You can enjoy bath procedures on your balcony. If you take into account all the nuances of laying electrical wiring, providing ventilation and arranging reliable steam, hydro, thermal protection, then you can build an excellent steam room with your own hands. Content:
- Preparatory work
-
Sauna balcony equipment
- Floor
- Walls
- Ceiling
-
Arrangement of a sauna on the balcony
- Wiring
- Ventilation
- Frame
- Bake
- Shelves
To equip a personal steam room on a balcony or loggia, you can purchase a ready-made mini-sauna from the manufacturer and install it according to the instructions. This option is the most convenient, but it will not be cheap either. Therefore, it is advisable to equip a sauna on the balcony with your own hands. This process will take a lot of time and effort, since ventilation must be provided in the steam room and many other factors must be taken into account. However, the result is a complete steam room with dry air.
Preparatory work on the balcony before the sauna
First you need to prepare a balcony. Expand it if necessary. Choose a place for setting up a sauna that is mainly adjacent to the walls of the house - for less heat loss.
In addition, you should take care of reliable glazing. The walls in the steam room should be completely deaf, and it is better to install high-quality double-glazed windows on the rest of the balcony. At this stage, you need to think about the place for the ventilation hole.
When all the preparatory work is completed, you need to stock up on building materials. To make a sauna on the balcony, we need mineral wool, polystyrene, a waterproofing membrane, wooden beams 5 cm thick, floorboards, wooden lining, a foil vapor barrier, a corrugated pipe, a metal hose, and asbestos cardboard.
Please note that using a brick or stone to equip a steam room on the balcony is prohibited. These are very heavy materials that will become an additional burden and can lead to negative consequences.
The specifics of the balcony equipment for a mini-sauna
Before erecting the frame, you need to think about the complete insulation of not only the steam room compartment, but also the entire balcony. The most suitable material for this is mineral wool. Construction work begins with finishing the floor.
Technology for arranging the floor on the balcony for a sauna
We carry out the finishing of the floor around the entire perimeter of the balcony. However, in the steam room, it should be 10-20 cm higher than in the rest of the room. This is necessary to ensure drainage from the water-repellent film and dryness of the steam room.
We carry out the work in the following sequence:
- We lay a waterproofing layer.
- We fill wooden logs with a height of about 5-8 cm and a step of 40-50 cm.
- We put insulation in the holes between the beams.
- We spread the second layer of waterproofing.
- We fix the floorboards with nails, nailing them against the walls. This is necessary so as not to burn yourself on the metal caps.
The floor in the sauna should be made with a slope towards the door, ensuring the unimpeded drainage of excess moisture. For finishing in the steam room, use hardwood boards with a shrinkage of up to 10%. Coniferous wood can be used to arrange the floor on the rest of the balcony.
Rules for decorating walls on a balcony for a sauna
To save space on the balcony, you can insulate the walls from the outside with foam. Please note that the heating rate of the booth depends on the thickness of the insulation layer.
We carry out finishing work according to the following instructions:
- We stuff bars with a section of 5 cm on the walls2 step of 0.5 m. At the location of the mini-sauna booth on the balcony, before that, you need to trim the walls with plywood so that the insulation fits as tightly as possible to the surface.
- We attach a foil vapor barrier to the holes between the beams, the reflective surface outward.
- Cut out sheets of mineral wool 4-5 cm wider for a closer fit to the wall.
- We put the insulation in the grooves between the beams.
- We fix the aluminum foil on top of the heat insulator with the reflective surface inward. To do this, we use a stapler or nail the material with nails to wooden planks.
- We glue the joints with metallized tape.
- We carefully trim the surface with clapboard.
Please note that it is imperative to choose hardwood for the steam room. The rest of the balcony can be finished with any other material. However, it is desirable that it be made in the same style as the steam room.
Finishing the ceiling on the balcony for a sauna
When equipping the ceiling, special attention must be paid to vapor barrier, since in the sauna on the balcony, steam rises up and can lead to dampness in neighbors.
We equip the ceiling in this order:
- We fill the bars with a thickness of 5 cm in increments of about 40 cm.
- We fix a waterproofing layer in the intervals between the beams.
- We lay the insulation, press the layer with a wooden plank and nail it down.
