Installing a Heated Concrete Floor in Morton Barn

[@geraldhartman2336]

2 1/2 years later and it's still a great video. 👏🏻 Well done - good camera work, and the narration was informative without being repetitive. Kudos. ...and the barn looks great, too. 👍🏻

[@ironpoopie6087]

I like the radiant heat approach. Congrats on your Barn, great job!

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

thank you

[@mikeblass8919]

Awesome Barn, well thought out and executed. Next time, think about using a concrete pump.

[@kz6fittycent]

Man, I'd live in that barn! Very nice.

[@ChristopherRIdleyUK]

thanks for excellent tutorial. never forget each little detail helps. remember some of your viewers havent a clue!

[@faronf2006]

I would love to have a shop this size . Thanks for posting .

[@rcaso9561]

Thank you for sharing and going through the process step by step and in good detail, very helpful!

[@kathleendircks5577]

Very nice barn. Only thing I’ve seen done differently is rebar first and attach tubing to the rebar. Also, red ipex for hot water tubing(?)

[@michaelmolter6180]

Interesting that you put the PEX right on the foam. Guarantees its at the bottom of the slab where you wont hit it when cutting control joints, and gives you something to set your rebar on. On the other hand, your creating voids on the weak, tension side of the slab. I wonder how big of a factor that is? Might do this on my house.

[@dws26072]

I really enjoyed watching this. Thanks for sharing.

[@ignusa749]

I would to have added a couple more zones for apron heating.. nice to not have to shovel snow and ice off the outside pads!! you can also have solar preheat for the floor heat as well!! save on your heating bill!! and you can have solar electric to run the pumps... the cool thing is you can add an outside wood boiler to get this off grid!! then use solar power for the pumps and dc pumps.. make your power wall at least 48vdc or higher voltage. well done on the video!! I might to have used a bit more foam at least on the exterior r15 min and thick rock under the sand... and at least 6 inch thick concrete floors.. if not 8 inch.. but then I have super heavy equipment... nice choice on the builder for the building!! the 30x56 they built for us went through an F3 tornado that went right over the building!! last I knew they rated the buildings at 130 mph survival!! we went the full foundation style as we have super high water table.. I wish we would to have done concrete hip wall up at least 18 inches... that cuts down on rain spatter and mice bugs etc... ours ran $38,000.00 back in 1985 with the foundation!! and worth every dime!! now days close cell spray foam the roof and walls!! that sure cuts down on rain noise in a tin shed!!

[@ScoutCrafter]

Awesome job! Looks fantastic! 😀👌

[@ralphvalkenhoff2887]

Keeping the tubes intact during all the traffic must have been a challenge.

[@thegraintruckguy4345]

I have same setup, I retrofitted a 1948 40x60 wood Quonset shed in 2005, tekfoil bubble insulation with cement wire and concrete tubing through aqua therm, tubing is 2-3 inches under surface, 6" cement, 8 zones, heat it with an outdoor boiler, I keep it 50 all winter in North West Indiana, 22' ceiling, 14x18 overhead door and 10x10 overhead door, it's a great type of heat, don't use a ceiling fan, do use a mixing valve in water supply to keep water in concrete about 140 degrees, do a lot of research before committing to it, only get one chance, mine cost $5200 bucks for parts, cement with labor, 44 yards of concrete with 18x15 outside approach in 2005

[@adambailey3257]

Wish I was there, would have learnt so much........

[@JohnMartinez-sm1sk]

Great job on the floor

[@daretoreef]

Can't wait to see the rest of the work. You defiantly know your stuff and that's what I love about your videos. Keep them comeing.

[@greaterdesigns1]

Really good video!

[@johncoates8352]

Nice job. Thanks for sharing.

[@amyking7082]

Would this work well if we wanted say 1/2 the barn heated and created a workshop, but left the other half without?

[@duanedickey7043]

No gravel under your slab? Did you go down a few feet on the edge of your slab for the foam board?

