Do-it-yourself steam room: the main stages of the device. Step-by-step instruction. For your own pleasure: what and how to make a steam room from? Do-it-yourself compact steam room

The quality of your relaxation will depend on how well the steam room is set up (with your own hands or with the hands of hired workers). The steam room is the basis, the heart of the bath, the work of which will affect the efficiency and viability of the steam room as a whole.

DIY steam room: arrangement concept.

The steam room should be arranged so that it is comfortable to stay in it. Therefore, before starting the construction process, it is necessary to draw up a project, a diagram of how everything will be located and on what area. The size of the steam room is influenced by two factors: the size of the stove and the number of people. Different ovens have different requirements for operating conditions: distance from shelves, ventilation system, room dimensions.

Based on the number of people who can steam at the same time, you can determine the area of ​​the steam room. It is necessary to calculate the area so that it is comfortable for people to be inside without crowding each other:

For example, the area of ​​a steam room for a family (2-3 people) is calculated as follows: the width is calculated based on the height of the tallest member of the family, so that a person can lie comfortably on the shelf, the minimum length in this case is 1.8 meters, the height of the ceilings You should not do less than 2.3 meters. We get the optimal dimensions: 2.0 x 1.8 x 2.3 meters.

You should also not leave extra space - this is an uneconomical waste of heat and energy. There are, so to speak, standard sizes that have been tested in practice: ceilings with a height of 2.2 meters are made for an area of ​​2x2.4 meters.

Windows in a steam room are an extra element. Their presence is not necessary, but if for some reason a window still needs to be made, it is better to make the hole minimal, maximum 500x500 mm. The best choice for high-quality thermal insulation would be a modern double-glazed window. In this case, the window will be an additional source of light and ventilation, but more careful insulation of the steam room and all near-window joints will be required.

Ventilation in the steam room is mandatory, and a window alone cannot solve the problem. This should be an established, well-designed exhaust system. The importance of ventilation is due to the high humidity in the room, which without proper air exchange can cause the appearance of mold and various fungi. Moisture has a bad effect on building materials, including wood, which is often used to decorate a steam room. Proper ventilation will ensure a healthy and comfortable steam room microclimate.

Steam room and its components: everything needs to be taken into account.

The process during which a steam room is built with your own hands requires certain knowledge about building materials and the operating principles of the bathhouse itself. The creation of the necessary steam will depend directly on the arrangement of the room: how and with what materials the steam room was built, insulated and finished. It is necessary to take into account all elements: stove, floor, ceiling, shelves, window and door openings, lighting, ventilation.

• The stove is selected based on its performance characteristics: heat resistance of steel, quantity and degree of heating of stones, volume of the firebox, material for the grate (grid in the firebox), mobility of the ash pan (ash pan) and appearance. The required power should be calculated:

For example, for a steam room with an area of ​​22 m2, the required heating consumption is 4 kW. We should take into account the heating of the stove itself, the stones and the water tank and we will get a consumption three times higher - 12 kW, if there is no need to heat adjacent rooms and the steam room is reliably insulated. Otherwise, 12x2 = 24 kW will come out.

• Knowing the required power, the area of ​​the steam room and the fuel you have available, you select a stove. You can also build a sauna stove with your own hands.
• It is better to make the floor in the steam room from tiles (ceramics, porcelain stoneware, natural stone), and put a wooden ladder on top. Insulation of the floor in the steam room is an optional condition, and a hole for water drainage will be a useful element.

You should not make the floor wooden; there is too much moisture in the steam room, which will lead to deformation and mold.

• You should build the ceiling in the steam room yourself correctly. The height should be 2.2–2.3 meters. These numbers are due to the vaping process. If you do it lower, you will cling to the ceiling with a broom, and if you do it higher, all the steam will go up, and the whole process will be disrupted. Ceilings must be insulated.
• The shelves must be built so that it is comfortable to lie on. The length of the shelf is slightly larger than a person’s height - 2–2.3 meters; the width of 0.6–0.7 meters will be sufficient. Shelves can be made in two levels; more is not necessary. The bottom shelf should be made narrower than the top so that the steamer has access to the person on the top shelf.
• If you can do without a window, then there will be a door anyway. The door can be glass or wood. Wooden is cheaper, but less practical. Glass is not susceptible to moisture, so it will be the best choice, although it costs a little more.
• The light should be pleasing to the eyes. The steam room requires good, uniform lighting. For wiring, it is better to use heat-resistant wire.
• Ventilation is carried out in the form of supply and exhaust openings. The exhaust vent is located under the ceiling, and the supply vent is located under the stove, in the opposite corner. To control ventilation, a valve is installed on the exhaust opening. The ventilation duct is usually made of aluminum corrugated pipe.

