If there is not enough space on the site, you can build a bathhouse right in a residential building. Such a steam room will cost much less, since its construction does not imply the pouring of a separate foundation. However, with such construction, it is necessary to strictly observe fire safety standards. Content:
- Preparatory work
- Bath electrification
- Ventilation arrangement
- Sewerage device
- Floor finishing
- Walls and ceiling
- Installation of benches
- Door assembly
- Electric oven
- Mobile bath
The arrangement of a steam room in a private house requires adherence to fire safety techniques and the provision of steam and waterproofing of the room. Only in this case, the built-in bath will not damage the residential building and will have high performance characteristics. For the steam room, you can also mount a separate structure. For this, the frame is insulated, carefully insulated from steam and moisture and sheathed with wooden clapboard. However, if the dimensions allow, it is advisable to allocate a separate room for the steam room.
Preparatory work before installing the built-in bath
First you need to decide on a project for a built-in bath in the house. It is better to place it on the ground floor or in the basement. Calculate the dimensions taking into account 2, 5-3 m3 for one person. In addition, it is more convenient to equip a steam room near the bathroom. In this case, it will be possible not to engage in additional washing equipment.
Immediately, you can start connecting to the sewer system and design a ventilation duct. Before installing the electric heater, it is worth taking into account the power of the wiring in the house in advance and, if necessary, equip a three-phase network.
When the premises are selected, we purchase the necessary materials. To equip a bath in a residential building, we need insulation (mineral wool or cork board), expanded clay, roofing material, aluminum foil, metal hose, corrugated pipe, lining, tile.
If all materials have been purchased, we proceed directly to the construction process. The first step is to tackle the issue of power supply to devices.
Built-in bath electrification
When choosing an electric sauna heater, consider the power required for high-quality heating of the steam room. It is better to choose models specially adapted for baths with the location of the terminal box on the rear panel. In this case, the device will be protected from moisture. For an electric heater, as for a conventional stone stove, it is necessary to equip an additional foundation.
We carry out work on the electrification of the built-in bath with our own hands in the following sequence: we install a separate machine on the switchboard, lay the cable in a special corrugated pipe and install a separate outlet for the oven.
At this stage, you need to prepare the cable for wiring in the room to the locations of the fixtures. For these purposes, it is better to use wires with heat-resistant insulation and moisture resistance level from IP54. The switch should be placed in the dressing room.
Ventilation technology for a built-in bath
To protect the wood in the steam room from mold, rotting and swelling, it is necessary to equip high-quality ventilation.
In the process, we adhere to the following algorithm:
- We make a ventilation hole. It is better to make the ventilation inlet in the floor behind the stove. This will provide instant warming up of cold air and its circulation through the steam room.
- We equip the ventilation outlet from above in a diagonal position with respect to the inlet.
- We lay a ventilation duct from one channel to another.
- We install ventilation dampers to regulate the air flow.
- We install a fire damper to prevent hot air from entering the residential premises in the event of a fire. It will close when the extinguishing system is activated.
With properly equipped ventilation, the steam room will warm up even better and faster. If the ventilation system is equipped incorrectly, then the air will be heated only near the oven itself.
Methods for arranging sewerage in a built-in bath
Before equipping the floor in the steam room, you need to equip the sewage system. If possible, it is easier, of course, to cut the pipe into the general sewer system.
Otherwise, the drain will have to be equipped independently in the following order:
- We dig out a drain hole at a distance of 0.5 meters from the building with a depth of 1.5 meters.
- We break through a trench to the bathhouse.
- We make a depression for draining in the steam room.
- We fill the holes with a gravel-sand mixture.
- We install pipes at a slope to the drain pit.
- We coat the joints of the drain pipes with cement mortar.
Please note that it is not advisable to install a drain immediately near the steam room. Constant humidity can lead to dampness and mold.
Floor finishing in a built-in bath
In the steam room of a private house, you can equip a tiled floor, choosing for this tiles that are resistant to temperatures up to 120 degrees.
We carry out the finishing of the floor in the following sequence:
- We fill in a layer of expanded clay around the perimeter of the future floor.
- Pour concrete at a slope to the drain hole.
- We lay a waterproofing film. You can also use roofing felt.
- We make a cement-sand screed. It is important to observe the slope towards the drain. At this stage, in the place of the furnace equipment, we lay out a base of refractory bricks.
- We mount the tiles.
With such a floor arrangement, it is advisable to choose a coating with a rough surface or install a wooden ladder on top of the flooring so as not to accidentally slip.
Wall and ceiling cladding of the built-in steam room
The most suitable option for wall decoration is considered to be a hardwood tree (linden, aspen, abashi). Coniferous wood is not used due to the high content of resinous substances.