[@toddt8446]

I am almost to this point. My dilema is, I have walls up but wanted to put the foam 2 feet down around the perimeter. I see you only came up from the base of the 2 in foam. how well do you think yhe thermal break is? Any thawing around the shop?

[@samiam9059]

Very interesting to watch. Take it this is the most efficient way for heating the floor? No solar answer to this type of job.

[@davidhamilton8984]

Could use solar to heat the liquid that heats the slab. Why would you say "no solar answer"? www.builditsolar.com/Projects/SpaceHeating/DHWSpaceBoiler/DHWSpaceBoiler.htm

[@martinneps9387]

How would it be if you wanted to put like car lifts in their do you have to put the studs in their 1st in the concrete or how would that work please comment back with the heated floors

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

The concrete is 6 inches thick and yes if you choose to drill into it you have to either have it ultrasounded for piping and or drill less then 6 inches carefully

[@lyon406]

I am looking into this. I plan on welding studs into a 1/2" plate and setting it into the concrete to avoid drilling the PEX. Put it in a depression so the load is spread out. The other way is to use your camera and tape measure to locate an open area, before you pour. Then use your measurements to mark your holes on the curing concrete.

[@starnet36]

Did you test the tubing for water flow before pouring the concrete?

[@williamwallace4879]

Beautiful job!!, what was the total price? Great job!!

[@martinneps9387]

What happens if in time you decide you wanna put up a to post car left that has to be lags down into the concrete how do you find were these heat elements are in the concrete do they have a tool or how do you go about doing it please comment back thank you very much

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

that is little tricky, you have to know how deep you poured the concrete and or drill slow and carefully

[@martinneps9387]

@@RMSpeltzFarm Now with this heated floor can you also use that with the furnish that Burns motor oil please Comment back would like to know thank you so much for this video

[@JenkinsB]

Sweet video, gonna tackle this on my 40'x60' workshop/garage. Did you ever do a vid on the boiler install?

[@kurzhaarguy]

Just ran across this. I'm doing a similar-sized barn this year. Excellent information. Are you available to answer a few questions?

[@frankhartranft2133]

I just found this video. Thanks; very helpful. If you're still answering questions, was it $8k for the insulation and tubing and another $8k for the concrete pour? $16k total for 3575 square feet? I'm trying to assemble a ballpark budget for my similar project.

[@nathanmccorkle4278]

I'm also curious... the barn floor seems way too big for plastic sheet, insulation, tubing, concrete, and labor to be a total of $8k... if so, then I'm in for a nice surprise when I start shopping around for contractors

[@michaelschneider-]

+1. .. In-floor hydronic heating system. .. "You can pay me now, or you can pay me later. .. But you will pay me" .. end quote from a '70's television commercial. .. Our Colorado mountain home renovation budget had a (PEX-ALU-PEX / Buderus) hydronic heat system installed almost 2 decades ago. .. An ultra-comfortable living experience coupled with money savings (utilities) in the bank, decade after decade. .. Don't heat the air, heat the floors/walls !! .. Cheers, nice project video.

[@gmjent5671]

Michael Schneider Agreed ,once you’ve experienced it you will never want to go back

[@mchurch3905]

The control joints only need to be about an inch deep. The floor looks good.

[@williamgoring7605]

I can tell somebody raise his kids the right way in this video like the John Deere toys good touch

[@markusr1308]

How does the foam perform with heavy loads like trucks? I wonder whether the insulation foam gets squished over time and eventually the floor will feel spongy or the concrete cracks.

[@williamgoring7605]

Those poor guys with the wheelbarrows we did a hell of a workout while I've been there and done it Walmart shopping center floor good job looks good I still feel sorry for those guys with the wheelbarrows

[@Xbox360Rules00]

Hi, did you pour the concrete yourselves or did you hired a concrete company. Thank you

[@roosterredemption7005]

I’m in MN and fundraising to do this to our barn before winter. What is the temperature in winter in your barn? Who did the concrete?

[@salmonhunter7414]

Very nice Barn

[@paweldakowicz809]

How much it cost to fit overhead door? Let's say 20 by 15ft?