What you need to know before you start insulating a steam room with your own hands.

Insulation of the steam room begins from the ceiling, then the walls and floor are thermally insulated. The insulation of the bathhouse in general and the steam room in particular is carried out in three layers. The so-called “pie” will consist of waterproofing, thermal insulation and vapor barrier. Waterproofing protects the building from moisture and mold formation, thermal insulation preserves heat in the room and prevents cold from entering from the outside, vapor barrier is a heat reflector and a protective layer for insulation.

Step-by-step insulation of the steam room:

1. Selection of materials. When choosing materials, it is necessary to take into account their safety in high temperature conditions. Among the thermal insulators, basalt fiber, mineral and stone wool, ecowool, and fiberboard have such properties. For vapor barrier, foil materials would be an excellent option: aluminum foil, foil basalt, foil Penother.
2. Preparation of working surfaces. Removing dirt, mold, etc.
3. All surfaces are covered with waterproofing. You can use foil or plastic film as a waterproofing layer. In addition, you can paint the walls with polymer-bitumen mastics; they are resistant to high temperatures.
4. Installation of thermal insulation begins with attaching lathing made of wooden blocks (for ceilings 100x100mm, for walls 50x50mm). The sheathing must be treated with a special antiseptic for wood. A good option for insulation would be mineral wool, reed and fiberboard slabs. The material must be fire-resistant and not emit harmful substances when heated. The insulation on the ceiling will take twice as much, since its surface needs more careful insulation, because all the steam tends upward.
5. The insulation is covered with a vapor barrier. The vapor barrier layer can be aluminum foil or foil vapor barrier. This material protects the insulation well from hot and humid air. And as a bonus, it reflects heat back into the steam room. This creates a kind of thermos effect, which helps maintain heat in the steam room for a long time. The thickness of the foil must be at least 65 microns, otherwise it will tear.
6. The foil is attached to the sheathing with a construction stapler or nails. There should be no gaps between the foil leaves, so all joints must be sealed with vapor barrier tape.
7. Another frame is placed on top of the foil, which is intended for sheathing, for example with clapboard. The lining is sewn vertically if the timber is stuffed horizontally, and vice versa, it is sewn horizontally if the timber is stuffed vertically. The lining can be alternated with other finishing materials.
8. All joints should be carefully sealed with all layers of the “pie”. There should be no holes left where moisture can get in, and condensation should not be allowed to form.

Insulating a steam room with your own hands is a solvable task. You should approach the choice of materials wisely - and half the battle is done. Most importantly, do not forget that safety comes first. All selected materials must be fire-resistant and environmentally friendly. If the bathhouse has a wood-burning stove, it should be no closer than 40–50 cm to the wooden elements. If the stove is an electric heater, no closer than 20–40 cm. Fire safety rules have not yet been canceled.

If there is a steam room on the site, it immediately becomes more comfortable. You don't need to travel anywhere to take a steam bath. You can get together with friends, or you can organize a wonderful bathing day with your family.

But for the steam room to really be comfortable and safe, it needs to be properly made and equipped.

How to make a steam room with your own hands

You need to build a bathhouse so that it has at least two rooms. One is for a steam room, and the other is for a relaxation room. If space and finances allow, you can also add a shower and a small pool.

The construction of a steam room with your own hands in a bathhouse is carried out on a shallow strip foundation. If there is a swimming pool and a shower in it, a water drain must be installed in the form of a cesspool. It is advisable to install a drain in the steam room, so it will be easier to clean. To do this, when constructing the floor, you need to provide a drain hole and a pipe that will drain water outside the building.

Or you can, at the stage of building the foundation, dig an iron barrel filled with stones into the ground. The walls of the barrel need to be pierced with a chisel and a drain pipe inserted into it. This is enough to drain water from the steam room, shower, and pool.

DIY steam room device

The main attribute in this room is the stove. Without a good stove, you won’t be able to have a good steam bath, even if everything else is equipped in the best possible way.

To equip the stove, you can buy a ready-made structure, or you can make it yourself from sheet iron or pipe. First you need to determine where the stove will be located and how it will be heated. From inside or outside.

