We build a bathhouse ourselves from A to Z. Budget sauna: how to get noticeable savings without losing comfort

Since ancient times, the bathhouse has been glorified and was an integral part of Russian folklore. It is often called a place to cleanse the body and soul. It’s especially nice to have your own steam room summer cottage or in a private house, which is quite easy to build with your own hands without outside help.

Peculiarities

A bathhouse is a place with a special comfort and aura, which requires careful compliance with the conditions, rules and stages of construction. There is a wide variety of materials on the modern market, thanks to which the construction of a steam room can be carried out very quickly and quite cheaply.

To build it yourself, you need to think through several points.

• Place of the future bathhouse. Its location should not be chosen at random. There are a number of instructions and tips that will help you decide on the territory for future construction.
• What will the foundation be laid from, what shape will it be.
• Dimensions of the building. Masters advise calculating the area in such a way that each person has approximately 3–4 square meters. m. For this reason, it is necessary to think in advance about the approximate number of people who will visit the bathhouse.

• Material, quantity, purchase.
• Select the type of heating (electric boiler or traditionally - wood). A traditional Russian bath requires a real stove. Modern steam rooms are increasingly equipped with an electric heater, which quickly warms the room to a given temperature, and also does not require constant maintenance of the fire.
• Finishing and accessories. It's always nice to be in a beautiful and clean room. This also applies to the bathhouse. Exterior decoration plays an important role. High-quality and skillful design will always contribute to complete physical relaxation and peace of mind. Don’t forget about bath accessories (buckets, brooms, hats and others). Of course, without them you can have a good steam and wash, but there are special occasions in life when “bath romance” is simply necessary.

You can start work only when the owner has decided on all the stages. Otherwise, this process may drag on for a long time without exact dates to the end.

Experienced masters in the construction of baths advise carefully thinking through all the details and not rushing during construction. Especially when you do it yourself. It takes a lot of effort to make this place truly a real bathhouse, and not just a room where you can wash yourself.

Where to place it?

The location of the bathhouse is one of the most important issues. The convenience and comfort of using it depends on this. It is also important where it is planned. Many people think that this could be any plot in a country house, the basement of a private house, the roof or basement of a high-rise building.

There is a large number of rules, which are primarily aimed at the safety of a person and his home (if it is near the future bathhouse).

• It is advisable to make the bathhouse a separate building, since poorly done waterproofing can dampen adjacent rooms. If the area of ​​the plot allows, then it is best to place it 8–10 m from the main house. If this is not possible, then you can make it in the form of an extension to the house. Very convenient when it is in the backyard.
• Particular attention should be paid to drainage and water supply. The bathhouse should be located at least 25–30 m from the well or borehole. This is due to the fact that the steam room is a direct point of contamination of water, which should not flow along the ground, but into a specially designated drain.
• It’s good when there is a body of water 30–40 m away. It is not worth placing closer, as a flood may occur and the structure will be flooded.

• It is not recommended to locate this building next to a road. This regulation is more about ethics than safety. It's not always pleasant when strangers can see you naked.
• The bathhouse should not border on nearby areas, so as not to cause discomfort to neighbors when the owners decide to have a good rest and take a steam bath.
• It is advisable that the doors face south and the windows are located on the west side. These tips are related to weather conditions and human psychology. They say that the wind from the north is much colder, so there is a high chance of catching a bad cold. As for the windows, the rays of the setting sun will help you relax and get

A bathhouse is a room with a high temperature inside, then, unfortunately, cases of fire are not uncommon. In this regard, the choice of location for its location should depend on the material from which the foundation and load-bearing walls are made. According to fire safety rules, if a building is made of non-combustible building materials, then it can be located 5–6 m from the living space (house). If this solid wood or part of the steam room has a wooden base or finish, then the distance increases to 8–12 m.

Don’t forget that there are neighboring houses and buildings in the neighboring territory. Their location must also be taken into account, since failure to comply with the standards can lead to unpleasant proceedings, and, as a result, the demolition of the installed bathhouse.

Projects

Not every person can boast of a big house and a huge plot of land. But whether you have a modest or large property, you always want to have your own bathhouse or at least a mini-steam room.

If there is sufficient territory for development, you can create a standard bathhouse, which should have a steam room, a dressing room, a relaxation room (sometimes a swimming pool is made there) and a shower or washing room. There you can wash off the remnants of soap and shampoo, or prepare your body for the heat (people take a warming shower with warm water). Owners of a truly large area can equip the bathhouse with a room for a jacuzzi, massage, billiards and others.

But in a small area, you can easily combine several rooms for construction (dressing room and rest room, dressing room and shower). It is worth noting that this does not make the comfort and coziness in the bathhouse disappear.

Depending on the quadrature you can choose perfect solution. For example, if you can build a bathhouse measuring 3 square meters. m, then a small steam room (about 1.8 sq. m) and a dressing room (1.2 sq. m) can fit there. This space may be enough for one or two people to visit without much discomfort.

The construction area is 6.5 sq. m will fit the same number of rooms, but they will be more spacious. It is better to allocate 3.5 square meters for the steam room. m, and the rest of the space is for the dressing room. Some owners place a small shower in the corner.

If there are 9 or 10 sq. m, you can plan the territory in a more interesting way. It is better to allocate 5 square meters for the “hottest place”. m, which can comfortably accommodate 2-3 people. The rest of the room can be easily divided into a place for changing clothes and a small shower stall.

Bathhouse measuring 12–15 square meters. m is much easier to equip, since you don’t need to cut out every meter. Here you can already give more square footage to the steam room in order to go there with small company(3-4 people), or combine it with a washing room (1 sq. m) and make a large lounge with a table for drinking tea. It is also easy to divide the room into 3 separate rooms: steam room, shower room and dressing room.

When you have room to spread out, it's much easier to share space. It all depends on the preferences of the bathhouse owner. If he loves big companies, then of course it is better to focus on the size of the steam room, because you can relax in the house after all the procedures. But when privacy and bathhouse romance are more valued, then it’s worth considering a relaxation room. There a person can sit in a chair with hot tea, think about life, have a heart-to-heart conversation with a friend, or read a book.

Materials

It is best to do the selection and purchase of materials for building a bathhouse yourself, as you will be able to check its quality before installation. The market is crowded various options. Thanks to this, you can easily build a beautiful, high-quality and budget-friendly steam room with a waiting room. Most masters claim that the material from which the structure of the bathhouse is made (its foundation) does not in any way affect the bathing procedures. In this regard, more attention should be paid to the choice of the internal component, namely the material that will be inside the steam room.

In the minds of most people, a bathhouse can only be made of wood or stone. But it is not so. Materials are improved in their qualities and are also combined depending on the region of residence.

For the southern regions, it is not recommended to use timber or wood for the frame, as there are many pests there (bark beetle, borer beetle, longhorned beetle and others). High temperature and humidity cause mold and mildew to appear. Therefore, the service life is very short - 2–4 years. For the southern part of Russia, the use of stone or brick is recommended. Most often, wood concrete blocks and polycarbonate are used there (for summer bath), aerated concrete, sandwich panels.

For northern regions, wood is more preferable. Due to its natural features, it does not need to be treated with chemicals against pests. For this reason, the bathhouse will be more environmentally friendly.

If it was decided to make frame bath made of wood, then for the walls you will need directly wooden beams (the quantity is purchased based on the project) or wooden sleepers (a fairly cheap building material), insulation and sheathing material. These could be OSB boards. They are pressed sawdust with resin, wax and boric acid.

For the internal cladding, pre-prepared boards are taken, and for the external cladding, lining or eurolining is used. Sometimes (to save money) people use wooden pallets. Thanks to their shape, they can be used to build fairly strong walls. Of course, they will need to be insulated. This option is the most successful for a summer steam room. To build a frame and walls in a brick or stone bath you will need sand-lime brick, shell rock or quarry. Cinder blocks are being used more and more often. As for the external and interior decoration, then the materials may be different.

Sometimes, when possible, skilled craftsmen make a base from a metal container. Construction is progressing very quickly. But there are some nuances here (it is necessary to cut holes for the door, make an additional partition for the steam room itself, and others). All walls are also carefully insulated and sheathed.

The interior decoration of the ceiling in the dressing room can be made of wood species such as alder, linden or pine. If we talk about the ceiling in the steam room, then experts recommend installing lining (it tolerates high temperatures better). It should be from a tree species that does not emit strong-smelling resins (spruce, pine, fir). The best option for this there will be linden, alder, cedar. Under no circumstances should chipboard or fibreboard be used. When heated, they release substances that are harmful to the human body.

Wall insulation also requires special attention. As a rule, the bathhouse is insulated only inside, but it can also be insulated outer layer of this material(into the frame of the building itself). If the building is made of log wood, then the insulation is placed on a lattice frame (lathing). To do this, use mineral wool or other organic insulation materials. In the case of stone or brick bath The same mineral wool is taken, but it is laid in a thicker layer (5–6 cm).

In the steam room itself, after the insulation layer, a vapor barrier must be laid. For these purposes, thick foil or a special self-adhesive three-layer film can be used. It consists of a polyvinyl chloride mesh with two layers of film with small holes for steam removal. For the floor in the steam room, the same wood that was used for covering the walls and ceiling is suitable, and tiles are usually laid in the dressing room. It is convenient to wash and disinfect against fungus and mold.