- We attach two layers of a vapor barrier membrane.
- We mount the lining.
It is better to take an assistant to carry out work on insulation and finishing of the ceiling. It will be inconvenient for you to hold the insulation and fix it on your own.
Features of the arrangement of the sauna on the balcony of the apartment
When the balcony is completely ready to equip a steam room in it, you need to think over the wiring, ventilation and heating. Each of these processes must be taken as seriously as possible, since fire safety and the operational characteristics of the sauna on the balcony depend on it.
Installation of electrical wiring on the balcony for the sauna
It is best to use a cable with good heat-resistant insulation.
We conduct electricity in this order:
- We mount a separate automatic machine on the switchboard. For a stove with a power of 4500W, an automatic 25A machine is optimal.
- We equip the RCD power supply network.
- We install a separate socket from the distribution board on the balcony.
- We use a corrugated pipe for connection.
- We lay a wire to the lamp in a metal hose. It is more convenient to place it above the future shelf. For a sauna, it is better to use hermetically sealed thermal spotlights. They are capable of withstanding over 120 degrees and have an IP54 moisture resistance level.
Please note that it is forbidden to install switches, socket mechanisms and distribution boxes in the steam room itself.
Balcony ventilation equipment for sauna
The ventilation hole must face outward to prevent the ingress of foreign odors.
To make a tight and reliable plug, we adhere to the following algorithm:
- Cut out a piece of foam according to the dimensions of the ventilation duct. The part must completely adhere to the walls, without forming gaps.
- We glue a wooden panel and a handle to this part on one side. It is desirable that they match in color with the finish of the bath. You can even use a piece of lining.
By opening the cover, you can ventilate the room as needed.
Construction of the sauna frame on the balcony
Please note that the width of the steam room should be from 0.8 meters, and the height - from 2.1 meters. Only if these standards are observed, you will get a comfortable and safe steam room.
We equip the partition in this order:
- We attach 5 cm beams vertically to the floor and ceiling2 with a step of about 40 cm.
- We fix the same bars with the same pitch in a horizontal position.
- From the outside we stuff plywood sheets and attach a waterproofing film to them.
- We put hydro and thermal insulation on the inside. Mineral wool insulation must be cut a few centimeters wider for a snug fit.
- We cover with a vapor barrier membrane.
- We glue the joints with metallized tape.
- We mount the lining on both sides.
- We install the door.
Please note that the door from the steam room must open outward. This will save space. Also, for security purposes, they do not need to be fitted with internal locks.
Features of installing the stove in the sauna on the balcony
The electric heater must correspond to the power of the electrical wiring of your house and be connected to a separate outlet, which we have previously conducted through the RCD. It is better to choose models specially adapted for the sauna. Terminal boxes in them are located at the back, and therefore protected from moisture. They are also equipped with a non-combustible steel grate and a drip tray. For fire safety purposes, it is advisable to cover all surfaces around the stove with fire-resistant and heat-resistant asbestos cardboard. The mass of stones in the oven for quick heating should be no more than 15 kg.
Installation rules for the sauna shelf on the balcony
In order for the structure to be reliable and able to withstand two people, it is undesirable to attach it to the wall. It is better to equip the shelves on special racks.
We equip the steam room with a shelf in the following order:
- We attach beams with a cross section of about 8 cm to the floor2.
- We mount on top of them carefully polished boards, 5 cm thick, with rounded edges. We leave 1-1.5 cm gaps between them for free air circulation.
- We process the structure with special oil.
- If dimensions permit, you can also equip an upper shelf and mount a ladder to it.
The best option for equipping a shelf is considered to be linden, poplar and African abasha tree. Please note that all fasteners must be made of wood or galvanized metal. In the latter case, the heads of the nails must be deepened into the base of the tree, since they can burn themselves at high temperatures.
After the complete arrangement of the steam room, we install a thermometer and a clock inside a sealed and heat-resistant case. This way you can control the room temperature and the length of your stay.
See the video about the sauna on the balcony below:
Step-by-step instructions and photos for arranging a sauna on the balcony will help you master the entire technological process on your own. Be sure to follow the instructions to make sure your steam room is safe and quality. Such a facility will cost you almost two times less than buying a production mini-sauna.
