Do-it-yourself bath construction: at the cottage in stages
Each person at least once in his life visited a sauna or steam room. The sensations of being in a hot bath cannot be forgotten. Bath procedures contribute to the rejuvenation and healing of the body. Many owners of their own plots are not averse to erecting a special room equipped for warm washing. The easiest way is to order a finished project from professionals, but you can try to build a bath with your own hands. This will significantly save the family budget, gain invaluable experience.
The advantages and disadvantages of self-construction
Building a bathhouse with your own hands in the garden is a complex, but creative and creative process. Self-construction is quite popular. Among the main advantages of performing work on their own can be identified:
the possibility of using a project developed in accordance with personal needs, taking into account the preferences of all family members;
saving money, the owner himself manages the allocated budget, and does not pay the amount announced by the contractor;
it is possible to build in stages, investing small amounts;
confidence in the quality of acquired building materials;
gaining and accumulating experience, it will be useful in the construction of other buildings;
pride in a hand-built building, which you can brag to friends and relatives.
The disadvantages of self-construction of the bath include:
the need to study existing projects, drawing up your own scheme;
the acquisition, transportation of building materials and equipment, the costs of purchasing the tools required to carry out the work;
low construction speed, experienced builders will build a steam room much faster;
full responsibility for all stages of work, from the flooded foundation to the erection of walls and roofs, the installation of windows and doors;
complexity in the location of heating equipment, wiring utilities;
you should be completely confident in your abilities, if you do not have enough time, patience, money, then as a result an unfinished object may appear on the personal plot.
Design and layout features
When building a bath, it is initially necessary to determine the location. It can be equipped in the house, attached to it, or made a stand-alone structure. But as practice shows, many developers who choose the option combined with the main building regret it. Another important aspect is orientation to the cardinal points. For example, for practical reasons, it is better to place windows from the south or from the west. It is also worth observing the norms of distances between buildings, taking into account the remoteness of the structure from the boundaries of the site, a private house, the distance to the reservoir.
The construction of a sauna, like any other structure, begins with the preparation of a project. When designing it, the estimated number of family members who will visit it at the same time, the layout of the site, the allocated area, and the amount of money are taken into account. The scheme may include several rooms, including a steam room, a washing room, a dressing room, a pool, a billiard room, and other rooms. When drawing up the drawing, you should pre-worry about all the important points, include everything you need in it, which will allow you to do without additional extensions, redevelopment of the building.
According to the current legislation, no permits are required to build a bathhouse on its own site, since it is an auxiliary facility. But when drawing up the steam room project, special attention should be paid to architecture and fire safety, it is recommended to study the following regulatory documents: Construction Norms and Regulations 21-01-97 * “Fire Safety of Buildings and Structures”, Construction Norms and Regulations 3.04.01-87 “Insulation and Finishing Coatings”, SP 1.13130 .2009 “Fire protection systems. Evacuation routes and exits ”, SNiP II-L.13-62“ Baths. Design Standards. "
Optimal area
The main room, without which it is impossible to imagine a bath, is a steam room. Shelves are located here, a stove is installed. Also, the main rooms include a washing or shower room, a dressing room, which at the same time acts as a place for relaxation, a dressing room. If the structure is planned to be used year-round, then it is supplemented with a vestibule, which helps to keep heat. When designing a bath, determining its dimensions, a number of important points are taken into account:
its location on the site, whether it is a freestanding structure or acts as an extension to the house;
heater power level;
number of visitors;
the size of the site, the amount of free space on it;
wall thickness, presence of insulation, used finish.
Below are the recommendations of specialists to calculate the optimal size:
the ceiling height in the "Russian" or "Finnish" bath should be more than 2.1 m;
the minimum size of the steam room per one visitor should be at least 850 x 1150 mm or 0.98 sq. m;
dressing room - 1000 x 2150 mm or 2.15 square meters. m;
washing - 1150 x 1300 mm or 1.49 square meters. m
The given values are conditional. They are calculated based on the average height of a person. When planning, the parameters of all family members should be taken into account. For a separate building, the ratio of the steam room, washing, dressing room is recommended to be 1: 1.5: 2 parts, respectively. In reality, it all depends on the wishes of the owner.
Room Zoning
For large facilities, zoning is not necessary. Here you can freely provide for a separate room for a steam room and a washing room, a billiard room and a pool, a dining room and a locker room, and a furnace and a bathroom. However, sometimes before the owners of the bath there is a need for its competent arrangement, separation of the rest room into useful functional areas.
If you approach the issue correctly, then even the only room for relaxation can be made multifunctional. Here you can eat, have tea, relax on the couch, watch your favorite TV shows, play billiards, spend time comfortably with friends, discussing the latest news. Also, in the relaxation room, you can provide for a locker room, organize a place for storing bath accessories.
For zoning, you can use different techniques. Partitions, windows, artificial lighting, existing pieces of furniture will help to highlight functional areas, you can also use different finishing materials. When planning, experts recommend separating the dining room area from the living room, for example, by placing a pool table between them. To create additional comfort will help placed in one of the corners of the fireplace, complemented by a pair of chairs.
Outside extensions - terraces, verandas, gazebos and barbecue area
An external extension to the bathhouse can be provided even at the stage of its design, or, if necessary, to expand the existing structure. It often happens that a structure is built first, and then, due to various circumstances, it becomes necessary to increase it. The extension may have a different purpose, and its type depends on the available premises.
When the bath is expanded or additional functional zones are included in its composition, a vestibule, a veranda, a terrace, a balcony, a gazebo, a summer kitchen, a barbecue area are often added to a project. The simplest annex is a vestibule, canopy or porch. It also does not cause much difficulty to build a terrace, it is more difficult to build an open or glazed veranda, and when constructing two-story buildings, a balcony is often provided.
