The construction of a room for a steam room is only part of the entire complex of work on organizing a Russian bath. A properly equipped steam room is the key to quality relaxation and safe bathing procedures. A DIY steam room will allow you to save significant money and give you the opportunity to show your individuality.
Step-by-step instructions for setting up a steam room
Arranging a steam room with your own hands involves performing a certain sequence of operations:
- Project development.
- Choosing a stove and its location.
- Decoration of the premises.
- Organization of lighting.
Let's move on to a detailed consideration of each of the stages.
The height of the ceilings is determined by the purpose of the person being in the steam room
Steam room project: basic principles
Before starting work on arranging a steam room, it is necessary to create a project that provides for all the subtleties of this specific room, taking into account centuries-old traditions and the realities of the present time.
Design should be carried out depending on the main factors: the size of the stove and the number of people simultaneously staying in the room.
For a family of three people, an area of approximately 2x2 meters with a steam room height of 2.2 m is sufficient. There is a misconception that a positive point in this case will be some amount of space. This is not true, since with an increase in the volume of the steam room, more energy and time will be required to achieve the required temperature.
It is better to make the window small As a rule, when constructing a steam room, windows are not provided. If necessary, the window should, if possible, be minimum size(no more than 500x500 mm). To create sufficient thermal insulation, it is advisable to make windows according to modern technologies that allow you to achieve the desired effect. In addition, the arrangement of the window will require careful insulation of the cracks during its installation.
The steam room must be equipped with ventilation. The exhaust system must ensure that excess moisture is removed from the room. This requirement is due to the need to eliminate favorable conditions for the development of pathogenic microorganisms in the form of fungi and mold.
In addition, the service life finishing materials directly depends on the level of humidity in the room, since in the vast majority of cases the steam room is finished with wood. Humidity within acceptable limits has a beneficial effect on human health.
Features of arranging a steam room
When building a steam room with your own hands, you must adhere to the following recommendations.
Selection of oven
The main parameters on which the operation of the device depends are: the number of stones and the duration of their heating, the heat resistance of the body, the grate material, the power consumption of the unit and its design. To provide heat, in addition to the steam room, to adjacent rooms with a total area of 22 square meters, a power of 24 kW is sufficient. Making a stove with your own hands will reduce the cost of arranging a bathhouse.
Choosing a stove is an important matter Floor covering
As a flooring material the best solution There will be the use of porcelain tiles or the use of natural stone. For safe movement, a boardwalk is laid. Thermal insulation of the floor is not required. In this case, one of the requirements for the floor is the installation of a hole for draining water. Wood as a flooring material is not the best the best option, since high humidity will lead to its deformation and rapid failure.
Ceiling
For a ceiling, a sufficient height is 2.2 m, which is due to physical properties steam and human physiology. If the ceiling height exceeds the specified value, will the steam rise? and the effect of its influence will be lost. Reducing the height will lead to discomfort during bath procedures, as there will be a risk of head injury and difficulties will arise when working with a broom.
Windows and doors
Window organization is not a requirement.
Wood or glass are the best material options for making doors. If a wooden door is tradition, then glass is practical.
Selecting a steam source and determining a location for the furnace
An important factor when choosing a stove is the method of generating steam, the energy source and the size of the steam room.
A heater is a classic solution when choosing a stove for a Russian bath. Stones are placed inside it.
The traditional fuel is wood, but both electricity and gas can be used.
There are several types of ovens.
Wood burning
Installing such a stove will provide a unique atmosphere in the bathhouse. Even the fact that such a device requires periodic cleaning of soot from the stones cannot spoil the pleasure of taking a bath procedure. To reduce the formation of soot, aspen wood should be used as fuel. To maintain a stable temperature, it is necessary to constantly monitor the combustion process.
Steam room with wood stove Electric
The electric heater is very easy to use. Such an electrical appliance is compact, has sufficient power and allows you to quickly reach the required temperature. Its device does not require the organization of a chimney.
The electric heater is safe for environment and humans, its maintenance is simplified as much as possible due to the use of automation, design features eliminate the possibility of injury.
The main disadvantage of the device is its significant energy consumption.
Electric heater Gas
Application gas oven characterized by ease of use, high speed heating and maintaining the set temperature in the steam room.
A significant disadvantage of this device is the dimensions of the furnace and the significant need of the device for gas. The use of a furnace of this type is impractical if there is no connection to the gas main. 
Types of heaters
The stove can be open or closed.
