Review of shelves in a bathhouse: their correct design, varieties for a Russian bathhouse and a Finnish sauna, diagrams of frames, flooring, manufacturing videos. How to make shelves in a steam room: nuances of do-it-yourself manufacturing technology from A to Z Do-it-yourself backrest in a steam room

A Russian steam room is a structure that is intended for health-improving procedures that help relax the soul and body.

An important functional element of the steam room is the shelf - a special wooden flooring.

A modern bathhouse shelf can be made with your own hands in accordance with the operational features of the room and the individual preferences of the bathhouse owner.

Optimal sizes

In order to make comfortable and functional shelves in the sauna and bathhouse, you first need to decide.

Many bathhouse owners prefer multi-tiered structures; the most common option is three-tiered shelves. However, experts recommend choosing shelves in two rows. This is economical and quite convenient for bathhouse attendants; in addition, it is easier to build them with your own hands.

To make a high-quality design, you need to focus on the following dimensions of the shelves in the bathhouse:

By height

The optimal shelf height is determined by the average height of visitors. This ensures the convenience of carrying out procedures, while the bath shelf must be located at the level of the thumb of the hand, lowered down in a sitting position. Average height is 80 cm.

It is also important to maintain the permissible distance between the bench and the ceiling of the steam room of 120 cm. This is determined by the level of comfort when the bath attendant is positioned in a sitting or lying position.

The length of the shelves may be shorter if the bathhouse has more compact dimensions.

Attention! Between decorative cladding walls and shelves must maintain a technological gap of 4 mm on all sides, taking into account the expansion coefficient of wood during swelling.

When arranging a two-row structure, the width of the lower shelves is 55 cm, and the upper ones - up to 75 cm. Small gaps of 6 mm are also maintained between the individual elements of the benches. If there are side benches, their width is 45 cm.

The number of shelves is determined by the dimensions and operational features of the steam room.

Wood selection

These tree species have good performance characteristics, durability and wear resistance.

Aspen

This is one of the best natural materials, which is used for making shelves, in particular. It has medicinal properties, is relatively cheap and practical to use.

Aspen purifies the air quite well, neutralizes negative energy, and restores strength. For this reason, aspen shelves are simple, affordable and durable.

The only one hidden flaw The material is predisposed to internal rotting of the fibers, so it is necessary to choose wood especially carefully.

Linden

Excellent material for making bath shelves and tables. It has many advantages - it is easy to process, has an attractive appearance, is resistant to stains and cracking, durable, and affordable.

When heated, wood emits a delicate and pleasant odor, which has a beneficial effect on the respiratory system. The disadvantage is the tendency to darken during prolonged use in damp areas.

Abashi (African oak)

This is a unique material that has high strength, inertness to overheating and mechanical damage. Abashi heats up quite slowly, which completely prevents burns at high temperatures.

The wood is presented in dark and light colors, excellently retains its performance characteristics throughout the entire period of use.

The disadvantage of abasha is its high cost and the complexity of initial processing.

Manufacturing

To make shelves of the required size for a suitable number of people, you should prepare necessary tools and materials. To work you will need:

• wooden boards from the selected wood species;
• wooden beam;
• stand boards for fastening the structure;
• self-tapping screws;
• corner;
• nails.

On initial stage The instructions provide for assembling a frame for future shelves.

Assembling the frame base and installing the flooring

The wooden frame base is assembled from 10 prepared beams with a cross-section of 5 × 7 cm and 5 rack boards for attaching shelves. The beams for the frame are mounted vertically and fastened horizontally to each other using strapping. Fixation to the racks is carried out using a paired connecting element.

To provide additional strength, the structure is additionally mounted to the wall surface.

Smooth and pre-made boards are used as flooring. Installation of boards is carried out in compliance with the technological gap between them of 6 mm. For the lower shelf, 3 boards are used, for the upper bench - 7.

Next, the flooring is installed on the prepared frame with fixation using self-tapping screws, which must be recessed 5 mm deep into the wood. The fastening elements are driven in from the reverse side of the shelves. The boards are laid with a gap at a slight inclination of 2 degrees.

Fixation of the structure

The shelves are fixed to the wall while maintaining a gap of 11 cm. The bottom shelf has a movable structure mounted on special mechanisms - runners, which simplifies the process of cleaning the steam room.

The photo shows a step-by-step algorithm.

In places where wooden frame shelves are in contact with the floor surface, special rubber gaskets are installed for additional waterproofing.

Treatment with antiseptics

The final stage of arranging a shelf in a Russian steam room is treating the wood with reliable antiseptics. Constant contact with sufficiently humid and hot air contributes to the rapid destruction of wood fibers.