Important areas

A bathhouse is not just a steam room, but also a place for rest and relaxation. In order to fully restore strength and spiritually cleanse yourself, there must be such areas as a steam room, a change room (dressing room), and a shower. Of course, when the territory is small, there is not enough space for all sorts of extensions, but you can always find a way out. For example, combining functional areas in one room.

A bathhouse without a dressing room is uncomfortable to use, especially if the house is located 10–15 meters away. It is necessary so that a person can calmly undress and prepare for the procedure. This room also plays a big role in the thermal balance. The change house helps not to “lose” the heat from the steam room, and also blocks the path of cold air flows into winter time. On top of that, all bath accessories are stored here: buckets, ladles, various gels and shampoos, bathrobes, caps to protect hair from overheating, slippers and much more. Without this room, using the bathhouse will be uncomfortable and inconvenient. If the size is sufficient, you can put a small table there to drink herbal tea, dry and cool down before going outside.

If we talk about a shower, then according to doctors’ recommendations it must be there. Before entering a hot room, you need to prepare your body - take a warm shower. It will be easier for the body to tolerate sudden changes in temperature, and the pores will open much faster for active sweating and further cleansing. This area does not have to be large (in the form of a shower stall or an installed “standing bath”). One square meter is enough, which can be hung with a curtain. If it is possible to make a large and full-fledged bathhouse, it can be equipped with a separate room for a sauna or a jacuzzi. It all depends on the preferences of the owner.

The most important thing when building a bathhouse with your own hands is to make it as comfortable as possible for your use.

Installation technology

The process of building a bathhouse itself is not difficult if you have a clear plan of action. To achieve a high-quality and beautiful building, there are a number of steps that need to be followed step by step.

• Prepare the area for future construction work. This includes clearing the ground of debris, digging out bushes (if any), removing stone boulders, and leveling the surface (it is necessary to remove earthen mounds or fill deep holes). They also make markings for pouring the future foundation.
• Foundation. It can be different in its configuration and type of installation. Masters recommend columnar or pile.
• Construction of walls and installation of roof. At this stage, walls are built, insulation is laid, holes are made for doors and windows, a roof is built (it is necessary to leave an opening for the chimney).

• Interior decoration of the premises. It is done based on the chosen style. Doors are installed and windows are installed. The room is prepared to accommodate the necessary elements for the steam room and the bathhouse as a whole.
• Installation of a stove and tiered benches in the steam room.
• Arrangement of furniture and accessories.

By strictly adhering to the work plan, you will be able to build a good bathhouse. Experienced builders advise setting deadlines for each stage in advance so that construction does not drag on for many months or years.

Foundation

In the case where a small bathhouse is planned, it is more expedient and cheaper to make a regular strip foundation. The most important thing is to provide good thermal insulation, otherwise the floor will take heat from the room. As a result, condensation may form, and then a number of unpleasant consequences.

Creating a foundation includes several stages.

• Before construction, the area must be cleared and marked. As a rule, 10–15 cm of soil is removed. The boundaries for development are marked with wooden stakes (15–20 cm). A fishing line or twine is stretched between the pegs. The evenness of the corners is checked (they should be exactly 90º).
• Next, the soil is dug out along the marked trajectory to a depth of 60–70 cm (the soil can be thrown into the center, it will still be useful). A layer of sand 10–15 cm thick is poured onto the bottom of the resulting trench and compacted. Sometimes, for greater density, it is slightly moistened with water. After the sand, a layer of granite stone is poured or brick is laid in one layer. This will be the supporting frame for the sheathing, which is made from a thick metal rod and is also laid in one piece.

• Formwork is made from wooden boards. It will serve as a form for pouring cement mortar. In this regard, the boards should be 40–50 cm above ground level.
• The filling solution is prepared in certain proportions: 1 part cement, 3 parts sand and 3 parts small crushed stone. The consistency should resemble sour cream. It must be filled immediately. It is advisable to initially calculate the required amount, otherwise you will end up with a foundation with poorly connected layers.
• For further work you will need a construction vibrator, which can be rented. With its help you need to “shake” the flooded cement mortar so that all the air comes out and the voids disappear.
• The next step is to level the top layer. After 5–6 days, you can remove the wooden sides. The foundation is left in this form until completely dry and bonded. Craftsmen recommend waiting 20–25 days before continuing construction. During this time, the foundation must be watered, otherwise cracks may form due to uneven drying.
• Do not forget about special openings for communications (sewer pipes, electrical wiring). At the pouring stage, the pipes should already be in the planned location.

If you plan to build a large bathhouse, and the site has a complex, lumpy and uneven shape, then it is better to install the foundation on piles. They come in several types: some are curled, while others are “screwed” into the ground. Both options are suitable for a bath.

Before installing it on the site, similar preparatory work is carried out as with a strip foundation. Particular attention should be paid to the issue of ground freezing in winter. Usually this data is verified against SNiP. Based on the information received, a metal pipe with a wall thickness of 3–5 mm is purchased.

Its length should be the sum of the following quantities:

• length of the freezing layer of earth;
• 40–50 cm for “sinking” of piles;
• 50 cm above ground level.

To make it easier to insert the pipe, it is sharpened. Each element is installed in the ground at a distance of 1 m from each other along the perimeter of the building area. It is very important that the piles stand level. To do this, each pipe is leveled using a level (ruler with liquid and scale).

A square “hat” (625 sq. cm) must be welded onto each pile. Holes are made at its ends for installing a reinforced concrete frame. All metal elements must be coated with a solution that prevents corrosion. After this, a layer of sand and gravel is laid and compacted and everything is filled with cement mortar using strip foundation technology. After installing the foundation, you can begin installing the walls.

Walls

In my own way species diversity walls are:

• frame;
• brick;
• from foam block;
• from a log of wood.

For installation of frame wooden walls it is necessary to install the base on the grillage (there must be a waterproofing film under it). After this, racks are mounted at the corners of the future bathhouse. They are fastened with metal corners, and for greater strength, jibs (beams standing at an angle of 45º) are screwed to them.

A wooden beam is installed every half a meter along the entire perimeter with obligatory oblique struts. Do not forget about door and window openings that do not need to be blocked. Between themselves vertical beams fastened horizontally along one line. After the frame of the walls is ready, they can be sheathed. But before that, all the wood is covered with impregnation to prevent rot and mold (black mold is especially dangerous).

Next, insulation, hydrobarrier film and facing material. If brick was chosen for the construction of walls, then it is better to take red. It has the most suitable properties - it does not “pull out” heat, as white brick does.

As a rule, the wall is made with two layers of brick. Work begins from the corners, since the level will be set from them. The layer of fastening cement should not exceed 2 cm. For ease of laying, craftsmen advise stretching the fishing line as a level. A reinforced concrete lintel is laid in place of the future window and door. Next, the walls are built up to the required height.

The construction of walls made of foam blocks is carried out in the same way as with bricks. The only difference is that every 4 rows you need to lay metal mesh. It will give greater rigidity and strength to the wall.

The most interesting, from a work point of view, will be the installation of walls made of logs. It is very important that all trunks have the same diameter (a small error of 1–3 cm is allowed). Before installation, each of them is inspected for defects (knots, bark remaining), and also treated with an antiseptic. Next, “holes” of 1 radius are made on each element. For the very first trunks that are placed at the base, one side is made straight so that they do not “roll.” The further timber is laid like a puzzle. The corners are bound with rope, starting from the floor itself, and all joints between the bars are laid with insulation in the form of a tape.

Roof

Following the instructions for building a bathhouse, the next step after installing the walls will be installing the roof. This process will not take much effort and time.

Select 3 large groups roofs:

• flat;
• single-pitched;
• gable.

The remaining species are variations of the type groups. Professionals advise installing a pitched roof for small baths. If the building is of impressive size, then the functional side of the roof is already selected here (for example, the 2nd floor for a recreation area, made from an attic).

If the walls are built of brick, the first layer (before laying the beams) will be a layer of roofing material as waterproofing. Next, a wooden frame is mounted around the perimeter of the walls using anchors. It will serve as a support for all further structures that make up the “backbone” of the roof. A wooden sheathing of the chosen shape is made on top. Insulation is “inserted” into it and a vapor barrier sheet must be placed. After this work is completed, you can proceed to the external and internal cladding. Inside, it is better to sheathe the ceiling with clapboard or prepared boards.

Floor

The floors in the bathhouse must be given due attention, since people have direct and frequent contact with them.

Like walls, floors come in 3 types:

• wooden;
• brick;
• concrete.

Concrete

Brick is undesirable as a floor because of its physical properties(low heat transfer). It gets very hot and can cause serious burns to your feet. The most commonly used, readily available and durable material is concrete. But you should understand that such a floor is very cold and requires an additional layer of insulation on top.

This option is very easy to install.

• First, sand is poured onto the finished foundation (at least 15 cm). Next, crushed stone or gravel is laid in a uniform layer of 10 cm. Do not forget about the drain, under which you need to leave a place and remove the pipe, and it must go into the drain or septic tank.
• After laying the “pillow”, a primary layer of concrete of 5–7 cm is poured. When it dries, you should begin laying insulation (mineral wool, perlite, foam) and waterproofing. A reinforced mesh is placed on top of them.
• When the mesh is secured, the floor can be poured. Experts advise taking a ready-made mixture, since it is difficult to make it yourself. It is recommended to start work from the corners towards the door. As soon as the floor is dry, you need to start laying the floor covering. This can be tile, laminate and other materials.