There are different types of heaters In case several people plan to take bath procedures, best choice will open type heaters. The firebox (the place where the fuel is burned) does not have fireproof masonry. It serves as a place for laying stones. This arrangement of the stove allows you to heat all the rooms of the bathhouse and allow the stones to heat up.
When exposed to water, heaters with such a device quickly lose temperature. This design is used in furnaces with electric heating.
A closed heater is traditional way devices of the Russian bath. In this case, in a specially designated place in the oven there is a large number of stones. In this case, the steam exits through a special door, the level of which is located opposite the stones of the first row. This door must remain closed during fuel combustion. To warm up the steam room, open it in advance.
Finishing the steam room: main stages
Which material to choose?
The choice of material is an important stage in the production of finishing a steam room.
There are no small details in the steam room device Given its availability, pine is not suitable material for this room. This type of wood contains resins, which under the influence of high temperature are released onto the surface of the material.
The most suitable material in this case may be linden. The characteristics of this type of wood do not allow burns and allow you to preserve appearance finishes remain unchanged for a long time.
The possibility of using aspen, birch, or poplar is not excluded. Deciduous trees dry out quickly, thereby creating a specific microclimate in the steam room, and are durable.
The use of wood and linoleum slabs for finishing the bathhouse is strictly prohibited. In addition to the fact that these materials are a fire hazard, at high temperatures and humidity they become unsafe for human health.
How to insulate the ceiling and walls?
An important condition when installing a steam room is to create a sealed room. For this purpose, insulation is used mineral based, which is insulated from steam using aluminum foil.
To connect its edges, a special adhesive tape. High temperatures do not allow the use of film in this case due to its deformation. Exterior decoration should include the organization of closable ventilation holes.
Insulation To finish the ceiling, planed boards with a thickness of 20-30 mm are used. They are fastened to the beams using nails, which should have a length three times the thickness of the board. You can improve ventilation by rounding the corners of the boards and leaving a small gap between them.
Pair clapboard finishing
It should be noted that lining has become very popular as a finishing material for bathhouses. The properties of this material make it possible to create the required thermal insulation and finish the surface of the walls, making them attractive. In addition, the good breathability of the material does not create conditions for the formation of condensation, fungi and mold.
Before installing the lining in the steam room, it is left in it for some time so that the material adapts to the microclimate conditions of the room.
If there are significant defects on the wall surface, they should be eliminated so that the material does not lie in waves. Fastening occurs using staples or screws. It is necessary to take into account the fact that to achieve ideal surface In most cases, walls without sheathing are not possible.
Lining When choosing fasteners, you should take into account their operating conditions. Their material must withstand high humidity and temperature, and also prevent the possibility of injury to a person.
How is the floor finished in a steam room?
The process of finishing a bathhouse begins with organizing the floor. It is recommended to raise it 150-200 mm above the floor level in other rooms. This allows you to maintain heat in the steam room due to the absence of drafts.
Shunted plank flooring The best material to use is tiles, tongue and groove or edged board. The level of safety of moving indoors and its comfort will depend on the choice made.
Flooring from boards is made on logs, which are placed on brick columns. The base is sand or concrete. For installation, galvanized, bronze, brass or stainless steel fasteners are used.
Specific conditions in the room determine a number of requirements for the organization of lighting in it:
- The lampshade must be made of heat-resistant and moisture-resistant material;
- to create diffused lighting, it is better to use matte lampshades;
- lamps should not be placed on the ceiling;
- lampshades must be reinforced;
- The maximum lamp power should be 60 W.
Lighting will create an atmosphere of mystery Steam room design: ideas
The steam room design is not very diverse and has traditional interior, consisting of a stove-heater and multi-level benches.
The layout of the shelves should be consistent with existing preferences and satisfy different needs. When using the space zoning method, you can line the stove with stone and make the benches out of wood.
A modern design solution is to install windows when decorating a steam room. Through them you can contemplate the surrounding landscape.
A selection of video and photographic materials will give a more detailed idea of the possible design options for the steam room
The steam room with a huge window provides an overview of the site. There is hope that the glass is tinted and from the outside it is not visible what is happening inside.
When decorating the steam room, you can combine materials.
When constructing a bathhouse building, it is necessary to take into account the smallest detail, since the comfortable stay and safety of the people relaxing in it depend on it. The quality of the structure of the bathhouse inside is how long it will last.
When arranging bath rooms, you need to pay attention to many factors - building materials, temperature, air humidity, lighting, ventilation, interior. The fact is that only a bathhouse built in compliance with technology and taking into account all the nuances will turn out to be reliable and durable.
