Bath building process: fast and cheap!

Since ancient times, the bath has been sung and is an integral part of Russian folklore. It is often referred to as a place to cleanse the body and soul. It is especially pleasant to have your own steam room in a summer cottage or in a private house, which is quite simple to build with your own hands without the involvement of outside help.

The bathhouse is a place with a special comfort and aura, which requires careful observance of the conditions, rules and stages of construction. On the modern market there is a wide variety of materials, thanks to which the construction of a steam room can be carried out very quickly and rather cheaply.

To build it yourself, you need to think through a few points.

• The place of the future bath. Its location should not be chosen at random. There are a number of prescriptions and tips that will help you determine the territory for future construction.
• From what the foundation will be laid, what form it will be.
• The dimensions of the building. Masters advise to calculate the area in such a way that for each person there is about 3-4 square meters. m. For this reason, it is necessary to think in advance what the approximate number of people will visit the bath.

• Material, quantity, purchase.
• Choose the type of heating (electric boiler or traditionally - wood). A traditional Russian bath requires a real stove. Modern steam rooms are more and more often equipped with an electric heater, which quickly heats the room to a given temperature, and also does not require constant fire maintenance.
• Decorations and accessories. It is always pleasant to be in a nice and clean room. This also applies to the bath. Exterior decoration plays an important role. Qualitative and skillful design will always contribute to complete physical relaxation and peace of mind. Do not forget about bath accessories (buckets, brooms, hats and others). Of course, without them, you can steam and wash well, but there are special occasions in life when “bath romance” is simply necessary.

You can get to work only when the owner has decided on all the stages. Otherwise, this process can be delayed for a long time without exact dates for the end.

Experienced masters in the construction of baths are advised to carefully think over all the details and not to rush during construction. Especially when you do it yourself. It takes a lot of effort to make this place truly a real bathhouse, and not just a room where you can wash yourself.

The location of the bath is one of the most important issues. Convenience and comfort when using it depends on this. It is also important where it is planned. Many people think that it can be any plot in the country, a basement of a private house, a roof or a basement in a high-rise building.

There is a large number of rules, which are primarily aimed at the safety of a person and his home (if there is one next to the future bath).

• It is advisable to make the bath a separate building, since with poorly done waterproofing, neighboring rooms can be dampened. If the area of ​​the site allows, then it is best to place it 8-10 m from the main house. If this is not possible, then you can make it in the form of an extension to the house. Very handy when she is in the backyard.
• Special attention should be paid to drainage and water supply. The bathhouse should be located at least 25-30 m from the well or borehole. This is due to the fact that the steam room is a direct place of water pollution, which should not flow along the ground, but into a specially designated drain.
• It is good when there is a reservoir at a distance of 30–40 m. It is not worth putting it closer, since the onset of floods is possible, the structure will flood.

• It is not recommended to locate this building next to a carriageway. This prescription is more about ethics than safety. It is not always pleasant when strangers can see you naked.
• The bathhouse should not border on nearby areas, so as not to cause discomfort to neighbors when the owners decided to have a good rest and steam.
• It is desirable that the doors face south, and the windows are located on the west side. These tips are related to weather conditions and human psychology. It is said that the wind from the north is much colder, so there is a good chance of catching a bad cold. As for the windows, the rays of the setting sun will help you relax and get

The bath is a room with a high temperature inside, then, unfortunately, cases of its fire are not uncommon. In this regard, the choice of location for its location should depend on the material from which the foundation and load-bearing walls are made. According to fire safety rules, if the building is made of non-combustible building materials, then it can be located 5–6 m from the dwelling (house). If this is a solid wood or part of the steam room has a wooden base or finish, then the distance increases to 8–12 m.

Do not forget that there are neighboring houses and buildings in the neighboring territory. Their location must also be taken into account, since non-compliance with the norms can lead to unpleasant proceedings, and, as a result, the demolition of the established bath.

Not everyone can boast of a large house and a huge plot of land. But having a modest property or a large one, you always want to have your own bathhouse or at least a mini-steam room.