Tree

The most practical and comfortable floors for a bathhouse are wooden ones. They come in two types.

• Those that pass water through themselves into the drain hole (lattice or leaking). This is the simplest and cheap option floors No insulating material is needed for their installation. They are made in the same way as a regular floor, only they leave a gap between the boards being laid and the floor with a hole for drainage of 5–10 cm. To do this, an additional frame is installed, on which the wooden covering is mounted. The most important thing is to properly treat the wood to prevent rotting and dampness. As a rule, such a floor is made in the steam room itself.

• Stationary floors (not leaking). Usually they are done in a dressing room or relaxation room, but they can also be done in a steam room. First, drainage is done so that there is a complete drainage of water. Next, identical preparation of the floor is done, as in the case with concrete. Then the insulation with waterproofing is laid, and a finished wooden floor is laid on top of it. It is very important to coat all cracks and joints with sealant.

Wiring

It is worth immediately noting that only a person who has knowledge and skills in the field of electrical engineering can do the wiring themselves. It will be very difficult for a beginner in this matter, even if he follows the step-by-step instructions.

Installation of electrical wiring must be carried out in a strict and clear sequence.

• Grounding everyone metal structures, housings of electrical appliances or gaskets to protect yourself and people from electric shock.
• Connecting the power cable. In rooms where there is no contact with water, it is laid in special plastic boxes. Where there is water or steam, it is laid in PVC pipes.
• Cable distribution in rooms with no access to water. From distribution box The wire is laid along the same plastic gutters. Next, a through hole is made in the wall, where the lamp will be in another room, and connected to it. It also connects to the switch. A metal sleeve must be inserted into the passage for the wire in the wall and filled with a non-flammable composition.

• Supplying electricity to the steam room. It is worth noting that the presence of a distribution box and switches inside it is strictly prohibited. In this room it is recommended to use low voltage lighting. It is also necessary to reduce the voltage of the electricity flow; for this, step-down transformers are used. The cable that will be inserted into the steam room through a hole in the wall must be heat-resistant. The hole in the wall is processed in the same way as above. It is very important to mark all the cores in the distribution box, otherwise if the power supply breaks down it will be difficult to find the cause.

• Installation of sockets. Their installation is carried out in a similar way. The most important thing is that any socket is at least 60 cm from the sink and shower stall. Also, each of them should have a protective plastic cover that protects them from moisture.

When connecting electrical wiring to the bathhouse, you should select a cable In accordance with the equipment being installed, its power and electricity consumption must be taken into account. All work must be carried out in rubber shoes, in a dry room and in rubber gloves.

Finishing work

Today it is very profitable to do finishing work yourself. If you order this service from a company, you can end up with a fairly large sum. Finishing work is a set of construction activities aimed at the external and internal improvement of the building. The material is selected in advance. Its choice should be approached very seriously and responsibly, since under the influence of heat and water it can emit odors or change shape.

Experts advise doing the work in parallel, and not in parts (first the facade, then the steam room, and so on). But there must be a certain sequence. First the ceiling is finished, then the walls, and then the floor. At the time of finishing repairs, the windows and door should already be installed (at least in rough form).

Internal (as well as external) finishing is carried out in a number of stages that must be followed.

• All purchased material must undergo acclimatization. For example, if a tree is chosen for work, then it needs to rest indoors for several days.
• Installation of the frame on which the cladding will be applied.
• Laying insulation.
• Waterproofing.
• Installation of panels (wood, lining and others).

Similar work is carried out on the outside.

Exterior design

The external decor of the bathhouse is as important as the internal one. It’s always nice when a house and a steam room built nearby are in harmony with each other, creating a unified style for the site.

How and from what to make outer skin baths depends on the following factors:

• General style. The harmony and combination of buildings will always please the owner;
• Sheathing must perform certain functions: protection from weather conditions, insulation of internal heat, containment of cold air flows.

The walls of a classic Russian bathhouse are usually made according to old traditions - solid logs. This is truly one of the most cozy and pleasant designs. Such walls do not require additional finishing, but sometimes rope is laid along the seams, which is soaked in resin.

Today there is big choice material that can be used to beautifully and quickly decorate the facade of a bathhouse. This can be lining, siding (metal, plastic), fiber cement panels and others.

The most common type of cladding is panel siding. It is recommended to choose vinyl or wood. They best suit the theme of the bathhouse. They must be mounted on a specially installed timber sheathing with laid layers of insulation. Sometimes it is secured using a metal profile. Next, it is installed in a circle, joint to joint.

The second most popular material for exterior design is lining. It is convenient because it has slats of different widths (they can be selected to suit any structure), which can be made of plastic, MDF or wood. The last option is chosen most often. The most important thing is that all boards are well treated with a special solution that protects the material from dampness and rotting. Lining made of plastic (vinyl) will also last a long time, but it fades quite quickly due to direct sunlight. But its advantage is that it is not afraid of moisture and sudden temperature changes. The lining is installed in the same way as siding panels.

If the bathhouse is built of brick, but you want it to look like a wooden one, then in this case you can make the cladding from a block house. This is finishing lumber, which is similar to eurolining. It is made using a special technology - 4 boards are cut in a circle from a round tree trunk. The result is boards that are perfectly smooth and flat on one side, and convex semicircular on the other. With their help, it is easy to create an imitation of a house built from a log.

Interior Design

Since childhood, every person has had the image of a simple Russian bathhouse in their head. As a rule, the interior of this room is entirely made of natural wood (alder, linden), wooden chairs with forged legs at the same table, homemade new brooms made of birch or oak hang on the walls, and most importantly, there is the smell of tree resin, steamed leaves, and soap.

To preserve the atmosphere of a real traditional Russian bath, it is best to purchase furniture made of wood(table, chairs, benches). It is very beautiful when it has carved elements. Homemade knitted or wicker mats are sometimes placed on the seats. They are made with bright patterns to add coziness and joy to the room.

It is advisable not to lay a carpet on the floor in the dressing room. Fungus and mold will multiply in it due to high humidity. It is best to use regular tiles or wooden boards treated with a special solution. Shelves on the walls will not be superfluous. They are also made from wood. There will be a perfect place for beer mugs, a teapot or beautiful brownie figurines. It all depends on the owner’s imagination.

The steam room should also be cozy. Typically, lighting with a birch bark lampshade is placed in the corners, and forged hooks are placed on the walls to hold ladles and buckets. Buckets can also be in ethnic style. They have carved handles or a metal rim in the middle. A decorative panel made of wood is very often installed along the upper rim of the ceiling. Ethnic ornaments, animals, bathing processes, and so on are carved on it.

The dressing room or relaxation room is also filled with accessories. They are often made independently, or found at flea markets or folk fairs. There you can easily find wooden spoons, bast shoes, carved figurines of brownies, paintings on birch bark and other accessories. With their help it is easy to add comfort and warmth to a given room.

An integral part of the interior of a Russian bathhouse is the smell. Thanks to him, a person relaxes as much as possible and rests completely (soul and body). Each room has its own scent. In the steam room it is the aroma of steamed oak or birch brooms. It’s good to put an aroma lamp in the change house, and change it every time to suit your mood.

Style

In the 21st century there is a huge variety of baths. Their main difference lies in the temperature of exposure to the human body, as well as the quantity and quality of steam in the room itself (steam room).

• Russian bath. Steam heating temperature is 40º–75º, humidity is about 60%. Thanks to such conditions, the human body warms up qualitatively and deeply, and the high level of humidity helps the pores to quickly open and sweating to begin. The result is high-quality skin cleansing.

• Hamam (Turkish bath). Here the temperature is slightly lower – 35º–60º, and the humidity is about 85–100%. The conditions in this steam room are more gentle. Thanks to this, you can spend quite a long time here, doing various kinds of cosmetic procedures(massage, peeling and other procedures). The body warms up gradually, and the skin is constantly moist. In this way, the deep layers of the skin are “opened” and steamed.

• Finnish sauna. The difference between this steam room is that rather high temperatures are used here (120º–150º), and the humidity level is very low (10–15%). In this regard, going to such a bathhouse has a number of contraindications and conditions for staying in it. There are often cases when a person’s skin becomes very dry or gets burned. But at the same time, the body warms up and relaxes very well.

• Japanese water bath. This type of steam room is very specific. A person sits in a barrel of water, which heats up to 60º. The skin warms up and steams well, but under water it does not breathe. Due to this, profuse sweating occurs, toxins and waste are removed from the skin.

How to choose a boiler?

The heart of any sauna or steam room is a heating boiler or stove. Without it, in principle, the functioning of this premises cannot be carried out. The most important thing is that the heating boiler can heat up to a sufficient temperature, and therefore have good thermal power. Additionally, it is necessary that a person can regulate the heating level with noticeable intervals in temperature. All these parameters depend on the material from which the boiler is made, as well as on the proper selection of power and size of the steam room.

Bath boilers are made of metal. As a rule, this is ordinary or specially treated steel. In more expensive models, its thickness can be 1–1.5 cm. During long-term operation of such furnaces, so-called “metal fatigue” may occur. This phenomenon manifests itself in slight deformation of the shape. Because of this, the door for loading fuel may begin to jam or “crawl” welding seams. For this reason, experts recommend using cast iron boilers. They are much stronger and have a longer service life.