Foundation arrangement
The very first stage from which the installation of a bathhouse begins is the construction of a foundation, the quality of which is reflected in the service life of the building. You can make a foundation different ways, which depends on the soil on which the building will be erected and on its parameters.
Because bathhouses are not built large sizes, and the materials for the walls do not weigh much, then installing the foundation for them from solid reinforced concrete slabs not advisable. It is better to choose a tape or columnar version of the base.
Strip foundation
It is used in the construction of a bathhouse on dry soil with groundwater at great depth.
This method has advantages:
- Thanks to the monolithic filling along the entire perimeter of the building, a sufficient degree of strength and reliability is ensured.
- The thermal insulation characteristics of floor structural elements are enhanced, which ultimately reduces heating costs.
- there are opportunities to implement additional functions, for example, you can build an underground or cellar for storing bath accessories.
The strip base shown in the photo is laid in the following sequence:
- using pegs and ropes on a previously prepared area, mark the location of the walls;
- dig a trench 50 centimeters deep, the width of which should exceed the thickness of the walls by 10 centimeters. Foundation for installation internal partitions can be arranged on the same level as the walls, since they are not assigned a load-bearing function and will not be the basis for logs;
- at the bottom of the trench a 20-centimeter cushion is made from compacted gravel;
- in place of the future walls, formwork is installed from wooden planks height above the soil level by at least 20 centimeters.
- Reinforced rods are placed inside the formwork, thereby increasing the strength of the concrete. Then pour the mixture consisting of cement, river sand and crushed stone in a ratio of 1:3:5.
- wait until the solution completely hardens. To achieve the greatest strength, during the drying process the concrete should be watered and covered with polyethylene film.
Columnar base
This type of foundation when installing a bathhouse allows you to save money. It can be done on different types soil
Advantages of a columnar base for a bathhouse:
- low cost of work is achieved due to the fact that there is no need to pour a foundation along the entire perimeter - columns are made only in certain places;
- There is the possibility of installation both in lowlands and on slopes, as well as in swampy areas.
The sequence of work is similar to that for creating strip base with one difference - not the entire perimeter is filled, but only the holes prepared under the joints of the pit walls.
There is another, faster and economical way arrangement of a pile foundation:
- They make markings and dig holes in accordance with the diameter of the asbestos pipes.
- Pipes are inserted into the ground and concrete is poured into them.
Bathhouse layout
When a Russian bathhouse is built, its design should be reflected in the pouring of the foundation. This applies to all rooms, taking into account their size.
The main premises of bath buildings are:
- steam room;
- washing;
- dressing room
The following can be equipped as additional structures and premises:
- pay;
- attic;
- utility block
Steam room
If you are setting up a bathhouse, the installation of a steam room requires the presence of:
- stoves;
- shelves for rest;
- containers with water.
A tank filled with water is used if a steam room is being installed in a Russian bathhouse, and not in a sauna.
Washing room
When designing a bathhouse building, you need to calculate the size of the washing room on the basis that to ensure a comfortable stay for one person you need square meter space. Based on this, it turns out that 5-6 “squares” will be enough, although this parameter depends on the number of family members and guests who come to take a steam bath.
The functionality of the washing compartment can be significantly increased by installing:
- shower stall;
- plumbing;
- washing machine.
If the room size is 1.8 x 1.8 meters, it will fit a massage couch.
Waiting room
Depending on the area, the dressing room may consist of a locker room or a fully equipped guest room.
Basic requirements for the premises:
- There should be 1.3 “squares” of space per person with a wall length of at least one meter.
- To reduce heat loss, window openings need to be made as small as possible.
- Should be installed the following items furniture - table with chairs, hangers, shoe stands, etc.
The main purpose of the dressing room:
- Opportunity to change clothes and prepare for visiting the steam room.
- Availability of conditions for comfortable rest and communication after acceptance of procedures.
- Ensuring free movement during preparation for operation of the bathhouse.
Wood for bath walls
Thanks to modern technologies, when building a bathhouse you can use the most different materials for walls. Most often they are built from wood, and this has been happening for many centuries. Usually cylindrical logs or beams are chosen. Last option of them is more convenient to use and weighs less.
Advantages of wood:
- Low thermal conductivity. When deciding how to set up a steam room in a Russian bathhouse, many choose this material (read: " ").
- Ecological cleanliness.
- Pleasant aroma natural wood.
- Strength.
- Aesthetic appearance.
But we should not forget about the disadvantage of cheap wood species - it is “afraid” high humidity. This deficiency can be eliminated by using antiseptics.