If there is sufficient building area, you can create a reference bath, which should have a steam room, a dressing room, a relaxation room (sometimes a pool is made there) and a shower or washing room. There you can wash off the remains of soap and shampoo, or prepare the body for the heat (people take a warming shower with warm water). The owners of a truly large area can equip the bathhouse with a room for jacuzzi, massage, billiards and others.

But in a small area for construction, you can easily combine several rooms (dressing room and rest room, dressing room and shower room). It should be noted that the comfort and coziness in the bath does not disappear from this.

Depending on the quadrature, you can find the perfect solution. For example, if it turns out to build a bath with a size of 3 sq. m, then there can fit a small steam room (about 1.8 sq. m.) and a pre-bath room (1.2 sq. m.). This space may be enough for one or two people to visit without much discomfort.

The building is 6.5 sq. m will fit the same number of rooms, but they will be more spacious. It is better to allocate 3.5 sq. m, and the rest is a place for a dressing room. Some owners put a small shower in the corner.

In the presence of 9 or 10 sq. m you can plan the territory in a more interesting way. For the "hottest place" it is better to give 5 square meters. m, which can comfortably accommodate 2-3 people. The rest can be easily divided into a place for changing clothes and a small shower stall.

Baths measuring 12-15 sq. m is much easier to equip, since you do not need to cut out every meter. Here you can already give more space for the steam room in order to go there with a small company (3-4 people), or combine it with a washing room (1 sq. M) and make a large lounge with a table to drink tea.It is also easy to divide the room into 3 separate rooms: a steam room, a shower room and a dressing room.

When there is room to turn around, it is much easier to divide the space. It all depends on the preferences of the owner of the bath. If he loves big companies, then of course it is better to focus on the size of the steam room, because you can relax in the house after all the procedures. But when solitude and bath romance are more appreciated, then it is worth considering a room for rest. There, a person will be able to sit in an armchair with hot tea, think about life, sincerely communicate with a friend, read a book.

It is best to do the selection and purchase of material for building a bath yourself, as it will be possible to check its quality before installation. The market is overflowing with options. Thanks to this, you can easily build a beautiful, high-quality and budget steam room with a dressing room. Most of the masters claim that the material from which the bath construct (its foundation) is made does not affect the bath procedures in any way. In this regard, more attention should be paid to the choice of the internal component, namely the material that will be inside the steam room.

In the minds of most people, a bath is only made of a log tree or stone. But it is not so. Materials are improved in their qualities, and are also combined depending on the region of residence.

For the southern regions, it is not advised to use a timber or a tree for the frame, since there are many pests (bark beetle, grinder beetle, barbel and others). Fungus and mold appear from high temperature and humidity. Therefore, the service life is very short - 2–4 years. For the southern part of Russia, the use of stone or brick is recommended. Most often, wood concrete blocks, polycarbonate (for a summer bath), aerated concrete, sandwich panels are used there.

For northern regions, wood is more preferable. Due to its natural characteristics, it does not need to be treated with chemistry from pests. For this reason, the bathhouse will be more environmentally friendly.

If it was decided to make a frame bath out of wood, then a wooden beam will be required directly for the walls. (the amount is purchased based on the project) or wooden sleepers (a fairly cheap building material), insulation and sheathing material. It can be OSB plates. They are compressed sawdust with resin, wax and boric acid.

For the inner sheathing, they also take pre-prepared boards, and for the outer one - lining or euro lining. Sometimes (in order to save money) people use wooden pallets. Thanks to their shape, fairly strong walls can be folded from them. Of course, they will need to be insulated. This option is the most successful for a summer steam room. To build a frame and walls in a brick or stone bath, you will need silicate brick, shell rock or quarry. Increasingly, they began to use cinder block. As for the external and internal decoration, the materials may be different.

Sometimes, when possible, skilled craftsmen make a base from a metal container. Construction is proceeding very quickly. But here there are some nuances (it is necessary to cut holes for the door, make an additional partition for the steam room itself, and others). All walls are also carefully insulated and sheathed.

