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.
An example of the arrangement of shelves and their sizes
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 tier 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. In this case, the optimal ceiling height is 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.
The size of the steam room depends on the number of people who will be in it at the same time
Arranging a large steam room with an electric stove is a pointless undertaking, since the cost of electricity will not be offset 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 large pairs - in order for the heat to reach in the required quantity, you will need to make 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.
It is recommended to indicate all the necessary dimensions in a special technological map.
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.
It is recommended to allocate space for a corridor, which will help prevent the penetration of cooled air into the room.
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.
A log house is most often used to build a bathhouse.
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.
Straight fiber arrangement is optimal for a bath
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.
The construction made of laminated veneer lumber is quite reliable
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.
The optimal stove for a sauna is a heater
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. The steam from a continuous stove is cleaner.
Heaters can be with a closed or open backfill chamber. This affects the quality of the steam.
An oven with a closed chamber is more environmentally friendly
Next you need to decide on the material for the roof. This is influenced by the climate of the area.
Video: how to equip an infrared sauna in an apartment
Video description
You can make a pouring floor like this:
Drains from the bathhouse cannot be poured into reservoirs - they contain detergents, this kills river inhabitants.
If the sauna is located inside the house, the wash room can be replaced with a regular bathroom.
Locker room and dressing room
If the sauna is located separately, then these rooms perform a vital function. They serve as an additional buffer that prevents cold air from the street from entering the steam room and washing room.
The design of the dressing room depends solely on the preferences of the owners. You can make this room strictly functional so that you can leave outdoor clothes in it and wait for the sauna to warm up. Or you can install a TV, sofas, tables and everything that comes to mind.
The dressing room can be decorated in any way you like Source pimpmyhouse.ru
If you make a sauna with your own hands in a private house, then a dressing room is not necessary. However, its presence is convenient - you can store bath accessories there and undress before the sauna.
If desired, the sauna can be equipped with a swimming pool, a home training room, or a relaxation room.
Calculation of materials for construction
First of all, you need to calculate how many floor boards you will need. For example, we will consider a sauna measuring 3.7x3.7 m. To make a floor in it, you need to prepare 25 edged boards.
Edged floor board
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.
Linden lining is suitable for a sauna
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 - the area of one board.
Next, you need to calculate the area of the sauna walls: the height is 2.1 m, and the length, taking into account the partitions, is 24 m.
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.
Vapor barrier of sauna walls is required
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.
Next you need to add up the area of the walls and ceiling: 29.61 + 13.69 = 43.3 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.
What kind of bathhouse to build
Of course, installing a bathhouse in a residential building is convenient. You will not need to return steamed down the street to your house, you will not need to erect a separate building, and there will be much less hassle with arranging water supply, sewerage and electricity. And the price of such a bathhouse is much lower than its free-standing analogues.
But not every type of bathhouse is suitable for installation in a home. So, let’s say in a Russian bath the effect is achieved using wet steam, but high humidity in the house is not desirable. The specificity of Turkish baths is also not suitable for placement in residential buildings.
The most suitable option for accommodation is a sauna. Currently, saunas are heated with infrared rays and traditional Finnish ones. Both of these types are perfect for placement in a residential building; then we will talk about the intricacies of installing these baths.
IR cabin.
Required Tools
To build a sauna base you need:
- carpentry tools;
- shovel;
- trowel;
- building level;
- concrete mixer;
- wheelbarrow;
- container for preparing the solution.
Concrete mixer can be rented
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.
A mixer attachment will help facilitate the process of mixing cement.
During the construction of a sauna, it is impossible to do without an electric jigsaw. With this tool you can make cuts and cuts to achieve unusual shapes in different materials.
An electric jigsaw will allow you to cut a piece of wood into any shape.
Sauna features
A simple sauna looks like a room where you can steam, and therefore its owners cannot boast of special comfort. However, this is the sauna option that is used most often, since many people dream of a Finnish sauna in a small house outside the city, but not everyone has the opportunity to make a sauna in a separate building.
