Heat in shop ,looking ahead

[Tim Elett]

Looking ahead at keeping the shop floor warm this winter, Indiana winters can be crazy. Mild to cold.The shop is insulated well on sides and ceiling but the floor is a concrete floor,separate from the main garage, but the same floor.
So wondering if I have heat keeping floor warm would be next to impossible or just thinking of more stress mats to stand on,also considered a sub floor if lumber prices come down. Shop is 25by16.

[Charlie Velasquez]

insulated floor over the concrete would isolate your shop space floor from the monolith slab and make standing more comfortable.

Assuming your slab is in good condition, just lay compressive strength styrofoam down and cover with advantech osb panels, glued or not as you see fit (I would, at least spot glue the tongues)

[Jon Snider]

I have a Rinnai older model in my garage, uninsulated with concrete floor, and a newer model Rinnai ES38 (I think) in my newer wood floor insulated shop. Both work great and keep me warm with almost no noticeable change in gas bill. The shop heater is on a Honeywell thermostat connect by wireless to an app on my phone so I can leave it at 40 degrees (the only thermostat I found which would go that low) and then turn it up an hour before I go out. Others praise the mini splits but I have no need for AC in Colorado. Open doors and fans work well in the summer.

[Jim Becker]

Warming the floor can be done via radiant means...either in-floor or from overhead. The former is more impractical if the floor exists although it is possible to do it. What I'd be more likely to do in your situation is to put down sleepers with high R value insulation foam panels between them and lay a nice floor on top of that. Put in a minisplit to condition the whole space four seasons. If you have about 2" of available headroom, you'll have a more comfortable floor, both for temperature as well as for "under-foot".

[Jack Frederick]

Jon, your older heater may have a “frost” button on it. If so you can program it down to 38* in 2* increments. You should definitely set it for some temp as it helps in power outage re-starts. Your EX38 has a “set-back” feature which is essentially only a name change for the function. Check your manual for setting.
The trouble with low btu radiant, which is what this building will have is that you can’t find a small enough boiler to run it. You will be in the 20kbtu range on this and if well insulated, perhaps smaller. A Rinnai EX17 or better yet the 22 will walk away with this, take two hours to install and they are very durable. They are not cheap, but you get what you pay for.

[Bob Riefer]

Warming the floor can be done via radiant means...either in-floor or from overhead. The former is more impractical if the floor exists although it is possible to do it. What I'd be more likely to do in your situation is to put down sleepers with high R value insulation foam panels between them and lay a nice floor on top of that. Put in a minisplit to condition the whole space four seasons. If you have about 2" of available headroom, you'll have a more comfortable floor, both for temperature as well as for "under-foot".

In one area of my shop, I did this with 3/4" furring strips, topped with 3/4" subfloor, 3/4" rigid foam insulation in between. It's very solid and very comfortable, and makes me want to do the rest of my shop like this.

In my case, I affixed the furring strips to the concrete with liquid nails only (no mechanical fasteners) and then used screws to hold the plywood to the furring strips. It has never warped or twisted at all, and if I ever change my mind I won't have to patch the concrete.

[Charlie Velasquez]

Really see no need for sleepers any longer. Foamular panels give R-5.5 per inch so about an r-8 for a 1.5” sheet and has compressive strength of up to 100 psi.
Even a 25 psi panel covered by a stiff advantech osb sheet of 3/4” would disperse a point load enough to support all but the most ardent Old Iron enthusiast.

The disadvantage is 2x4 sleepers means about 25% of your floor would be r-1.8 while not providing any real necessary support advantage.
If you are worried about deflection, consider a foamular board with a greater psi rating and a thicker osb panel.

Edit: About where in Indiana? I am a transplanted Hoosier. Been in Iowa since ‘75, but I still root for any Indiana team when they play any Iowa team.

[Bob Riefer]

Really see no need for sleepers any longer. Foamular panels give R-5.5 per inch so about an r-8 for a 1.5” sheet and has compressive strength of up to 100 psi.
Even a 25 psi panel covered by a stiff advantech osb sheet of 3/4” would disperse a point load enough to support all but the most ardent Old Iron enthusiast.

The disadvantage is 2x4 sleepers means about 25% of your floor would be r-1.8 while not providing any real necessary support advantage.
If you are worried about deflection, consider a foamular board with a greater psi rating and a thicker osb panel.

Edit: About where in Indiana? I am a transplanted Hoosier. Been in Iowa since ‘75, but I still root for any Indiana team when they play any Iowa team.

Good info! Make me want to consider doing the rest of my shop even more now. Thanks!

[Tim Elett]

Thanks all for the help I like Charlie's idea, Charlie I am north of Fort Wayne,Angola to be accurate. Winter used to be ice fishing time but I enjoy staying warm and turning more now

[Charlie Velasquez]

Thanks all for the help I like Charlie's idea, Charlie I am north of Fort Wayne,Angola to be accurate. Winter used to be ice fishing time but I enjoy staying warm and turning more now

Grant Co. ..... My sister had a lake house on one of your lakes till she moved to Alabama. My best man and maid of honor were from Ft. Wayne.
Back in the '70's when returning from Ft. Wayne on I-69 in my '68 Camaro I use to open it up. My goal was 140+.
But, I always chickened out at about 120.

[Tim Elett]

They drive about that fast now it seems🙄

[Tim Elett]

Anyone ever used laminate flooring for a wood shop? Think it would be to slippery even with rubber mats,or would paint be better.

[Jim Becker]

Anyone ever used laminate flooring for a wood shop? Think it would be to slippery even with rubber mats,or would paint be better.

I would consider some of the textured vinyl products, but would be loath to use the shiny stuff because of potential slip and fall.

[Alan Gage]

We've had overhead radiant in our full time auto repair shop with non-insulated slab for 20 years. Before that it was forced air. The difference was very dramatic. No more cold feet! Not to mention improved comfort and more even heating. I'd start there. This is in Northern Iowa.

Alan

[Scott T Smith]

One option that I have not seen mentioned is to insulate on top of the current shop floor, and use subfloor panels such as Warmboard on top of the insulation that are designed for radiant heating.

I have radiant heated floors in my current shop and they are absolutely fantastic in the winter time.

[Tim Elett]

Thanks, this got me looking at a insulated under lament, I am talking about a 500 sf shop, so I need to watch the cost.