other advantage is...
Option 2b - I have a good friend who built his full-time residence at the lake, and he did concrete slab, but put in a hot-water system in it. That is his only source heat for the house and he is really trying to talk me into going that route. We do use the lake lot year round, and he says its cheap enough to run that we could leave the heat system on the whole winter and not use that much electricity.
Right at this exact moment, I could really flip a coin on what way. I don't know what option would serve me best in the future. I'd like to hear whatever ideas you guys might have.
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jhp
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# Posted: 1 Mar 2022 12:04 - Edited by: jhp
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Concrete, all the way.
With floor drains in every room LOL. Ok maybe thats just my ideal floor.
Ok really though...yeah my dream "cabin" has concrete floors everywhere. Simple, durable. Maybe dyed brown or dark grey but thats about it. No fancy sealants.
Basic cut and bound carpets for living room and bedrooms.
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Steve_S
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# Posted: 1 Mar 2022 12:08
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Well, I have to vote for a Frost Protected Slab Foundation with Radiant Pex within. 4" thick slab with 8" deep x10" wide edge all around.
My Radiant System (DIY Kit) Came from https://www.radiantcompany.com/ with the essentials already pre-mounted & pressure tested on 3/4" Plywood, which was all very well packed up. They will help you design the setup and get all the gear to you are Very Affordable Prices !
* As that is not going to be a 365/7/24 Residence, I would suggest an Isolated System using Propylene Glycol (non-toxic/domestic use).
The insulated Slab also acts as a Thermal Regulator in summer as it will remain cooler than the ambient temps and so everything inside the structure remains cooler.
Case in point, it can be 40C/104F outside & it has never gone above 28C/82F inside of the cabin. No AC or Fans, just doors & windows open. The radiant Floor itself has never gone above 18C/65F in summer and so it regulates internal temps.
Do remember, that my walls have 5-1/2" of EPS-II foam between the studs and I have 7-1/2" of PolyISO between the rafters (Cathedral Ceilings) and use a Cool Roof System along with a RainScreen Siding setup which creates a thermally broken envelope around the building.
FYI: In Winter when it is -30C/-22F my heating system runs 3x a day for 2 hours to maintain an internal temp of 25C/77F Slab Temp which translates to 22C/72F Air Temp. This is programmable and I am playing with it a bit but these are averages that are consistent.
Nothing like stepping out of the shower onto a Warm Floor or crawling into a warmer bed because everything in the structure is the same temp as the floor. I can certainly tell you that Old Bones LOVE IT !
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Brettny
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# Posted: 2 Mar 2022 09:25
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Quoting: Steve_S YI: In Winter when it is -30C/-22F my heating system runs 3x a day for 2 hours to maintain an internal temp of 25C/77F Slab Temp which translates to 22C/72F Air Temp. This is programmable and I am playing with it a bit but these are averages that are consistent
How long does it take to come up to temp if you lower it if not there durring the week?
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Cowracer
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# Posted: 3 Mar 2022 11:39
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Quoting: Brettny How long does it take to come up to temp if you lower it if not there durring the week?
My friend with the system in his house says 3 days. But that's pretty much with the heat source running 100% for those 3 days. It's way cheaper to leave it running non-stop than for a week or even two than to shut it down and start it back up.
Tim
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Cowracer
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# Posted: 3 Mar 2022 11:42 - Edited by: Cowracer
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Quoting: Steve_S Nothing like stepping out of the shower onto a Warm Floor or crawling into a warmer bed because everything in the structure is the same temp as the floor. I can certainly tell you that Old Bones LOVE IT !
I had a neighbor once that put the first radiant heat system I ever saw in his un-attached garage. He was and elderly gent, and it scared his wife one day when he didn't answer the intercom for lunch. She went out and found his unresponsive body under the truck he was restoring. Turns out the warm floor was just too cozy, and he fell sound asleep. She thought he was dead. 
Tim
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Steve_S
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# Posted: 3 Mar 2022 13:12
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Hahaha falling asleep on the floor or probably the creeper.
As for time to warm up the floor, that's been a few years, back to when I was still making it liveable. I can tell you that it ran pretty much a whole day to get to temp & stabilize BUT I also had the Woodstove going because I was working and uninterested in doing it in the cold.
A friend who lives PT at his place - about 50/50 in Winter and 90/10 in summer leaves his radiant on at 5C/40F and calls that "Weekend Mode" for when he is away and that does not take too much to get up to temp. His place is also a Single Zone system as the Cabin is only 650 square feet.
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paulz
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# Posted: 4 Mar 2022 04:30
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My city house, 1,600sf, built in 1955, has copper pipe radiant heating in the slab. Amazingly still intact. I used it when we lived there full time. Expensive to run, gas boiler and electric pump, but nice. Don't run it now that we spend at least 50% of our time at the cabin, because of the as mentioned warm up delay. Use a woodstove, gas wall heater instead.
Anyway glad to see you back Cowracer.
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