If you live in a warm climate and will use the steam room during the warm season, it is recommended that it be heated from outside. This will get rid of debris in the room. If the bathhouse will be used year-round, then it is better to arrange the steam room in such a way that the stove is heated from the inside.

In addition, you can build a gazebo with a barbecue with your own hands. Such a building will add comfort to your site and the opportunity to sit with friends on summer evenings. you can read useful tips and tricks for building it.

Video about a DIY steam room

Perhaps someone expects that step-by-step instructions for building a steam room with your own hands will include points from the very beginning of designing and laying a 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 basic steps in detail and touch a little on some additional aspects of working on your own 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 make a separate drain for each of these rooms. 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 it is necessary 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 the 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, in which case 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 slabs.

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 directly on a concrete screed, arranged identically to the one 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 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 don'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 the thermal insulation properties of 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 self-tapping 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 avoid making ventilation pipes at all 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 supply ventilation pipe, 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 in the long run– 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.

It seems that the steam room is being set up without any hassle. And it’s hard to argue with this, because when decorating such a room, they don’t think about architectural delights. However, creating a steam room must follow strict rules. Only a flawlessly constructed steam room can become a place for complete relaxation.

General structure of the steam room

The main furniture of the steam room is a shelf, a high platform on which to steam. If the bathhouse is intended for visiting a large company, then there should be several shelves in the steam room.

The platform in the bathhouse is constructed from wooden slats, and small gaps are left between them, which will not allow moisture to linger on the surface of the shelf.

The easiest option for installing a shelf is attaching a wooden structure to the floor

Typically, a high platform is attached to walls, behind which horizontal support bars are laid. This fixation option is better than the standard floor grip, since it does not limit the area of ​​the steam room and greatly simplifies cleaning the floor that is not occupied by the legs of the shelf. Another advantage of a platform attached to the walls is the ability to place buckets and other bath accessories on the floor under the wooden structure.

In addition to the platform, there is a stove in the steam room.

In most cases, a brick oven is installed in the steam room, which heats up relatively quickly and does not cool down for a long time.

There are many options for a stove for heating a steam room: it can be either brick or metal. And recently, bathhouse owners have even installed electric stoves in the steam room. The choice of device for producing hot steam depends on the preferences and financial capabilities of the steam room owner.

Photo gallery: steam room options

You can use an electric oven to heat the air in the steam room, but it is expensive. The stove is sometimes placed in a corner near the door, but this is not the best solution. The steam room can look original if you make shelves from different boards Corner shelves take up little space, but may be inconvenient Fans of a simple Russian bath do without lining and build shelves from thick boards

Preparing for the construction of a steam room

When planning the construction of a steam room, you need to decide what size it will be. There should be 0.7 m² per person in the steam room.

Experts advise making a steam room for 3 or 4 people in the bathhouse. This is due to the recommendations of doctors not to steam alone. It is much more difficult to bear the heat without company.

There is no need to make the steam room either cramped or very spacious. In the first case, it will be uncomfortable, and in the second, it will be quite cool, because it is difficult to heat a large room. It is preferable to create a steam room of size 2x2.4 meters. But deviating from standard solutions is not prohibited.

Photo gallery: drawings and dimensions of the steam room in relation to the dimensions of other rooms in the bathhouse

In a large bathhouse it is possible to make a large shelf The dimensions of the steam room must correspond to the dimensions of the washing room To save space in the bathhouse, it is worth making a steam room less than two meters wide and building a corner shelf in it Even in a small bathhouse it is possible to make a steam room 3x2 meters

Determining the size of the steam room

To some extent, the width of the steam room depends on the way a person is placed on the shelf. If it is planned that the person relaxing in the bathhouse will sit on a platform, then the room is made compact.

When you decide to steam while lying down, more space is provided to create a steam room. In this situation, the optimal width is equal to the height of the tallest person in the family, plus another 20 cm.

The dimensions of the shelf and bath are chosen taking into account the position in which it is convenient to steam

The height of the steam room can be from 2.2 to 2.4 meters. It is determined based on the height of the tallest visitor to the bathhouse. When entering the steam room, this person should not touch the ceiling with his head.

Subtleties of material selection

A bathhouse with a steam room is installed in a log house made of logs or beams made of linden or aspen. These materials retain heat, smell pleasant and do not retain exhaust air in the room. Adherents of alternative options often install baths made of brick or laminated timber.

Insulation material

The walls and ceiling of the steam room are insulated both on the outside and on the inside using regular or foil-lined mineral wool.

