The Finnish bath is known all over the world! And you can build it yourself if you follow our instructions carefully. Content:
- Projects
- Building materials
- Foundation
- Walls and floor
- Doors
- Ventilation
- Bake
The Finnish bath is a dry heat bath, where the air with low humidity is about 20-25% and the temperature is high up to 120 degrees. Due to the low humidity, such heat is tolerated much easier than in a Russian or Turkish bath, but, despite this, a person sweats and warms up well.
Finnish bath projects
Before the project of the bath is made, it should be taken into account that the steam room is usually built of a small size, and it has an area of about 5-10 square meters. The total room of the bath can reach 40–45 square meters.
A shower room or a rinsing room is made small in size - up to 5 square meters. It is customary to combine a dressing room, a vestibule and a rest room and allocate more space, usually at least 20 square meters.
If there is a lake or river next to the bathhouse, then the pool does not need to be built. Particular attention must be paid to the choice of the stove. Since the Finnish sauna is a dry steam room with a high temperature, it is better to stay on an electric one. But if you are a great admirer of natural fire, then you can make a wood-burning one.
Finnish bath building materials
You can build a Finnish bath from wood, stone or brick, but the interior must be made of wood. So, let's find out what material is needed in the process of work:
- To waterproof the foundation, you will need a double layer of roofing material (from 250 rubles per roll).
- Log and frame walls cope best with the function of thermal insulation. Wooden racks and timber with a section of 80x80 - 120x120 mm (from 4500 rubles per cubic meter) are suitable.
- For the walls of the steam room, you can use lime, birch, aspen boards 20-30 mm thick (from 4500 rubles per cubic meter).
- For vapor barrier, you will need foil, parchment or polyethylene (foil from 50 rubles per square meter).
- Thermal insulation must be carried out from the inside with mineral wool, felt slabs, foam concrete (from 300 rubles per roll of mineral wool).
- Felt will be needed to insulate doors (from 130 rubles per kilogram).
- For the floor - concrete (from 2,000 rubles per cubic meter) and tiles (from 20 rubles apiece).
FB foundation laying
If your bath will be a freestanding building, first of all you need to take care of building the foundation. To do this, you should determine the type of soil where construction is planned, and also take into account the future dimensions of the bath. When choosing a foundation, consider the following recommendations:
- If the soil is wet with alternating layers, a strip or monolithic foundation is suitable, which will lie below the level of soil freezing.
- If the ground is clay, it is better to use a columnar foundation.
- Screw piles are suitable for uneven terrain.
Finnish sauna walls and floor construction
The frame of a Finnish sauna must be strong and reliable so that the high temperatures to which it will subsequently be exposed do not violate its integrity:
- The best option for the frame is a wooden beam. It's easier to buy a ready-made one, then to assemble it in accordance with the numbering. IMPORTANT: We treat the lower crown with an antiseptic. Thus, we will protect the wood capillary system from moisture. The foundation should also be treated with bitumen mastic.
- After the walls are erected, we make a heat-insulating layer on them. To do this, we sheathe the inner part with heat-reflecting foil.
- Great attention should be paid to tightness. The hot air flows will be directed upwards, and it is for this reason that it is necessary to double vapor barrier the ceiling or use double foil for thermal insulation.
- The floor is considered the coldest and wettest place in the sauna, so making it wooden is impractical, since it will quickly become unusable from dampness. The best option would be a three-layer floor: bituminous felt, concrete screed, tiles with an anti-slip effect. We put a wooden lattice on top so that the feet do not freeze.
How to choose doors for a Finnish bath
It is preferable to install a wooden or glass door in a Finnish bath. When installing doors, attention must be paid to its thorough sealing. To do this, it is necessary to lay the existing gaps with a felt plate, and if there is a vestibule or dressing room, the doors can be additionally not insulated.
It is worth noting that Finnish wooden baths have a low ceiling with a height of just over 2 meters. This plays a role in the installation of entrance doors. Classic dimensions 2000x600-900 mm may not fit. You will have to make a custom-made door or purchase a special one for Finnish baths. Remember that the door must open outward! Note! Considering that the construction of a Finnish bath implies the absence of windows, it is necessary to solve the problem of lighting. In this situation, the best option would be to install corner or wall lamps, which will not be too bright and will not cause discomfort for vacationers.
Features of the ventilation system of Finnish baths
To build a Finnish sauna correctly and then enjoy pleasant procedures, you need to carefully consider the ventilation system. Ventilation in the bath should be as close to natural as possible, because any forced ventilation can cause discomfort. Therefore, for proper air exchange, it is necessary to make 2 vents, which are made in opposite walls. The air inlet is located 30 cm from the floor, and the hood opening is 30 cm from the ceiling. The first vent must be equipped with a valve so that it is possible to regulate the incoming fresh air into the bath.
Selection and installation of a Finnish bath stove
Do-it-yourself Finnish sauna is a great pride, but what is a sauna without a good stove? An important attribute of any bath, its heart and hearth, is the stove. When choosing an electrical appliance, it is necessary to take into account the dimensions of the room and pay attention to the ratio of kW to square meters.
If you like a wood-burning stove, then you need to provide space and consumables for it - firewood, fuel. Please note that the stove should be positioned so that the human body is not exposed to high temperatures that can cause burns. To protect the visitors of the bath, it is recommended to protect the stove with a protective railing.
We present to your attention a video about the construction of a Finnish bath:
The construction of a Finnish bath is a laborious and creative process that requires a serious approach, thorough calculations and error-free execution. But the game is worth the candle, since a bathhouse built by your own hands is not only a pride, but also a way of healing.