The interior decoration of the ceiling in the dressing room can be made of such types of wood as alder, linden or pine. If we talk about the ceiling in the steam room, then here experts recommend mounting the lining (it tolerates high temperatures better). It should be of a tree species that does not emit strong-smelling resins (spruce, pine, fir). The best options for this would be linden, alder, cedar. In no case should chipboard or fiberboard be used. When heated, they release substances that harm the human body.

Insulation for walls also requires special attention. The bath is insulated, as a rule, only inside, but they can also lay the outer layer of this material (in the frame of the structure itself).If the building is made of a felling of wood, then the insulation is placed on the lattice frame (lathing). To do this, use mineral wool or other organic insulation. In the case of a stone or brick bath, the same mineral wool is taken, but it is laid in a thicker layer (5–6 cm).

In the steam room itself, after a layer of insulation, a vapor barrier is necessarily laid. For these purposes, dense foil or a special self-adhesive three-layer film can be used. It consists of a polyvinyl chloride mesh with two layers of foil with fine holes for steam evacuation. For the floor in the steam room, all the same wood is suitable that was used for covering the walls and ceiling, and in the dressing room, tiles are usually laid. It is convenient to wash and disinfect it from mildew and mold.

The bathhouse is not just a steam room, but also a place for rest and relaxation. In order to fully restore strength and spiritually cleanse, there should be such zones as a steam room, a change house (dressing room), a shower. Of course, when the territory is small, there is not enough space for all sorts of outbuildings, but you can always find a way out. For example, combine functional areas in one room.

A bathhouse without a dressing room is uncomfortable to use, especially if the house is 10-15 meters away. It is necessary so that a person can undress calmly and prepare for the procedure. Also, this room plays an important role in the thermal balance. The change house helps not to "lose" the heat from the steam room, and also blocks the path of cold air currents in winter. On top of that, all bath accessories are stored here: buckets, ladles, various gels and shampoos, bathrobes, hats to protect hair from overheating, slippers and much more. Without this room, the use of the bath will be uncomfortable and inconvenient. If large enough, you can put a small table there to drink herbal tea, dry and cool for going outside.

If we talk about a shower, then according to the recommendations of doctors, it must be there. Before entering a hot room, you need to prepare your body - take a warm shower. It will be easier for the body to endure sudden changes in temperature, and the pores will open much faster for active sweating and further cleansing. This area does not have to be large (in the form of a shower stall or an installed "standing bath"). One square meter, which can be covered with a curtain, is enough. In the case when it is possible to make a large and full-fledged bath, then it can be equipped with a separate room for a sauna or put a jacuzzi. It all depends on the preferences of the owner.

The most important thing when building a bath with your own hands is to make it as comfortable as possible for your use.

The process of building a bath itself is not difficult if you have a clear plan of action. To get a high-quality and beautiful building, it is necessary to follow a series of steps step by step.

• Prepare the area for future construction work. This includes clearing debris from the ground, digging out shrubs (if any), removing stone boulders, and leveling the surface (it is necessary to remove earth embankments or fill deep holes). They also make markings for pouring the future foundation.
• Foundation. It can be different in its configuration and type of installation. Craftsmen recommend columnar or pile.
• Wall construction and roof installation. At this stage, walls are being built, insulation is laid, holes are made for doors and windows, a roof is being built (it is imperative to leave an opening for the chimney).

• Interior decoration of the premises. It is done based on the chosen style. Doors are installed, windows are inserted. The room is being prepared for the placement of the necessary elements for the steam room and the bath in general.
• Installation of a stove and deck benches in the steam room.
• Arrangement of furniture and accessories.

Strictly adhering to the work plan, it will turn out to build a good bath.Experienced builders advise to invest in advance the deadlines for each stage so that the construction does not drag on for months or years.

In the case when a small bath is planned, it is more expedient and cheaper to make an ordinary strip foundation. The most important thing is to make good thermal insulation, otherwise the floor will take heat from the room. As a result of this, condensation may form, and then a number of unpleasant consequences.

The creation of the foundation includes several stages.