Mineral wool is a high-quality raw material and inexpensive. Only foam glass, a material that is unusually resistant to the influence of high temperatures, can better perform its task of preserving heat in a bathhouse.

Mineral wool, rolled into a roll, is considered the best material for insulating a steam room

Expanded polystyrene is absolutely not suitable for insulating a bathhouse. Constantly heating up due to hot steam, it will begin to release toxins.

Waterproofing material

Glassine or foil is used as a waterproofing sheet. And the casing for attaching all the materials that protect the steam room from heat loss and fungal damage is made from wood that does not contain resin. We are talking about linden, alder, aspen and cedar. Materials made from these trees do not deteriorate for a long time, as they are not afraid of dampness and temperature changes.

Foil is ideal for protecting steam room walls from moisture

Decoration Materials

It is customary to decorate the steam room only with natural wood. Materials treated with chemicals are not suitable for covering surfaces in a steam room, as high temperatures cause them to release toxic substances into the air. This phenomenon does not happen with traditional lining, the planks of which are connected to each other according to the “tongue and groove” principle.

To decorate the steam room, it is advisable to purchase lining 15 mm thick. It is important to check the purchased material for splinters. There should be no defects in high-quality construction materials.

Lining has become the most popular material for finishing bath rooms

It is wiser to cover the floor of the steam room with boards or cover it with tiles. If the choice is made in favor of a wooden covering, then you should purchase material only from larch. There is no need to put insulation under the board floor, since practically no heat escapes from the steam room through the bottom.

A practical steam room owner will decide to cover the floor with tiles, which, unlike wood, can be easily washed and disinfected. It’s good if he also realizes that the tiles need to be glued to the lower zone of the walls, because drops of water often fall on this place.

Ceramic tiles do not deteriorate from exposure to moisture and are therefore often used to decorate steam rooms.

Door selection

Windows in the steam room should be completely abandoned, but the door should be such that it does not let precious heat out of the room. The temperature in the steam room will not drop if you build a 30 cm high threshold at the entrance to the steam room and make the door ceiling low.

By creating a threshold, less warm air will escape from the steam room

To make it convenient to enter the steam room, it is better to install the doors near the stove. They should open inward, to the side where the person entering cannot get burned due to accidental contact with the stove.

The door to the steam room should open without problems. This means there are no constipations or locks that could break due to dampness and extreme heat.

Wood and glass are considered good materials for making steam room doors.. Boards, compared to glass, have more significant advantages, because they can be insulated. But a glass door can visually increase the area of ​​the steam room.

You may like the glass door because it seems to attract a person to relax in the steam room

Required materials and tools

Creating a steam room will require the use of materials such as:

• vapor barrier membrane;
• bars measuring 6x2.7 cm and 5x2.5 cm;
• corners;
• mineral wool;
• polypropylene twine;
• aluminium foil;
• planed boards 2–3 cm thick;
• antifungal impregnation;
• lining;
• liquid concrete;
• ceramic tile;
• heat-resistant mastic and grout.

The formula will help determine how much material is needed for the floor and ceiling of the steam room: N = Sp/Sm, where N is the volume of construction raw materials, Sp is the surface area, in m², and Sm is the area of ​​one piece of material, in m² (for example, the area one tile or board).

Calculation of the amount of material for finishing the walls of the steam room is carried out after determining the area that needs to be covered with clapboard, according to the formula S = (2AN + 2BH) – ah, where A is the length of the room; H - room height; B is the width of the room; a - door width; h - door height.

Having found out the area of ​​the walls, calculate the area of ​​one wood panel: the length of one lining element is multiplied by its width, and then the groove area is subtracted from the resulting value. The last computational action to determine the required amount of lining is dividing the finishing area by the area of ​​one panel.

Installation of building materials in the steam room must be carried out using the following tools:

• building level;
• perforator;
• screwdriver;
• brush with short bristles;
• regular and rubber hammers;
• saw;
• stapler;
• mixer;
• construction gun;
• shoulder blade;
• clamps and screws;
• plastic crosses;
• nails, the length of which is 3 times the thickness of the boards.

Step-by-step creation of a steam room

Creating a steam room indoors is a step-by-step process consisting of waterproofing, insulation and finishing work.

Insulation against steam and water

To prepare the steam room for finishing, perform the following steps:

Laying insulation

Immediately before finishing the steam room, do the following:

1. Mineral wool is placed into the manufactured frame. To insure it from deformation, polypropylene twine is used for fastening. The vapor barrier material is again fixed on top of the insulation.
   