If funds allow, then one of the best solutions is a built arbor or summer kitchen with a stove or barbecue.The stove allows you to improve the overall appearance of the bath, enjoy a delicious aromatic dinner, maintain a comfortable air temperature. However, it should be remembered that the stove has a sufficiently large weight, therefore, when erecting it, special attention should be paid to the construction of a reinforced foundation.
Internal additional rooms
Undoubtedly, the central room of any bath is a steam room. In fact, this is not the only room that plays an important role. In the building, you can provide many other useful rooms that make it very comfortable and cozy. One of them is a leisure room in which you can arrange various interior items. The main thing when equipping this area is the choice of high-quality furniture and finishing materials that can serve for a long time in conditions of high humidity.
In large buildings, you can provide for a separate pool. After going to the steam room, many people like not to get poured out of the buckets, take a summer shower, but immediately dive completely into the cool water. However, the construction of the pool requires engineering services. To fill it, a large amount of water will be required, therefore, it will not work out with a simple drain, a good drainage system will be required. An alternative to a full-fledged pool can be a small font, which looks like a small wooden barrel or a large trough that can simultaneously accommodate several people.
Considering the finished projects, you can find baths with a billiard room, a bathroom, a kitchen. Separately, it is worth noting the buildings, which include a living room. They can be called full-fledged houses, which are in demand in the country. Similar projects have their fans and opponents. Choosing this design, you must first think about the increased humidity in the house, pay attention to fire safety, for example, use gas and electric furnaces.
Communication Design
It is normal to use a bathhouse or sauna, characterized by high humidity and temperature, it is impossible without properly designed and built communications. Here, utilities are subject to increased requirements associated with their safe operation. Particular attention should be paid to water supply, sanitation, electricity and ventilation.
Even at the design stage, it is necessary to calculate the volume of water consumption, the number of water intake points. It is also required to determine in advance the operating mode (seasonal, year-round). If the structure is not to be heated in the winter, it should be possible to drain the water from the entire system so that it does not freeze at low temperatures.
Arrangement of ventilation is quite possible to do it yourself. It is enough to install two windows in the bathhouse. One of them will provide an influx of cold air, the other - to serve for the release of heated and waterlogged oxygen. There is natural and forced ventilation. In the second case, either expensive automatic systems that maintain a given temperature and humidity in the room are used, or a budget option, which implies the presence of fans located on the ventilation windows.
When organizing electricity in a bathhouse, one should adhere to existing norms and standards, for example, comply with GOST R 50571.12–96. When choosing a cable, it is recommended to pay attention to ensure that it can withstand temperatures up to 180 degrees. Among heat-resistant products, one can distinguish RKGM, PVKV, PRKS, PMTK, and others. Sockets must be heat-resistant, waterproof, have a hidden installation. The degree of safety of the hardware must comply with IP-44 / IP-65. It is worth remembering about protective automation (RCD), which must necessarily be included in the project for wiring.
Which bath to build - types of steam rooms
Many peoples of the world in the process of their development have their own unique traditions in the arrangement and use of baths. Among the most common types, one can distinguish Russian, Finnish, Roman, Turkish, Irish, Japanese, Chinese bath complexes. Each of them is characterized by its size, shape, design, air temperature, its humidity. Let us dwell in more detail on the most common types of these structures in the world.
Russian
The main feature of the Russian bath is that the body is steamed in warm air saturated with water vapor. Its temperature is 50-70 degrees, and humidity 40-65%. Traditionally, the classic building consists of a dressing room, a washing department, a twin room. Steam room - the main place in the building. The main attribute is the oven. For its firebox only firewood is used.
To maintain the temperature, the hot furnace is poured with water and infusions of medicinal herbs, due to which “light steam” is formed, after which it becomes easier to breathe in a humidified room. For the decoration of walls and shelves, larch boards are used. The shelves themselves are in the form of steps, located near the furnace. The temperature on the lower steps is 50 degrees, while on the highest steps it can reach 100 degrees and above.
Buckets with water are usually located in the washing room, showers, if the area allows, are equipped with fonts and even built pools. Previously, the dressing room was used as a locker room. Now it is equipped with a recreation room, it is divided into different functional areas, and used as a place for a comfortable and cozy pastime with family or friends.
Finnish
The main distinguishing feature of the Finnish bath can be called the fact that it is heated with dry steam. This type of sauna is the hottest. In a steam room, the air temperature reaches 70-100 degrees, while its humidity rarely exceeds 8-20%.It is low humidity that allows a person to withstand high temperatures, while its increase by 5-10% can lead to burns of the skin, in the worst case, death.
Another characteristic feature of the sauna is the stove. Nowadays, an ordinary wood-burning stove is rarely installed here; instead, compact electric stoves made of stainless steel and galvanized alloys are used. Unlike the Russian bath, stones are not laid inside the furnace, but on its surface. This arrangement provides faster heating, respectively, and cooling is much faster.
The duration of the first entry into the steam room should not exceed 3-5 minutes so as not to overheat. After that it is recommended to take a shower, plunge into the pool and relax in the relaxation room. Starting from the next visits, their duration can be slightly increased, but the maximum period of time should not exceed 15 minutes, even for experienced people, and their total number is 3-6 times.
Chinese
In China, there is a whole bathing culture. The main components of the bath are wooden sandals and massage in combination with manual therapy. The bath begins with the bathroom, which houses several jacuzzis. In each separate bath water has a different temperature: cold, warm, hot. Aromatic oils and rose petals are necessarily added to the water.
In the same room there are also special twin cabins. Unlike Russian steam, special steam generators are produced here that are not able to give out hot heat coming from traditional heaters. Some bath projects include special snow rooms, where the air temperature is maintained at minus 10 degrees, artificial snow is produced.
