A bath from SIP panels has many advantages and features. In order for such a steam room, built with his own hand, to serve as long as possible, you must unswervingly follow the construction technology. Content:
- Features of the construction of a bath
- Preparation for construction
- Foundation construction
- Floor installation
- Assembling the wall frame
- Manufacturing of SIP panels
- Bath roof
- External and internal finishing
For the construction of a full-fledged log house, you need to fill in a solid foundation and carefully approach the choice of wood. It is also important to have a solid budget and plenty of time. Such steam rooms are considered completely ready for operation only after a year and a half. But you can build a compact bath from SIP panels with your own hands in just a few weeks. This option is more budgetary, but is not inferior in terms of performance to a log house.
Features of the construction of a bathhouse using Canadian technology
The technology of building a bath using SIP panels is called Canadian and has been successfully used in the construction industry in Canada and the United States for more than 50 years.
First you need to figure out what this material is. SIP - structurally insulated panel. Simply put, this is a kind of sandwich of two enclosing surfaces, filled with insulation. The role of a heat insulator between two plates is usually performed by expanded polystyrene. It is practically hydrophobic and has a very low thermal conductivity.
SIP panels have many advantages:
- Light weight … To build a steam room, you do not have to fill in a powerful foundation.
- Efficiency of installation … 1m2 the walls can be installed in a few hours, and therefore the construction of a bath in normal mode will take several weeks. In addition, construction can be carried out even in the cold season.
- Reliable thermal insulation … The material has a very low thermal conductivity, therefore, it allows you to save on heating.
- Lack of cold bridges … Correct installation will provide the desired temperature in the steam room.
- Moisture resistance … The SIP panel is not affected by mold and mildew at high humidity.
- Thorough soundproofing … Noise outside will not interfere with your time in the steam room.
- Seismic resistance … A properly assembled structure is capable of withstanding tremors up to 6-7 points.
But even with so many advantages, SIP panels have some disadvantages:
- Difficult installation … Installation assumes strict adherence to technology. Otherwise, the structure will be short-lived.
- Small operating temperature range … Expanded polystyrene, which is used as a heater, withstands a maximum temperature of +120 degrees, after which it begins to deform.
- Short service life … With proper installation and operation, such a structure will last up to ten years.
The disadvantages also include the unaesthetic appearance of the steam room. It does not look as impressive as a log house. In addition, there is no smell of wood, typical for a bath, inside.
Preparation for the construction of a bath from SIP panels
If you decide to build a bathhouse from SIP panels on your own, then you need to start with the selection of a project for the future building. When the project is ready, materials should be purchased. The main building element of the steam room is directly the SIP panels. The thickness for external walls is 20 cm, for internal partitions, a 10 cm panel is sufficient.
OSB - oriented strand boards are used as fences. They are made from pressed wood sawdust, firmly glued with resins and synthetic wax, which are placed transversely on the inside and longitudinally on the outside to increase the strength of the slabs.
OSBs are classified by brands that correspond to the operating conditions. It is worth paying attention to this first of all and choosing those panels that are intended for installation in conditions of high humidity. The formaldehyde emission index of the panel should be E1 or lower for health safety.
The price for SIP panels, depending on their thickness, starts from 750 rubles per square meter.
Construction of the foundation for a bath from SIP panels
After studying the projects of a bath from SIP panels and drawing up a plan for your own steam room, you need to bring the water supply to the place of future construction and take care of the sewer drain. For this, a hole must be dug no closer than a meter from the structure. Next, we clear the area for mounting the base. The best option for such a steam room is a columnar foundation.
A columnar foundation is erected for a bath from SIP panels in the following order:
- We remove the top fertile soil layer.
- We mark the positions of the pillars at the corners of the future structure and the joints of the bearing walls. The distance between them should be less than 2 meters. Otherwise, it is necessary to mark in the middle the area for the installation of the third support.
- In the marked places, we dig holes, with a depth below the level of freezing of the soil. It is different for each type of soil, and it must be recognized before starting work. The width of the grooves should be about 0.5 meters.
- We make the formwork by twisting a sheet of roofing material into a pipe with a diameter of 40 cm and fastening it with reinforced tape.
- We insert the finished structures into the recesses.
- We fill up the sand pillow with a layer of about 15 cm and pour it with water for high-quality compaction.
- We insert a reinforced frame with a diameter of 30-35 cm.
- We align all the elements strictly in the same plane. To check the evenness, we use the hydro level.
- We pour in a concrete solution from above, tamping it with a special vibrator or reinforcement.
- We fill in the distance between the formwork and the ground.
It is advisable to insert special metal elements into the concrete pillars for the lower frame strapping in the future. After that, you need to wait for the complete drying of the structure. Moisten it with water in hot weather.
Installation of the floor in the bath from SIP panels
For the reliability and durability of the structure, all wooden frame elements must be treated with antiseptic and fire-fighting compounds in two layers before installation, waiting for the previous one to dry completely.
