The choice of material for the construction of the bathhouse and interior decoration largely determines the quality and appearance of the bathhouse. As it turned out, in addition to tastes, material capabilities, and traditions, it is necessary to take into account a number of factors that leave their mark on the choice of building material, so in this article we will look at what materials are best used for building a bathhouse.
What material is the bathhouse made of?
- rounded logs;
- beam;
- brick;
- concrete;
- various types of panels.
The best material for a bathhouse is log walls
Most often, baths are built from wood. Particular attention is paid to the strength and quality of the material: any unevenness or loose fit can cause significant heat loss.
About the benefits log bathhouse I can talk endlessly and best material for the bath:
- Aesthetics. For many, when choosing between a timber log building, aesthetics is one of the main factors.
- Environmental friendliness. Wood is an environmentally friendly material, absolutely safe for humans.
- Low thermal conductivity. Long-term heat retention is ensured due to the low thermal conductivity of wood compared to other materials (brick, concrete, panel). There is no need for additional thermal insulation.
- Durability. According to this criterion, bathhouses made of timber are significantly superior to panel and frame buildings. Durability depends on many factors - from the selection, harvesting and storage of wood to the care of the building. If you follow the technology of bathhouse construction, proper and timely care, such a bathhouse will last for quite a long time. The estimated period, if all standards are met, is 75 years.
- Low cost. Planed wood is a relatively inexpensive material, and the cost of construction from it is significantly lower compared to the cost brick bath. Coniferous species are mainly used for the construction of baths - pine, larch. Pine is distinguished by a small number of knots and the greatest straightness of the trunk. Larch is denser than pine and more resistant to decay, resistant to dampness, but its price is higher than pine.
Concerning fire safety wooden bath, here, of course, a lot depends on compliance with construction standards. To increase fire resistance, wood is impregnated fire retardant compounds, the choice of which is huge.
Building material for a bath - Timber
However, the construction of a bathhouse on summer cottage can be carried out in another way - using not logs, but timber. This type of construction reduces material costs. But, on the other hand, if the owner has a desire to improve the appearance of the building, he will have to spend money on finishing material..
If we talk about preferences when choosing between timber and logs, then a log is usually considered a more acceptable material for building a bathhouse. However, it would be wrong to say that a log sauna is better than a log sauna. These materials for the construction of a bathhouse have approximately the same characteristics, so preferences in the choice are quite arbitrary and are determined appearance and cost.
Brick walls for building a bathhouse
It is more difficult to build a good bathhouse from brick and stone than from wood. However, in some cases, when brick and stone are more accessible than wood, it is necessary to build not only the foundation, but also walls from them. Using bricks during construction, you can support high temperature indoors for 24 hours, but such material will take much longer to warm up. A brick bathhouse is more durable and less fire hazardous. Its main disadvantage is large heat losses due to high thermal conductivity. To reduce it, it is recommended to line the inside of the bathhouse with clapboard, laying between it and brick wall thick layer of steam and thermal insulation. Any brickwork absorbs and allows moisture to pass through, so contact of the walls with the ground is not allowed.
Moisture-resistant bath materials include:
- moisture-resistant plasterboard, used in interior decoration baths and requires the application of additional primer;
- moisture resistant panels.
Concrete walls for a bath
Microclimate in a brick or concrete bath, of course, it will not be the same as in the wooden one. It is possible to build a bathhouse from foam concrete, but vapor barrier and ventilation from inside the premises in this case require ideal execution, otherwise it is better not to use foam concrete.
When performing masonry work from foam blocks, it is necessary to remember about additional waterproofing of the material. This can be bituminous soil (liquid bitumen) with pre-treatment with deep impregnation soil.
During panel construction of a bathhouse external walls erected on a frame base of sandwich panels. So far, this option for building a bathhouse is not popular, although it allows you to save on the base for the structure. Due to the lightness of the walls being erected, it will be enough for a panel bath
Currently gaining more and more popularity Canadian technology construction country houses from OSB sandwich panels. You can build a bathhouse from this material, and such a bathhouse will have a number of advantages:
- construction time is very short,
- the sauna does not shrink and is immediately ready for use,
- the cost of foundation for a bathhouse is minimized due to the lightness of the structure,
- walls made of OSB panels with 150 mm thick insulation do not freeze in winter and provide quick warm-up internal space, long time keeping warm.