After visiting the steam room, the person should proceed for a massage. The procedures begin with pouring warm water, after which the attendant begins to rub the whole body with a towel or sponge wrapped in his hand. This procedure lasts at least half an hour. After the body is covered with a cool towel, the back massage begins.Upon completion of the procedures, you can again go to the steam room, after having doused yourself with milk and honey.
Hammam
The main distinguishing feature of the Turkish bath is the high humidity in the steam room, it reaches 100% at relatively low temperatures of 45-50 degrees. As a result, a person is completely immersed in steam, all his muscles relax, his blood circulation normalizes. In addition to the traditional body warming up, a visit to the hammam includes a number of additional procedures: peeling, wrapping, massage.
Wood is not used in the construction of the steam room. To decorate the steam room, ceramic tiles are used, in more expensive options - natural marble. It’s very comfortable to lie on preheated marble. The bath can be heated in two ways, using water or electric heating. The first option is the most profitable, all surfaces are heated using pipes laid under the lining.
A mandatory attribute for hammams is a steam generator that provides high humidity. The device is equipped with a special sensor, it automatically turns off the system if the room temperature exceeds 55 degrees. Thanks to such a steam room device, the hair and skin are moisturized, the existing tan is not washed off from the body, but, on the contrary, is fixed on it.
How to choose a place to build
It is customary to start the construction of a bathhouse by choosing the most suitable place and drawing up a construction plan. When preparing the calculations, it is important to comply with the rules and regulations that govern the conditions for the location of the steam room in the residential sector. The specific structure should be located at a distance of no closer than 1 meter to the boundary of the neighboring section. If there are wooden buildings in the neighbors' yard, there should be more than 15 meters from them to the bathhouse.
A free-standing bathhouse or made as an extension to the house can only be built taking into account the rules and regulations regarding natural, plant, and protected areas. The permissible distance to the reservoir is 5 meters, an artificial well with drinking water - 12 meters, tall trees - 4 meters, forest area - 15 meters.
In home
Planning the construction of the steam room in the house should be at the design stage of the building. For the bath will require special waterproofing, decoration, processing of materials. Often make mini-rooms, but spacious enough for a comfortable stay. The advantages of the layout of a residential building along with a bath include the following factors:
Saving space in the garden;
The ability to freely move around the rooms, without having to go outside;
Simplified firebox. All necessary materials are in the living room;
Close proximity to the bathroom.
The disadvantages of organizing a bath directly in the house include a high fire hazard. Even high-quality and systematic treatment of the premises with flame retardants does not provide 100% protection against fire and smoke. Additional vapor barrier will also be required. Due to the increased humidity, it will be necessary to make difficult ventilation. Good air exchange can be achieved by installing expensive indoor equipment.
Annex to the house
It is possible to attach a bathhouse to a residential building only if the house is made of brick, foam blocks. In other cases, being too close may be unsafe. You can use the already prepared terrace or fill in the foundation for the sauna with a separate area. Before laying the flooring, it is necessary to consider good protection against moisture, high-quality drainage.
You can make a bathhouse extension 2 years after the shrinkage of the main residential building. It is easy to bring communications into the room and make it heated. Among the shortcomings, a high risk of fire due to open flame can be noted. The danger increases if the frame of the summer cottage is made of budget timber, poorly processed wood materials. Dirt and debris from the furnace easily enter the house, and increased humidity destroys the wall coating, leading to inevitable frequent repairs.
Freestanding
The best option for building a bath on the site. The easiest way to make it out of a log house. A lightweight foundation, a beam for the manufacture of a truss truss, the basic material for the walls will be required. Construction will take a minimum of time. You can safely implement your favorite design and stove equipment with any characteristics.
Of the minuses, the involvement of an impressive area of the area for construction and a large number of building materials, improvised means can be noted. Due to the remoteness from the residential building, heating costs will increase, and attempts to save will lead to a deterioration in technical parameters.
What material is better to build
Many owners of suburban areas dream of their own bathhouse. But to build it by all the rules is not easy. Due to the presence of the furnace, very strict requirements are imposed on such structures. When choosing the main material, it is necessary to rely not only on the price and simplicity of building a home sauna, but also take into account the compliance with the conditions inside the steam room.
Baths are built more often from wood or brick. It is these materials that can provide high levels of thermal insulation. They do not emit toxic compounds when heated, have a high resistance to a humid environment. Each type has its own characteristics and is used for the construction of the steam room, taking into account its size, number of storeys, climatic indicators.
From a wooden bar
The wood structure retains heat very well, quickly removes toxins and gases. The low weight of the bath allows you to install building materials without additional reinforcement of the foundation. The rock type gives special characteristics to the structure. Among the popular varieties, the following can be distinguished:
Pine. The budget material has an attractive appearance, a light shade and sufficient moisture resistance. Due to the release of resin during heating, the formation of mold is slowed down.It is not recommended to finish the steam room with pine, since when heated, thick juice is released, which can easily burn the skin.
Linden. Due to the low moisture resistance, only specially processed varieties are suitable for the manufacture of baths. Material with excellent heat resistance begins to darken after a couple of years.
Aspen. The density of the golden breed only increases with time, which complicates its processing and repair. Waterproof material retains heat perfectly, but is not included in the budget breed category.
Alder. Boards with a beautiful reddish tint practically do not shrink, but quickly darken on contact with moisture.
Made of bricks
The main advantage of masonry is durability. A bath made of such material will calmly last up to 20 years. There is no need for additional cladding, since the brick itself looks attractive. Also an indisputable advantage in favor of this type of bath will be its incombustibility, the absence of fungus and mold on the walls.
The considerable weight of the brick involves the installation of a strip base under a steam room. This increases the construction time. First you need to fill in the concrete foundation, wait for it to solidify completely, then install the brick walls and roof in stages.