Bath walls made of foam concrete
This material has the following advantages:
- Low price, making this construction option budget-friendly. With limited funding, this is an ideal solution.
- Low thermal conductivity.
- Light weight - foam concrete places little load on the foundation. Laying the products can be done by one person, which simplifies installation work.
- Fire safety.
- Water resistance.
Among the disadvantages is the unattractive appearance, so external decorative cladding will be required.
Brick walls of bath buildings
When erecting a building from brick, the result is durable, reliable and practical sauna, which can, if desired, be combined with the utility block of the household. True, the cost of such a bathhouse construction will be quite considerable. At the same time, the steam room device in brick bath has its own characteristics.
Additional structures and rooms in the bathhouse
To increase the functionality of the bathhouse, equip:
- Polati. The ceiling can be redone. To do this, 30 mm tongue-and-groove boards are laid over the steam room and washing compartment. A ladder is mounted to them, and comfortable mattresses are laid on top. In the resulting place it will be possible to spend the night or partially accommodate vacationers in the bathhouse.
- Attic. When on suburban area there are no other buildings, a good option would be to build a bathhouse with attic floor, where a guest room, bedroom and kitchen will fit perfectly. As a result, a place will appear where there are conditions for living until a house is built. If there are a large number of vacationers, they can be accommodated in attic room. Also on the second floor there is, for example, a billiard table. In the attic it is necessary to ensure high-quality ventilation, since in the summer it will be impossible to stay there when the stove is lit.
- Household block. It is a small extension where all the necessary communications are connected, including water supply and sewerage. Thanks to their presence, it is possible to place a bathroom here. This is especially convenient when the steam room is in winter time children visit.
- Kitchen. If a kitchen area is equipped, this will relieve pressure on the residential building.
Features of installing a water tank
One of important decisions You can call it a choice of how the steam room will be used, or more precisely, what kind of steam is planned in it - dry or wet. If it must be wet, then a Russian bathhouse will be required. To do this, install a tank of water in the steam room, which will significantly increase the humidity level in the room.
If preference is given to dry procedures, then the tank should be placed in the next room and connected to the stove using a heat exchanger.
Construction of a bathhouse
The steam room can also be installed in the house. But such a decision cannot be called unambiguous. On the one hand, you will be able to save on building a foundation and an additional source of heat will appear in the building. But on the other hand, a fire hazardous facility will be equipped in the residential building and the humidity level will increase.
Perhaps someone is waiting for step-by-step instruction on how to build a steam room with your own hands will include points from the very beginning of designing and laying the bathhouse.
Preliminary steps
Before following the steps of our instructions, it would be better if you followed the links that lead to detailed articles - about, types of building materials for and. Because otherwise, either the volume of this article would grow uncontrollably, or we would have to talk about everything too superficially.
Here we will look at the main steps in detail and touch a little on some additional aspects independent work to create your ideal steam room. For more detailed information, follow the links in the text.
If you don’t want to resort to the help of outsiders, find out what options there are for arranging the floor, walls and ceiling in the steam room, make your choice and get to work.
Step 1: Bathhouse with steam room and sink: floor
Why is it said here not only about the steam room, but also about the sink? Because with a certain floor arrangement you don’t have to do separate drain for each of these premises. But first things first.
In a steam room, especially a Russian one, there is often enough water on the floor that it becomes necessary to drain it. This is done standardly in two ways plum and two locations withdrawal.
Gender may be smooth(without tilting), but there will be gaps between its boards - it is through them that the used water will escape. In this case the floor is called .
Gender may be inclined and without gaps between the boards. In this case, the water is supposed to roll down to the very bottom, where a drain hole awaits it, leading into the underground. In this case it is called « ».
What is in the underground differs in design: it can be a drainage pad for absorbing and distributing water, which is easily drained directly under the bathhouse. This could be a concrete slope, repeating the idea of water flowing to the drain hole, from where it is diverted through a pipe outside the bathhouse - into a septic tank or drainage field. These two options are used when installing a pouring floor.
For dry there is no need for a concrete screed - the water goes into the ladder, and from there through a pipe - also into a septic tank or drainage field.
For the first option you need to make sure that the bathhouse is located on sandy soils or those with similar drainage properties, then place a cushion of sand and gravel under it within the boundaries of the steam room and sink.
To do this, the entire layer of soil is removed from the subfloor, then 10-15 cm of sand is poured, and a layer of gravel is placed on top of it.
Concrete screed device for the second case much more labor-intensive and financially expensive.