- and finally, OSB - a panel - is the ideal rough panel for any interior or exterior decoration.
The service life of a panel bath depends on the quality characteristics of the internal finishing materials and averages 25 - 30 years. In operation, a panel bathhouse is no different from bathhouses made of other materials.
Conclusion: what material to build a bathhouse from?
Materials for building a bathhouse, such as brick, foam concrete and sandwich panels, have their advantages, but they are artificial. The best material for a bath - natural wood and it should be given preference when building a bathhouse. You can build with wood at any time of the year, whether Cold winter or dry summer. Wood serves as an excellent heat insulator, as it has the excellent ability to accumulate heat and retain it for a long time, which is important when heating a bathhouse. Baths, built from rounded logs, combine long-standing Russian traditions of construction wooden buildings and modern production technologies, which makes them unsurpassably beautiful.
Have a sauna on your own personal plot every owner wants, so these household structures are often erected before the construction of the main house is completed. And despite the fact that country cottage it is much easier to equip a modern bath with a hydromassage system or a mini-sauna with Turkish bath And tropical shower, many homeowners prefer to build separately standing bathhouse, equipped with a stove-heater, steam rooms, and sometimes supplemented with a nearby swimming pool.
When implementing these plans, the owner of the site, first of all, faces next questions: what material will be optimal for building a bathhouse, where to get it, how much of it will be needed, and who will carry out the construction of the bathhouse itself and the equipment of the bathhouse premises.
What materials are used to build a bathhouse?
When deciding to build a bathhouse, you must remember that it is a rather complex engineering structure that requires compliance with fairly stringent measures to ensure safety during operation. At the same time, the question of which material is better for building a bathhouse is, to a certain extent, quite prosaic. Not a single room for washing and receiving bath procedures can be built from one material. Additional construction and finishing materials will be required to fill the foundation, heat and vapor barriers, and roofing.
When choosing the best material for building a bathhouse, they can be divided into the following categories:
- wall materials;
- heat-steam-waterproofing roll or sheet products;
- roofing materials;
- finishing products.
Of course, major expenses and labor will be required to build the walls. Today, depending on the region, soil-climatic zone, and financial capabilities of the owner, the following are most often used to erect a wall structure for a bathhouse on a site:
- mineral building materials – brick, gas silicate blocks, natural sawn stone;
- wood - sanded log, regular, profiled or rounded timber;
- wood concrete, which is a frozen cement mortar filled with wood waste- usually wood shavings or sawdust;
- frame structures for the manufacture of which can be used various materials.
Some gardeners and summer residents boast that they were able to build a bathhouse from scrap materials.
Paying tribute to the low cost of such construction, it should immediately be noted that it is impossible to build a comfortable washing and steam room building from boards, boxes and plywood left over from the main construction.
Currently, completely new materials are used for the construction of bathhouses, news about the practicality and durability of which can be found on the relevant forums, information resources and construction portals in the Internet.
It is generally accepted that the best material for building a bathhouse is wood, which can be used to build walls, arrange floors, ceilings and for the manufacture of elements of rafter and roof structures.
Features of wooden baths
When choosing finishing materials, the greatest attention is paid to products intended for lining the steam room and washing compartment. There should be no knots in the carriage plank, because with several cycles of heating-cooling and wet-drying, these knots will definitely fall out, giving wall panels unaesthetic appearance.
The most common types of interior decoration are lining made from linden, alder, aspen and maple.
Of course, you can use beech, cedar or oak lining, but its cost is much higher.
When covering walls entrance vestibule and locker rooms there are no special requirements for finishing materials. Here you can use any lining or edged, tongue-and-groove board, subsequently treating it with stain, impregnating it with drying oil and varnishing it.
The greatest difficulty in building a bathhouse is the choice of material for arrangement. Floor surface works in more severe temperature conditions. From below it is exposed to atmospheric temperatures, and inside it perceives temperature and excess humidity steam room. For the durability of floors, you should not only choose the highest quality materials, but when laying them, you must take all measures to ensure high-quality hydro-steam and thermal insulation.
You should not think that the choice of materials for building a bath ends after the walls are erected, the roof is arranged and the floors are laid. The homeowner still has to choose the type of heater and purchase materials for its construction.