You can build a bathhouse of red or gas silicate brick. For any of the types it will take at least 1 hour to warm up. Also, the building will need to be insulated from the inside. To lay out the hearth and other places in contact with open fire, use fireclay bricks.
The brick does not let air through, so when building a bath, you need to take care of good ventilation.
From foam blocks
Affordable material will allow you to quickly build a strong building. Cellular blocks of regular rectangular shape are processed in autoclaves, which gives them all the necessary characteristics.The light weight of the elements allows you to build a bath structure without additional strengthening of the foundation. Blocks are cut into pieces with a simple hacksaw. Installation takes place using special cement glue.
The disadvantages include hygroscopicity of the material. But special treatment can reduce the heat output to the outside. Foam blocks of the lowest density and thermal conductivity are suitable for building a bath.
The foundation for the bath
The base for the bath should be selected before construction, since it will no longer be possible to change it after pouring concrete. The main objective of the foundation is the uniform distribution of the load on the ground. The duration of the service of the entire building will depend on the type of construction. There are several options for concrete pouring, differing in the method of installation. When building steam rooms, the following options are often used:
Pile. Apply on soils poorly saturated with moisture. According to the installation principle it is divided into pile-screw, pile-driving, columnar. The selection of suitable installation technology depends on the degree and direction of movement of the earth.
Tape. A wide concrete strip is installed around the perimeter of the entire building. This approach simplifies the erection of the walls of the bath, you will not have to reinforce the structure. You can make a pure tape or block base.
Monolithic. Cement mortar is poured around the entire perimeter of the future building. The thickness of the continuous slab should be at least 30 cm.
How to heat - the choice of stove
When choosing a furnace for a bath, first of all, you need to pay attention to power. This indicator should correspond to the volume of the steam room. Also, the presence of uninsulated sections, the material of the manufacture of the door is taken into account. According to the type of fuel, stoves for a bath are as follows:
Wood burning. The classic version of the furnace allows you to create a special atmosphere. For the ubiquitous tree, no additional communications are required.You can independently harvest all sorts of varieties to create a different effect.
Gas. Impressive aggregates can only be connected by a qualified gasman. In such stoves there is no need to constantly throw firewood and control the flame. They do not have a furnace or an ash pan. Gas furnaces significantly increase the fire hazard of the entire structure.
Electric furnaces Miniature devices warm the room evenly and quickly. Installations are absolutely safe, with great functionality. Due to the high consumption of electricity, the cost of operation will be high.
Step-by-step instructions for building a freestanding bath
Having decided to make a comfortable bathhouse at your summer cottage, it is not necessary to turn to specialists for help. Even with little experience in construction, such a construction can be organized independently. First, they draw up a project and select materials. At this stage, it is important to take into account the geographical position of the building and the conditions of its operation. The following erection procedures are performed step by step.
Site preparation for construction
When a suitable place has been selected and the material has been brought in, you can begin to prepare the site for construction. Depending on the specifics of the soil, the type of foundation is determined. The construction site should be flat with a slight slope for water flow.
First, they draw the outline of the future foundation and remove all the vegetation from the soil. Then, pegs are driven around the perimeter, based on the area of construction. From columns with nailed boards make a cast-off and apply the axial dimensions of the foundation contour.
At the next stage, they start digging a pit, pits for poles or trenches. When the required depth is reached, special shields are installed to prevent soil from shedding. At the end of excavation, they are removed.
Foundation pouring
For a separate bath from a bar, a columnar foundation is suitable.The budget base can easily withstand a relatively light wooden structure. Then dig the required number of pits with a certain step. Mandatory presence of supports in the corners, at the intersection of the walls.
Crushed stone and sand are poured into the bottom of the pit. Then the asbestos-cement pipe is installed strictly vertically and fixed. Fittings are placed inside and concrete mortar is poured. A few days later, waiting for complete solidification, between the pipes around the perimeter lay a small wall in half a brick.
Walling and roofing
More often, for the construction of a free-standing bath, a beam of 15 x 15 cm is used. Proceed with the installation of the first crown after laying the waterproofing and thorough processing of materials in contact with the base. You can join the bars in several ways: on rectangular dowels, in the root spike, using the dovetail method. During the set of walls, the connection of the crowns occurs with the help of special wooden, metal pins - pins.
At the next stage, the roof device is installed. First, choose a suitable roof shape, install according to the rafter plan. Then support is erected and securely fixed. Lathing boards are placed on them, covered with waterproofing material, insulation, and the selected roofing material is mounted.
Heat and vapor barrier
Regardless of the type of stove chosen, any steam room will always have high temperature and humidity. The heat insulation layer helps to retain heat for a long time. The following types of materials are suitable for use in the construction of the bath:
Film. Dense canvases can be smooth, rough with reinforcement. This option of insulation will cost cheap.
Membrane. Non-woven material is laid on top of the insulation. It protects against condensation and moisture.
Foil sheets. A special coating of foil, metal lavsan effectively retains heat in a steam room of any size.
Interior finishing work - which materials are better to use
Interior finishing work must begin with a communications device. Sewerage point, place of passage of water pipes, electricity should be laid at the design stage.
After installation work on laying communications, they proceed to the manufacture of a finished floor. It can be concrete or wood. Cement filling will be durable, after hardening it is additionally lined with tiles. The wooden flooring is leaking, a small gap is left between the lags and the floor boards.
After the windows and the doorway are installed, you can proceed to the interior decoration of the walls of the bath. The use of synthetic materials is excluded, since when heated they emit harmful substances. The best type of decoration is natural wood. This can be a polished edged board, blockhouse, lining. When choosing the appropriate option, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of each breed and the characteristics of the varieties.
Installation of the oven and shelves
Shelves for relaxation in the bath should fit the size of the room and be made of wood materials. First, a stable frame is made of timber, then polished boards are attached to it.