Carrying out timely prevention will prevent.

Important! To treat bath shelves, it is prohibited to use chemicals, as well as varnishes and drying oils. In conditions high humidity and temperature changes, they are capable of releasing toxic substances with a pungent odor, which can cause allergic reactions.

Equipped with wooden shelves, it is the heart of any bathhouse. High-quality and convenient shelves will ensure a comfortable and pleasant pastime with benefits for soul and body.

A bathhouse is a wonderful place where both soul and body can relax. Many homeowners erect such buildings on their plots and spend quite a lot of free time in them. An important role is played not only by the properly constructed structure of the bathhouse, but also by its internal arrangement.

Peculiarities

If you have decided to install a bathhouse on your property, you should remember that it should be as comfortable as possible. To do this, it is necessary to competently equip the resulting structure, equipping it with all the necessary components.

Elements such as shelves are very important for a bath structure. These parts are designed for installation in a steam room. Most often they have several tiers.

Their design features primarily depend on the area of ​​the room and its height. It is customary to place shelves for a steam room either along one of the walls or near two walls, located parallel to each other. There are also corner designs, in which the arrangement of tiers is completely different.

A feature of bath shelves for steam rooms is that they cannot be installed next to windows, if there are any in the room. This can lead to adverse consequences - under the influence of high temperatures, the glass can burst, and its fragments can injure people sitting on the shelf.

In real Russian baths, shelves with three tiers are usually installed. It is also known from physics lessons at school that heat always rushes upward, so it is always cooler on the bottom shelf in the steam room than on the top one.

When designing shelves for a steam room, it is necessary to take into account that an adult should easily fit on the top tier without resting against the ceiling - this is another important feature that should not be underestimated when arranging a bath room.

A high-quality shelf in a bathhouse should have low thermal conductivity, otherwise it will be impossible to stand on it, as it will become very hot in the steam room. That is why similar designs made from wood, not metal, because it heats up very quickly.

Also, well-made shelves made of suitable materials can easily withstand high temperatures and temperature changes. Under such conditions, these structures do not deform, rot or collapse.

There are many options for placing a shelf in a steam room. It is possible to build a suitable structure for a room of any layout and size. For example, for a compact steam room it is permissible to make corner benches that take up little free space, but remain convenient for a comfortable pastime of users.

Shelves can be ordered from a specialty store. As a rule, such designs are expensive for consumers, especially if they are made of appropriate materials. If there is no need for extra expenses, then you can make the shelves yourself. To do this, you must strictly adhere to step by step instructions and use it at work good materials and tools.

Device

Another way to call a shelf is a bench. This is explained by the fact that it is a structure of benches with different heights, arranged in a special pattern.

The standard design of these elements consists of two main components:

• Frame. This element of bath shelves acts as a basis for fastening boards of stationary flooring or as a support for collapsible flooring. As a rule, the frame of the shelves is made of support posts, which are similar to the legs of a standard bench. These parts are connected to each other using transverse jumper boards. Less commonly, the shelf frame is made according to the principle of a ladder stringer. Steps are attached to such a base.

Users who prefer to steam in dry steam conditions (using well-known Finnish technology) often build structures without additional supports in the form of a railway shelf attached to the partitions of the steam room.

• Flooring. Another component of the shelf is the flooring. It consists of a base of boards, packed in increments of 1-2 cm. As a rule, the flooring is fixed to the frame of the bench. Sometimes the necessary parts are nailed separately, making a structure reminiscent of floor ladders. If the flooring is not fixed to the frame, then it is very convenient to remove it and ventilate it outside the steam room. This component serves as a seat, a couch and a podium for the bath attendant who works with a broom.

Shelf flooring may vary. It can be equipped with backrests, side parts, special bath pillows, as well as elements designed to allow you to take the most relaxed lying position.

Materials

Shelves for a steam room must be made of well-processed and high-quality materials that are free from damage and serious defects.

When choosing wood for making a shelf, you need to consider several important factors:

• the material must have minimal thermal conductivity, otherwise the bench will become very hot - sitting and lying on it will be uncomfortable;
• there should be no resin in the wood - it will release at high temperatures and stick to the skin;
• The wood must easily tolerate high humidity, otherwise the shelves will not last long in a steam room.

Below are the wood options from which it is best to make such structures.

Linden

To create high-quality shelves, this material is used quite often. At high temperatures, wood gives off a very pleasant natural aroma that has a relaxing effect on the human body. It is also worth noting that linden is lightweight material, therefore the benches are not very heavy as a result.