[@deadfred821]

Drafting plans for a similar project, glad to see some precedent to help give me some direction. One question though; did you preform some kind of pressure test to the pex before the pour?

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

yes fill all the tubes to pressure of the manufacturer and leave pressure in them in the pour incase you damage one you seee pressure drop if concrete bubble to chase down=)

[@coutal007]

Great barn, but i wonder why you install such heating system in a non insulated building?

[@joekaminski8977]

Great video. I am preparing to follow your lead on a 48x64 in Virginia. I am interested in the rebar placement. You said you ran it 3' apart both directions. What size did you use? #4? Also, as you all laid the concrete did you lift the rebar to have it ultimately hopefully centered in the 5" concrete depth? Thank you again for all of your help, Joe

[@williamemmelliv926]

When I put the rebar in my floor it was 12" and zip tide the pex to the rebar and the rebar was on chairs depending on the thickness

[@PBS-nm1uu]

interested in the radiant heating system set up?

[@trixdeed]

Nice video. I was thinking of doing this to my garage. I am in northern MN, what do you figure it costs per month mid-winter to heat? I would like to keep mine around 50 degrees.

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

I use 200 gallons propane per season total to keep my concrete warm and not frozen=)

[@martinneps9387]

Just say you wanted to put a A car left in their in you have the heated floors is innate a process to find out where you have the heating um lines or could you hire somebody to show you with a tool or Some sort to let you know where they are please comment back cause I'm looking to put up a garage and I'm thinking about putting a lift in it but I not sure please comment back thank you very much for this video

[@hansvanderveen3323]

Thermal camera and metaldetector

[@comprehendnature2404]

You can get a thermal camera for less than 100 usd, and will be very good.

[@jamiejeffries7181]

No mention of a continuous pressure test on the tubing?

[@nathanmccorkle4278]

he says it was pressurized at 80 PSI the entire time during the concrete work to check for breaks during the concrete work, said they would have seen bubbling in the wet concrete

[@casycasy5199]

great job and video.did you figure out the floor heat tubing or did a plumber.are you going to show the hook up of the boiler to the flooring.is it code out by you to use sand under your floor here in nj we use 3/4 inch stone

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

we were not told the substrate under the floor by code, the sand was outr choice due to the heavy clay the inspector didnt care

[@scottbigger1945]

Dont they use Georgia buggies up there???

[@mainerman6393]

A Late bloomer on the video, but what do you think you spent on vapor barrier? I used zip tape at 25 merica dollars a roll X 4. is it less or expensive the way I did it? ...on sealing the joints of the foam?

[@SandraKopo]

Very informative. What are the dimensions of your barn?

[@sledneck322]

Your barn looks great. I am about to pour concrete in my radiant heated pole barn too. I am torn whether to pour concrete around the 6x6's or frame out so the concrete does not set up around the posts. Have you had any cracking issues around the post? what do you recommend?

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

No issues around the posts with my barn

[@devillecook]

any updates?

[@Adirondacks4me]

Not sure why no one ever talks about the concrete mix, PSI, aggregate (pea stone?), fiber, etc....?

[@jaygrimm3161]

Thanks for the video, very helpful

[@BrownParticles]

I got a couple of questions. Are you using Upanor type A pex? Also, what about anchoring any future equipment into the slab? How are you going to prevent puncturing the radiant floor pipes?

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

+BrownParticles If you need to sink into the slab any anchor bolts unless you mared out area you cant drill anymore then 4 inches into the 6 inch slab. Sorry I forget the A pex I have to look

[@mr.wizeguy8995]

If you know some one with thermal camera or rent it you can see heat pipes and locate area where is safe to drill anchor bolts.

[@flyinpolack6633]

looks great!

[@anonymous_friend]

Awesome barn. I'm still perplexed as to how a small farm/ranch can afford so much stuff. Expensive buildings, expensive heavy machinery. What do you guys do for that kind of income on a small farm?

