coloring your concrete world
Lightweight concrete is susceptible to cracking. Because of the potential of lightweight concrete to crack over a wood substraight we recommend our Gypsum concrete when planning on using tile or engineered hardwoods as the majority of your floor coverings. Gypsum concrete is a self leveling and crack resistant product. Please refer to the cracking limitations letter.
Yes. There are many options for coloing and texturing lightweight concrete. Our decorative concrete floors are a cost effective alternative to tile, hardwood and carpet; therefor saving you money to put towards your radiant heat system. Feel free to contact us if you would like a brochure on our decorative concrete floors.
You can either call our office or e-mail us (contact information found on our home page) and tell us about your project. We will need to know where your project is, how much square feet, the depth at which it needs to be poured at, and what type of product you are looking for. If you are unsure of what product you would like, we will happily give you an estimate for each so that you can compare them.
We have had 95% success in avoiding cracks by using:
If cracking is a problem we come back and fill the cracks with a high psi polymer fill.
These are two different products. Lightweight concrete has no R-value because of the amount of aggregate, therefore it is not very strong.
Lightweight concrete at 1 1/2″ is 15lbs. per square foot. Gypsum concrete at 1 1/2″ is 14lbs. per square foot.
When using lightweight concrete the concrete needs to be dry before turning on the radiant heat tubes. The length of drying time will depend on many factors, such as the weather outside, and could take as short as one week, or as long as one month. When using Gypsum concrete the radiant heat tubes can be turned on the same day. The faster Gypsum concrete dries the harder the floor will be.
These are the only gypsum concrete products you can use with radiant heat. A heat inhibitor is used so the Gypsum concrete does not break down over time. Do not allow a contractor to do an installation without using one of these three products.
Accu-Crete™ is a registered trademark of Allied Marketing and Allied Custom Gypsum.
GYP-SPAN® is a registered trademark of Hacker Industries, Inc.
Therma-Floor® is a registered trademark of Maxxon® Corporation.
AccuCrete Radiant has a PSI rating of 2500 to 3800.
Hacker Gyp-span Radiant has a PSI rating of 1800 to 2500.
Maxxon Therma-Floor has a PSI rating of 1600-2500.
Cost Effective: Lightweight concrete is significantly lower in cost than gypsum concrete.
More Durable: More resistant to moisture.
Strong enough to be the finished floor (colored concrete).
Dries Faster.
Will not need waterproofing or bond enhancing sealant.
More than twice the thermal conductivity (K-Factor)… Compare Gypsum concrete at 5.4 K-Factor and Thin Slab concrete is 12.0 K-Factor.