   Suitable sized pieces of mineral wool are placed in the sheathing

2. Thermal insulation material is attached to the ceiling, which is usually protected from dampness with sheets of aluminum foil. Then the planed boards are nailed down. Between them leave gaps of 1 cm, necessary for ventilation of the room.

   Planed boards are attached to the ceiling with long nails

3. Cut the lining to the required length. After this, it is treated with antifungal impregnation. The work is postponed for several days, giving the material the opportunity to dry thoroughly.
4. The clapboard is mounted horizontally on the walls of the steam room, starting from the area near the stove. The wooden planks are connected so that each previous one overlaps the next by 1 cm. This will insure the material from the formation of cracks, which may be the result of deformation or shrinkage of the lining. The planks are held in place using discreet clamps that don't heat up like nails. But the bottom boards are attached with self-tapping screws, which in the future will make it possible to replace rotten planks without resorting to complete dismantling of the material. The lining is not installed all the way to the floor. At the bottom of the wall, be sure to leave space for attaching one row of ceramic tiles.

   Installing the lining resembles assembling a construction set: each board is inserted into the groove of the plank attached above

Floor finishing

To finish the floor in the steam room, do the following work:

Video: how and with what to decorate a steam room in a bathhouse

The wall behind the stove can be protected from fire with a brick screen

To avoid heat loss through the exit, the door installed in the steam room is trimmed with boards on both sides. The inner surface of the entrance structure is covered with foil and mineral wool.

In the steam room, it is recommended to make two-tier or three-tier shelves in the form of a ladder. The first stage should be located at a large distance from the floor, since cool air circulates at the bottom of the steam room. The second shelf is made 50 cm higher than the first.

The second or third step of the platform, if it is the last, should be 1 meter away from the ceiling. Otherwise, it will be inconvenient to use a broom on the shelf.

Ventilation ducts are created on the wall of the steam room next to which the stove is located. The hole for the air supply is made in a place slightly above the floor level, and the exhaust duct is located opposite the supply duct - on the wall near the ceiling. The diameter of this hole should be 2 times the size of the inlet channel. Both ventilation passages are equipped with valves.

The inlet opening is created at the bottom of the steam room

The steam room should be illuminated with lamps placed in stainless metal housings. All wires are insulated and hidden in special boxes. The switch is mounted outside the steam room.

It makes more sense to mount lighting fixtures under the steps of the shelf. As a result, the light will not “hit” your eyes, and the lighting will be soft.

The finishing and arrangement of the steam room should be undertaken with a full understanding of the matter, because this construction task takes a lot of time and effort. To make the room warm and reliable, it is better to refuse savings. As a result, the steam room will be safe, high-quality and beautiful.

The main functional room of any bathhouse will be the so-called steam room or, as it is also called, steam room. Its high-quality arrangement makes it possible to make health procedures more effective, high-quality and enjoyable for people and significantly increase the popularity and demand for the bathhouse as such. And it’s simply impossible to imagine that a Russian bathhouse does not have a steam room.

Device Features

The arrangement of this room should not only be simple, but also at the same time as comfortable and convenient as possible for those who will use it. The most important thing is that it must contain the required number of shelves and racks. It should be said that the stove is the main component of any steam room, because it is responsible for ensuring the correct microclimate, as well as the comfortable required temperature in this room. Today in the steam room it is possible to easily install any type of stove: stone, electric, or made of metal and brick.

If we talk about shelves, they are formed from boards and leave a small space between them, thereby forming a drain. By the way, it is better to use any wood for shelves, except coniferous species. Shelves should be fixed so that there is as much free space as possible and it remains possible to quickly clean after visiting this room. Under them you can place various kinds of bath accessories such as various ladles, buckets, and brooms. In general, the distance between the floor and the shelves should be maximized, because cold air masses accumulate precisely under them.

The steam room must have ideal proportions so that it warms up well to the required temperature level.

It is best to design an option with an area of ​​2 by 2.5 meters. Its height should be 2.10 - 2.15 meters. This size is enough for both a brick and a wooden steam room.

Its walls must also be covered with special insulation, which will retain heat inside for a long time and at the same time, under the influence of high temperatures, will not release harmful substances into the environment. If we talk about flooring, it is usually made of either boards or tiles, which are quite easy to care for.