When performing finishing work, we adhere to the following instructions:
- We fix glassine or bitumen paper to the walls and ceiling with overlapping wooden slats. This process is only necessary for brick rooms. In other cases, you can do without it.
- We mount the frame on the ceiling and walls with beams with a section of 4 * 6 cm or 5 cm2.
- We carry out the wiring of the cable to the location of the future lamps.
- We install dry pipes along the perimeter under the ceiling. This device is needed to provide fire extinguishing.
- We put insulation between the bars. It is necessary to ensure that the heat insulator fits snugly against the walls.
- From above we fix the layer of aluminum foil with the mirror side inward. It will provide quick warm-up and long-term preservation of heat in the steam room. This will significantly save fuel costs.
- We glue the joints with metallized tape.
- Carefully, so as not to damage the foil, we attach the crate in a strictly horizontal position. To do this, we use beams with a section of 3 * 4 cm and install them in increments of 0.4 m.
- We mount transverse frames made of bars with a cross section of 3 * 6 cm. Shelves will be attached to them in the future.
- We sheathe the walls and ceiling with clapboard.
The suspended ceiling is initially required to be sheathed with clapboard and after that the insulation should be laid up. In this case, it is better to use glass wool and take an assistant. It is quite difficult to carry out this process on your own.
Features of installing benches in the built-in bath
The benches should be fixed to the previously prepared frame under the clapboard. For their manufacture, it is advisable to use carefully polished hardwood boards with a thickness of 3-4 cm. Please note that all fasteners must be galvanized and driven deep into the base so as not to burn yourself on them at high temperatures. Lubricate the built-in shelves with special oil before use.
Installation of a door in a built-in bath
As for the front door, it must meet certain requirements: it must have a jamb, hinges and insulation, be small in width and height, and only open outward. In addition, it must be made of a dense door leaf and a high threshold must be installed under it to reduce heat loss and obstruct the flow of cold air. It is advisable to choose a door from sanded grooved boards.
Electric oven for built-in steam room
The heater must have a capacity of 1 kW per 1 m3 steam rooms. We install the electric furnace in the following sequence:
- We trim the wooden surface around the future stove with asbestos cardboard.
- We install the stove on a previously prepared base with a height of about 15-20 cm.
- We provide free space around it by 20-25 cm.
- We wash the stones and put them in a special container.
For an electric heater, stones of the correct shape should be used, products with potholes will crack faster. The best options are porphyrite, jadeite, talcochlorite, steatite, or diabase. Other materials will crack when heated / cooled.
Instructions for arranging a mobile built-in bath
If it is not possible to allocate a whole room for a steam room, then you can equip a free-standing structure in any room. To do this, you will need mineral wool, boards (edged and grooved), waterproofing film, wooden lining, mineral wool, aluminum foil.
First, decide on the location of the structure. It is most convenient to place it in the corner of the room. Before equipping, you need to think about the size of the structure. The height of such a bath should not exceed two meters. It will also not be superfluous to make a ventilation duct in advance and bring a sewer drain.
We carry out the work in the following sequence:
- We supply electricity to the location of the booth. For this we use a cable with heat-resistant insulation. If heating with an electric heater is planned, then we additionally install a separate automatic machine on the switchboard.
- We mount the floor around the perimeter of the future structure. To do this, we first fill the "rough" flooring of edged boards on logs about 5 cm high.
- We lay a waterproofing layer.
- We mount a "clean" floor from a grooved board with a slope towards the drain hole.
- Along the perimeter of the steam room, we set the bars strictly vertically and we carry out the strapping at five levels, located at the same distance.
- We cover the base with a vapor barrier layer from the outside and cover the walls with it, to which the structure is adjacent. If they are uneven, then you must first fix the plywood sheets on them.
- We sheathe the frame outside with wooden clapboard. For external cladding, you can use softwood. We leave room for the door.
- We lay a 5-cm layer of insulation on the inside.
- We fix the aluminum foil on top with the reflective surface inward. We glue the joints with metallized tape.
- We fill the counter-grill on top with beams, 3-4 cm thick, so that an air corridor remains between the cladding and the vapor barrier. The work must be done carefully so as not to damage the integrity of the foil.
- We sheathe the steam room from the inside with clapboard.
- We equip the door to the room. It must necessarily open outward.
- We place the lamps in sealed heat-resistant shades.
- We enclose the location of the furnace with a galvanized metal sheet.
- We install the electric heater.
- We mount shelves and benches. We process wood with special oil.
- At the last stage, we put stones in a special bowl.
Please note that after the first heating, low-quality stones may crack. They will need to be replaced. How to build a built-in bath - watch the video:
Equipping a built-in bath in a private house is a troublesome and time-consuming process that requires careful attention to detail. However, by adhering to the above instructions, you can choose the right location for the bath in the house, materials for construction and build a high-quality, safe steam room.