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

Size is only part of the factor, as DVMs we have learn to max out potential and also rent some land, plus we do Horse Blanket Wash Repair rmspeltz.com business out of the farm, we also do the ReefDVMs, farm chickens, turkeys and make speciality custom hay that we sell to contracted clients

[@alysonemery5287]

ReefDVMs Okay I have to ask, and this may be an ignorant question, what do you mean by DVMs? You're not vets, right?

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

Yes Veterinarian and farmers

[@trek4554]

@@alysonemery5287 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

[@kungfu7706]

Well done!

[@SRH58]

What do you think the cost savings is this way? I'm looking at doing this. We have propane or electricity.

[@rodneylewis184]

did you use 1/2 inch pex tube? i am going to lay a heated floor in my shop with 6" concrete as well,very informative thanks

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

+rodney lewis yes 1/2 inch I believe

[@njcamocutie7085]

Question - besides radient heat, which i think is a given in a barn, what other way would you suggest heating whole unit if it was to be constucted as a home?Im looking to purchase kit and reno into home and unsure which way to go for heating..Forced Hot Water?

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

not sure, most homes up here are radiant water heat in floor or forced air furnace systems

[@briclarke28]

NJ CAMOCUTIE good question I'm looking at doing a pole barn for a house try g to figure out costs

[@joefoley3535]

Gas fired radiant heat

[@believeme5903]

i DON'T SEE THE REBAR

[@xephael3485]

It's the staples! ;-)

[@avionstudios6463]

It's so crazy, I can't believe they did all this work without laying in rebar.

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

there is of lots rebar if you look close as we are pouring hte concrete its laying there to be above the piping as we poured and you can see the 10 ft pieces perpendicular to the piping about 4:47min into it

[@avionstudios6463]

@@RMSpeltzFarm Thanks for the reply....best shot is around 8 minutes. You can see it poking out of the concrete as they're smoothing it. Personally I wouldn't ever go more than 2' spacing. It's something at least, but in all honesty you needed more.

[@abanaestates]

Vapour should have been installed in the warm zone not below the insulation. And pipes should be install to wire meshes for better reinforcement.

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

I have seen in states where the vapor barrier is on the warm side but then you cant staple in Minnesota the pipes to the foam since you cant break your vapor barrier so guess the county rather have it under then full of staple holes lol

[@daviewilson_1]

did you pressure test before the pour

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

We did and we left pressure through the entire pour on the system

[@johnc_canada]

ReefDVMs Keeping it pressurized to spot leaks during the pour is such a great idea!

[@mr.wizeguy8995]

It also doesn't kink so easily when there is pressure inside.

[@Dufffaaa93]

Great vids. One question: Are you going to put insulation on walls and roof?

[@iowamatt2519]

Material cost alone on this floor with foam, rebar, tubing, visqueen, and depending on fill is $13000 minimum.

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

Actually you can get the foam on 11% off at menards for 25$ per foamular 4 by 8 2" panel, our barn took 90 some so about $2300, the rebar is not to bad $2.50 each per 10ft only need about 50 of them is about $150 and the plastic isnt too bad either compared to the foam. The concrete when we had it done was about 6k and we didnt have markup since we did it direct to concrete company, think the whole thing cost about 8k something if you do your own labor, maybe it cost more now since that was 2015 lol

[@iowamatt2519]

Thanks for the reply, I was just curious on price of mud, I live in an area that I've found to be expensive. I've travelled all over US doing concrete for a national chain, and I'm always surpised how much cheaper it is as I head East.

[@leereed219]

What company did you use for concrete? What size is this shop? I'm in Princeton mn and looking for concrete prices comparable to yours, that seems really affordable.

[@stevethorne4978]

How warm can you get the floor?

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

I typically keep it 45 in the main barn, 68 in shop and 50 in the tack room, I dont know the max temp I can push it too

[@donaldcrossley5937]

Just curious, did you install some sort of a thermal break at the slab edges where the door openings are?

[@premierinsulation7252]

I wouldn't think it is necessary for this.

[@mikemarchetta3145]

what did a barn like this cost to build? including the heated floors... Thanks!!