From time immemorial, a real Russian bathhouse was built from logs. Wood is a traditional material for construction; fortunately, there were always enough forests in Rus'. In a wooden bathhouse you can breathe easily and freely.
The atmosphere of a real steam bath allows you to get complete and incomparable pleasure. Today's builders also keep up with their ancestors, offering various options wooden baths. Along with traditional log bathhouses, bathhouses are built from rounded logs, timber different types: profiled, glued, as well as frame baths.
Some people prefer baths made of bricks or concrete blocks, some build combined structures: first wooden frame, which is then covered with brick. The choice of materials for building a bathhouse depends on the financial capabilities of the owner, his wishes and requests, and the climatic conditions of the region.
Bathhouse lining is an indispensable building material
It is always important to take into account the characteristics of the site, the desired layout, size and decoration of the bathhouse. If you are making a bathhouse for a family, then you should not get carried away with pompous and huge structures: they will be expensive and not always good. Often, compact, cozy bathhouses are much preferable, and the comfort and steam in them is the best.
For lovers of noisy companies, large baths are needed, which require a thorough design, careful compliance with all construction standards, and then the same careful care and operation.
And it doesn’t matter what you build the bathhouse from, the main thing is that Construction Materials for the bath they were of high quality.
How to choose materials for building a bathhouse
So, how to choose building materials for a bathhouse? For a chopped bath you will need logs, and you must ensure that the fibers in them are straight. If the fibers in the logs are curved and twisted, then when settled, such a log house may crack.
Saunas made from rounded logs are distinguished by their special beauty and strength of joints, because such logs are processed using special equipment. During construction, it is important to wait almost a year for the frame to shrink, and only then begin all the finishing work.
Many consider profiled timber to be the best material for building a bathhouse. Beautiful surface, clear, precise lines, low thermal conductivity - all this makes such timber very popular in the construction of baths. Important:
- wait time after the walls are erected (shrinkage occurs);
- Carefully caulk all cracks.
Another option for building a bathhouse is a bathhouse made of laminated veneer lumber. This building material came to Russia from Scandinavia and already has many fans. Among the advantages of laminated timber:
- Smooth and smooth surface, which eliminates the need to do finishing;
- Installation of baths from it is carried out year-round, assembly follows the principle of a designer.
- There are no deformations or shrinkages, after construction in such baths you can immediately begin all procedures.
- Glued laminated timber retains heat perfectly, does not rot, and is not affected by fungi and insects.
Glued laminated timber
True, it should be borne in mind that such material is not cheap, but a bathhouse built from laminated veneer lumber will last for ages.
Frame buildings are not so famous, but they also have their admirers. Baths built according to frame technology, are lightweight, which allows you to save on the foundation, are easy to erect and are not subject to deformation. The main thing here is to wisely choose materials for insulating the bathhouse in order to save more heat. The timing of their installation is very fast and you won’t even notice how a neat and beautiful building will appear on your site.
For brick baths take ordinary white or red brick, but in no case silicate. The interior decoration of the bathhouse requires special attention and selection of materials.
Bath roof material
The material for the roof of the bathhouse is selected taking into account the style of the building itself, the materials used for the walls, climatic conditions and, of course, financial capabilities. The shape is usually made into lean-to or gable roofs, in some cases – broken. In a huge variety of modern roofing materials you can choose any option: slate, roofing felt, metal tiles, ondulin, bitumen shingles and others
Sometimes the roof on the bathhouse is matched to the same color as the roof of the house, this creates a harmonious ensemble suburban area. Important element any roof - rafters, which must be free of cracks and no knots. They are usually made of wood, most often spruce or pine.
Material for bath walls
As mentioned above, the best material for a bathhouse is wood.
If you are building a log bathhouse, then the logs should be the same in thickness, without burrs or cracks. The log house is placed in a “lapa” or “oblo”, it all depends on your choice and the work system of the master builder. All gaps are caulked to ensure warmth inside the room.
Bathhouses made of timber are built much faster; the technology is usually developed down to the smallest detail. Special tape materials are used as insulation.
Fireproof materials for a bathhouse are brick or stone. The walls are laid in the usual manner; such baths are durable and fireproof, but require careful finishing and insulation.
