Bath with an attic: construction technology

2024 Author: Arianna Cook | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:23

It is easy to build a wooden bathhouse with an attic room on your own, if you take into account all the nuances when designing and choosing a location on the site. It is in these subtleties that we will figure it out. Content:

1. Selection of materials

2. Construction features

   • Foundation
   • Walls
   • Roof
   • Attic room
   • Ladder
3. External finishing
4. Internal cladding

Equipping an additional room above the steam room has many advantages. In the attic, you can equip a billiard room or a guest room. To build a bathhouse with an attic with your own hands, you must initially decide on its location on the site and choose a project. Please note that according to fire safety rules, it cannot be placed closer than 10 meters to other buildings if wood heating is planned and closer than 5 if gas or electric. The bathhouse needs to be built at a distance of more than 2.5 meters from the neighboring site and 20 meters from wells and wells.

Selection of materials for the construction of a bath with an attic

A bath with an attic can be built from different materials. Each of them has its own pros and cons:

• Glued laminated timber … Eco-friendly and durable material. However, it is quite difficult to assemble a log house with your own hands. In addition, such a structure, due to its severity, involves the pouring of a powerful foundation. It is also important to take into account that the frame requires shrinkage, and therefore the construction process of such a steam room can take about a year or two.
• Rounded log … Another type of natural and environmentally friendly material for the construction of baths. During the production process, the weakest part is removed from the logs - the sapwood. The remaining layer is strong and capable of withstanding significant loads, including = in the form of an attic floor. Rounded logs do not need additional external finishing, they look organic and attractive. It is enough just to open them with fire retardants and impregnations from decay. Of the minuses, one can single out the severity of such a structure, which, as in the previous case, needs a reinforced foundation.
• Brick … Differs in durability and does not need caulking, like a log house. However, such a structure will cost more.
• Frame-panel sauna … This technology has become popular recently due to its affordable price, quick and easy installation.

If it is decided with the material, you can proceed to the selection of a project for a bath with an attic. Decide on the size of the future building and its layout. If you wish, you can order the production of a project plan, taking into account all the wishes in the architectural bureau, but this is an additional cost.

Features of the construction of a bath with an attic from a bar

Consider the technology of building a bath with an attic from a bar. Such a building is considered "classic". Glued laminated timber has gained popularity due to its high performance and relatively low cost. A construction from such material will be much cheaper than, for example, from a rounded log. Manufacturers use coniferous wood as a raw material for timber, which is carefully sanded and treated with antiseptic solutions. For gluing finished lamellas, a hydrophobic non-toxic glue is used. The construction of laminated veneer lumber is characterized by moisture and heat resistance. You can order the production of material of the required shape and size.

The foundation for a bathhouse with an attic made of laminated veneer lumber

Since a blockhouse made of beams and logs is quite heavy, we build it on a strip foundation.

We act in this way:

1. We dig a trench along the perimeter of the future bath below the freezing depth by 20-30 cm. For each type of soil - different depths. Also, the depth of freezing depends on the area.
2. We fill up a layer of sand 15 cm, pour it with water and carefully tamp it.
3. We mount the formwork from edged boards around.
4. Inside, we assemble a frame with cells of 10-15 cm from reinforcement with a diameter of 0.8-1 cm.
5. We prepare a concrete solution: 1 part of cement, 3 parts of sand and 5 parts of gravel. It is more efficient to use a concrete mixer.
6. We pour concrete and let it dry for 21-28 days, after which we remove the formwork structure. In hot weather, the structure must be sprayed with water 5-7 times a day for the entire first week and 2-3 times for the next.

Assembling the walls of a bath with an attic

First you need to decide on the method of connecting the bars and, if necessary, make gaps with a chainsaw. If you order a timber from the manufacturer, you can choose a model with ready-made gaps.

The walls of the bath are assembled in the following sequence:

• We cover the foundation with a waterproofing layer. The best option is roofing material.
• We install boards 5 cm thick on top to prevent rotting of the lower row of the log house.
• We lay the first row of timber, connecting dovetail, thorn-groove, or just a quarter together with systems.
• We treat the structure with an antiseptic composition and a fire retardant.
• We check the equality of the diagonals of each rectangle inside.
• We attach the second row with stainless steel dowels and align with the first. They must lie strictly in the same plane. For fastening, you can also use wooden pins treated with an antiseptic solution.
• In the same way, we lay the following rows according to the scheme up to the ceiling.
• We cut in the ceiling beams with a thickness of about 5 cm. They must be attached clearly in a perpendicular position. They will also count as attic floor.
• We continue to lay out the wall with beams to a height of 1-1, 5 meters from the floor beams.
• The upper two beams do not need to be fastened together until the frame shrinks completely.

Arrangement of a roof for a bath with an attic

A pitched roof for a bath with an attic is an unacceptable option. Also, the gable rafter system is far from optimal. It is best to choose a "broken" roof project. In this case, the lower rafter "legs" are placed at an angle of 75 degrees, the upper - at a level of 30 degrees to the horizon. Thus, you can get a full-fledged room. The broken rafter system is quite difficult to perform:

1. We attach U-shaped wooden frames to the floor beams.
2. We assemble a truss structure made of wood on the ground.
3. We determine the future ceiling of the attic with a height of 2 meters and mount the crossbeam at this level.
4. We fill the crate and cover it with a waterproofing layer (roofing felt).
5. We install roofing material. The ideal option for such a roof is metal or roofing sheeting.