• Before building, it is necessary to clean and mark the area. As a rule, 10-15 cm of soil is removed. The building boundaries are marked with wooden stakes (15–20 cm). A fishing line or twine is pulled between the pegs. The evenness of the corners is checked (they must be exactly 90º).
• Next, the soil is excavated along a marked trajectory to a depth of 60–70 cm (the earth can be thrown to the center, it will still come in handy). A layer of sand 10-15 cm thick is poured onto the bottom of the resulting trench and rammed. Sometimes, for greater density, it is slightly moistened with water. Following the sand, a layer of granite stone is poured, or a brick is laid in one layer. This will be a support frame for the lathing, which is made from a thick metal bar and is also laid in a solid structure.

• Formwork is hammered from wooden planks. It will serve as a form for grouting. In this regard, the boards should be 40-50 cm higher than the ground level.
• The grout is prepared in certain proportions: 1 part of cement, 3 parts of sand and 3 parts of fine gravel. In consistency, it should resemble sour cream. It must be poured immediately. It is advisable to initially calculate the required amount, otherwise you will get a foundation with poorly connected layers.
• For further work, you will need a construction vibrator, which can be rented. With its help, it is necessary to "shake" the poured cement mortar so that all the air is released and the voids are gone.
• The next step is to align the top layer. After 5–6 days, you can remove the wooden sides. In this form, the foundation is left until completely dry and bonded. Craftsmen recommend to withstand 20-25 days before continuing construction. During this time, the foundation must be watered with water, otherwise cracks may form due to uneven drying.
• Do not forget about special openings for communications (sewer pipes, electrical wiring). At the stage of pouring, the pipes should already lie at the planned place.

If you plan to build a large bathhouse, and the site has a complex, bumpy and uneven shape, then it is better to install the foundation on piles. They are of several types: some curl, while others "screw" into the ground. For a bath, both options are suitable.

Before installing it on the site, similar preparatory work is carried out as with the strip foundation. Particular attention should be paid to the issue of freezing the ground in winter. Usually, these data are verified according to SNiP. Based on the information received, a metal pipe with a wall thickness of 3-5 mm is purchased.

Its length should be the sum of the following values:

• the length of the freezing layer of the earth;
• 40-50 cm for pile sinking;
• 50 cm above ground level.

To make it easier to insert the pipe, it is sharpened. Each element is installed in the ground at a distance of 1 m from each other along the perimeter of the building area. It is very important that the piles are level. To do this, each pipe is leveled using a level (a ruler with liquid and a scale).

A square “hat” (625 sq. Cm) should be welded onto each pile. Holes are made at its ends for the installation of a reinforced concrete frame. All metal elements must be coated with a solution that prevents corrosion. After that, a layer of sand, gravel is laid and rammed and everything is filled with cement mortar using the strip foundation technology. After installing the foundation, you can start installing the walls.

According to their species diversity, walls are:

• frame;
• brick;
• from a foam block;
• from a felling of a tree.

To install timber frame walls, it is necessary to install the base on the grillage (there must be a waterproofing film under it). After that, the racks are mounted at the corners of the future bath. They are fastened with metal corners, and for greater strength, jibs (beams standing at an angle of 45º) are screwed to them.

A wooden beam is installed every half a meter along the entire perimeter with the obligatory oblique struts. Do not forget about door and window openings that do not need to be blocked. Vertical beams are fastened together by horizontal beams in one line. After the frame of the walls is ready, they can be sheathed. But before that, all the wood is covered with impregnation from decay and mold (black mold is especially terrible).

Next, insulation, hydro-barrier film and facing material are laid. If brick was chosen for the construction of the walls, then it is better to take red. It has the most suitable properties - it does not "draw" heat, as does white brick.

Typically, the wall is made with two layers of brick. The start of work is carried out from the corners, since the level will be set from them. The layer of bonding cement should not exceed 2 cm. For the convenience of the masonry, the craftsmen are advised to pull the fishing line as a level. In place of the future window and door, a reinforced concrete lintel is laid. Further, the walls are built up to the required height.

The construction of walls from a foam block is carried out in the same way as for a brick. The only difference is that every 4 rows you need to lay a metal mesh. It will give greater rigidity and strength to the wall.

