The Russian bath is an ideal place for relaxation of body and soul. It is believed that regular visits to the steam room give youth, health, peace and clarity of mind. Find out how to build a durable and easy-to-use Russian bath with your own hands. Content:
- Seat selection
- Project and layout
- Selection of material
-
Bath construction
- Foundation
- Walls
- Floor
- Roof
Traditionally, the concept of "Russian bath" is associated with a fragrant birch broom, a hot stove-stove, swirls of wet steam and an extraordinary atmosphere. That is why a private steam room on a personal plot is a matter of honor for a caring owner. A self-built bathhouse will become a unique highlight of your country estates and an ideal place for a pleasant and useful stay.
Choosing a place for the construction of a Russian bath
The level of material costs for construction and the subsequent ease of operation of the building directly depend on the competent choice of the location of the future bath. When determining a place for building a steam room, the following points should be taken into account:
- For fire safety purposes, the bath must be located at some distance (the optimal distance is at least 8-10 m) from the residential building and other utility structures on the site.
- It's good if there is a place for construction on the shore of an artificial or natural reservoir - what could be better than contrast rinsing after a hot steam room?
- An elevated site (hillock or hill) is ideal for the construction of a bath - this location contributes to the natural flow of used waters.
Note! It is important that the new building does not cause any inconvenience to the owners of nearby plots. It is best to preliminarily agree on the construction of a bathhouse with neighbors and obtain their written permission. So you can protect yourself from unforeseen controversial issues and conflict situations.
Project and layout of the Russian bath
Any construction begins with a detailed schematic plan. The Russian bath project can be developed by a special company or compiled independently, taking into account all individual needs. At the planning stage, it is important to determine the size of the Russian bath and correctly distribute every centimeter of space in the future structure. Ideally, it should consist of three rooms - a steam room, a sink and a dressing room.
Practice shows that for maximum convenience, each user of the bath should have at least 1, 8-2, 2 m2 in the dressing room (rest room) and at least 1.5-1.7 m2 in the steam room. On average, the total usable area of a detached family bath should be from 10 m2., while the rest room should be larger than the washing room, and the sink, in turn, should be larger than the steam room.
Do-it-yourself selection of material for the construction of a Russian bath
For the construction of a Russian bath, coniferous wood is traditionally used. High-quality wood is a strong and durable material with low thermal conductivity (it retains heat well, but does not interfere with natural air exchange) and a unique ability to withstand external climatic influences. Separate advantages of natural wood are its environmental friendliness and aesthetic appearance.
A bar or log for the construction of a Russian bath
For the construction of a Russian bath, you can use both a rounded round log and a solid bar. The construction of a log house is somewhat more expensive and requires certain professional knowledge. A bar-shaped bath is much simpler in terms of assembly and does not need a massive foundation. In addition, round timber is characterized by a more substantial and prolonged shrinkage. So, it is possible to launch a log bath into full operation after 5-6 months after the end of construction, while the shrinkage of a log structure takes at least 1, 5-2 years.
How to choose a quality timber for the construction of a Russian bath
The durability of the sauna building and, accordingly, its service life directly depends on the initial state of the wood used.
To assess the quality of a building beam, when purchasing material, you need to pay attention to the following nuances:
- Carefully inspect the surface of the wood and sort out the uneven or unnatural color from the total. A pronounced color contrast between products from the same batch indicates that they were not properly dried.
- Material with traces of putrefactive formations, bluish-gray spots, wormholes, deep cracks, gross mechanical damage and other visible defects is also subject to mandatory rejection.
- Pay attention to the ends of the wood: the growth rings on both sides should be the same size throughout the cut.
Advice! When shopping for lumber, take a tape measure with you. Bars for construction must strictly comply with the stated geometric dimensions.