They are easy to install - it doesn't require much effort. Linden is processed without problems, as it is not very dense. In addition, benches made from this type of wood retain their attractive appearance and perfectly smooth surface for many years, which is especially important for a shelf.

Before making shelves for a bathhouse from linden, it is necessary to dry it thoroughly, otherwise the structures may darken over time.

Aspen

Another popular material for making shelves is aspen. This type of wood also has a positive effect on the human body and has healing properties. In addition, aspen is inexpensive, so almost every buyer can afford it.

It is believed that aspen furniture neutralizes negative energy and also restores human strength. This material perfectly purifies the air in the bathhouse, so many experts recommend its use.

An aspen shelf will serve faithfully for many years without causing any problems. Such furniture will not require complex care from homeowners, as it is practical.

However, aspen has one serious disadvantage: this material is prone to rotting of the fibers located in the inner part.

In order for the benches to be of high quality and reliable, it is necessary to carefully select the wood for their construction. Doubtful materials with damage or signs of rot cannot be used.

Poplar

Poplar is a good choice for making a shelf. Its wood is very soft and pliable. In addition, this material is lightweight. Poplar can have a whitish or light brown tint.

This wood makes very beautiful pieces of furniture, as well as decorative carved parts.

Alder and black alder

The shelves can also be made from alder. This type of wood is resistant to wear and temperature changes. In a steam room, such material will not deform, crack or lose its visual appeal. Even after several years, the alder remains light. If you need to install a darker shelf in the steam room, then you should use special black alder for its manufacture. This type of wood has been used since ancient times in Rus' in the construction of baths.

Alder is distinguished by the fact that it has a rather thin and uniform structure. In addition, this material meets the main requirement - it has minimal thermal conductivity. Sitting or lying on an alder bench will be as comfortable and safe as possible, since it hardly gets hot.

Abashi

This is an African oak that boasts excellent strength characteristics. Shelves made from this high-quality material are not afraid of temperature changes or heavy loads.

In addition, benches made from African oak have a beautiful and expensive appearance. Abashi is not subject to rotting. Over time, stains, darkening and other defects do not appear on the surface of furniture made from this wood.

African oak shelves will not crack and will last for many years. At high temperatures, this type of wood emits a very pleasant and soft aroma, which has a positive effect on the human respiratory system.

As for the disadvantages, it should be noted that the wood may darken in some places if it is used for a long time in conditions of high humidity.

Maple

To make bath shelves, it is also possible to use a type of wood such as maple. The main advantage of this material is its high strength. It is not so easy to break or damage a maple bench. For this reason, many consumers choose this material for building shelves.

In addition, maple is relatively inexpensive and lasts a very long time without causing any trouble. This material is wear-resistant. Working with maple is easy - it pricks easily and is processed without problems. Such wood has a homogeneous structure, in which there are no pronounced fibers. The main advantage of this material is that it is not afraid of high humidity and very rarely cracks. The most valuable is the bird's eye maple, as well as the sugar maple.. This wood has a beautiful structure.

Forms

Bath shelves can have various shapes:

• Stepped. Bath shops like these are the most common. With such a structure, the shelves are installed on one wall, and they are arranged according to the principle of steps. A multi-tier structure may have two or three floors. As mentioned above, the traditional model for a Russian bath is a three-tier bench. In such models, the shelf at the very top is much hotter than at the lowest level.
• Corner. The second most popular are corner shelves. Such designs are most often chosen by owners of small baths with the same compact steam rooms. In such conditions, a corner bench takes up a minimum of free space.

In corner structures, the shelves are arranged in such a way that the upper and lower parts adjoin the same partition, and the intermediate component is arranged on the adjacent wall.

• Collapsible. Collapsible benches for baths are considered very convenient to use. In such designs, the upper and lower shelves are removable. Thanks to this structure, the wooden elements of the steam room dry much easier and faster.
• Folding. To expand the available space in the steam room, you can use shelves with folding flooring. Such designs are ideal for cases when several people relax in the bathhouse at once. Otherwise, folding benches are called compartment shelves. The principle of operation of this bath furniture is very simple: if necessary, the top tier is raised towards the wall (just like a shelf in a train compartment) and also lowered to its original place.

Design

You should not think that the shelves are unremarkable furniture for a steam room, the design of which does not need to be worked on. In fact, such designs can look stylish and interesting, transforming a bath room.

Designers argue that in a steam room there should be no lush combinations of colors. Here's the combination tree species having different shades is a good solution.

For example, shelves can be built from boards of contrasting shades, beautifully echoing each other. Of course, it will be more difficult to make such furniture, but it will decorate the steam room.