The most interesting, from the point of view of work, will be the installation of walls from a felling of wood. It is very important that all trunks have the same diameter (a slight error of 1–3 cm is allowed). Before installation, each of them is examined for defects (there are knots, bark), and is also treated with an antiseptic. Further, on each element, "holes" of 1 radius are made. In the very first trunks, which are placed at the base, one side is made straight so that they do not "roll". The further beam fits like a puzzle. In the corners, a rope is bound, starting from the floor itself, and all joints between the bars are laid with insulation in the form of a tape.

Following the guide to building a bathhouse, the next step after installing the walls will be the installation of the roof. This process does not take much time and effort.

There are 3 large groups of roofs:

• flat;
• single-slope;
• gable.

The rest of the species are a kind of type groups. Professionals advise installing a pitched roof for small baths. If the building is of impressive size, then the functional side of the roof is already being selected here (for example, the 2nd floor for the recreation area, made of the attic).

If the walls are built of bricks, the first layer (before laying the beams) will be a layer of roofing material as waterproofing. Next, a wooden frame is mounted along the perimeter of the walls using anchors. It will serve as a support for all further structures that make up the "backbone" of the roof. A wooden lathing of the selected shape is made on top. Insulation is "inserted" into it and a vapor barrier sheet is necessarily placed. After these works are completed, you can proceed to the external and internal cladding. Inside, it is better to sheathe the ceiling with clapboard or prepared boards.

The floors in the bath must be given due attention, since a person has direct and frequent contact with them.

Like walls, floors come in 3 types:

• wooden;
• brick;
• concrete.

Brick is undesirable as a floor due to its physical properties (low heat transfer). It gets very hot and can cause severe burns to your feet. The most commonly used, handy and durable material is concrete.But it should be understood that such a floor is very cold and requires an additional layer of insulation on top.

Installing this option is very simple.

• First, sand is poured onto the finished foundation (at least 15 cm). Next, crushed stone or gravel is laid in a uniform layer of 10 cm.Do not forget about the drain, under which it is necessary to leave space and remove the pipe, and it must go into the gutter or septic tank.
• After laying the "cushion", a primary layer of concrete 5–7 cm is poured. When it dries, you should start laying insulation (mineral wool, perlite, foam) and waterproofing. A reinforced mesh is placed on top of them.
• When the mesh is secured, the floor can be poured. Masters advise taking a ready-made mixture, since it is difficult to make it yourself. It is recommended to start work from the corners towards the door. Once the floor is dry, you need to start laying the flooring. It can be tiles, laminate and other materials.

The most practical and comfortable sauna floors are wooden. They are of two types.

• Letting water pass through themselves into the drain hole (lattice or flowing). This is the simplest and cheapest flooring option. No insulation material is needed to install them. They are made according to the same scheme as a regular floor, only they leave a gap between the planks to be laid and the floor with a 5-10 cm drain hole. For this, an additional frame is installed, on which the wooden covering is mounted. The most important thing is to qualitatively process the wood from rotting and dampness. As a rule, such a floor is made in the steam room itself.

• Fixed floors (non-leaking). Usually they are done in a dressing room or a rest room, but they can also be done in a steam room. To begin with, a drainage is made so that there is a full drainage of water. Next, an identical floor preparation is done, as in the version with concrete. Then a waterproofing insulation is laid, and a fine wooden floor is placed on top of it. It is very important to coat all cracks and joints with sealant.

It should be noted right away that only the person who has the knowledge and skills in the field of electrical engineering can independently make the wiring. It will be very difficult for a beginner in this matter, even if he follows the step-by-step instructions.

Installation of electrical wiring must be carried out in a strict and clear sequence.

• Grounding of all metal structures, electrical housings or gaskets to protect yourself and people from electric shock.
• Connecting the power cable. In rooms where there is no contact with water, it is laid in special plastic boxes. Where there is water or steam, it is laid in PVC pipes.
• Cable routing to rooms with no access to water. From the junction box, a wire is laid along the same plastic grooves. Further, a through hole is made in the wall, where there will be a lamp in another room, and is attached to it. It also connects to a switch. A metal sleeve must be inserted into the passage for the wire in the wall and filled with a non-burning compound.