Each owner chooses the stove himself, depending on personal preference. If it is a heavy unit, it is installed on a special foundation. Installation is carried out according to all fire safety requirements. All wooden structures near an open flame should be well insulated.
Design and decoration of the bath
A huge selection of finishing materials allows you to create a stylish interior indoors, realizing the most daring idea. When choosing the right style, you should not forget about functionality and convenience. Excessive piling up with excess objects will create a feeling of heaviness and isolation.
For decoration in Russian style, wood items are suitable. On the coasters and shelves in the steam room you can place buckets, wooden ladles.The decor for the floor in the rest room will be wicker rugs, in the washing room they will be wooden grates. The walls will be decorated with oak brooms and hats for a steam room with cheerful inscriptions.
Chalet style involves the presence of only female or male objects. It can be tea devices, bouquets of fragrant herbs, beautiful tablecloths or accessories of a hunter. Modern style will not do without elements of luxury. The ceilings in the steam room and relaxation room are high, multi-tiered. Good accents creates lighting.
What furniture to choose for a bath
The amount of furniture in a bathhouse directly depends on its size. To organize the locker room, it is enough to install a wooden hanger. The number of hooks can be calculated based on the total number of visitors, 3-4 pieces per person. To store towels, detergents, sheets, you can provide a small wall cupboard. It is advisable to install a bench under the hanger, which will serve as a place for folding clothes during dressing.
The rest room in the dining area must have a wooden table surrounded by chairs or benches. When organizing a place to relax, you can provide a sofa, soft chairs. Shelves for storing dishes and bath accessories should be placed on the walls, while it is better not to use a bulky closed cabinet.
Conclusion
For most people, the bathhouse evokes extremely positive emotions, so the owners of their own suburban and summer cottages often erect such structures. Some include a steam room in the design of the house, others prefer to build freestanding structures. To save money, many are thinking about how to build a building with their own hands. This is a rather time-consuming process that requires a lot of free time, but the result is worth it.
Each person at least once in his life visited a sauna or steam room. The sensations of being in a hot bath cannot be forgotten. Bath procedures contribute to the rejuvenation and healing of the body. Many owners of their own plots are not averse to erecting a special room equipped for warm washing. The easiest way is to order a finished project from professionals, but you can try to build a bath with your own hands. This will significantly save the family budget, gain invaluable experience.
Content
The advantages and disadvantages of self-construction
Building a bathhouse with your own hands in the garden is a complex, but creative and creative process. Self-construction is quite popular. Among the main advantages of performing work on their own can be identified:
The disadvantages of self-construction of the bath include:
Design and layout features
When building a bath, it is initially necessary to determine the location. It can be equipped in the house, attached to it, or made a stand-alone structure. But as practice shows, many developers who choose the option combined with the main building regret it. Another important aspect is orientation to the cardinal points. For example, for practical reasons, it is better to place windows from the south or from the west. It is also worth observing the norms of distances between buildings, taking into account the remoteness of the structure from the boundaries of the site, a private house, the distance to the reservoir.
The construction of a sauna, like any other structure, begins with the preparation of a project. When designing it, the estimated number of family members who will visit it at the same time, the layout of the site, the allocated area, and the amount of money are taken into account. The scheme may include several rooms, including a steam room, a washing room, a dressing room, a pool, a billiard room, and other rooms. When drawing up the drawing, you should pre-worry about all the important points, include everything you need in it, which will allow you to do without additional extensions, redevelopment of the building.
According to the current legislation, no permits are required to build a bathhouse on its own site, since it is an auxiliary facility. But when drawing up the steam room project, special attention should be paid to architecture and fire safety, it is recommended to study the following regulatory documents: Construction Norms and Regulations 21-01-97 * “Fire Safety of Buildings and Structures”, Construction Norms and Regulations 3.04.01-87 “Insulation and Finishing Coatings”, SP 1.13130 .2009 “Fire protection systems. Evacuation routes and exits ”, SNiP II-L.13-62“ Baths. Design Standards. "
Optimal area
The main room, without which it is impossible to imagine a bath, is a steam room. Shelves are located here, a stove is installed. Also, the main rooms include a washing or shower room, a dressing room, which at the same time acts as a place for relaxation, a dressing room. If the structure is planned to be used year-round, then it is supplemented with a vestibule, which helps to keep heat. When designing a bath, determining its dimensions, a number of important points are taken into account:
Below are the recommendations of specialists to calculate the optimal size:
Room Zoning
For large facilities, zoning is not necessary. Here you can freely provide for a separate room for a steam room and a washing room, a billiard room and a pool, a dining room and a locker room, and a furnace and a bathroom. However, sometimes before the owners of the bath there is a need for its competent arrangement, separation of the rest room into useful functional areas.
If you approach the issue correctly, then even the only room for relaxation can be made multifunctional. Here you can eat, have tea, relax on the couch, watch your favorite TV shows, play billiards, spend time comfortably with friends, discussing the latest news. Also, in the relaxation room, you can provide for a locker room, organize a place for storing bath accessories.
For zoning, you can use different techniques. Partitions, windows, artificial lighting, existing pieces of furniture will help to highlight functional areas, you can also use different finishing materials. When planning, experts recommend separating the dining room area from the living room, for example, by placing a pool table between them. To create additional comfort will help placed in one of the corners of the fireplace, complemented by a pair of chairs.
Outside extensions - terraces, verandas, gazebos and barbecue area
An external extension to the bathhouse can be provided even at the stage of its design, or, if necessary, to expand the existing structure. It often happens that a structure is built first, and then, due to various circumstances, it becomes necessary to increase it. The extension may have a different purpose, and its type depends on the available premises.