First thing you dig trench under the sewer pipe. Next, a concrete ladder– tank for drain water. A hole is made in it for sewer pipe, which should go at an angle of several degrees.
The next step is to do the same work to create sand cushion, but without gravel, while the sand is spilled with water and compacted.
IMPORTANT! Compacting ensures that the concrete will not crack later due to deformation of the cushion.
You can put a layer on top of the waterproofing thermal insulation. For example, it could be 50 mm polystyrene. A reinforcing mesh with a wire diameter of 5 mm must be laid on the foam boards.
These were two subfloors for pouring floors. The pouring floor itself consists of boards that are attached to the foundation frame. In this case, the gap should be not only between adjacent boards, but also between the boards and the wall. Here and there it may be equal 10 mm.
Dry floor can be wooden or ceramic, from tiles. The tile is placed immediately on concrete screed, arranged identically to that described above.
Wooden dry floor it is made from tongue-and-groove boards, but the entire structure may not have contact with the base of the subfloor, because it is attached to the joists, and the joists are attached to the foundation frame.
If there is a need for insulation, then boards are hemmed from below to the joists, on which a layer of waterproofing and insulation is then laid, after which everything is again covered with waterproofing and sewn up on top with a rough and finishing floor.
ON A NOTE! The slope of the finished floor is done by trimming the top of the joists. And do not forget that there is always a gap of 1 cm between the floor boards and the wall.
Now that you have described the installation of the floor of a steam room in a bathhouse with your own hands, you can move on to the walls and ceiling.
Additional materials on floors:
Steps 2 and 3: How to make walls and ceiling
Arranging a steam room in a bathhouse with your own hands will not be complete without finishing the walls and ceiling. In this case, the owner needs to decide for himself whether his steam room will need insulation, and in particular, for this purpose.
Many people do it as standard - with mineral wool And foil. Moreover, this insulation scheme is used not only in bathhouses made of bricks or blocks, or frames, but also in log houses, in bathhouses made of timber. However, in practice, it all depends on how cold your winters are, how well you sealed everything possible - walls, basement, roof, whether it works correctly and much more.
It happens that it is enough to approach rationally sealing, and there are no longer any problems with the steam room cooling quickly. If they remain, or you are one hundred percent sure that in your climate you cannot do without insulation, then proceed according to the scheme described below.
It is assumed that you already have the walls of the steam room. On my own The thermal insulation “pie” is the same for any wall. You won't even need a diagram if you understand its principle.
In humid and hot rooms the appearance of condensate, especially when the weather is frosty outside. This condensate must evaporate. At the same time, it is highly desirable that it does not get inside the insulation if it is used as mineral wool. Because it will take a long time for water to evaporate from it, and its presence greatly reduces thermal insulation properties mineral wool.
Start arranging the walls of the steam room with your own hands by stuffing the walls battens. However, you should think in advance in which direction you will ultimately attach the lining, because the counter-lattice is made in a direction perpendicular to the length of the lining.
The diagram shows wall insulation; a foam block wall is shown as an example. Read more about the scheme.
A counter-lattice coincides in direction with the sheathing. So, first you place the sheathing beams soaked in antiseptic and attach them to the walls, floor and ceiling so that they can hold the mineral wool mats.
Lathing step it is done along the width of the insulation minus 1-2 cm in order to compress the insulation and it supports itself due to expansion.
Insulation is inserted between the bars to insulate the wall
Mounted on top of the sheathing film either regular or wind protection, or a water protection membrane that releases vapors from the insulation to the outside.
Inserts into the space between the sheathing beams insulation. After which it closes either foil, or any other vapor protection. The vapor barrier is sealed using a metal tape, For example.
On top vapor protection stuffing himself counter-lattice, creating an air space 2.5-3 cm thick, sufficient for the lining to dry out.
The insulation is covered with a vapor barrier and counter-battens are nailed
And it is already attached to the counter-lattice lining. You can read about how this is done.
In general, you can use screws, dowels, and staples for fastening.
The ceiling in the steam room will be either grazing, or hemmed. The structure of both is discussed in this article.
In principle, it is only suitable for insulation hemmed ceiling, and it is immediately insulated from the attic side. In this case, a variety of materials are used, but it is desirable that they are non-flammable and do not emit anything harmful when heated significantly (we remember that the ceiling is the most heated part of the steam room, because hot air tends upward).
Step 4: Arrangement: ventilation
It is worth taking care of ventilation already at the construction stage. Leave vents in the foundation - these can be asbestos-cement pipes with sand, which you will then free and install stubs or deflectors.