• Electricity supply to the steam room. It is worth noting that it is strictly forbidden to find a junction box and switches inside it. It is recommended to use low voltage lighting devices in this room. It is also necessary to lower the voltage of the flow of electricity there; for this, step-down transformers are used. The cable that will enter the steam room through the hole in the wall must be heat-resistant. The hole in the wall is processed in the same way as above. It is very important to mark all the conductors in the junction box, otherwise it will be difficult to find the cause in the event of a power failure.

• Installation of sockets. Their installation is carried out in a similar way. The most important thing is that any outlet should be at least 60 cm from the sink and shower.Also, each of them should have a protective plastic cover that protects them from moisture.

When connecting electrical wiring to the bath, you should select a cable according to the equipment to be installed, its power and electricity consumption must be taken into account. All work must be carried out in rubber shoes, in a dry room and in rubber gloves.

Today it is very profitable to do the finishing work on your own. If you order this service from a company, you can get a rather large amount. Finishing work is a complex of construction activities aimed at external and internal improvement of the building. The material is selected in advance. Its choice should be approached very seriously and responsibly, since under the influence of heat and water, it can emit odors or change its shape.

Masters advise to do the work in parallel, and not in parts (first the facade, then the steam room, and so on). But there must be a certain sequence. First, the ceiling is finished, then the walls, and then the floor. At the time of finishing repairs, windows and a door (at least a rough one) should already be inserted.

Internal (as well as external) finishing is carried out in a number of stages that must be followed.

• All purchased material must be acclimatized. For example, if a tree is chosen for work, then it needs to lie down for several days in the room.
• Installation of the frame on which the cladding will be applied.
• Insulation bookmark.
• Waterproofing.
• Installation of panels (wood, lining and others).

Similar work is carried out from the outside.

The external decor of the bath is just as important as the internal one. It is always pleasant when the house and next to the built steam room are in harmony with each other, creating a single style of the site.

How and from what to make the outer casing of the bath depends on the following factors:

• General style. The harmony and combination of buildings will always delight the owner;
• The cladding must fulfill certain functions: protection from weather conditions, insulation of internal heat, containment of cold air currents.

The walls of a classic Russian bath are usually made according to old traditions - solid logs. This is truly one of the coziest and most enjoyable settings. Such walls do not need additional finishing, but sometimes a rope rope is laid along the seams, which is soaked in resin.

Today there is a large selection of materials that can be used to decorate the facade of a bath beautifully and quickly. It can be lining, siding (metal, plastic), fiber cement panels and others.

The most common type of cladding is panel siding. It is recommended to choose vinyl or wood. They are most suitable for the theme of the bath. They must be mounted on a specially installed lathing made of timber with laid layers of insulation. Sometimes it is attached with a metal profile. Further, it is installed in a circle joint to joint.

The second most popular material for external design is lining. It is convenient in that it has slats of various widths (they can be selected for any structure), which can be made of plastic, MDF or wood. The last option is chosen most often. The most important thing is that all boards are well treated with a special solution that protects the material from dampness and rotting. Lining made of plastic (vinyl) will also last a long time, but it fades rather quickly due to the action of direct sunlight. But its plus is that it is not afraid of moisture and sudden changes in temperature. The lining is installed in the same way as the siding panels.

If the bathhouse is built of bricks, but you wanted it to look like a wooden one, then in this case you can make a cladding from a block house. This is a finishing lumber that bears a resemblance to eurolining. It is made using a special technology - 4 boards are cut in a circle from a round tree trunk.As a result, the boards are perfectly flat and flat on one side, and convex-semicircular on the other. With their help, it is easy to create an imitation of a house built from a felling of a tree.

Since childhood, the image of a simple Russian bath has been embedded in the head of every person. As a rule, the interior of this room is entirely made of natural wood (alder, linden), there are wooden chairs with wrought iron legs at the same table, home-made new brooms made of birch or oak hang on the walls, and most importantly, there is the smell of wood resin, steamed leaves, soap.

To preserve the atmosphere of a real traditional Russian bath, it is best to purchase wooden furniture (table, chairs, benches). It is very beautiful when it has carved elements. Homemade knitted or wicker mats are sometimes placed on the seats. They are made with bright ornaments to add coziness and joy to the room.