The door should have minimal dimensions, because it can become a source of additional heat loss. It is better if it is located near the stove. It should not be constipated and should be easy to open and close tightly. The latter is extremely important due to the fact that there are often cases when such doors jam due to swelling of the wood due to high humidity. There cannot be any windows in such a room at all, but if you still want to make them, then they should be very small, blank and located as high as possible to the ceiling.

A mandatory element, without which the effective use of such a room is impossible, is a ventilation system that will remove excess moisture and provide a constant flow of fresh air.

Materials

Such a room can be built from various materials - brick, stone (natural), foam and gas blocks. But, of course, the best material would be wood. As a rule, rounded or planed logs are taken for the steam room. There are often cases when timber can be used. Glued laminated timber can also be a good solution due to its maximum moisture resistance. But it also has a corresponding cost.

The most convenient to lay and the most affordable is profiled timber, which is also quite resistant to various types of deformation. Wood species such as aspen, birch or larch and linden are ideal for constructing a steam room. The mentioned species of these trees do not emit any resins at all. You must be extremely careful if you decide to choose pine. It is better to make only walls from this wood, but it is better to finish them inside from non-coniferous wood.

Also, for the steam room in general, linden is an excellent solution, because it has wonderful cleansing and diaphoretic agents. In addition, this material has excellent strength, durability and hardness, and its price is attractive.

Project and calculation

You need to create a project before starting construction work. Sizes will vary taking into account a large number of nuances. First, you need to understand how many people will steam here at the same time. The overall dimensions of the room will directly depend on this indicator. If we talk about standards, then at least 0.7 m2 should be allocated for each person.

To calculate the height of the room, you can select the height of the tallest family member and add 20 centimeters. When making calculations, you need to understand that the ceiling will receive additional insulation, which means its level will be slightly lower than originally expected. Making the steam room too high is also not the best solution, since this can cause not only insufficient heating, but also unnecessary energy consumption to compensate for this deficiency.

Hot air masses will simply go to the ceiling and will not have any necessary effect on those who are in the steam room. It is best if the height of the steam room is 2.2-2.4 meters.

Placement of people in the sauna can be either lying down or sitting. The sedentary method of arrangement in the steam room will make it possible to make it more compact. The shelves on which you are supposed to lie require significantly more space. In this case, the minimum length will be 20 centimeters greater than the height of the tallest family member.

It is also necessary to work out the issue of the ventilation system. Since this room is not a wash room or a rest room, so much steam will accumulate here that in the presence of permanent and constant humidity, all wooden elements will quickly become unusable, and this will also cause the formation of mold, which will make the microclimate unfavorable for humans.

Where to put the oven?

Another important question that we will try to answer in this article. If you refer to SNiP number 41-01-2003, then the stove in the bathhouse should be located at a distance of at least 32 centimeters from wooden structures. If the walls are protected by materials that are not subject to combustion, then the distance can be reduced to 26 centimeters. These standards are very important, since any steam room has its own central element - the stove.

Its location is very important, because the effectiveness of the entire system will depend on it. As a rule, it is installed next to an external wall, which allows the chimney pipe to be brought out through the wall on the street without damaging the attic floor and roof.

But there is an option to create a traditional design with a vertical pipe passing through the entire building of the bathhouse. To do this, a special hole is made in the ceiling, through the attic, which is passed through the roof. After which the gaps between the pipe and the roofing material are covered with waterproofing. This option is more difficult to implement in terms of chimney installation. But if you give it preference, it will significantly save space in the steam room due to the distance from the wall. But here we should not forget that the oven must be compact.

By the way, on the market today you can find quite small options that are highly effective and will be an excellent solution for any steam room.

Tools and accessories

In order to make a steam room, we will need:

• timber for the construction of walls and partitions;
• concrete-based mortar;
• clay, sand, crushed stone;

• reinforcement for creating a foundation;
• boards for creating formwork;
• waterproofing materials;

• fire brick;
• tile;
• lining;

• mineral wool or any other insulation;
• slate and galvanization;

• antiseptics;
• lamps, cables, distribution boxes, switches and fans.

If we talk about tools, you will need:

• shovel or small excavator;
• saw (electric or gasoline);
• axe;

• electric drill;
• hammer;
• electric screwdriver;

• construction stapler;
• caulk;
• mallet;
• level and rule.

Once everything mentioned above is at hand, you can proceed directly to construction.

Installation and insulation

After the project has been completely drawn up, and the calculations you have made have been checked for inaccuracies and errors, you can begin building the foundation of the future steam room and walls with your own hands. The following step-by-step instructions will help with this.