The main function of the boiler is to heat the room as quickly as possible to the required temperature. This ability in many ways elevates it above a conventional brick stove. In turn, metal furnaces can be conventional or long burning. It is better to choose the second option, since such a boiler cools much more slowly and retains heat for a long time, and will also save on fuel.

When choosing a stove for a steam room, it is necessary to take into account its design features and human convenience. Each boiler has a door where firewood or coal is placed. In some models it is located inside the steam room. On the one hand, this is convenient, since there is no need to leave the room to increase the temperature. But at the same time, it is always humid in the steam room, and this makes the wood or coal damp. It turns out that the fuel is first dried in the oven, and only then it reaches the desired temperature. Plus, firewood and coal will accumulate shavings and debris, which can injure your steamed, tender feet.

The boiler must have a heater. Medium-sized stones are placed there (this could be pebbles brought from the sea). Since they lie on hot metal, they also warm up. During bath procedure water is poured there, and steam is formed, which is so necessary in the steam room.

The heater can be on top of the boiler or located on the side. The side option is better, since the water only gets on the stones. This type of steam is considered softer and more correct. It is ideal when this design (reminiscent of a forged lattice bucket) does not touch the walls of the boiler. This is explained by the fact that the stone maintains its temperature for a long time, so it can deform the adjacent wall of the heater, thereby shortening the service life of the boiler.

Most models have a special container where the water is heated. It is scooped up with a ladle and poured onto the stones to add heat to the room. It can be located on any side of the boiler, but it is best if it is hung on a pipe (chimney). This way the water will not boil, but will always be warm. Plus, the risk of scalding part of the body is reduced.

Particular attention should be paid to the weight and dimensions of the boiler. If the steam room is large, then it must correspond to the size of the room. If you do not prepare the floor in advance, it may simply collapse under its weight. Typically, the future location for the boiler is filled with concrete during the construction of the foundation. When the stove is small, it can be installed directly on the floor, but it is better to lay a layer of brick, since wood dries and becomes deformed due to high temperatures.

Listed above are the main reasons why some of the heat is lost from the boiler. If you clearly know this data, the calculations will be more accurate and correct. All this information is then plugged into the formula. It itself is very large, and without knowledge of physics and mathematics it will be difficult to calculate the correct answer. It is best to come to a specialist with known data. Usually in any store specializing in boilers and heating systems, there is always such a person.

The most important thing when choosing a boiler is not to focus on price, but on the quality and characteristics of the product. Expensive does not mean good. It is worth knowing that if almost any part in the boiler breaks down, you will have to replace it entirely.

Even to an experienced master In the field of construction and renovation, it will not be easy to build a bathhouse absolutely correctly. As in any other business, there are nuances and subtleties of the work, and they can only be learned from a person who is professionally involved in this matter.

The first thing that experts advise is that the construction of a bathhouse is best done in the dry and warm period of the year. This is due to the fact that all solutions, putties and impregnations must dry completely. Otherwise, there is a risk of installing poorly treated wood, which will last only half of its intended life.

Before starting construction, it is necessary to create a detailed design of the future bathhouse. It must indicate the exact dimensions, a diagram of the pipes for drainage and water supply. For electrical wiring, it is better to make a separate drawing. Based on the plan, it will be easier to calculate the amount of material needed, and a novice builder will immediately understand what work he cannot do without additional help from professionals. He will be able to budget for expenses auxiliary work from the outside.

If you want to build a comfortable and spacious bathhouse, but there is not much space on the site, then it can be built as an extension to the house. This way you can save on the “4th wall” and space.

In order for the bathhouse to last for a long time, experts advise ventilating it as often as possible. Thanks to this, wooden and metal coatings will be dried and not subject to the formation of mold and mildew.

Beautiful examples

• This example shows that even a small bathhouse can be beautiful and comfortable. There is a small steam room, and take a dip in cold water If it's hot, you can go outside. In the summer, a table and chairs can easily be placed nearby, where it will be pleasant to sit and drink tea under the moon and stars.
• Shown here is a spacious steam room, where a friendly company can easily fit. Due to this size, there is room for a person to lie down at full height and be steamed with a bath broom, while other vacationers can sit quietly and relax.

A bathhouse is a mandatory attribute of most country houses and personal plots. However, its construction is often associated with considerable costs. However, when a small building is erected, used only in the warm season, financial losses can be minimized.

Review of alternative building materials - choose from three

The main expenses that await us when building a bathhouse are the purchase of construction and Supplies. Therefore, when drawing up an estimate for construction, let’s think about how these costs can be reduced. The traditional building material for baths is wood in the form of timber or rounded logs. Slightly less common are buildings made of brick or sibit, which have proven themselves well. But, unfortunately, the price of such consumables is quite high.

Let's consider alternative options materials that are not so well known, but quite suitable for the quick construction of an inexpensive bathhouse:

• Cinder block. It is easy to work with and its cost is low.
• Arbolite (wood concrete). Widely used in construction in the middle of the last century. It is distinguished by its light weight, ease of processing, and plasticity.
• differs in the speed of construction. The price depends on the heat insulator used.

Of these options, the last two are the most acceptable. The fact is that a classic cinder block can hardly be called environmentally friendly pure material. Of course, modern manufacturers reduce its danger to a minimum, but this only applies to large companies. But health is not something you want to risk. A lot has already been said about frame baths. Therefore, further we will talk about how to build an arbolite bathhouse.

A strong foundation is the key to the durability of the building

The owners of dachas and country houses Strip, monolithic, screw foundations and options on support columns are popular. Each of these options has strengths and weaknesses. For example, a strip base can be made with your own hands without extra costs, but it is almost impossible to equip it in areas with difficult terrain. In addition, concrete (the main component) gains strength for at least 14 days, and ideally a month. There is no need to talk about efficiency.

A monolithic foundation can withstand significant loads, but at the same time it is subject to the same disadvantages as a strip foundation - it is difficult to equip it in swampy and uneven areas. Not to mention the price. The cost of such a base is not affordable. But you also need to take into account logistics costs. Foundations on support columns are considered one of the most affordable. Yes, the installation of such a foundation will require a minimum of labor and money costs. However, like the previous options, it is not advisable to use it in areas with watery soil.

Screw piles are considered equal in cost to strip foundations. You can agree with this opinion if you forget about the associated expenses. To install metal piles, you do not need to order and pay for the delivery of concrete, or spend money on a reinforcing belt, sand and gravel for the cushion. But perhaps the main advantage is that you can install a screw foundation in one day without outside help.

Such piles are blamed for their inability to withstand significant loads. But our task is to build a bathhouse as quickly and with minimal costs. For us screw piles - best option.

Installing a screw foundation - step-by-step description

Let's start with a description of the pile itself. This is a steel pipe equipped with a tip and blades at the bottom. The dimensions of the pile depend on the required depth of screwing into the ground, but cannot be less than 2.5 meters. The body of the pile is coated with an anti-corrosion solution. After screwing into the ground, the pile is crowned with a square head (50x50 cm). It is fixed with welding machine, after which the seam is protected from corrosion. It is on this head that the support beam (channel) will lie, from which the construction of the bathhouse will begin.

Work on installing a screw foundation begins with markings. The proverb “measure twice, cut once” is more relevant than ever. The number of piles depends on the dimensions of the future building, but the distance between them cannot be more than 3 m, and preferably 2–2.5 m. After marking and clearing the construction site of debris and foreign objects, we invite helpers and begin screwing in the pile:

• In the marked place we make a pit no more than 30 cm deep and install a pile in it.
• We align the pile vertically, pass a crowbar through the mounting eyes and begin to screw in the pile.

Of course, the length of the crowbar will not allow you to create an effective lever. Therefore, we extend it with pre-prepared pipes, preferably with a square section - they have higher rigidity. average speed depth - 20 cm per turn of the pile. Stop screwing when the metal lever becomes deformed. But it is important that the pile goes below the freezing point. The minimum distance from the soil surface to the pile tip is 1.5 m.

After deepening the piles, we check their above-ground edges - they should be at the same level. If necessary, we make adjustments using a grinder. We complete the work by pouring cement mortar into the pile cavity. This will give it additional rigidity and prevent corrosion. The final stage when working with piles is installation of the strapping. For a bathhouse made of wood concrete, we make it from a metal channel, welding it to the ends. For a frame bath, a beam secured with bolts is sufficient. A mandatory requirement in both cases is the use of a building level; the horizon must be level, because the quality of the walls and roof depends on it.

Arbolite blocks - features of material and construction

Theoretically produce arbolite blocks you can do it yourself. To do this, you will need a vibrating table, block molds, cement and leftover lumber (sawdust, shavings). However, given that the cost of such material is low, it can be purchased at a hardware store. This material combines such important characteristics for a bath as good vapor permeability and low thermal conductivity. In addition, we do not forget about the safety of this material for human health.

Today you almost never find bathhouses with a combined steam room and sink. As a rule, the layout includes a separate steam room, sink and room. Drawings drawn up before construction will allow you to select the optimal dimensions and quantity of consumables. There are two technologies for constructing walls from wood concrete - monolithic and from blocks. The first involves preparing or purchasing wood concrete mortar. Let’s say right away that the pleasure is not cheap, and if you make it yourself it will also take a long time. Therefore, let’s turn to the second option – block construction.