It is advisable not to lay a carpet on the floor in the dressing room. Fungus and mold will grow in it due to the high humidity. It is best to use ordinary tiles or wooden boards treated with a special solution. Shelves on the walls will not be superfluous. They are also made of wood. Mugs for beer, a kettle or beautiful figures of a brownie will perfectly fit there. It all depends on the owner's imagination.

The steam room should also be cozy. Usually, lighting with a birch bark lampshade is placed in the corners, forged hooks on the walls that hold buckets and buckets. Buckets can also be ethnic style. They have carved handles or a metal rim in the middle. A decorative panel made of wood is very often installed along the upper rim of the ceiling. Ethnic ornament, animals, bathing process and so on are cut out on it.

The dressing room or the rest room is also filled with accessories. They are often made on their own, looking for at flea markets or folk fairs. It is easy to find wooden spoons, bast shoes, carved figurines of brownies, pictures on birch bark and other accessories. With the help of them, it is easy to add coziness and warmth to a given room.

Smell is an integral part of the interior of the Russian bath. Thanks to him, a person relaxes as much as possible and rests entirely (body and soul). Each of the rooms is dominated by its own smell. In the steam room, it is the aroma of steamed oak or birch brooms. It is good to put an aroma lamp in the shed and change it to suit your mood every time.

In the XXI century, there is a huge variety of baths. Their main difference lies in the temperature of exposure to the human body, as well as the quantity and quality of steam in the room itself (steam room).

• Russian bath. Steam heating temperature - 40º – 75º, humidity about 60%. Thanks to such conditions, the human body warms up qualitatively and deeply, and a high level of humidity helps to quickly open the pores and start sweating. The result is a high-quality skin cleansing.

• Hamam (Turkish bath). Here the temperature is slightly lower - 35º – 60º, and the humidity is about 85–100%. The conditions in this steam room are more gentle. Thanks to this, you can spend time here for quite a long time, do various kinds of cosmetic procedures (massage, peeling and other procedures). The body warms up gradually, and the skin is constantly moist. Thus, the deep layers of the skin are "opened" and steamed.

• Finnish bath. The difference between such a steam room is that it uses rather high temperatures (120º – 150º), and the humidity level is very low (10–15%). In this regard, a trip to such a bath has a number of contraindications and conditions for staying in it. It is not uncommon for a person's skin to be severely dried out, or burns were obtained. But at the same time, the body warms up and relaxes very well.

• Japanese water bath. This type of steam room is very specific. A person sits in a barrel of water, which heats up to 60º. The skin is well warmed up and steamed, but it does not breathe under water.Due to this, profuse sweating occurs, toxins and toxins are removed from the skin.

The heart of any bath or any steam room is a heating boiler or stove. Without it, in principle, the functioning of this room cannot be carried out. The most important thing is that the heating boiler can heat up to a sufficient temperature, and, accordingly, have a good heat output. Additionally, it is necessary for a person to be able to regulate the heating level with noticeable intervals in temperature. All these parameters depend on the material from which the boiler is made, as well as on the correct selection of the power and size of the steam room.

Bath boilers are made of metal. As a rule, this is normal or specially processed steel. In more expensive models, its thickness can be 1–1.5 cm. During long-term operation of such furnaces, the so-called "metal fatigue" can appear. This phenomenon manifests itself in a slight deformation of the shape. Because of this, the door for filling the fuel may start to jam, or the welds may "creep apart". For this reason, craftsmen recommend using cast iron boilers. They are much stronger and have a longer service life.

The main function of the boiler is to heat the room as quickly as possible to the required temperature. This ability in many ways elevates him above the usual brick stove. In turn, metal stoves can be conventional or long burning. It is better to choose the second option, since such a boiler cools down much more slowly and keeps heat for a long time, and will also save on fuel.

When choosing a stove for a steam room, it is necessary to take into account its design features and human convenience. Each boiler has a door where wood or coal is placed. In some models, it is inside the steam room. On the one hand, it is convenient, since there is no need to leave the room to increase the temperature. But at the same time, it is always humid in the steam room, and firewood or coal from this dampens. It turns out that first the fuel is dried in the furnace, and only then it gives the required temperature. Plus, from wood and coal, chips and debris will accumulate, which can injure steamed delicate feet.