Further work is performed in the following sequence:
- We attach a timber with a section of 10 cm to the foundation pillars. We fix it with the help of galvanized fasteners, previously concreted into the base.
- We carry out a full lower strapping and nail a board about 5 cm thick along its inner perimeter.
- We install floor logs in increments of 0.5 meters, attaching them to the board with galvanized screws.
- We treat OSB with a bituminous primer on both sides and lay it along the floor log. We install additional inter-lag bridges at the joints of individual sheets for reliable fastening.
- Upon completion of the installation of the first layer, proceed to the flooring of the second. Now we install the sheets across the log.
Along the perimeter of the base, the outermost 20 cm should be free. They are intended for wall mounting.
Assembling the frame of the walls for the bath from SIP panels
First, decide on the width of the SIP panels, since the step of the racks of the wooden frame will depend on this.
In the process, we adhere to the following algorithm of actions:
- We attach the extreme vertical posts along the perimeter of the future structure to the bar of the lower trim.
- We fix them with two diagonal temporary braces, which should converge in the center of the lower harness.
- We install the rest of the racks, not forgetting the width of the window and door openings.
- In the places of the partitions, we install two elements at once.
- Having installed all the details around the perimeter of the steam room, we attach a board to the lower strapping and hammer the corner posts together with nails.
- We attach another board to the corner boards in a perpendicular position.
- We fix the upper harness and be sure to check the evenness of all installed elements.
- We equip the ceiling joists and attach peculiar lintels to them.
- We lay out the ceiling in two layers of OSB in a checkerboard pattern.
- For maximum protection against moisture, the boards can be treated with bitumen mastic on both sides.
It is necessary to attach the slabs to the base using the tongue-and-groove system. The vertical stand should be located in the recesses along the edges of the SIP panel. For tightness, the slots are blown out with polyurethane foam.
Manufacturing of SIP panels for a bath
You can buy ready-made material at any hardware store. However, if you want to save money, then you can stock up on OSB, insulation and build panels yourself.
We carry out work in this order:
- We make a frame of the required length and height from boards 2.5 cm thick and 25 cm wide. We fasten them together with a bar with a section of 5 cm.
- In the middle along the resulting frame, we install an additional stiffener from a board 2.5 cm thick and 20 cm wide.
- Strictly perpendicular to the main rib, we fix three racks, 20 cm wide. All intersections with the rib are additionally fixed with bars.
- We fasten the OSB on one side with galvanized self-tapping screws. The panel should be located at a distance of 2.5 cm from the edge of the boards.
- We put mineral, stone wool or expanded polystyrene 20 cm thick in the resulting recesses.
- We sew the OSB from the second side.
Roof for a bath from SIP panels
It is more convenient to mount the rafters for the roof of the bathhouse on the ground, and then lift it to the structure. Wood must be treated with an antiseptic and fire retardant.
Further, we adhere to this order:
- We fix the Mauerlat along the perimeter of the structure from above.
- We attach the ridge board to the center of the future roof.
- We install the outer rafters, and then the inner ones in increments of 0.5 meters.
- We cut out a corner on the rafters to ensure an emphasis.
- We mount inter-rafter lintels, an end piece and make roof overhangs.
- We cover with a parosolating membrane with an overlap of 15-20 cm.
- We fill the crate and put the rolled insulation in its recesses.
- We cover the surface with waterproofing with an overlap of 10-15 cm.
- We nail down thin strips, forming a kind of counter-lattice.
- We fix the roofing material, leaving an air gap of 2-3 cm to the waterproofer.
Please note that to maintain the lightness of the structure, you need to choose a non-heavy roofing. Roll materials (ondulin) or metal profiles are ideal.
External and internal decoration of the bath from SIP panels
If desired, the structure can not be sheathed with anything. However, to increase the service life, it is recommended to protect the panels from atmospheric influences. To do this, first cover the surface with a waterproofing layer, which can be plastic or roll materials. Then we fill the crate with galvanized fasteners and attach the sheathing, which can be siding or other lightweight materials. Thus, you protect the surface from the negative effects of precipitation and UV radiation.
The best option for lining the steam room inside is a wooden lining. However, in addition, it is worth taking care of protecting the panels from moisture. To do this, carefully cover the surfaces inside with plastic waterproofing mastic, attach a layer of aluminum foil to it with an overlap of 15-20 cm. The reflective surface should be located inward to return heat to the room. We fill the lathing from slats 2-3 cm thick. We fasten the wooden lining, leaving a ventilation gap between the foil and the trim.
How to build a bathhouse from SIP panels - watch the video:
Observing all the rules and taking into account the specific features of the material, you can create a full-fledged steam room that will not be exposed to freezing, rotting, mold. In addition, it will cost significantly less than the construction of a brick or wooden structure. Instructions and photos of baths from SIP panels will help you understand the technology and carry out the work yourself.