Ventilation in a steam room is essential and should not be forgotten. But she different for Russian baths and saunas! This must be taken into account ().
IN Russian bath you can't do it at all ventilation pipes, if you use burst ventilation, open windows and doors wide between procedures and after them. But for this there should be a steam room, preferably opposite the door.
However, not only people, but also stoves need oxygen, so usually blower the furnace is supplied pipe supply ventilation , supplying fresh, oxygen-rich cold air. It is this that will oxidize the fuel and affect the combustion temperature. The more oxygen, the more completely the fuel burns, the higher the temperature.
And if there is inflow, then why not do it sharpening? Even in a Russian bathhouse, it makes sense to make drain holes under the shelves, because this is a zone of stagnant air, and moisture can stagnate there too. About the hood below.
You can limit yourself to a simple hole in the wall, but this harmful to walls long term – the constant release of moisture destroys them. It's better to make a pipe.
ADVICE! All ventilation in a Russian bath must be adjustable, that is, have dampers that allow it to be completely closed during procedures.
IN sauna ventilation is the basis of everything. It is arranged in such a way that the air changed 5 times in an hour. It is on this basis that the inlet and outlet pipes are selected according to their diameter - in order to pass the volume of the steam room in a specified time.
A bathhouse can be a wonderful place to relax with the whole family, with friends, or even alone, but for this you need to pay due attention to solving the issues of its internal arrangement. You can handle all the upcoming tasks on your own. You just need to pay attention to studying the theoretical part, and then step by step put all your ideas into practice.
Pay due attention to the choice of finishing materials. Traditional material for finishing the Russian steam room - wood.
Most a budget option- pine. However, if possible, you should avoid using material that is too cheap. During the operation of the steam room, low-quality pine releases too many resins, which makes visiting the bathhouse too difficult.
Best option for interior decoration steam rooms - linden-based materials. This wood does not overheat, so visiting the bathhouse will be absolutely safe. In addition, the material tolerates high temperatures well and retains its original external properties for a long time.
You can also use birch, poplar and other durable species to decorate the steam room. Larch dries well, which helps create the most favorable microclimate in the steam room.
It is strictly not recommended to use cheap wood boards for finishing the steam room. Your choice is lining or solid wood. You should refrain from chipboard, MDF and similar solutions, because... These are toxic and flammable materials. They do not tolerate contact with moisture and very quickly lose their external qualities.
For the rest, be guided by your personal preferences and available budget.
Heating and ventilation
The “heart” of the Russian bath is the heater stove. Best materials for construction sauna stove– refractory bricks and a natural stone. They can be used either individually or in combination.
Brick accumulates heat well, and stones allow you to get the right steam. If properly equipped, a sauna stove will be able to “keep” heat for up to 15 hours, but this point largely depends on the quality of the insulation.
The steam room must have high-quality ventilation. Quite often natural ventilation turns out to be insufficient to ensure proper air exchange and fans have to be installed. There are a lot of ventilation options. Each specific type of system is selected in accordance with the conditions and characteristics of a particular case.
There must be a drain hole in the floor of the bathhouse through which excess moisture will escape. This will prevent the formation of dampness, mold and other troubles in the steam room.
Floor finishing
To finish the floor of the steam room, edged or tongue-and-groove boards are used. The work is done in a few simple steps.
First step. Carefully level the base and remove any debris.
Second step. Make a concrete screed. If the rough foundation does not have significant differences, you can do without a screed. In this case, you need to fill the base with about a 10-centimeter layer of sand.
Third step. Install on base brick pillars measuring 25x25 cm. These posts will serve as supports for the logs. Select the height of the posts so that the finished floor in the steam room is at least 15 cm higher than the floor of the washing room.
Fourth step. Lay the joists and secure them to the support posts. Traditionally, logs with a cross section of 25x25 cm are used. The optimal laying step is about 1 m.
Fifth step. Start laying the boards. Start laying from the far corner from the entrance to the room. Use galvanized self-tapping screws to attach the boards to the joists. Screw them in so that the caps are buried at least a couple of millimeters in the wood.
The bath floor is laid with a slight slope - about 1 cm per 1 m of surface. The floor design necessarily includes a drain for the timely and effective removal of excess moisture.
Wall decoration
For finishing bath walls It is best to use clapboard. Before starting work, bring the lining into the steam room and leave it there for a day or two so that the material has time to adapt to the surrounding conditions. All wood must be processed antiseptic. In general, the work is extremely simple and is performed in several stages.