There must be a heater on the boiler. Medium-sized stones are placed there (this can be pebbles brought from the sea). Since they are on the hot metal, they also get warm. During the bath procedure, water is poured into it, and steam is formed, which is so necessary in the steam room.

The heater can be on top of the boiler or on the side. The side option is better, since water only gets on the stones. This steam is considered softer and more correct. It is ideal when this design (reminiscent of a forged lattice bucket) does not touch the walls of the boiler. This is due to the fact that the stone holds the temperature for a long time, therefore it can deform the adjacent wall of the heater, thereby shortening the life of the boiler.

Most models have a special container where water is heated. It is scooped up with a ladle and poured onto stones to add heat to the room. It can be located on either side of the boiler, but it is best if it is suspended from a pipe (chimney). So the water will not boil, but it will always be warm. Plus, the risk of scalding a part of the body is reduced.

Particular attention should be paid to the weight and dimensions of the boiler. If the steam room is large, then it should correspond to the size of the room. If the floor is not prepared in advance, then it may simply collapse under its weight. Usually, the future place for the boiler is poured with concrete even during the construction of the foundation. When the stove is small, it can be installed directly on the floor, but it is better to lay a layer of brick, since the wood dries and deforms from the high temperature.

The most important question is how to choose the power of the boiler according to the size of the bath? In order to correctly calculate the parameters of the heater, it is necessary to know the characteristics of the constructed building.

It takes into account:

• the material from which the roof is made;
• wall thickness;
• number of windows;
• features of the land on which the bathhouse is located;
• the coefficient of heat released from the combustion of the fuel used.

The above are the main reasons why some of the heat is removed from the boiler. If you clearly know these data, then the calculations will be more accurate and correct. Then all this information is inserted into the formula. By itself, it is very large, and without knowledge in the field of physics and mathematics, it will be difficult to calculate the correct answer. It is best to come with known data to a specialist. Usually in any store that specializes in boilers and heating systems, there is always such a person.

The most important thing when choosing a boiler is not to focus on the price, but on the quality and characteristics of the product. Expensive doesn't mean good. It is worth knowing that if almost any part in the boiler breaks down, you will have to change it entirely.

Even an experienced master in the field of construction and repair will find it difficult to build a bath absolutely correctly. As in any other business, there are nuances and subtleties of work here, and they can only be learned from a person who is professionally engaged in this business.

The first thing that the masters advise is that it is best to build a bath in a dry and warm period of the year. This is due to the fact that all solutions, putties and impregnations must dry to the end. Otherwise, there is a risk of installing poorly processed wood, which will last only half of the prescribed period.

Before starting construction, it is imperative to create a detailed project of the future bath. It must indicate the exact dimensions, the layout of the pipes for the drain and the water supply. It is better to make a separate drawing for electrical wiring. Based on the plan, it will be easier to calculate the amount of material required, and the novice builder will immediately understand what work he cannot do without the additional help of professionals. He will be able to budget for the costs of ancillary work from outside.

If you want to build a comfortable and spacious bathhouse, and there is not much space on the site, then it can be made as an extension to the house. Thus, it will be possible to save on "4th wall" and space.

In order for the bath to serve for a long time, the masters advise to air it as often as possible. Thanks to this, wood and metal coatings will dry out and not be exposed to the formation of mold and mildew.

• This example shows that even a small bath can be beautiful and comfortable. There is a small steam room, and you can plunge into cold water from the heat outside. In summer, a table and chairs are easily placed next to it, where it will be pleasant to sit, drink tea under the moon and stars.
• Shown here is a spacious steam room, where a friendly company can easily fit. Due to this size, there is a place for a person to lie down at full height and steam him with a bath broom, while other vacationers can sit quietly and relax.
• In such a steam room it is very pleasant to relax body and soul. During the procedure, there will be an opportunity to contemplate the beauty of nature. And the roundness of the forms gives the room a light charm and additional comfort.

For information on how to build a bath with your own hands, see the next video.