Choosing materials for finishing the bath
What materials for saunas and baths should I choose as finishing? The choice is wide: from traditional planed boards to modern eurolining, block house and ceramic tiles.
Wood is beyond competition here, because what could be better and more beautiful? wooden surfaces emitting the aroma of nature itself.
Finishing materials for baths are most often made from linden or aspen, less often from pine or spruce. Linden is considered expensive, but very quality material, its finishing has an attractive appearance, does not cause burns when heated and does not darken over time. Also a popular material for interior decoration of a bathhouse is aspen, its only drawback is that it quickly becomes dark.
Namely linden, aspen, and also exotic tree Abashi is recommended as a finish for steam rooms and washrooms. It is also preferable to make shelves for a bathhouse from them.
Wood coniferous species when heated, it releases sticky resin, so pine and spruce are best used in rest rooms, dressing rooms or vestibules.
Any finishing material must be free of knots, otherwise it will very easily get burned. And, of course, all the finishing should be beautiful, smooth, without roughness or nicks.
Vapor barrier materials for baths
Insulating materials for bathhouses are designed to conserve heat, reduce the impact of humidity and temperature changes on the walls and ceiling, and also extend the life of the building. These include vapor barrier materials for baths and thermal insulation materials for baths.
We choose foil as a vapor barrier for the steam room, but in no case roofing felt. It can be used for dressing rooms and rest rooms; kraft paper is also suitable in these rooms.
Polyethylene is also used, but less often, but now there are better ones vapor barrier materials for a bath.
Foil materials for baths are very popular, combining both insulation and vapor barrier. For example, polypropylene with foil allows you to maintain a very high temperature in the steam room for a long time. Good quality The fiberglass boards coated with the same foil are also different.
Calculation of materials for the construction of a bathhouse
You can’t build a bathhouse from scrap materials; it requires approach, careful preparation, and only then will it reward you for your care with heat and an excellent park.
How to calculate materials for building a bathhouse? Most good advice– contact specialists who will make all the calculations and tell you the approximate cost of construction. But even by doing your own calculations, you can buy the required amount of materials. So what we have:
- material for the walls and roof of the bathhouse,
- edged floor boards,
- boards for ceilings and interior decoration,
- waterproofing,
- vapor barrier,
- materials for bath insulation,
- roofing materials.
This list can be supplemented with a number of other materials, it all depends on your desires. The amount of materials for purchase is calculated in each specific case, because this is directly related to the size of your bathhouse, its area and your budget. There are special tables that show detailed costs of lumber depending on the method of finishing and arrangement of interior spaces.
In any case, a competent approach, a carefully calibrated calculation of materials for a bathhouse will help you avoid unnecessary expenses and at the same time build a high-quality and durable bathhouse.
For Russia, a bathhouse is considered a place where you can not only spend time. They have long known: in order to cleanse the spirit and body, you need to take a good steam with a birch or oak broom. But the question arises of how to efficiently and economically build at least a mini-bathhouse on your site.
In this article we will figure out how to do this, what are the best materials to choose, how much does it cost?. Let's consider the main mistakes in construction, time and financial aspects.
What's important at the very beginning?
When deciding to build, you should understand a small but significant thing. A good, small bathhouse needs a project. Many people underestimate the importance of drawings and calculations. And speed, reliability, comfort and cost depend on this.
Advice! Before going to an architect, you need to decide on the material.
Log walls
In Rus' it so happened that wooden baths were built. There are reasons for this. The following breeds are usually chosen:
- Pine.
- Fir.
- Cedar.
A log bathhouse will not rot and is resistant to moisture. There is no need for additional vapor barrier. 
Pros:
- Natural material, environmentally friendly.
- Retains heat well.
- “Log” ones are considered the most durable. The quality is superior to frame and stone buildings. By following construction technologies, the service life without repair reaches 70–80 years.
- Relatively inexpensive material, it all depends on the region.
- Excellent aesthetic appearance.
Minuses:
The disadvantage of this material is that the building must settle by 15–20 cm. After erecting the frame, it is recommended to wait a year.
Construction from timber
Timber is most often used in the construction of baths. It exists in four types:
- Planed.
- Glued.
- Not planed.
- Profiled.