By and large, this method is no different from working with brick, sibit or cinder block. The laying begins with the installation of corner blocks, after which a thread is stretched between them - a guideline for the masonry. Adhering to the line specified by the cord, lay out the first row. Next, we check its horizon with a building level. If necessary, we correct the flaws and proceed to laying out the second row.

Please note that, unlike the same sibit, laying arbolite blocks does not require special glue - it is quite possible to get by with the usual mortar of sand and cement. However, there are similar points. For example, when laying out door and window openings You need to lay a corner or channel on top. So, we have raised the body of the future bathhouse, all that remains is to build the roof, install the stove and finish interior spaces.

Gable roof - roof and ceiling in a single complex

Among the variety of roofs various types(Gothic, hip, oriental) let's focus on gable. The explanation is simple - this design is simple, reliable and relatively low in price. From building materials for the construction of such a roof we will need:

• Beam 100×100 mm - we will make a Mauerlat from it, vertical racks and stops for them.
• Boards 50 mm thick and 100 mm wide are blanks for the rafter system.
• Unedged boards and slats for sheathing.

In addition to lumber, we will prepare a vapor barrier film, mineral wool, and roofing material. For the latter, we use a metal profile - it is easy to work with and is relatively inexpensive. We start by treating the wood with an antiseptic and fire-fighting solution; in a bathhouse this is a mandatory requirement. Then we lay a waterproofing layer along the upper perimeter of the walls. And only after this we begin the installation of the rafter system.

It begins with laying timber - Mauerlat - around the perimeter of the walls. Naturally, all angles are checked with a construction angle, and the horizon is checked with a level. After the Mauerlat is leveled, we pull it to the walls anchor bolts. The next step is the installation of tension beams. They are attached to the long sides of the Mauerlat “in the paw”. That is, we need to cut out the corresponding grooves in the beams and timber (base). After installation wooden parts additionally secure with nails or staples. It is advisable to maintain the distance between the beams at 1.5 meters.

Having finished preparing the base, we place vertical posts along the ends of the building. We immediately attach temporary slopes to them (they will give rigidity to the structure) and rafter legs. We connect the racks with a beam - a purlin, on which the rest of the rafter legs rest. By the way, release them 20 cm from the wall - this will reduce the impact of precipitation on the wood concrete. After installing the rafters, we fill them with an unedged board as a sheathing, and lay a vapor barrier film on it. It is attached using a construction stapler.

The final stage in roof construction is laying the roofing material. Metallic profile pressed against the sheathing with roofing screws. Having closed the constructed circuit, we have already completed 70% of the construction. All we have to do is hem the ceiling and finish the walls inside the bathhouse.

Interior decoration – PVC panels or lining?

Among the budget finishing materials, we highlight PVC panels. They have proven themselves well in finishing rest rooms and washing areas. This is a completely worthy alternative to ceramic tiles. You can choose such material to suit every taste and budget. But only for the washroom. In the steam room, it is better to use traditional linden lining - it will not melt when exposed to high temperatures.

It is noteworthy that wall coverings with clapboards and panels are performed almost identically. In both cases, we need to install wooden sheathing. A metal frame that causes corrosion is unacceptable in this case. We install wooden (in the steam room) and plastic (in the sink) panels on a padded and leveled wooden base.

Keep in mind that the distance from the stove to wooden surfaces should be at least 0.5 meters, but it can be reduced to 25 cm by protecting flammable surfaces with non-combustible material.

The final stage before installing the stove is installing the ceiling. To do this, you can use clapboard or planed boards. We nail them to the tension beams and go up to the attic, we need to insulate the ceiling. Boards hemmed underneath and tie beams formed the floor of the attic. We cover it with a vapor barrier film and fill it with mineral wool. In order to save money, we will not use ready-made mats, but crumble mats; it can be purchased as residual raw materials at enterprises producing sandwich panels and similar products.

The only caveat when arranging the ceiling is to install a 40x40 cm metal box at the chimney exit. It will be required in any case, regardless of which stove you prefer - metal or brick.

Almost every owner of a plot of land, sooner or later, thinks about building a bathhouse. After all, a bathhouse is not just a room for washing, but also an important element of a country holiday. The construction of a turnkey bathhouse can be ordered from professionals for a tidy sum, or you can try to build a bathhouse with your own hands.

After reading this article, you will be able to choose a project, find out the sequence of the construction process, get acquainted with boiler models and find the best bathhouse option for your dacha.

Before starting construction, it is necessary to develop a bathhouse design. To do this, you don’t have to contact an architect; you can develop a simple project yourself, especially since there are now many computer programs for design.
Think about what size bathhouse will be optimal for your family. What rooms will be located inside the bathhouse? What materials to make the foundation, walls and roof from, do not forget also about finishing the bathhouse. An important point in design, is the placement of the boiler and the method of firing it.
Below you can see popular bathhouse projects:

• • The design of the bathhouse is 4x4 meters in size.

• • Bathhouse design - 4x6 meters.

• • Bathhouse design - 5x6 meters.

• • Bathhouse design – 6x3 meters.

• Bathhouse design - 3x3 meters.

Once you have decided on the size and materials for the bath, you need to create a cost estimate.

Foundation

To build a bathhouse, several types of foundations are used. Depending on the weight of the walls and soil characteristics, the following types of foundations are made:

• Slab foundation.
• Columnar foundation for light walls.
• Pile foundation.
• Concrete strip foundation.

As practice has shown, the most reliable foundation for almost all types of soil, there is a concrete strip foundation reinforced with reinforcement.

To make a reinforced strip foundation for a bathhouse you will need:

• Cement.
• Sand.
• Gravel.
• Fittings.
• Formwork.
• Ruberoid.
• Wire.
• Shovels.
• Concrete mixer.
• Tourniquet.
• Stakes.
• Tools (pliers, hammer, tape measure and others).

In the location chosen for building the bathhouse, mark a trench for the future foundation. To mark, use a tourniquet stretched between the pegs. The width of the trenches is based on the weight of the wall material. For a one-story bathhouse made of wood or brick, it is enough to make a trench 30-40 centimeters wide. After installing the markup, do the following:

1. Using the markings as a guide, dig a trench 50-80 centimeters deep.
2. Compact the bottom of the trench and fill it with water to shrink the soil.
3. Cover the bottom of the trenches with roofing felt for waterproofing.
4. Fill the trench with gravel to a third of its depth.
5. Install formwork along the edges of the trench.
6. Make a frame reinforcing the foundation from reinforcement bars tied together with wire.
7. Install the reinforcement cage into the formwork.
8. Using a concrete mixer, make a cement mortar in the proportion: one part cement to one part sand and two parts gravel.
9. Pour cement into the formwork, being careful not to allow any air voids.
10. After the concrete has dried, remove the formwork.

The foundation for the bathhouse is ready!

Walls

The following materials are used for the construction of walls:

• Wooden beam.
• Logs.
• Boards.
• Brick.
• Blocks from various building mixtures (cinder block, aerated concrete, wood concrete, and so on).

Since the construction of a bathhouse from logs or bricks is already quite widely described on the Internet, let's consider the option of building a frame bathhouse from timber 15x15 and 5x10 centimeters and boards with a section of 2x15 centimeters:

1. 1. Make the bottom trim; to do this, take bars with a cross-section of 15x15 cm and install them on the foundation, connecting them together with special metal plates and corners. There is another way to connect bars, by cutting out tenons and grooves at their ends and then fastening them with screws or nails. When making the strapping, do not forget to place waterproofing under the bars.
   2. Install vertical posts from 5x10 cm timber. The distance between the posts is usually 50-60 centimeters. First of all, determine the position of the window and doorways and install the racks that frame them.
   3. While working, secure the already installed racks with temporary strips so that they do not warp.
   4. Make the top trim, securing it to the ends of the vertical posts.
   5. Making final fastening top harness, carefully monitor the position of the vertical posts, checking their evenness with a level.
   6. Be sure to strengthen everything corner connections diagonal posts, this will help avoid warping of the frame.
   7. Make the ceiling sheathing.
   8. After making the frame, make the external cladding of the walls of the bathhouse with a board with a section of 2x15 centimeters. If you do not want gaps to appear between the boards, then make the sheathing - “overlap”, laying the bottom edge of the board on a nailed board. In appearance, this method resembles finishing walls with siding.

1. Having covered the outside of the bathhouse, proceed to installing the insulation. Sheets of foam or mineral wool are installed along the vertical posts of the frame.
2. On top of the insulation, it is necessary to install a layer of vapor barrier, which is attached to the vertical posts using thin slats.
3. After installing the vapor barrier, carry out interior lining baths with clapboard or slats.
4. Insulate the ceiling by laying vapor barrier sheets on the inner lining, then insulation. Sheathe the ceiling from the outside with sheets of plywood.

Please note that the manufacture and insulation of the ceiling can also be done after the roof has been installed.

Roof

There are three types of roof for a bathhouse:

• Single-pitch.
• Gable.
• Complex - consisting of four or more slopes.

Usually the first two options are used for a bath. Let's look at the option of a gable roof covered with metal tiles:


The manufacture of the roof begins with the installation of the Mauerlat. In case of frame walls, the role of the Mauerlat is performed by the upper outline.