When the bath is expanded or additional functional zones are included in its composition, a vestibule, a veranda, a terrace, a balcony, a gazebo, a summer kitchen, a barbecue area are often added to a project. The simplest annex is a vestibule, canopy or porch. It also does not cause much difficulty to build a terrace, it is more difficult to build an open or glazed veranda, and when constructing two-story buildings, a balcony is often provided.
If funds allow, then one of the best solutions is a built arbor or summer kitchen with a stove or barbecue.The stove allows you to improve the overall appearance of the bath, enjoy a delicious aromatic dinner, maintain a comfortable air temperature. However, it should be remembered that the stove has a sufficiently large weight, therefore, when erecting it, special attention should be paid to the construction of a reinforced foundation.
Internal additional rooms
Undoubtedly, the central room of any bath is a steam room. In fact, this is not the only room that plays an important role. In the building, you can provide many other useful rooms that make it very comfortable and cozy. One of them is a leisure room in which you can arrange various interior items. The main thing when equipping this area is the choice of high-quality furniture and finishing materials that can serve for a long time in conditions of high humidity.
In large buildings, you can provide for a separate pool. After going to the steam room, many people like not to get poured out of the buckets, take a summer shower, but immediately dive completely into the cool water. However, the construction of the pool requires engineering services. To fill it, a large amount of water will be required, therefore, it will not work out with a simple drain, a good drainage system will be required. An alternative to a full-fledged pool can be a small font, which looks like a small wooden barrel or a large trough that can simultaneously accommodate several people.
Considering the finished projects, you can find baths with a billiard room, a bathroom, a kitchen. Separately, it is worth noting the buildings, which include a living room. They can be called full-fledged houses, which are in demand in the country. Similar projects have their fans and opponents. Choosing this design, you must first think about the increased humidity in the house, pay attention to fire safety, for example, use gas and electric furnaces.
Communication Design
It is normal to use a bathhouse or sauna, characterized by high humidity and temperature, it is impossible without properly designed and built communications. Here, utilities are subject to increased requirements associated with their safe operation. Particular attention should be paid to water supply, sanitation, electricity and ventilation.
Even at the design stage, it is necessary to calculate the volume of water consumption, the number of water intake points. It is also required to determine in advance the operating mode (seasonal, year-round). If the structure is not to be heated in the winter, it should be possible to drain the water from the entire system so that it does not freeze at low temperatures.
Arrangement of ventilation is quite possible to do it yourself. It is enough to install two windows in the bathhouse. One of them will provide an influx of cold air, the other - to serve for the release of heated and waterlogged oxygen. There is natural and forced ventilation. In the second case, either expensive automatic systems that maintain a given temperature and humidity in the room are used, or a budget option, which implies the presence of fans located on the ventilation windows.
When organizing electricity in a bathhouse, one should adhere to existing norms and standards, for example, comply with GOST R 50571.12–96. When choosing a cable, it is recommended to pay attention to ensure that it can withstand temperatures up to 180 degrees. Among heat-resistant products, one can distinguish RKGM, PVKV, PRKS, PMTK, and others. Sockets must be heat-resistant, waterproof, have a hidden installation. The degree of safety of the hardware must comply with IP-44 / IP-65. It is worth remembering about protective automation (RCD), which must necessarily be included in the project for wiring.
Which bath to build - types of steam rooms
Many peoples of the world in the process of their development have their own unique traditions in the arrangement and use of baths. Among the most common types, one can distinguish Russian, Finnish, Roman, Turkish, Irish, Japanese, Chinese bath complexes. Each of them is characterized by its size, shape, design, air temperature, its humidity. Let us dwell in more detail on the most common types of these structures in the world.
Russian
The main feature of the Russian bath is that the body is steamed in warm air saturated with water vapor. Its temperature is 50-70 degrees, and humidity 40-65%. Traditionally, the classic building consists of a dressing room, a washing department, a twin room. Steam room - the main place in the building. The main attribute is the oven. For its firebox only firewood is used.
To maintain the temperature, the hot furnace is poured with water and infusions of medicinal herbs, due to which “light steam” is formed, after which it becomes easier to breathe in a humidified room. For the decoration of walls and shelves, larch boards are used. The shelves themselves are in the form of steps, located near the furnace. The temperature on the lower steps is 50 degrees, while on the highest steps it can reach 100 degrees and above.
Buckets with water are usually located in the washing room, showers, if the area allows, are equipped with fonts and even built pools. Previously, the dressing room was used as a locker room. Now it is equipped with a recreation room, it is divided into different functional areas, and used as a place for a comfortable and cozy pastime with family or friends.
Finnish
The main distinguishing feature of the Finnish bath can be called the fact that it is heated with dry steam. This type of sauna is the hottest. In a steam room, the air temperature reaches 70-100 degrees, while its humidity rarely exceeds 8-20%.It is low humidity that allows a person to withstand high temperatures, while its increase by 5-10% can lead to burns of the skin, in the worst case, death.
Another characteristic feature of the sauna is the stove. Nowadays, an ordinary wood-burning stove is rarely installed here; instead, compact electric stoves made of stainless steel and galvanized alloys are used. Unlike the Russian bath, stones are not laid inside the furnace, but on its surface. This arrangement provides faster heating, respectively, and cooling is much faster.
The duration of the first entry into the steam room should not exceed 3-5 minutes so as not to overheat. After that it is recommended to take a shower, plunge into the pool and relax in the relaxation room. Starting from the next visits, their duration can be slightly increased, but the maximum period of time should not exceed 15 minutes, even for experienced people, and their total number is 3-6 times.
Chinese
In China, there is a whole bathing culture. The main components of the bath are wooden sandals and massage in combination with manual therapy. The bath begins with the bathroom, which houses several jacuzzis. In each separate bath water has a different temperature: cold, warm, hot. Aromatic oils and rose petals are necessarily added to the water.