The steam room is small in size
A sauna with a steam room can be slightly more complicated. In this case, you need to add a shower and changing room to it, as long as there is enough space for this. If there are no restrictions on the area, then nothing prevents you from building a sauna with a full set, thanks to which staying in it will turn into a complete relaxation with health benefits.
The steam room borders the room where the pool is located
Equipped in a separate building, the sauna consists of the following sectors:
- veranda;
- changing room;
- steam room;
- dressing room;
- artificial pond;
- recreation room with billiard room (possibly).
Photo gallery: Finnish sauna in the house
This room is no more than an ordinary shower room
To create such a Finnish sauna you need a lot of space
This sauna layout allows you to relax with pleasure
If there is a relaxation room nearby, then you can easily visit the sauna in several sessions
Varinat is suitable for those who like to splash around in the bathtub and take a steam bath
Perhaps this steam room will be a little cramped
Wide sauna benches are made in the shape of a herringbone
The bathroom leading to the steam room has space for changing clothes and relaxing.
Useful tips for finishing
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:
- Linden has an excellent appearance and smells good.
- Alder is able to retain heat well, while it practically does not heat up. It has a varied palette of colors and beautiful designs.
- 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:
- The first step is to cut the material to the height of the room.
- Next, do the sheathing. You need to start from the corner, and then move smoothly around the perimeter.
- It is recommended to cover them with wax or natural oils intended for saunas.
Treating the lining with wax will extend the life of the sauna
There is no need to treat the lining inside the sauna.
Briefly about the main thing
Setting up a good sauna is difficult, but it is possible. The result will justify the effort spent on it. Natural materials should be used in your work - they retain heat better. The ideal option is a log house on an earthen foundation. In finishing, you should also give preference to wood.
It is imperative to put insulation between the walls and the finishing. To quickly ventilate the room, you need windows in every room.
It is better to install a metal or electric stove, but you can choose other options.
If the sauna is a separate building, then there should be more rooms in it than if it occupies a room in the house.
Ratings 0
Microclimate types
A bathhouse in a bathroom is a functional design for creating a special microclimate that promotes relaxation and healing of the body. Home models provide three different types of microclimates:
- Dry sauna – air heating temperature ranges from 85 to 110 degrees with humidity up to 10%.
- Wet sauna - the air heating temperature reaches 90 degrees with a relative humidity of 24 to 42%.
- Steam sauna – the temperature does not exceed 62 degrees, and air humidity is artificially pumped up using a compact steam generator.
The most comfortable thermal regime for the human body is considered to be an air temperature of 40–45 degrees with 100 percent humidity.
When choosing the optimal microclimate in the first two types of saunas, it is recommended to follow a simple rule - 110. It involves the summation of two values - the heating temperature of the air and its humidity, the result should be 110. For example, temperature - 70 degrees, humidity - 40%.
Flooring
If you plan to build a sauna in a ready-made room, the first thing you need to do to equip it is to refine the floors. When purchasing materials, it does not matter what thermal insulation characteristics they have - this will not affect the quality in any way.
Floor installation
You can lay not only wood flooring. Many people use granite masonry and other materials. Ceramic tiles are often found in which the outer edge is rough to prevent falls. Another option is to use thermowood, which is highly resistant to elevated temperatures and has a rough surface.
If you use such a coating, you need to provide a backing for the logs. 40 mm boards, well processed, are suitable. They are secured with simple self-tapping screws, but the caps should be hidden in the wood and such places should be covered with plugs.
Performing ventilation
Heating project
When constructing the frame, all required communications must be laid. In order to spend time in the sauna comfortably, strict requirements are applied to ventilation.
A hole is required near the stove for air to enter. A hood is mounted opposite it, from where the air enters the ventilation or directly to the street. You can make an additional hole that is opened only to ventilate the room.
Sometimes the natural passage of air masses does not occur. Installing forced ventilation helps. Capital walls must be lined, then ventilation must be installed. It must be closed with a grille, the hood must be closed with a valve. The amount of air must be adjusted by decreasing/increasing the holes.