1. Place the uprights on the bench.
2. Connect the posts using purlins and ties.
3. Install the rafter legs by attaching them to the mauerlat, purlin and connecting the upper ends together. The distance between the rafters should be 50-60 centimeters.
4. Install sheets of metal tiles.
5. Sheath the gables wooden slats or sheet iron.

For a more visual understanding of the roof fastening, here is a drawing:


All dimensions of roof elements are given in the list:


Please note that the less you slope the roof, the more snow load it will bear in winter. Also, a small roof slope can lead to poor water drainage and leaks.

Floors

The design of the floor depends on the type of room. In the recreation room, ordinary wooden floors are made. In the wash and steam rooms, the floors are made of two levels:

• The first level is made of concrete and has a slope towards the drain hole.
• The second level is a finished floor made of boards with gaps for draining water.

If you want to make a porcelain stoneware floor or tiles, then they are simply laid on the first level with a slope towards the drain hole.


In order to make a concrete floor and drain in a bathhouse you need:

1. In the center of the steam room and washing room, install plastic pipes with a diameter of 5-10 centimeters with a socket at the end. The pipes should go out through the foundation to the street and connect to the sewer system.
2. Lay down a layer of waterproofing material.
3. Spread a layer of gravel 10-15 centimeters thick over the entire area of ​​the rooms.
4. Make a cement mortar and pour the floor with a slope towards the hole installed on the drain pipe.
5. Install a screen over the drain hole to prevent debris from entering the drain.

At the second stage, wooden floors are made:

1. Install wooden logs in all rooms of the bathhouse. Make the distance between the logs 30-40 centimeters. As logs you can use bars with a section of 3x5 cm or 4x6 cm.
2. Nail boards with a section of 2x15 cm or 5x20 cm onto the logs.
3. In rooms where water is expected to drain, leave gaps of 0.5-1 cm between the boards.

Don't forget before you start installation wooden floors, treat all parts with wood impregnation. When making floors, keep in mind that they should be higher, or at the level of the upper edge of the foundation.

Boiler

The boiler model for a sauna will largely depend on your financial capabilities and the fuel you will use for heating. If you know how to use welding, then you can make a simple boiler yourself from thick sheet iron. If you prefer more advanced colas with gas or electricity, you can purchase them from specialized companies.

The boiler in the steam room is installed in such a way that the combustion chamber is loaded with fuel either from the street or from the rest room (dressing room). The boiler itself, for fire safety purposes, is located 10-15 centimeters from the nearest walls. The walls are as high as the boiler and covered with iron sheets. A good decision, will cover the boiler with bricks, thereby reducing its cooling time and protecting the walls from fire.

When installing a chimney for a boiler, pay special attention to the place where the pipe comes into contact with the ceiling. The opening for the chimney should be insulated with refractory material. Also, pay attention to the place where the chimney pipe exits through the roof. This area is usually prone to leakage, so it should be sealed thoroughly. Below are the options for boilers for baths:

• • Homemade boiler made from metal sheets.

• • A gas boiler.

• • Electric boiler.

• Solid fuel boiler.

Arrangement of the bathhouse

After the bathhouse is built, it is necessary to equip it:

• • Connect all available communications to the bathhouse - electricity, sewerage, water supply.

• • Place a sink, shower stall, light sources, and furniture for relaxation inside.

• • Decorate the walls of the steam room with shaped slats and make stepped shelves.

• Buy wooden tubs, gangs, ladles and brooms.

After arrangement, you can safely invite guests to take a steam bath in your personal bathhouse!

You can also watch the instructions for assembling a mini-sauna for a summer house without a foundation in the video:

Options for beautiful and unusual baths

In addition to traditional materials and design for a bath, there are many alternative solutions. Below we present photographs of the most unusual baths:

• Mobile sauna made of clapboard, built on a car trailer.

• Bath in a huge wine barrel.

• Bathhouse made of plastic bottles.

• The dugout bathhouse was built directly into the ground.

• A sauna housed in an iron container.

• Forest sauna made of untreated logs.

• A beautiful bathhouse made from a gun carriage.

• Bathhouse made of unedged boards.

At the end of the article, I would like to remind you that heating a bath is associated with fire and high temperatures. Therefore, when building a bathhouse from bricks, logs, cinder blocks or boards, pay great attention to fire safety. This warning also applies to electrical wiring, since the rooms inside the bathhouse have high humidity air and the risk of a short circuit due to condensation is very high.


We hope that reading our article will encourage you to build a bathhouse yourself!

Today, many people want to have a sauna in their home, since the design has many advantages. This is both pleasure and health benefits, and an opportunity to spend time with family and friends. And you can build a sauna with your own hands.

Construction and features of the sauna

The sauna can be wet or dry. In the second option, the air will warm up to 80–120°C and have a humidity of 7–20%. In a wet sauna, the maximum temperature is 55–70°C with a humidity of 95–100%.

Design features you need to know:

1. If the benches are placed in several tiers, then the distance between them should be 40 cm.
2. Lighting fixtures should be installed in the corners of the room.
3. Behind the benches you can make backrests or vertical trim.
4. It is recommended to use as a floor covering ceramic tiles or other material that can withstand elevated temperatures and humidity. However, the ladders must be made of wood.
5. The stove can be located on the floor or on the wall. If the second option is preferable, then it is recommended to choose a place next to the door.
6. The door in most cases is made of wood or tempered glass. This also applies to pens.

It is important to maintain the correct temperature and humidity ratio.

If the sauna is located inside a house or apartment, then there is no need to make a window. However, for a detached building you need to make it with double glass.

The wash room, shower or pool must be arranged separately from the steam room, so there is no need to conduct water into the room. Sewerage drainage must be provided.

A fence needs to be built around the stove.

The type of stove does not matter.

A special feature of the sauna is that the temperature in the room reaches 120°C. However, it can be easily moved, since the air in the steam room is dry. For the same reason, the body warms up almost instantly. When water hits the stones, a lot of hot steam appears in the air. But after a short period of time the air becomes dry again.

Photo gallery: sauna in the house

LED lighting in the sauna looks very original
A sauna project in the house can be done in special program A compact sauna can be installed in an apartment The finishing of the sauna must be made with high-quality materials A small sauna can have any shape
Sauna with LED backlight can be a cozy place Spacious sauna suitable for ten people Lighting fixtures in the sauna are required
Interior arrangement sauna depends on personal preference Box sauna fits in the bathroom The semicircle-shaped sauna will surprise your friends
The high-tech sauna with stone inserts is truly original

Preparatory work

First of all, you need to make a drawing.

The presence of a stable air flow in the building makes it possible to choose sizes based on the number of users and convenience. The possible ceiling height is 1.9–2.1 m. It is not worth increasing this parameter, since this may lead to the appearance of a “tube effect”, due to which the draft increases and a draft occurs.

In addition, the air near the ceiling will be the hottest. Accordingly, the top shelf should be made at the maximum height. It is important to consider that a person should be able to sit on it without resting his head on the ceiling. The recommended distance is 1–1.1 m from it.

The optimal height of the shelf is 45 cm. If necessary, this parameter can be increased to 65 cm, but sitting on it may be uncomfortable. To fix this, you can build a step 25 cm high.

The rest bench is two-tiered. The height of the lower tier is 65 cm, the upper one is 105 cm. The width is 35 and 70 cm, respectively.

The sauna is smaller in size when compared to a Russian bath. For 3–4 people, a room of 3.3 m2 will be enough. Shelves should be installed in several tiers along the walls. Wherein optimal height ceilings - 2.1 m.

The length of the wall opposite the entrance is at least 2 m. In order for air to circulate properly, it is important to maintain the ratio of sizes. If you make the correct calculation, then the shelves with places to lie on the upper tier will be exposed to heat from the stove with acceptable air humidity.

What should be the size of the steam room: drawing up a project

The main task of the steam room is to provide high temperature. In the sauna it reaches 120°C. This requires a certain heating of the stove. However, heat in the steam room will be transferred not only from it, but also from the surrounding air. Therefore, metal stoves should not be placed near benches. They can heat up the air very much, which can cause burns.

It is also not recommended to equip a small steam room with a metal stove, as this is dangerous to health. The height of the ceilings in this case will not solve the problem.

Arrangement of a large steam room with electric stove is a pointless undertaking, since the cost of electricity will not be compensated by any comfort.

To determine the optimal dimensions of a room, the following fact must be taken into account: heat radiation in space diverges in such a way that its intensity after some time weakens in inverse proportion to a value equal to the square of the distance from the radiation device. Accordingly, people located at a distance of 3 m from the stove will be able to receive 4 times less heat than if they were located 1.5 m from the device. Create

This is the disadvantage of paired large sizes - so that the heat reaches the required quantity, you will need to heat the stove too hot or overheat the air. Both options are harmful to human health. It is also worth remembering that the main condition for the high effectiveness of sauna procedures is heat dissipation. The larger the steam room, the better this process will occur. Therefore, it is recommended to choose average values ​​for the area of ​​a given room.

To optimize the space inside the steam room, you will need to minimize the base of the floor and increase the area of ​​the shelves. It is recommended to muffle the space under them to reduce the heated volume. This will make it possible to save fuel for the stove and reduce the heating time of the sauna.