So, the first stage of work will be laying the foundation. To do this, you must first dig a pit in the shape of a rectangle. Its depth should be at the level of 1/2 freezing of the ground. The height above the ground should be 17-19 centimeters. If there is no base, then you can raise the structure by 60 centimeters. It is also important that the width of the foundation is 10 centimeters greater than the width of the beam itself. After this, we install the reinforcement on which the first crown will be attached. Next, we make the formwork and fill the foundation with prepared concrete. If bubbles appear during pouring, remove them using a special tool. Now, under the washing room, we dig a drainage hole with dimensions of 1.8 x 1.8 x 1.5 m and fill its walls with concrete.

After this, the foundation must be allowed to settle for 6-7 days. In the upper part it is necessary to make ventilation holes, which should be located on walls opposite to each other. At the next stage, we build a blind area around the foundation. To create it, take clay and mix it with crushed stone, pouring a layer 5-10 centimeters thick.

Now we need to lay roofing felt around the perimeter of our foundation. It will be best if it is laid in several layers. It should extend beyond the dimensions of the base by 50 millimeters. To build the walls, you can use factory wall kits if desired. You can also cut the timber into pieces of the length we need. They require special tenons and grooves to be made. After this, we make markings in the initial row in accordance with the installation of the reinforcement and drill holes 25 millimeters deep, after which we can begin laying the first crown of the bathhouse walls. To do this, we place it on the pins, connect the beams, and then seal the connection points.

Then we lay the second row, drill holes that will go half the height of the first row. Now we take out the second row and drive dowels into the holes of the first one at 1.5 parts of the height of the beam. After that we fill the next row. Now we connect the crowns with dowels, and insulate the grooves with jute. We also leave room for doorways. And thus we build a bathhouse with a steam room up to a certain height level.

Now we cut the beams into the upper crown, and the rafter ends into their lower ones. The upper ends should be connected in the ridge. We take steps of 1–1.2 meters between the rafters, after which we nail the ridge board and sheathing to them. Vapor barrier and waterproofing, which can be foil, is laid on top, after which we put some roofing material, for example, slate, on top. It is also worth considering the presence of embedded pipes in advance. After this we can say that the frame of the bathhouse with steam room is ready.

Ceiling: proper ventilation

In order to reduce high humidity in a room of this type, as well as prevent the appearance of mold and mildew, the steam room in the bathhouse must have a truly effective and reliable exhaust ventilation mechanism. Such a system will be the best solution for the timely removal of excess moisture and the supply of clean air from the street. According to experts, it is best to install a supply and exhaust ventilation mechanism in rooms of this type, which will have a built-in air duct.

In this case, the supply channel should be located near the firebox in the lower part of the steam room. In this case, the hood should be installed in the upper part of the opposite wall, almost under the ceiling. The size of the exhaust duct should be twice the diameter of the supply duct.

And you can regulate air flows using the most common built-in valves.

Floor

Installation of the floor can be done immediately after the frame of the room has been built. If we are talking specifically about a steam room, then the floor level here should be significantly higher than in other rooms. Let's look at how to lay the floor correctly.

We place logs made of wooden beams on an already prepared foundation, and then nail boards onto them. The distance between them should be 6-9 millimeters, and the distance between the floor and the ground should be at least half a meter. After this we make holes for ventilation.

It should be said that a concrete floor will be more durable and stronger, but its cost will be significantly higher. In the washing room, where the shower cabin will be located, and the steam room, we dig a pit 12 cm deep to drain the water. Its walls are made of concrete mortar. We lay a metal sheathing on top. From here the water will flow into the sewer drain. When it is ready, we make a screed. First, we need to mark the points to which the floor level will be raised, after which we measure the distance from them to fill the screed. Now you need to level the ground and remove a little of the top layer, after which we pour a layer of sand up to 45 centimeters, moisten it with water and compact it well, making a slope towards the drain.

Now we pour the first five-centimeter layer of concrete mortar. After the screed has dried, we roll out glass insulation or roofing material on it, and then lay a layer of thermal insulation half a centimeter thick. On top of all this we put a metal mesh reinforcement, on top of which we pour a second concrete layer already 10 centimeters thick. Now we level the concrete and remember the slope of the drain. Tile or other floor covering is laid on top of the entire structure.

Walls: “pie”

If the walls of the steam room are made of foam blocks or using the so-called frame technology, then they require additional insulation. In fact, inside we should get a thermos, where cold air will not enter and which will retain the heat emanating from the stove. This will make it possible to significantly save resources that will be spent on heating, as well as maintaining a certain temperature regime here. Essentially, you need to create a “pie” of the wall. It is called that because the materials are laid in layers, which makes it look like a pie.

Before starting, a hole is made in the wall where the stove will be installed. After this, a windproof film is fixed to the walls and bars 5 centimeters thick and 4 centimeters wide are screwed on. The step between them should be equal to the width of the insulation tiles. After this, basalt insulation, which belongs to the category of non-combustible, is placed quite tightly between the mentioned bars. Now you need to nail the waterproofing to the bars. It is best to do this using galvanized staples. As protection, you can use one of three options:

1. waterproofing bath membrane;
2. high density foil;
3. penoizol based on foam type foil.

Strips of one of these materials are nailed using the same staples with an overlap of at least 15 centimeters. All joints must be sealed using a special adhesive tape, and only then slats with a thickness of 25 mm and a width of about 40 mm are fastened with galvanized screws every 70 centimeters from each other. Now we install the sheathing evenly using a laser level.

Its installation starts with 2 slats along the edges, between which a cord is pulled, which serves as a guide for nailing other sheathing elements. After which the clapboard board is already attached. To secure it, you can use special galvanized nails. After this, all that remains is to make holes in the wall for ventilation, which must be masked with plugs or dampers.

If necessary, you can install a fan in one of the ventilation holes.

Installation of windows and doors

As mentioned above, the construction of a separate steam room does not involve the installation of windows, so artificial lighting will be more than enough. By the way, we should not forget that all windows require thermal insulation of the blocks, which will entail additional costs. Alternatively, you can install 1 blind window measuring 50 by 50 centimeters. In order to make a steam room of truly high quality, you should definitely buy the best double-glazed windows that have maximum efficiency in terms of heat and sound insulation.

Naturally, you need to make doors in the steam room. It should be understood that the door frame is at a level lower than usual, and the threshold is slightly higher. This solution will reduce heat loss and prevent drafts from forming. The optimal threshold height is considered to be thirty centimeters. The door is installed in such a way that people entering it cannot get burned by the material heated during the operation of the steam room.

Wood has good thermal conductivity, which is why it is better to sheathe the door on both sides with foil and special insulation. And on top they can be disguised with the same clapboard.

An alternative to this solution would be to simply purchase and subsequently install glass doors. Outwardly they look great and will be perfectly used in any conditions that may arise.

Finishing and arrangement

For finishing you should choose a suitable tree. We are talking about oak, cedar, larch or linden. The sheathing should not be made of resinous species such as pine. Before installation inside, it is better to treat the wood with oily substances. Such impregnation will reduce the hygroscopicity of the material. Decorating with clapboard starts from the ceiling. It is mounted on the sheathing using a tongue and groove mechanism or secured using clamps.

When the lining is mounted on the ceiling, work begins with the walls. The covering will go in parallel with the installation of shelves and will occur in a certain sequence. First, use a level to mark the surface of the walls. At the same time, markings are being made of how the sunbeds with all the elements, including backrests, will be placed.

After this, the side and front parts of the shelves are covered. After this, the remaining walls are sheathed. Now all that remains is to install the skirting boards, both ceiling and floor. Sheathing parts are usually used only in a special case, if at the joints they are fitted one under the other very sloppily. It should be said that this point must be approached carefully, because moisture may begin to collect in the gaps, which may cause the development of fungus and mold in these places.

Already at the end of the work, doors are installed, as well as various lamps and fixtures. The wires must be carefully insulated so that moisture does not get on them and a short circuit does not occur with subsequent fire.

In addition, after this you can, for example, make a couple of hangers or additional shelves to place some accessories.

It should be noted that the most beautiful bathhouses come from those who want to introduce some of their own ideas into it and do something non-standard. And a steam room is a room where any material can become a work of art, be it wood, stone or metal. The main thing is that your imagination and finances allow you to realize your ideas.

You can make a steam room with your own hands, although this requires a considerable amount of knowledge. At the same time, if you do everything really correctly, then you can be sure that it will turn out just as good as if you ordered the development of the project and its subsequent implementation from professional builders. In addition, the technology for independently creating such a building has already been tested by more than one person and has proven its high quality and viability. In general, if you want to build a steam room with your own hands, then thanks to the knowledge described above, you can implement such an idea without any problems.