It is possible to use any of the listed materials. But the most popular is profiled or planed. Let's look at each separately.
Planed
Special treatment makes it virtually invulnerable to cracks. Timber that has undergone chamber drying will be more expensive. It all depends on the professionalism of the builders. For example, if you build it yourself, then it is advisable to choose high-quality processing.
It is good to carry out installation from prepared timber. It’s easier this way thanks to the “comb”, which provides light, reliable and tight grip. This allows construction to be carried out with less effort.
The inter-crown areas are protected thanks to a special profile. This also allows long years do without repairs, save the heat of the walls.
Advantages:
- Long service life.
- Environmentally friendly material.
- Low cost.
- Easy to install.
Flaws:
- Violations in the drying technique lead to deformation and twisting.
- “Prone” to cracking even with treatment.
- It may darken over time.
Glued
More “difficult” to manufacture. Made from boards and logs. It undergoes high-quality drying and gluing. Thanks to the processing of two or more lamellas, it is considered the most good material for the construction and finishing of baths and saunas. It is chosen by people who are not used to saving. 
Pros:
- Allows you to erect a building in a month or two.
- “Gorgeous” in aesthetic terms.
- Practically not subject to shrinkage.
- Does not deform.
- Thanks to him high-quality processing- does not crack.
- Optimal humidity prevents the appearance of fungus and mold.
Minuses:
- Expensive material.
- Uses adhesive compositions makes it not environmentally friendly.
- It is very quick to assemble a panel bath, which is used by commercial enterprises.
Not planed
The most inexpensive and popular of materials. Unplaned timber (sawn) is square or rectangular sections. Production is carried out from spruce or pine. Drying of wood does not take place in chambers, but on fresh air. This made it possible to significantly reduce the cost of the material. 
Pros:
- Minimum costs for constructing a frame.
- Possibly used as a finishing material.
- Does not require highly qualified specialists.
Minuses:
- After the box is erected, the building is left to shrink for a year.
- It is necessary to additionally insulate and caulk cracks. As the building is used, cracks may appear.
- External insulation is required.
- Needs additional interior finishing.
Profiled
It got its name thanks to the connecting locks. They can be divided into the following:
- Comb.
- With one spike.
- With two spikes.
- Norwegian.
- Finnish.
Easy to install. Slots and inter-crown corners are cut at the construction site. Most suitable look material.
Advantages:
- High-quality grinding allows it to be used in finishing.
- No harmful chemicals are used.
- Made from spruce, pine, oak.
- Due to its low thermal conductivity, it retains heat well.
- Low shrinkage rate – 4–5 cm.
- Fast construction with small forces.
Flaws:
- Poor drying will lead to greater sagging.
- It is necessary to treat it yourself with fire-fighting agents.
- After construction there will be no possibility of redevelopment.
Nowadays, a barrel sauna made of profiled material is very popular. The price starts from 60 thousand for already assembled structure, which is convenient to fit even on the smallest plot of a dacha of six acres. Moreover, the design is put into operation without foundation.
Modern building materials for baths
Few people know that bathhouses built with brick and cement will look and function no worse than wooden ones. Let's consider common options made from expanded clay blocks (cinder blocks) and bricks.
Brick bath
Stone buildings have a number of advantages over wooden structures. The advantages include:
- weather resistance,
- practicality,
- possibility of redevelopment.
But the cost will increase significantly - this is due to the preparation and installation of the foundation. And also mandatory interior decoration.
Services required for the construction of brick baths professional builders different specialties. If only carpenters are needed for a wooden structure, then here you will need:
- Masons.
- Plasterers.
- Finishers.
- Roofers.
To build it yourself quickly will require enormous knowledge and experience. Improper wall laying will lead to condensation and structural instability. You will also need additional thermal insulation of the building facade.
Foam block
This material is more suitable for construction. Although it is considered “young” material. He has his own fans. They are successfully used in the construction of residential buildings, including bathhouses made of foam blocks.
Light weight, excellent thermal conductivity allows you to make warm building. But just like brick, foam block needs a foundation and additional thermal insulation. One of the main qualities of stone is its fire resistance. For example: a brick crumbles under the influence of high temperature. The same cannot be said about.
It is made from environmentally friendly materials. Easy to process. Low price allows you to compete with other building materials. 