[@pepeman3099]

In Minnesota. That size with heated floors, all work hired out. Probably 40-50k

[@tovahassor6769]

thank you fantastic vedo you mad my job easier to understand

[@iowamatt2519]

Concrete must be cheap where you're at, cuz I'm a concrete contractor and I pay $125 a yard which would be $8000 alone

[@castirondude]

Here in central Texas it's about $110 a yard, plus tax, and the 2" 25psi 4x8 boards are about $50/ea (he says he paid $25 ea)

[@user-zu2bw7ig5v]

castirondude 2" foam is about 30 bucks a sheet at home depot or Lowes

[@michaelmolter6180]

Depends on whether you use Foamular 150 or 250 (different compressive strengths) too.

[@victhomp2909]

Just curious - why would you heat the floor of a barn...?

[@towtruckmafia]

He is a DVM, he probably plans to some doctoring in that barn.

[@coreyd6999]

How much was the concrete? I’m doing a 44x72 barn this spring. Just curious

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

I believe we paid for about 8k and some change for the concrete in that barn, hope that helps. Other areas of the country sound like concrete cost s lot more but up here the local yards were not to bad back then

[@stafonvoncamron]

Did you paint the floor and seal the concrete with a stain blocker?

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

No we didnt sorry

[@jerryquarles1625]

I'm curious as to why you didn't use a pumper truck for the concrete. Lot less traffic over the tubing. Very nice barn. Even tho I'm in central Texas I'm going to use Radiant floor heat in my next house.

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

pumper trucks up here are rented for $350 per 1/2hr so it was just finance deal=)

[@briclarke28]

Did you do any Plumbing?

[@romansten9]

I'm guessing a concrete pump machine would be nice, not just for convenience, but no worries about rolling wheelbarrows over the tubing.

[@jayphillips4058]

+romansten9 You are correct - we do very few of these using wheelbarrows. A line pump is best, better yet is to to boom pump the floor first and then anchor the pole barn in.

[@user-zu2bw7ig5v]

Jay Phillips I agree generally what we do is boom pump it either through the door or they will put the posts in and the wall perlins than we will pour it.

[@shayes325]

Quick question. Did you apply air to ensure the lines did not puncture/collapse while concrete was curing? I see in that final picture that the lines are all hooked to a valve. Also, why did you go with 100ft rather than, say, fewer zones with 250-300 ft? Thanks!

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

The reason we use 100ft was so that each line would be balanced the same and the HVAC recommended more lines to distribute hot heat out faster then just few long lines that cool off at further distances

[@user-zu2bw7ig5v]

ReefDVMs the ultimate length of 1/2" in floor heat tubes is approximately 300 feet.

[@genedameier8746]

Wouldn't it have been easier with a concrete pumping truck instead of wheelbarrows?

[@doug995.]

Your spacing should have been 6 inch centers with the height of your ceiling and your wall thickness.

[@ReeferGil]

So awesome!

[@romansten9]

good video. all the science websites that do testing on vapor barriers with or without foam say that the barrier should be against the concrete. I know that every contractor has different opinions, but that's what the studies are saying. with the foam as another barrier. maybe it's not a real issue

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

+romansten9 I not 100% sure on other methods but our concrete guy told us if we put it on the foam the pex tubing staples or the concrete rocks will tear very small holes in the barrier and the workers might tear it with their boots so to protect the vapor barrier this is how we did it I guess=)

[@scottwebber652]

Never heard of a wheelbarrow issue. No tires flat or handle breaking off lucky u eh !!

[@kellyinfanger9192]

That's why we use more wheelbarrows than people (so a full one is always waiting, and we don't panic if one breaks), metal handled wheelbarrows (yeh, some of the monkeys that work for me will bust a handle), and airless tires. They could have placed it quicker with one more wheelbarrow, and can you imagine their panic if one or even both wheelbarrows went down?!

[@MrJohndeere3720]

thats a nice barn. i could use a shop in that size.. :)

[@tamsenish]

You mean you build it with stress cracks?

[@cdouglas1942]

This channels where the natural cracking goes.