In the same room there are also special twin cabins. Unlike Russian steam, special steam generators are produced here that are not able to give out hot heat coming from traditional heaters. Some bath projects include special snow rooms, where the air temperature is maintained at minus 10 degrees, artificial snow is produced.
After visiting the steam room, the person should proceed for a massage. The procedures begin with pouring warm water, after which the attendant begins to rub the whole body with a towel or sponge wrapped in his hand. This procedure lasts at least half an hour. After the body is covered with a cool towel, the back massage begins.Upon completion of the procedures, you can again go to the steam room, after having doused yourself with milk and honey.
Hammam
The main distinguishing feature of the Turkish bath is the high humidity in the steam room, it reaches 100% at relatively low temperatures of 45-50 degrees. As a result, a person is completely immersed in steam, all his muscles relax, his blood circulation normalizes. In addition to the traditional body warming up, a visit to the hammam includes a number of additional procedures: peeling, wrapping, massage.
Wood is not used in the construction of the steam room. To decorate the steam room, ceramic tiles are used, in more expensive options - natural marble. It’s very comfortable to lie on preheated marble. The bath can be heated in two ways, using water or electric heating. The first option is the most profitable, all surfaces are heated using pipes laid under the lining.
A mandatory attribute for hammams is a steam generator that provides high humidity. The device is equipped with a special sensor, it automatically turns off the system if the room temperature exceeds 55 degrees. Thanks to such a steam room device, the hair and skin are moisturized, the existing tan is not washed off from the body, but, on the contrary, is fixed on it.
How to choose a place to build
It is customary to start the construction of a bathhouse by choosing the most suitable place and drawing up a construction plan. When preparing the calculations, it is important to comply with the rules and regulations that govern the conditions for the location of the steam room in the residential sector. The specific structure should be located at a distance of no closer than 1 meter to the boundary of the neighboring section. If there are wooden buildings in the neighbors' yard, there should be more than 15 meters from them to the bathhouse.
A free-standing bathhouse or made as an extension to the house can only be built taking into account the rules and regulations regarding natural, plant, and protected areas. The permissible distance to the reservoir is 5 meters, an artificial well with drinking water - 12 meters, tall trees - 4 meters, forest area - 15 meters.
In home
Planning the construction of the steam room in the house should be at the design stage of the building. For the bath will require special waterproofing, decoration, processing of materials. Often make mini-rooms, but spacious enough for a comfortable stay. The advantages of the layout of a residential building along with a bath include the following factors:
The disadvantages of organizing a bath directly in the house include a high fire hazard. Even high-quality and systematic treatment of the premises with flame retardants does not provide 100% protection against fire and smoke. Additional vapor barrier will also be required. Due to the increased humidity, it will be necessary to make difficult ventilation. Good air exchange can be achieved by installing expensive indoor equipment.
Annex to the house
It is possible to attach a bathhouse to a residential building only if the house is made of brick, foam blocks. In other cases, being too close may be unsafe. You can use the already prepared terrace or fill in the foundation for the sauna with a separate area. Before laying the flooring, it is necessary to consider good protection against moisture, high-quality drainage.
You can make a bathhouse extension 2 years after the shrinkage of the main residential building. It is easy to bring communications into the room and make it heated. Among the shortcomings, a high risk of fire due to open flame can be noted. The danger increases if the frame of the summer cottage is made of budget timber, poorly processed wood materials. Dirt and debris from the furnace easily enter the house, and increased humidity destroys the wall coating, leading to inevitable frequent repairs.
Freestanding
The best option for building a bath on the site. The easiest way to make it out of a log house. A lightweight foundation, a beam for the manufacture of a truss truss, the basic material for the walls will be required. Construction will take a minimum of time. You can safely implement your favorite design and stove equipment with any characteristics.
Of the minuses, the involvement of an impressive area of the area for construction and a large number of building materials, improvised means can be noted. Due to the remoteness from the residential building, heating costs will increase, and attempts to save will lead to a deterioration in technical parameters.
What material is better to build
Many owners of suburban areas dream of their own bathhouse. But to build it by all the rules is not easy. Due to the presence of the furnace, very strict requirements are imposed on such structures. When choosing the main material, it is necessary to rely not only on the price and simplicity of building a home sauna, but also take into account the compliance with the conditions inside the steam room.
Baths are built more often from wood or brick. It is these materials that can provide high levels of thermal insulation. They do not emit toxic compounds when heated, have a high resistance to a humid environment. Each type has its own characteristics and is used for the construction of the steam room, taking into account its size, number of storeys, climatic indicators.
From a wooden bar
The wood structure retains heat very well, quickly removes toxins and gases. The low weight of the bath allows you to install building materials without additional reinforcement of the foundation. The rock type gives special characteristics to the structure. Among the popular varieties, the following can be distinguished:
Made of bricks
The main advantage of masonry is durability. A bath made of such material will calmly last up to 20 years. There is no need for additional cladding, since the brick itself looks attractive. Also an indisputable advantage in favor of this type of bath will be its incombustibility, the absence of fungus and mold on the walls.
The considerable weight of the brick involves the installation of a strip base under a steam room. This increases the construction time. First you need to fill in the concrete foundation, wait for it to solidify completely, then install the brick walls and roof in stages.
You can build a bathhouse of red or gas silicate brick. For any of the types it will take at least 1 hour to warm up. Also, the building will need to be insulated from the inside. To lay out the hearth and other places in contact with open fire, use fireclay bricks.
From foam blocks
Affordable material will allow you to quickly build a strong building. Cellular blocks of regular rectangular shape are processed in autoclaves, which gives them all the necessary characteristics.The light weight of the elements allows you to build a bath structure without additional strengthening of the foundation. Blocks are cut into pieces with a simple hacksaw. Installation takes place using special cement glue.