Video: is it possible to build a sauna/bathhouse in the basement of a private house

Selecting sauna materials

At the next stage, you need to decide on the materials that will be used in the process of building the sauna. You need to prepare:

• brick;
• pipes;
• bars;
• logs;
• sand;
• cement;
• roofing materials;
• glass;
• clay;
• gravel;
• materials for thermal insulation.

You can build a sauna, which consists of one steam room with a locker room, or you can also prepare a washing room or a relaxation room. The set of materials will depend on this.

The main material for a sauna is wood. These can be logs, bars or boards. You can choose exclusively wood to construct the entire structure, including the base and roof. Another option is to use blocks or bricks.

Additionally, the log house can be lined with brick to make it more wear-resistant and reduce thermal conductivity.

Log house - logs with specially prepared grooves. They are used for longitudinal fixation. For perpendicular fastening, notches are required. A row of stacked logs is called a crown. To connect the crowns, grooves (have a round shape) and notches are required. If everything is done correctly, then heat loss is excluded.

Pine and larch logs are suitable for making the structure. There should be no resin bags on their inner parts. It is recommended to make the lower crown from dried oak logs, the upper ones from linden or white spruce logs. The fibers should be straight, not slanted.

If the fibers are inclined, this can lead to significant deformation of the material during the drying process. As a result, the wood will crack.

Nowadays you can find saunas made of glued profiled timber.

Advantages of this design:

• strength of the building;
• flat and smooth surface of the walls, therefore there is no need for finishing;
• there is no shrinkage or deformation;
• resistance to rotting and damage by fungi and pests.

The disadvantage is the high cost.

It is easy to make a sauna from such material with your own hands, and the process takes much less time. There is no heat loss at all, since there are no gaps or cracks.

Which stove to choose for a wooden bath

The heater is most often used because it can provide optimal temperature and humidity.

You need to select the location of the brick structure at the stage of drawing up the drawing. In the process of laying the base, it is necessary to prepare a place for the stove. A special place for storing firewood is also recommended.

To lay the structure you will need M75 or M150 brick. The amount of material depends on the thermal conductivity of the walls and the layout of the room. On average, 35–40 bricks are needed per 1 m2. For good draft, the chimney device must protrude at least 0.5 m above the roof.

Continuous and temporary stoves are installed in saunas. The latter are able to heat the building more efficiently by heating the stones with hot smoke. Steam from the stove continuous action cleaner.

Heaters can be closed or open camera backfill. This affects the quality of the steam.

Video: how to equip an infrared sauna in an apartment

Calculation of materials for construction

Standard board dimensions: thickness - 0.5 cm, width - 15 cm, length - 4 m.

Accordingly, 4 x 0.15 x 0.5 = 0.03 m3 is the area of ​​one board.

The width and length of the sauna is 3.7 m, so to install the floor base you need to prepare 25 boards 15 cm wide and 4 m long.

To arrange the ceiling in a bathhouse, you need 38 boards of lining. The calculation of the material is carried out according to the same scheme. The thickness of one board is 22 mm, width is 100 mm.

In order to complete the interior decoration of the sauna and install partitions, you need 22 mm thick lining.

If you plan to place the boards vertically, you will need approximately 153 boards.

Standard dimensions: board length - 3 m, width - 10 cm, thickness - 2.2 cm.

3 x 0.01 x 0.22 = 0.01 m3 - area of ​​one board.

2.1 x 24 = 51 m2

There are 3 boards in 1 m2, respectively 51 x 3 = 153 lining boards for the entire steam room.

To perform a vapor barrier on the internal walls and ceiling structure, you can use various materials, among which vapor barrier film and breathable membrane are especially popular.

For a sauna 3.7x3.7 m, 44 m2 of material will be required.

To perform the calculation, you need to find out the total area of ​​the ceiling structure and walls, while partitions do not need to be taken into account.

Length excluding partitions - 14.1 m.

2.1x14.1=29.61 m2.

The width and length of the ceiling structure is 3.7 m. The area is 3.7x3.7 = 13.69 m2.

At the next stage, the materials for the foundation are calculated. The need for cement, crushed stone, sand and other elements will depend on what type of base is planned to be made.

If it is a columnar foundation, then you will need asbestos-cement pipes with a diameter of 20 cm and a length of 150 cm. In the center of each of them, 2 reinforcement rods with a diameter of 5 mm must be mounted.

Required Tools

To build a sauna base you need:

• carpentry tools;
• shovel;
• trowel;
• building level;
• concrete mixer;
• wheelbarrow;
• container for preparing the solution.

If you plan to mix the solution manually, then you need to prepare a metal container and a shovel. You can also use a construction mixer or a high-power electric drill with a special attachment.

In the process of building a sauna it will not be possible to do without electric jigsaw. With this tool you can make cuts and cuts to achieve unusual shapes in different materials.

How to properly make a sauna in a cottage with your own hands: step-by-step instructions

Construction must begin by pouring the foundation. It is recommended to make a strip foundation for the sauna. It will need to be buried at least 75 cm. The width of the structure should be approximately 26–30 cm, the height of the part above the ground should be 20–25 cm. Small holes should be made in the basement half for air ventilation. This will protect the product from dampness and high humidity.

The structure can be made of boards, but they do not need to be varnished. Another option is to use tiles, under which a heating system can be installed.

The disadvantage is that such a floor slips. However, a special wooden grate will solve this problem.

A drainage system must be provided.

Construction of a frame on a summer cottage

If you plan to build a sauna from wooden beams, then you need to make a five-level piping. You will need to follow these steps:

1. A plan for fixing the beam should be made.
2. When the fastening option is selected, you can proceed to fixing the parts.
3. You need to drill holes for the timber using a hammer drill.
4. Frame bars must be fixed using special wood plugs, screws or dowels.
5. The ceiling frame should be mounted from wide-width boards parallel to each other and the walls of the building.
6. In a frame structure, you need to prepare a place for the door. A horizontal jumper must be mounted above this place.
7. Carry out installation thermal insulation material. It is recommended to use mineral wool as it is ideal for areas with high temperatures.
8. At this stage, it is necessary to lay moisture-proofing material. The walls should be covered with special foil, the mirror part of which turns inward.
9. The joints of the foil must be secured with aluminum tape.

Wall cladding inside the sauna

If the ventilation is not designed correctly, then in the future dampness may appear in the building and fungus may form. Overheating is also possible, which can lead to a fire.

For correct device ventilation, it is important to provide inlet and exhaust openings.

The size of the ventilation hole can be calculated. For every 1 m 3 of steam room you need a hole with an area of ​​24 cm 2.

Ventilation vents should be positioned as follows:

1. One of them is at a distance of 30 cm from the floor in the area of ​​the stove. It is needed to ensure air flow into the combustion chamber.
2. The other is located on the opposite wall at a distance of 30 cm from the ceiling.

The air that enters through the first hole will pass close to the stove, heat up and rise to the ceiling. Fresh air will flow through the top hole, which can replace the stagnant air on the top shelf.

The use of fans for forced circulation is not allowed, as this may cause burns.

Wiring in the sauna is installed taking into account high measures electrical safety. It is allowed to use heat-resistant wire with double insulation. The electrician must calculate the required power of the electrical network.

All lighting fixtures must be equipped with sealed hoods. They should be installed on walls or under the ceiling.

Lighting fixtures should not be placed above the stove.

At the next stage, you need to build the sheathing and sheathe the walls. The sequence of actions is as follows:

Video: technology for arranging ventilation in a steam room

Door and hardware installation

The size must be selected based on the prepared opening. The height from the bottom of the door to the floor base should be at least 12–15 cm. There should be no locks or latches. Only magnetic mounts can be used.

Equipment can be installed only after finishing. If the structure is located in a separate building, then you can install a real stove. However, if you plan to use a heater, you must first install it, and then move on to finishing.

We need to make a fence for the stove. Ideal for this are boards that were used to make benches. The distance from the slats to the stove should be at least 5 cm. The height of the fence can be greater than the heater by a maximum of 4–5 cm.

What stones to lay

It is important to choose the right stones. Their shape and quality affect the level of comfort. The stone should be even, smooth and round.

Cobblestones with cracks and gouged areas are not suitable.

First of all, large stones are laid out on the heater. There are smaller pebbles on them. They should be washed thoroughly with water and dried every 6 months. Suitable for sauna:

• jade;
• diabase;
• soapstone;
• porphyrite

You can use any of them.

Video: how to equip a sauna in an apartment with your own hands

The final stage of construction is interior and exterior finishing. It is best to cover a sauna with clapboard. Each type of wood has its own advantages:

1. Linden has excellent appearance and it smells good.
2. Alder is able to retain heat well, while it practically does not heat up. It has a varied palette of colors and beautiful designs.
3. Pine is used most often. Releases healthy elements when heated.

The disadvantage of alder is that it is soft. Consequently, impacts may cause dents.

The finishing instructions are as follows:

There is no need to treat the lining inside the sauna.

Before using a sauna, you need to learn how to do it correctly. Basic recommendations:

1. Before entering the room, it is recommended to take a warm shower, but do not use soap.
2. Don't rush to climb onto the top shelf. First you need to prepare your skin for high temperatures.
3. It is not recommended to sit or stand in the sauna. The procedure is best performed in a lying position.
4. If you feel discomfort, you need to leave the steam room.
5. The optimal session duration is 7–15 minutes.
6. After using the steam room, you need to wash off the sweat in the shower. Only after this can you dive into the pool.
7. A massage session that can improve blood circulation will be useful.
8. It is recommended to drink plenty of water.
9. You cannot drink alcoholic beverages.
10. You can get dressed after your body is completely dry. This will take at least 15–20 minutes.
11. Visiting the steam room is contraindicated for children under 4 years of age.