If desired, you can include in the attic equipment project roof windows that are mounted on the roof slopes.

IMPORTANT! The parameters of the rafter system must be clearly calculated, because the attic is planned for a living room, in which you can stand upright and carry out some movements.

Arrangement of the attic room in the bath

You can start arranging the attic space immediately after the roof is ready. If it is supposed to use the second floor in the cold season, then we insulate it with a foil heat insulator. Having laid a layer of insulation from the inside of the attic, we fix a vapor barrier film on top of it. We sheathe the walls inside the attic with clapboard in the same way as in other living quarters of the bath.

Remember that the attic of a bathhouse is different from the attic of any other living space. This is due to the high temperature in the lower room and high humidity. To avoid high humidity in the attic room, you should take care of a special layer between the two floors. To make the interfloor overlap, we lay a layer of vapor barrier in the attic, then a heater. We mount the finished floor from a grooved floorboard.

You should also take care of artificial lighting in the attic, since there may not be enough windows. Before starting finishing work, conduct the wiring to the second floor.

Erection of stairs to the attic of the bath

The ladder to the attic can be bought ready-made, but there is a risk that it will not fit into the dimensions of the bath. Manufacturing to order is quite expensive, so the best option is to make it yourself.

For construction, you can use coniferous and deciduous trees. Pay attention to the fact that the lumber is well dried and even. Before proceeding with the installation of the structure, decide on the location of its placement. Note that the staircase to the attic in the bathhouse should be located exclusively indoors. It cannot be installed outdoors. The future structure should be located along the gable part of the roof. Usually the place of its installation is the dressing room.

The simplest version of the staircase is by stringers:

1. We stretch a rope along the wall, which connects the upper point of the attic floor and the place where the stairs begin in the lower room.
2. Next, we calculate the number of steps. The maximum step height is 20 cm. The tilt angle is 45 degrees. The minimum height is 12 cm, at 30 degrees. The step should have a depth of 30 to 38 cm. The span width is 100-120 cm.
3. On the stringer, we outline the corners, taking into account the number of steps. Leave a 50-100 mm spike at the top of the board. It is designed to install a hatch in the attic. In the overlap with a chisel, hollow out a groove for it.
4. We first nail the board to the wall and draw steps using a level.
5. Install the base first. We fix it with a bar. We screw the stringers to the base with self-tapping screws. After that we attach the first beam to the wall.
6. We fix the first lower step with self-tapping screws.
7. Next, install the riser.
8. Fasten the tread from the back. So we sew the stringers to the end.
9. We sew up the outer line of the steps with plywood or a board.
10. Be sure to coat the joints with wood glue. So it is safer, and the stairs will not creak.

If the attic staircase is more than 120 cm wide, then the railings are not needed. Otherwise, additional vertical racks should be made, which are attached to the stringers. Railings are attached to them.

External finishing of a bathhouse with an attic made of laminated veneer lumber

Glued laminated timber usually looks quite aesthetically pleasing after installation. To increase the operational characteristics of the blockhouse, it is enough to simply dig in, wait for shrinkage and open it with varnish. However, if desired, it can be sheathed with any finishing material, for example, siding. Please note that in this way it is possible to carry out the cladding after complete shrinkage.

The plating procedure is performed as follows:

1. Caulking the bath. For this we use tow, flax or jute.
2. We cover the walls with a layer of vapor barrier, which will protect against condensation.
3. We fill the walls with a crate (the step depends on the finishing material) and fasten the sheathing - siding.
4. We put a heat insulator (mineral wool) between the profiles.
5. Cover the top of the heat insulator with a layer of waterproofing (for example, isospan).
6. We fix the starting siding bar with self-tapping screws and mount the corner pieces.
7. We install sheets of finishing material in the starting and corner strips.
8. We collect from the bottom up. The parts are joined according to the comb-groove scheme.
9. We fix the finishing bar last. We insert a finishing element into it from below.

Internal cladding of a bath with an attic

The classic option for facing walls and ceilings inside the bath is a combination of lining from different woods. For a washing room, dressing room, rest rooms and attic, for example, fragrant pine is perfect. But for a steam room, this material is not suitable. Pine will release resin when heated. Better to use larch.

The interior decoration instructions look like this:

1. Fill the base under the heater with a height of about 15 cm.
2. We install a stove in the bath. Blowing it should go into the dressing room. An electric sauna heater can be used as an alternative to a conventional wood-burning stove.
3. We fill the frame for interior decoration.
4. We cover the crate with foil insulation.
5. Since glued laminated timber is made of softwood, we cover the steam room with hardwood clapboard. For the washing room, dressing room and attic we use moisture-resistant material according to our preferences.
6. We attach a heat insulator to the ceiling, gluing the joints with metallized tape and also sheathe it, paying special attention to the joints with the walls.
7. We put a layer of insulation on the floor, then a vapor barrier and stuff the grooved floorboard.
8. There is no need to insulate the ceiling and floor in the dressing room. However, before cladding, we lay a vapor barrier membrane.

Watch a video about the construction of a bath with an attic below:

A bath with an attic is ideal if you need to save space on the site. The choice of material for construction and the project should be according to your preferences and financial capabilities. Remember that all buildings on the site must match in style. And the given recommendations will help to realize even the most daring ideas.