[@BenHollingsworthNE]

This is a great video. I'm considering radiant heat in the barn I'm about to build. You mention that the entire floor cost about $8K. How big is that floor? How much of that $8K was the concrete & rebar (which you'd have anyway), and how much of it was just the radiant equipment?

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

8k is concrete, foam and tubing, the boiler is extra expense but we bought a used one for the barn.

[@BenHollingsworthNE]

Yes, but how much of that $8K was for concrete, and how much was for foam & tubing? How many square feet is that barn? I'm trying to get a feel for how much cost was added to the floor by adding the radiant portion, and how that might translate to a building the size of mine.

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

Oh the tubing is 100ft per roll if I remeber right, that way they are all equal distance for the boiler and there are 11 I believe, the cost was about $40 per roll, the expensive par is concrete and foam which foam is about $25 a sheet 4 by 8 ft type and the barn is 55 by 65 so like 110 sheets cost about $2500 rest concrete cost and labor was free since we did it, oh the clips or staples was about 100$ too and the plastic about 60$

[@castirondude]

What brand were your sheets? I talked to a local Owens Corning dealer and they said the 2" 25psi sheets were about $50 each.

[@tysleight]

castirondude Home Depot has them for $29 a sheet. 2/6/18

[@johndboran]

Near the beginning of your video you said that the 4 mil plastic sheeting is 4 millimeters thick. Sorry, it's not 4 mm thick, it's 4 thousands of an inch thick. Big difference. 4 mm is a little more than an eighth of an inch.

[@Polyester_Avalanche]

Sweet! Your voice sounds like Layne Staley

[@aldenh9560]

Why didn't you go with Morton Buildings Energy performer fully insulated shop building I had one built 48x75 shop and only use two radiant propane overhead heaters and it stays about 60 degrees on the coldest of winter days on less than 150 bucks a month to heat the energy saver package Morton builds is phenominal how it retains heat

[@Midwest_Juli]

What was your total cost to build that?

[@chipsammich2078]

@@Midwest_Juli Each wall of the Morton building cost as much as this guys concrete floor lol..

[@TopNotchTile]

I'd do infloor in MN I've worked in both around here nothing beats a warm floor

[@bluelineisstrong5813]

What state are u from?

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

LudicousGarfield Gaming MN

[@1968dodger2419]

what size is this?

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

55 by 65

[@leepinnguin9682]

Has your cement cracked much in the last 5 years? Just curious how cement did on top of foam insulation.

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

It been great, we had one corner that has crack due the corner moving little and there are few stains on the floor but its held up great even with 8000lb skidsteers in it=)

[@leepinnguin9682]

@@RMSpeltzFarm thank you for the update!

[@jensl.942]

About the vapor barrier: The purpose of the barrier is to stop the water vapor from reaching the colder side of the wall where the water will condense and damage the building materials. Therefore the rule of thump is: The vapor barrier goes on the warm side of the insulation. In this case: on top. Sorry, I think you got that wrong.

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

You certainly can apply the plastic after you lay the foam and staple the tubing in but its a really hard to pour the concrete over it so most contractors up here do not do that since it gets wrecked. If one put the plastic on top of the foam before the piping then the staples punch holes in it which defeats the purpose of keeping the ground moisture from reaching your warm concrete.

[@steventhury8366]

@@RMSpeltzFarm I believe the foamboard itself is a vapor barrier. Maybe you could have taped the foam seams for extra measure, but the plastic underneath has that covered.

[@juicebox853]

Love all the critics in here. Post up your build videos for us to nitpick please.

[@klingerkustom4795]

where's the REBAR

[@pinpointdeadcenterspoton2386]

1) Vapour barrier 2) Concrete foam insulation 3) Wire mesh reinforcement 4) Radiant heating tubing 5) Cement

[@darylherlick2344]

That would be 15k in Ontario just for concrete

[@kossie41]

Great Thanks.

[@tward93]

$8,000 for that floor?! I was just quoted $11,000 by two separate contractors to pour a 30'x30' slab in my pole barn. No heat, no insulation, just simple slab on grade.

[@markc312]

Shit rebar also. That's one solid floor.