The most expensive materials in construction
Common mistakes in construction
In order for the bath to turn out well, it is necessary to pay attention to the mistakes that are made by both professionals and amateurs:
- The tree must be dense coniferous species: spruce, pine.
- Incorrectly calculated foundation.
- The logs should be from 20 to 25 cm. Too thin will only be suitable for a rustic “temporary shed” and will lead to heat loss.
- To preserve heat, it is necessary to use moisture-resistant wood in finishing; Alder, poplar or aspen can handle this.
Due attention should be given bricks for the stove. First, it must be red fireproof. Secondly, solid ones cannot be used hollow ones. An error is considered too large or small window. For a bath it should be at least 50*50.
What is better - to build it yourself or use the services of a company?
The construction of a bathhouse brings with it a number of problems. This is a dilemma: build on your own or through a company. When choosing independent construction, you need to be prepared for processes such as:
- Responsibility for quality.
- It takes a lot of effort and time.
- Construction experience required.
- You can forget about the quick completion of construction.
- Hire assistants (shabashniks).
- Purchase, delivery of materials.
- Foundation calculation.
Of course, in self-construction there are advantages. Namely:
- Freedom of choice.
- Phased construction.
- Better control.
- Money savings.
Advantages and disadvantages of the company:
- Hiring a company eliminates a number of problems with finding workers.
- Responsibility for quality lies with the company.
- Takes upon itself the development of the project and supervision of the construction process.
- The construction will be done by professionals.
- Fast project completion. You can even order a project for a bathhouse with a swimming pool.
Of the minuses:
- additional financial costs.
Obviously, hiring a company capable of carrying out turnkey construction is much more profitable than tackling such a complex task alone.
Cost overview
Pivot table. Prices for various materials along with work are indicated:
How to build a budget sauna with your own hands: let's go through the basic steps
The first step is to decide on the materials, placement, and area. You will also have to face obstacles such as:
- calculation and laying of the foundation,
- construction of the frame,
- finishing,
- decide on insulation,
- vapor barrier,
- think about equipment installation.
Foundation
- To make the base strong and economical, a pile option is suitable for its construction. It is much easier to make than tape.
- The next step will be marking. Don't forget about indoor partitions.
- Then the location of the piles is noted. The distance between them should be two meters. The piles must be located at the intersection of the walls and at each corner.
- The wells should be 25–30 cm wide and 1–1.5 meters deep.
- The well is half filled with sand, spilled with water and then compacted.
- After this you can start diving asbestos pipes. A reinforcement structure is created around them and wooden frame for pouring concrete.
- Leave this structure until completely dry - about five days.
Caracas
- You will need well-dried timber.
- Before installation, it should be treated with an anti-corrosion compound.
- At intersections and corners, reinforced bars are installed (vertically).
- Each such pillar should stand every meter from each other, not forgetting to leave openings for windows.
- The entire structure is united by bars or boards, and fastened with timber lintels.
- A frame with a roof is assembled in this simple manner.
Finishing - insulation
- OSB boards are used for finishing.
- The sheets are screwed using wood screws.
- The gaps between the joints are filled with polyurethane foam.
- Inside, finishing follows the same principle with only one difference: before sewing, insulation and vapor barrier are inserted.
Completion
After sheathing and insulation, you can begin arranging furniture and additional equipment.
Important! Furniture should be made of moisture-resistant wood. You can use purchased electric ones as a stove.
Results
Building on your own is a long, nervous and seasonal process. The fastest way to assemble a bathhouse on site is from foam concrete or a ready-made, dried log house. If you work with four or more hands, then one season is enough to build the foundation, walls and roof. Well, the external and internal components of the cladding are a secondary issue.
The optimal combination according to the conditional characteristic “Price-quality” concerns:
- Buildings made of dry logs (medium diameter);
- Red brick baths (subject to normal interior decoration). Fire resistance;
- Premises made of timber 15 X 15, 20 X 20, preferably dry.
Advice! When planning the purchase, plan and time of year for construction, do not rush to calculate the area. A log house or masonry 4 by 4 meters is enough for a whole family, which can even accommodate a washing room.
For your information, barrel baths do not count, because they are a prefabricated structure, a kind of temporary option for several years.
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