The value of the grade of timber for the construction of a Russian bath
In total, four varieties of timber are distinguished - from zero to third, while the lower the value of the grade, the more high-quality the lumber is considered. Grade zero is usually more expensive than the others, as only selected wood is used for its production. The timber of the first or second grade may have minor defects. However, the presence of small flaws on the uneven bars does not prevent them from being used for the independent construction of a bath. The substandard found after purchase can be used for the manufacture of edged elements or for heating a sauna stove.
The main stages of the construction of a Russian bath
Having figured out theoretically how to build a Russian bath with your own hands, you can safely start practice. The direct construction of the bath begins with the laying of a shallow foundation. The most durable and resistant to seasonal soil displacement is the belt-type base.
Laying the foundation for a Russian bath
Work on the arrangement of the strip foundation is carried out in a certain order:
- To begin with, in accordance with the preliminary design, the external and internal boundaries of the future foundation are designated on the site.
- Then, along the contour of the applied markings, they dig a trench of the required depth. The bottom of the dug pit is filled with sand, watered and carefully tamped. A layer of crushed stone is poured over the sand cushion and carefully compacted again.
- Next, formwork is built from scrap materials - for example, pieces of plywood or boards. The upper part of the fence should protrude 60-70 cm above the ground level. At the same stage, reinforcement is laid in the trenches.
- After that, the foundation is poured (its aboveground height should be at least 40-50 cm). As the pit is filled with concrete, the walls of the formwork are tapped with a hammer to prevent the formation of airy voids in the monolith.
- The formwork is dismantled only after complete drying of the concrete. This usually takes at least 25-35 days. The horizontal sections of the foundation are covered with a double layer of waterproofing: first with bitumen mastic, then with roofing material.
Erection of the walls of the Russian bath
As soon as the base gains the necessary strength, you can start building the walls:
- Installation work begins with laying a mortgage board made of larch - it is a kind of buffer between the foundation and the lower beams and is designed to protect the latter from excessive moisture and decay.
- Further, according to the project plan, the walls of the log house are assembled, while all the joints between the rows are caulked with jute or tow. At the same stage, small gaps are left in the places intended for the installation of window and door openings for the convenience of subsequent cuts.
- The bars are fixed with special brackets and vertical fasteners - wooden dowels and metal studs. After laying each row, it is imperative to check the geometry of the erected log house in the following way: first, measure the diagonal distance between opposite corners, then, if necessary, correct the position of the crowns by moving their ends.
Important! Before installation, the mortgage board and beams for the first five crowns are thoroughly impregnated with an antiseptic compound or used machine oil.
Floor arrangement in a Russian bath
At the next stage of construction, they begin to arrange the floors. In the steam room and the washing section, they are poured with concrete at a slight slope towards the drain hole - this is necessary for the unhindered drainage of polluted water. For the finishing of the floor surface, corrugated ceramic tiles are used. In the dressing room, where the humidity level is the lowest, you can do with traditional wooden flooring.
Erection of the roof of the Russian bath
The erection of the roof structure marks the final stage in the construction of the bath. The most practical and easiest option is a simple gable roof. The walls of the bathhouse were built of timber, so the upper crown acts as a Mauerlat. On top of it, floor beams are laid and fixed with brackets or dowels in a horizontal position.
For the construction of rafters, strong beams with a cross section of 60 cm or more are used. After installation, the rafter system is sheathed with crate (solid or rarefied), thermal insulation and a waterproofing membrane. In the last place, the finishing roofing is mounted and proceeds to the arrangement of the ceilings.
At the end of the construction, pay due attention to the exterior decoration and interior improvement of the bath. Convenient hangers and stands, wooden sun loungers and carved ladles, lush brooms and other paraphernalia will transform the room and make it original, cozy and comfortable.
Features of the construction of a Russian bath can be seen in the video:
Having learned how to make a Russian bath with your own hands, you will be able not only to bring to life an original project that perfectly matches your personal tastes and requirements, but also to save a lot on the wages of the involved builders.