First stage. Assemble the frame. When choosing a material for assembling the frame, consider the expected level of the upcoming load. If the shelves will be attached to the walls, the sheathing should be assembled from bars. If the shelves will not be attached to the walls, the frame can be made of slats.
When choosing an option for fastening the sheathing elements, be guided by how the lining will be secured in the future. If you attach the sheets vertically, fix the slats or beams horizontally, and vice versa.
Attach the first and last slats to the wall. Use self-tapping screws for fastening. Select the pitch of the sheathing in accordance with the width of the insulation boards.
Second phase. Attach waterproofing (polyethylene film) over the sheathing and begin laying the insulation. For insulation, mineral wool is most often used.
Third stage. Secure on top of the laid insulation vapor barrier material. To fix vapor barrier membranes, it is most convenient to use a construction stapler.
Fourth stage. Proceed with the installation of the lining. Start attaching the sheathing sheets from the far corner of the steam room. The lining can be secured with self-tapping screws or other convenient fasteners. Cover all the walls of the steam room with clapboard.
In the case of finishing baths, use for finishing lining varnishes and paints are strongly not recommended.
Ceiling finishing
First step. Add lath to the load-bearing floor beams. To assemble the sheathing, use edged boards or wooden blocks. Place a waterproofing film over the sheathing. Select the sheathing pitch in accordance with the width of the insulation boards.
Second step. Fill the sheathing cells with insulation (usually basalt wool). Carefully align the insulation mats so that there are no gaps or cracks.
Third step. Attach a vapor barrier material to the beams on top of the insulation. Lay vapor barrier strips with a 20-30 cm overlap. Use a construction stapler to secure the material. Tape the joints with aluminum adhesive tape.
Fourth step. Proceed with the installation of the lining. Attach the sheets to the slats. Fix the sheets of the outermost row of sheathing at a distance of 1.5-2 cm from the wall to ensure effective air circulation in the space between the thermal insulation and the sheathing.
Cover the entire surface of the ceiling. You also need to leave a gap of 1.5-2 cm at the opposite wall.
The size, shape and placement of benches in the steam room may vary. To the greatest extent, everything depends on the imagination and capabilities of the owner.
The main thing is to choose the appropriate material for arranging benches. When choosing a material, take into account the fact that the benches will be used in a steam room - a room with high temperature and humidity. Moreover, people will sit and lie on these benches.
Therefore, the wood must have a smooth texture without any knots or resins, and also be hypoallergenic. In most cases, benches are built from poplar, oak, aspen and linden wood. The materials mentioned have many important advantages, namely:
- they do not emit resin and others harmful substances when heated;
- dry quickly;
- smell nice;
- do not burn the skin;
- look beautiful;
- have a pleasant-to-touch surface.
The shelves in the steam room should look beautiful and have rounded ends. It is best to place them in 2-3 tiers against the wall opposite the heater. It's traditional and best option. If you wish, you can make changes to the project at your discretion.
Remember: the shelves should be at such a distance from the stove that people do not get burned on the surface of the unit. If for finishing plaster was used in the oven or the masonry was left “as is”, the minimum permissible distance to the shelves should be 50 cm.
There is also a limitation on the distance between the ceiling of the bathhouse and top shelf: no more than 1.2 m and no less than 1 m.
Lighting in the steam room
In the process of planning and organizing the lighting of the steam room, you need to take into account the main features of this room - a hot and humid microclimate. Lamps in this room can be placed exclusively in the corners or right under the ceiling.
The corners and ceiling heat up the least, and artificial light with such placement of devices will not “hit the eyes.”
Fiber optic luminaires allow for softer and more diffused lighting. In addition, fiber optic lighting are considered safer for use in such conditions when compared with ordinary lamps.
Regardless of which lamps you choose, they need to be hidden behind heat-resistant and heat-resistant shades. To make the lampshades less conspicuous, they can be framed with beautiful wooden grilles. Also wooden gratings will look appropriate on the ventilation holes.
In the end, all you have to do is buy or make various items for your Russian bathhouse yourself. additional accessories like headrests, ladles, buckets, brooms, etc., and the steam room will be ready for use.
Thus, although there is nothing complicated in arranging a steam room for a bathhouse with your own hands, it is a complex, complex work that requires maximum care and responsibility from the performer. Follow the advice and instructions you receive and everything will work out.
Good luck!
Video - Do-it-yourself steam room for a bathhouse
What can’t a bath be without? Of course, without a steam room! It is the main room in which bath procedures are carried out. A lot depends on how the steam room is designed: the safety of the procedures, convenience, their level of quality, etc. Some people prefer to entrust the construction and finishing to hired specialists, while others prefer to make a steam room in a bathhouse with their own hands.