The disadvantages include hygroscopicity of the material. But special treatment can reduce the heat output to the outside. Foam blocks of the lowest density and thermal conductivity are suitable for building a bath.
The foundation for the bath
The base for the bath should be selected before construction, since it will no longer be possible to change it after pouring concrete. The main objective of the foundation is the uniform distribution of the load on the ground. The duration of the service of the entire building will depend on the type of construction. There are several options for concrete pouring, differing in the method of installation. When building steam rooms, the following options are often used:
How to heat - the choice of stove
When choosing a furnace for a bath, first of all, you need to pay attention to power. This indicator should correspond to the volume of the steam room. Also, the presence of uninsulated sections, the material of the manufacture of the door is taken into account. According to the type of fuel, stoves for a bath are as follows:
Step-by-step instructions for building a freestanding bath
Having decided to make a comfortable bathhouse at your summer cottage, it is not necessary to turn to specialists for help. Even with little experience in construction, such a construction can be organized independently. First, they draw up a project and select materials. At this stage, it is important to take into account the geographical position of the building and the conditions of its operation. The following erection procedures are performed step by step.
Site preparation for construction
When a suitable place has been selected and the material has been brought in, you can begin to prepare the site for construction. Depending on the specifics of the soil, the type of foundation is determined. The construction site should be flat with a slight slope for water flow.
First, they draw the outline of the future foundation and remove all the vegetation from the soil. Then, pegs are driven around the perimeter, based on the area of construction. From columns with nailed boards make a cast-off and apply the axial dimensions of the foundation contour.
At the next stage, they start digging a pit, pits for poles or trenches. When the required depth is reached, special shields are installed to prevent soil from shedding. At the end of excavation, they are removed.
Foundation pouring
For a separate bath from a bar, a columnar foundation is suitable.The budget base can easily withstand a relatively light wooden structure. Then dig the required number of pits with a certain step. Mandatory presence of supports in the corners, at the intersection of the walls.
Crushed stone and sand are poured into the bottom of the pit. Then the asbestos-cement pipe is installed strictly vertically and fixed. Fittings are placed inside and concrete mortar is poured. A few days later, waiting for complete solidification, between the pipes around the perimeter lay a small wall in half a brick.
Walling and roofing
More often, for the construction of a free-standing bath, a beam of 15 x 15 cm is used. Proceed with the installation of the first crown after laying the waterproofing and thorough processing of materials in contact with the base. You can join the bars in several ways: on rectangular dowels, in the root spike, using the dovetail method. During the set of walls, the connection of the crowns occurs with the help of special wooden, metal pins - pins.
At the next stage, the roof device is installed. First, choose a suitable roof shape, install according to the rafter plan. Then support is erected and securely fixed. Lathing boards are placed on them, covered with waterproofing material, insulation, and the selected roofing material is mounted.
Heat and vapor barrier
Regardless of the type of stove chosen, any steam room will always have high temperature and humidity. The heat insulation layer helps to retain heat for a long time. The following types of materials are suitable for use in the construction of the bath:
Interior finishing work - which materials are better to use
Interior finishing work must begin with a communications device. Sewerage point, place of passage of water pipes, electricity should be laid at the design stage.
After installation work on laying communications, they proceed to the manufacture of a finished floor. It can be concrete or wood. Cement filling will be durable, after hardening it is additionally lined with tiles. The wooden flooring is leaking, a small gap is left between the lags and the floor boards.
After the windows and the doorway are installed, you can proceed to the interior decoration of the walls of the bath. The use of synthetic materials is excluded, since when heated they emit harmful substances. The best type of decoration is natural wood. This can be a polished edged board, blockhouse, lining. When choosing the appropriate option, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of each breed and the characteristics of the varieties.
Installation of the oven and shelves
Shelves for relaxation in the bath should fit the size of the room and be made of wood materials. First, a stable frame is made of timber, then polished boards are attached to it.
Each owner chooses the stove himself, depending on personal preference. If it is a heavy unit, it is installed on a special foundation. Installation is carried out according to all fire safety requirements. All wooden structures near an open flame should be well insulated.
Design and decoration of the bath
A huge selection of finishing materials allows you to create a stylish interior indoors, realizing the most daring idea. When choosing the right style, you should not forget about functionality and convenience. Excessive piling up with excess objects will create a feeling of heaviness and isolation.
For decoration in Russian style, wood items are suitable. On the coasters and shelves in the steam room you can place buckets, wooden ladles.The decor for the floor in the rest room will be wicker rugs, in the washing room they will be wooden grates. The walls will be decorated with oak brooms and hats for a steam room with cheerful inscriptions.
Chalet style involves the presence of only female or male objects. It can be tea devices, bouquets of fragrant herbs, beautiful tablecloths or accessories of a hunter. Modern style will not do without elements of luxury. The ceilings in the steam room and relaxation room are high, multi-tiered. Good accents creates lighting.
What furniture to choose for a bath
The amount of furniture in a bathhouse directly depends on its size. To organize the locker room, it is enough to install a wooden hanger. The number of hooks can be calculated based on the total number of visitors, 3-4 pieces per person. To store towels, detergents, sheets, you can provide a small wall cupboard. It is advisable to install a bench under the hanger, which will serve as a place for folding clothes during dressing.
The rest room in the dining area must have a wooden table surrounded by chairs or benches. When organizing a place to relax, you can provide a sofa, soft chairs. Shelves for storing dishes and bath accessories should be placed on the walls, while it is better not to use a bulky closed cabinet.
Conclusion
For most people, the bathhouse evokes extremely positive emotions, so the owners of their own suburban and summer cottages often erect such structures. Some include a steam room in the design of the house, others prefer to build freestanding structures. To save money, many are thinking about how to build a building with their own hands. This is a rather time-consuming process that requires a lot of free time, but the result is worth it.