Preparation of the drawing
A well-designed plan provides absolutely all parameters:
- Room dimensions.
- Location of communications, including electrical wiring, location of sockets, lighting fixtures.
- Design of shelves and their location.
The drawing indicates the finishing features of the floor and walls, the fasteners used and niches for infrared installations. If you do not have the proper artistic skills, you can use the services of a specialist, and find out the required safety parameters from the regulatory literature.
Thermal insulation of the steam room
Insulation should be approached with special responsibility. The rate of heating of the room and the amount of energy spent for this will depend on the correctness of the process. There should be no gaps when laying insulation - it is worth taking this into account during installation.
Sauna thermal insulation
The ceiling should be insulated carefully, because this is the place of the greatest heat loss in the sauna. Foil is placed on top of the insulation. The material connections should be secured with aluminum adhesive tape. If foil paper is not used, heat will be retained much worse, the room will cool down faster, and will not be able to reach the required temperature.
Furnace installation
In modern saunas, electric stoves are most often installed. You can buy them in a specialized store or assemble them yourself. But in fact, it must be installed and connected correctly.
The oven is selected based on the parameters of the steam room, that is, its volume. Calculations carried out by specialists from sauna equipment manufacturing companies show that for high-quality heating of one cubic meter it is necessary to spend 1.4 kW of energy. A simple arithmetic calculation shows that, for a steam room with a volume of 5 - 9 cubic meters. m, it is enough to install a stove with a power of 6 kW. Such a stove can operate on a 220 V network. Furnaces with higher power must be connected to a 380 V network.
In addition, there are certain restrictions on installing a stove in a steam room. So a 6 kW oven must have safety zones - at least 70 mm on the sides, 100 mm in front. To connect it, you will need to install a 35 A fuse.
Advantages and disadvantages
A home sauna in an apartment is a practical option for true lovers of sauna relaxation. This is an ergonomic design that can be installed in a typical city apartment. To install a standard sauna, it is enough to allocate a square meter of space in the bathroom, pantry, balcony or other free room.
A mini-bath in an apartment has the following advantages:
- Provides access to health procedures at any convenient time without leaving the apartment.
- Preparation for operation of the structure is carried out quickly and without the involvement of outside help.
- The device consumes a small amount of electricity.
- It has compact dimensions and low weight, which allows for quick installation.
- The costs of arranging a sauna in an apartment will be much lower than on a plot of land.
In addition to the positive aspects, a home bath has some disadvantages:
- Reducing the usable area in the apartment when it is necessary to carve out valuable meters for the steam room.
- Installation restriction - if the arrangement of a private sauna involves redevelopment of the apartment, then permission is required from the relevant institutions.
- A mini-sauna in an apartment requires the organization of a good ventilation system, reinforced electrical wiring and the ability to connect powerful electrical equipment.
Kinds
Electric mini-saunas for the home are presented in a wide range on the construction market. Finished designs may differ:
- power;
- sizes;
- location option;
- design;
- type of heating equipment.
There are several available options for ergonomic saunas for home use:
- Phyto-barrel. A compact steam room of a special design, made in the shape of a barrel. There are heating elements in the lower part, and a wooden bench for sitting in the upper part. To carry out bath procedures, just open the door and go into the barrel. In this case, the head will be located outside the structure, and the body will be located inside. For health procedures, you can use herbal infusions and decoctions.
- Portable fabric bath. The basis is a durable frame on which fabric is stretched, capable of ensuring optimal temperature in the steam room. To operate such a design, it is necessary to strengthen the electrical wiring and install waterproof sockets. The main advantage of such a bathhouse is its small dimensions and ease of installation and dismantling work.
- Finnish sauna cabin. A ready-made version of the design, which is intended for use in large apartments. It is distinguished by high reliability, practicality and high cost.
- Stationary bathhouse in the apartment. A structure with a unique design, the required size and equipment, which you can make and install yourself.