Despite the fact that finishing a steam room is an important step, everything is quite simple. The interiors of steam rooms are basically the same type; they do not require complex design solutions, so many can easily arrange them themselves.
Steam room: step-by-step instructions
In order for bath procedures to be of high quality, it is important to make the steam room correctly. The instructions presented below will help you understand all the nuances and decorate the room as conveniently and functionally as possible.
Step 1: Making a plan
Any construction works always start with a plan. It is not necessary to create a complex project using special professional programs, you can at least make a drawing.
But keep in mind that the more detailed the project, the better! The absence of a project will lead to mistakes being made during the construction process, which will lead to temporary or financial losses.
First you need to decide where it will be located, since each stove has its own requirements for room size, ventilation, etc.
It is also necessary to decide on the size of the steam room. They depend on total area the room and how many people will be steaming in it at the same time. The steam room should be such that everyone feels comfortable in it, but it is important that it be compact, otherwise warming up the steam room will take longer.
The standard height of the bathhouse is 2.2 m. If you make the ceiling lower, the bathhouse will be uncomfortable, and in addition, it will be difficult to massage with a broom. There is also no need to make ceilings that are too high, since in this case the steam will go up and there will be no therapeutic effect from it.
You should decide in advance whether there will be windows in the steam room or not. If there are, then you need to make them small (about 50x50 cm).
It is necessary to think carefully at the design stage. Improper ventilation can lead to heat loss and even harm human health.
Step 2. Insulating the steam room
Insulation is an important step; if done correctly, the steam room will cool down more slowly, bathing procedures will become more enjoyable, and fuel consumption will decrease.
Insulation is done in the following order: ceiling, walls and floor. Typically used for thermal insulation mineral wool To protect it from moisture, you need to additionally cover the material with aluminum foil.
Step 3. Finishing the steam room
If you look at a photo of finishing a steam room in a bathhouse with your own hands, you will notice that almost all steam rooms look the same: mostly lining is used for their finishing. This material has many advantages, including ease of installation, long service life, moisture resistance, etc. The lining can be made from different types of trees: aspen, alder, larch, ash, linden.
When choosing, you should focus on your financial capabilities, the quality of the wood and personal preferences.
If lining made exclusively from deciduous trees is suitable for the floor and shelves, then coniferous trees can also be used for the walls. The advantage of the latter is that when heated, they release resins that fill the room with a pleasant pine aroma. Hardwood lining has more high level vapor barriers.
The floor in the bathhouse can be wooden, concrete or clay. As flooring It is permissible to use natural stone or porcelain tiles. If you go with tile, it's best to cover it wooden flooring, because you can slip on the tiles.
When you decorate a steam room in a bathhouse with your own hands, remember that using any wood boards (chipboard, MDF) or linoleum is unacceptable. To produce these materials, adhesives and resins are used; they release when heated and become dangerous to humans.
Step 4. Installing furniture and arranging the steam room
A steam room is a room with a special temperature regime and high humidity, therefore it requires special design. Lighting in the steam room should be soft and diffused. Perfect option- these are lamps with matte shades. They must be reinforced and made of heat and moisture resistant material.
You cannot place them in the steam room or washing room. distribution boxes and switches.
Any steam room must have a stove and shelves. The stove in the bathhouse can be made of iron or brick. fireproof, has an attractive appearance. Its disadvantage is its massiveness, so a brick bathhouse is usually installed in spacious bathhouses. Those who have small sauna, they prefer metal stoves, which you can make with your own hands or purchase ready-made ones.
If we compare stoves by fuel type, they come in wood, gas and electric. The most common option is a wood-fired sauna. It is the fire and the sound of burning wood that help create the right atmosphere. Gas and electric ovens- it's more modern options, requiring availability gas pipe or electricity, respectively.
Deciduous trees (aspen, linden, abash) are suitable for making shelves for a bathhouse. It is unacceptable to use coniferous species, because the resin released when they are heated can burn the skin.
Shelves can be installed in one row or several. Multi-tiered shelves are more spacious, they give everyone the opportunity to choose what suits them temperature regime(as you know, the closer to the ceiling, the higher the temperature). The standard height of each tier is 35 cm. In very small baths you can make folding shelves for the bath.
But if you still want to further decorate the room, then make elegant hangers for brooms and towels, install unusual handles on the doors, and select original lamps.
Below are photos of do-it-yourself steam rooms:
