Building a stove in a smoke sauna is not an easy task. It must comply with fire safety requirements, as well as heat the steam room evenly and efficiently. How to select materials and build a structure with your own hands, you will learn from our material. Content:
- Selection of material
- Dimensions and location
- Erection of the foundation
- Furnace masonry
- How to heat the stove
The smoke-fired steam room has been popular for many centuries. The peculiarity of the construction of such a bath is the absence of a chimney. Combustion products are discharged through the door and window. Such a stove has a very high efficiency compared to designs equipped with a chimney. And this allows you to significantly save on fuel. Traditionally, a smoke sauna is organized in a log house, since the wood does not interfere with natural air exchange. In addition, its construction requires much less material costs.
Selection of material for the furnace in a black bath
For a black bath stove to be functional, durable and safe, it is important to choose the right materials for its construction. It is customary to use stones for this purpose. They perform the main function - they accumulate heat, therefore their surface should be smooth.
Best suited:
- Jade … Semi-precious durable stone with low water absorption and high heat capacity.
- Basalt or volcanite … The toughest volcanic rock. Has a low coefficient of water absorption and high heat capacity.
- Talcochlorite … Environmentally friendly, dense and durable stone. It accumulates 2.5 times more heat than a brick. It also heats up very quickly.
- Gabbro-diabase … A stone of volcanic origin. Cheap, tolerates temperature changes well, however, when overheated, it can emit a specific unpleasant odor.
When heated, stones with limestone emit toxic fumes and quickly collapse. It is also undesirable for these purposes to use marble and flint, which will crack and "shoot" when hot. Choose stones of different fractions for a tighter stacking.
As for the bricks for the construction of the structure, then give preference to the refractory fireclay type. It is most suitable for these purposes.
Dimensions and location of the oven in the smoke sauna
First you need to decide on the size and location of the oven. If the area of the steam room is 12 m22, then the length and width of the stove should be 1, 5 and 1 m, respectively. The height of the structure should not exceed 0.5 meters. In this case, the shape of the hearth can be made arbitrary: round, square, hexagonal.
When choosing a place for building a stove in a black bath, keep in mind that the room should be warmed up evenly. It is best to build it opposite the entrance to the steam room.
In order for the stove to quickly and efficiently warm up the steam room, it is important to think over the ventilation holes. They will ensure proper air circulation. There must be a window in the smoke sauna.
Erection of the foundation for the stove in the black bath
You need to think about building a stove for a smoke sauna with your own hands at the time of construction of the common foundation of the building. Due to the large weight of the structure, it is necessary to fill in an additional foundation for the furnace in a pre-designed place.
We carry out work in this order:
- We dig a ditch 50-60 cm deep, fill up a sand-crushed stone pillow 10 cm thick and carefully ram it.
- We put an overlap on the bottom and walls of the pit with roofing material or construction polyethylene with a thickness of 300 nm.
- Separately, we assemble the frame from the reinforcement and steel wire and insert it into the recess.
- We mix concrete from cement, sand, water and crushed stone. Pour the solution into the pit. We check the evenness of the surface with a building level and level it if necessary.
Further work on the construction of the furnace should be carried out only after the structure has completely dried.
Features of masonry stove for a bath in black
The main difference between such a stove is the absence of a chimney. Stones take a long time to heat up, but they are able to give off heat just as long. Before starting work, fireclay bricks should be rinsed. If clay is used, then it must be soaked in water until bubbles stop coming out.
You can build a structure with your own hands in the following sequence:
- We lay a double layer of waterproofing. The best option is roofing material.
- We spread the first solid brick layer. Be sure to monitor the absence of cracks and gaps. For masonry, we use a mortar for ovens made of refractory clay.
- We put the next two rows with a hole for the blower.
- We cover the resulting blower with a steel or cast-iron grate.
- We lay out the firebox of the desired shape from the brick. Traditionally in Russia, rectangular fuel compartments were made. The thickness of the walls should be from 12 to 25 cm. The thicker the wall, the higher the heat transfer of the stove will be.
- Having laid out the penultimate row, we lay rods or squares with a diameter of 2 cm made of steel.
- We lay the laying of the last row and wait until the structure dries up a little.
- We lay out bath stones of basalt or volcanic rocks. First we put large ones (13-15 cm in diameter), then medium ones (5-10 cm), then large ones again.
Be sure to leave a gap between large stones. This will allow smoke to escape freely. However, please note that the flame must not pass above the level of the stones. Also, do not forget to protect the wooden elements near the stove. Walls can be covered with a sheet of galvanized iron.
A traditional black oven does not require the installation of a water heating tank. In the old days, hot stones were used for this purpose, which were thrown into a basin, thereby heating the water.
How to heat the stove in a steam bath
Bath smoke is an excellent disinfectant. In the old days, women even gave birth in steam rooms, as in the cleanest rooms. Therefore, the selection of fuel has long been also taken seriously. The stove in the smoke sauna is fired exclusively with wood. Aspen and birch are best suited for this. When birch logs burn, formaldehyde is released, which is an excellent disinfectant. The soot that settles on the walls has an absorbent effect.
The stove is heated correctly in this order:
- We open windows and doors. We lay out the firewood in the form of a "hut", put paper or straw inside for kindling. The created draft is necessary to support combustion.
- Before the second laying of firewood, pour water over the walls and shelves. We heat the stove until the stones appear crimson, gradually adding firewood.
- After the last portion has burned out, we rake out and take out the coals. We open wide the door and windows to ventilate the room.
- We douse the walls and shelves with cold water.
- We roll over the hot stones with water to create the “first steam”, close the windows and doors.
After half an hour, the bath will be completely warmed up and ready. Please note that you cannot extinguish the stove in the bath. You need to wait until the last thrown firewood burns out. In winter, such a steam room is heated with three tabs of firewood, in summer two will be enough.
The firebox of the stove must be treated very responsibly and seriously, as well as the adoption of procedures. The structure has a high fire hazard. In an improperly heated steam room, there is a high risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Failure to comply with fire safety techniques can lead to tragic consequences.
How to build a stove for a smoke bath - watch the video:
Our recommendations and advice will help you understand the question of how to make a stove for a black bath. Be sure to take into account all the nuances and rules so that the bath procedures are not only pleasant and useful, but also safe.