It is possible to build a sauna with your own hands, but it is important to take into account all the nuances, as well as prepare high-quality materials and tools. This must be strictly followed step by step instructions and listen to the advice of professionals.

A bathhouse built in Russian traditions is considered ideal place to cleanse the soul and body. By visiting it regularly, you can maintain your health, stay youthful and get real pleasure. It is not surprising that many people decide to build a Russian-style bathhouse with their own hands.

Features of the Russian bath

The Russian bathhouse, which our ancestors built, includes two sections: a dressing room and a steam room. Most big size this room is 2.3x4 m, the smallest is 5x6 m. Baths with such dimensions are again popular.

1 - dressing room; 2 - steam room and washing room; 3 - shelves; 4 - oven

The construction of a traditional Russian bathhouse implies:

• creation of a shallow columnar foundation based on boulders, without a base;
• assembly of a log house from selected wild logs, that is, material that has not been subjected to any processing other than removing the bark and drying;
• construction without using nails;
• plugging cracks with moss and tow;
• installation of a flat ceiling;
• insulation of floor and ceiling coverings with moss and peat;
• waterproofing the structure with resin and shoe polish;
• making a sod or shingle roof;
• creating a brick oven.

Preparation for construction: drawings and dimensions

When drawing up a bathhouse design, you should not forget that the steam room and washing room will be used by several people at once. Therefore, the area and dimensions of the bath should be determined without making serious mistakes.

The second version of the bath differs in the arrangement of the shower

In order for each user to be comfortable in the bathhouse, he needs to allocate at least 1.8 m² in the dressing room and 1.5 m² in the steam room. The average total usable area of ​​a bathhouse for a family is 10 m². In this case, the most space should be in the dressing room, and less in the steam room and washing department.

So that people of any height can wash in Russian, the ceiling should be built at a height of 2.4 meters.

When determining the height of the ceiling, it is taken into account that the building will soon settle

At the construction planning stage, it is necessary to reflect in the drawing the area for arranging the vestibule. This room may be needed as a place to block the path of cold air from the street.

For a vestibule, 2.32 square meters is enough. m

Followers of traditions are recommended to build a bathhouse from quality wood coniferous species. This material is not fragile, and most importantly, it lasts a long time. The needles are also distinguished by their environmental cleanliness and low thermal conductivity, that is, they do not release heat and at the same time interfere with air exchange. A unique property of this tree is its resistance to various climate conditions.

Such a wooden building must stand on a reliable foundation

For construction, you can take one of two types of coniferous wood:

1. rounded round logs;
2. solid beams.

Experienced builders advise building a bathhouse from beams, since this material is cheaper and it is much easier to build walls from it. In addition, timber construction works well without a bulky foundation.

The timber structure looks simple, but is easy to assemble

If you opt for rounded logs, you may be severely disappointed: a log structure takes a long time to settle, which is why it will not be possible to put it into operation earlier than a year and a half after construction. Unlike a log bathhouse, a timber structure can be safely used six months after the completion of construction work.

When purchasing beams, you should use a tape measure to check the material for compliance with the specified dimensions, and then make sure good quality construction raw materials. To do this you need to do the following:

List of materials and tools

To build a Russian bathhouse, you need to stock up not only on beams and bricks, but also:

To carry out construction tasks, you should arm yourself with:

Step-by-step construction of an object with your own hands

Construction is taking place in stages:

1. along the perimeter of the future building and under its load-bearing structures internal walls create holes to form a strip foundation;
2. sand is poured onto the bottom of the trench, the finished “cushion” is pressed and watered;
3. the pits are filled with reinforcing bars and liquid concrete, the layer of which is smoothed with cement mortar;

   Before pouring concrete, formwork is constructed from boards

4. the base for a brick kiln is formed from concrete;
5. several layers of waterproofing material treated with bitumen mastic are placed on the platform;
6. assemble the frame, connecting the beams using the method “at the corners in a paw, and the ends in half a tree without a trace”, laying insulation between them and installing dowels through each row at a distance of 20 cm from the edge;

   The corners are connected in 4 steps, and the ends - in 3 steps

7. prepare a platform for the floor, that is, pour a 10 cm layer of sand, press it, and then cover it with a 10 cm layer of crushed stone;
8. the crushed stone is covered with sheets of roofing felt, the edges touching several centimeters;
9. cement is placed on the roofing material, creating a screed with a slope, thereby arranging the flow of waste water towards a sewer pipe built into the ground and leading to a separately dug hole;
10. to the hardened cement screed glue the facing material, on top of which a wooden sheathing is placed;

    Wooden sheathing on the floor prevents your feet from touching the cold floor

11. floor beams are attached to the upper bars of the walls in a horizontal position;
12. the installed beams are connected with iron brackets to the rafters - thick beams;
13. fasten the rafter legs to each other using ridge beams;
14. the rafters are covered with rolled waterproofing sheets and wooden flooring- base for roofing material;
15. create a ceiling, that is, lay out boards every 2.5 meters for non-load-bearing walls;
16. laid on top of the ceilings vapor barrier film and put insulating material.

Finishing

Finishing work begins after the structure has settled. First of all, all surfaces inside the bathhouse are coated with an antiseptic composition.

Interior finishing involves performing tasks such as:

1. installation of sheathing directly on walls and ceilings;
2. laying insulation and vapor barrier material into the gaps of the sheathing;
3. flooring of lining or other facing material.

Lining is laid on the ceiling and wall

If the most popular construction raw material for the interior decoration of a bathhouse has become only lining, then many materials are in demand for cladding the external walls of a building:

• vinyl or metal siding;
• plastic lining;
• block house imitating the appearance of a log house;
• edged or unedged boards, characterized by a low price.

The material extends the service life of the structure

Finding stones for a sauna room

It is customary to use igneous rocks in the steam room. Formed during a volcanic eruption, they are resistant to extreme heat. Igneous rocks that have a positive effect on human energy include:

• polished or chipped jadeite, the main feature of which is beauty;
• talc chloride, capable of absorbing moisture and, evaporating it, creating the desired steam in the bath;
• basalt that can withstand high temperatures.

In addition to benefits, this stone gives aesthetic pleasure

Metamorphic rocks can be placed on the stove, which tend to normalize blood composition and improve well-being. We are talking about stones such as:

• white quartz, called hot ice, which releases ozone when cooled rapidly;
• crimson quartzite, the second name of which is royal stone.

This stone goes perfectly with brickwork

To create steam in a bathhouse, you can use fully crystalline rocks, for example:

• dunit;
• serpentinite

These stones are able to regenerate cells of the nervous system, increase immune strength and have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the thyroid gland.

The length of such a stone is about 20 cm

If you want to break away from tradition, then it is better to use cast iron stones - balls produced by industry - as steam generators in the bathhouse. They instantly heat the room and retain heat for many hours. True, cast iron stones are subject to rust after short term services and carry no beneficial properties for humans.

You definitely cannot place sedimentary and siliceous rocks on the stove. Their structure is porous, which means that when they cool sharply, they become covered with cracks and small particles scatter in an area of ​​one meter.

Exploitation

The main requirement for using a bath concerns the creation of the desired temperature. In the steam room, this physical quantity should be within 55–77 degrees. The temperature indicator is selected individually, that is, it depends on the preferences of the bathhouse owner. It is customary to heat the washing room to 40°, and the rest room to 20°.

In order for the bathhouse to serve for a long time and properly, you need to use it according to the rules:

• put exclusively any dry fuel into the firebox, except for firewood made from coniferous wood;
• keep the combustion chamber door closed, thereby avoiding the escape of hot sparks;
• do not let the chimney heat up until it turns red;
• do not touch hot surfaces, including the walls of the water heating tank;
• monitor the cleanliness of bathhouses;
• ventilate the sauna sectors after each fire for four hours;
• try not to splash water on glass surfaces indoors (windows and doors);
• Clean and inspect the chimney for holes at least once a quarter.

The owner of the bathhouse will have to carefully care for wooden surfaces. Elements inside the bathhouse made of wood should be coated twice a year. special means to protect against fungi and rot. External treatment of the wooden walls of a building is recommended after two years of operation. To do this, it is better to use antiseptics that contain wax.

Wood deteriorates over time and therefore needs careful care

In order for a Russian bathhouse stove to provide the required amount of heat, you must be able to regulate the draft force. To do this, open the chamber door more or less to accumulate ash. Excessive draft will cause the furnace to heat up too much, and this will speed up the time of equipment failure. If the force forcing air into the firebox is normalized, then the stones in the bathhouse warm up to a standard temperature.

When firing the stove, you should monitor the operation of the chimney. The consumption of firewood can be minimized, and the efficiency of heat supply can be increased, just by not completely covering the chimney damper. But this is allowed to be done only after the ash chamber is completely closed.

Video: building a bathhouse from scratch

You can get true joy from building a Russian bathhouse. It is clear that this work is impossible without skills and labor, but the result evokes pride. This feeling is even stronger if the object was built on its own.