If the owner is a lover of non-standard and fresh solutions, then he should turn to decorating the shelf with light. LED lighting installed under a bench or in a box located under it will be an effective design technique.

The color of the backlight in this case can be anything: calm blue, bold red, which visually makes the steam room even hotter, or green. The choice of a suitable diode strip depends on the preferences of the owners.

If there is no need to install LED strips in the sauna, then you can turn to spotlights and install them around the perimeter of the room - right above the seats. Thus, you can focus on neatly made benches and make the steam room a little lighter.

Corner benches look beautiful and fresh, with a large seat at the top with a wavy edge. Such designs look modern and stylish, softening the angle of the steam room.

Some craftsmen make very elegant shelves for the steam room, in which the upper tier smoothly flows into the lower one. The production of such benches cannot be called very simple and fast, but their design can transform the room.

In the steam room, U-shaped “multi-story” benches with a separate back attached directly to the wall behind the longest seat look good. These structures not only look aesthetically pleasing, but are also strong and reliable. They look especially attractive in one ensemble with wooden basins and brooms.

Blueprints

If you decided to make a shelf for a bathhouse with your own hands, then first you need to draw up a drawing of it. To make a clear diagram, first of all, you should take into account the dimensions of the room, location future design, as well as the height of the ceiling in the steam room.

In order to make your plans a reality, you should familiarize yourself with the standard dimensions of such structures:

• To lie on a shelf with your knees bent, you will need a bench 1.5 m long.
• The 1.8 m long bench will allow any average user to lie down on it without bending their knees. In this case, much depends on individual parameters person – sometimes even a two-meter bench may not be enough.

• The shelves can have a minimum width of 40 cm. This parameter most often belongs to the lower tier, which is usually used as a footrest. This step is comfortable to stand on, but you can also sit down.
• Most often, bath benches have a width of 60 cm. This parameter is optimal, but is not entirely suitable for steaming in a supine position.
• To sit sitting (with your legs pressed) across the bench, you will need a structure with a width of 90 cm. A user with any physiological parameters will be able to lie on such a bed.
• The widest wooden shelf is 150 cm in size. It is comfortable not only to sit on, but also to lie on.

Of course, there are other options for steam room benches. However, experts recommend making or ordering structures whose dimensions exceed the minimum values. If the steam room has sufficient area, the dimensions of the shelves can be increased.

When designing shelves for a bath, it is important to take into account the installation height of all components:

• 1.1-1.2 m– experts recommend maintaining this distance between the lowest step and the second shelf.
• 40-60 cm– this gap is optimal if done between the first and second shelves.
• 20 cm- this is the minimum permitted distance that should be left between the floor and the step located at the very bottom.
• 1.5-1.8 m– these dimensional values ​​are the minimum for the length of the bath shelf.

When drawing up a design project for a steam room, you need to pay special attention to the layout of the shelves in the room:

• There are 1-3 rows along one of the walls of the room, while the shelves can be installed one above the other.
• There are also L-shaped designs. In such options, any number of steps is possible. For example, there may be two or three along each partition. The upper and lower parts can be located along the longest wall, and the middle one along the shorter one located next door.
• There are also models in which there are two parallel structures located along walls opposite each other. These options are reminiscent of a compartment in a train carriage. These shelves can be either symmetrical or uneven with signs of asymmetry.

After this, it will be more convenient for the owner to choose the optimal solution. Moreover, you can correctly calculate the required volume of lumber based on the size of the benches.

It is not difficult to draw up a design for bath benches - to do this, you just need to take into account all the parameters and the expected location of the structure. If you have doubts about the correctness of your actions, then it is better to hire specialists who will prepare a finished drawing.

How to do it yourself?

You can make shelves for a bathhouse with your own hands. To ensure that the result does not disappoint, you should strictly adhere to the step-by-step instructions, and also use high-quality materials and tools in your work.

Below are instructions on how to make shelves using the example of a steam room with dimensions of 2.5x3 m.

• First of all, it is necessary to properly prepare the wood for further work. To do this, the boards need to be thoroughly processed - sanded and corners prepared.
• It is imperative to coat the lumber with protective antiseptic compounds. Such products will extend the life of bath benches. Treated wood is not subject to rotting and cracking, so do not neglect this stage of work.

• For example, in a steam room with dimensions of 2.5x3x2.5 m, it will be possible to place benches only along the long wall. For the frame frame of the shelf you will need bars with a section of 50x70 cm.
• Blanks should be made in the amount of 12 pieces 1.1 m long, as well as 6 pieces 0.9 m long.
• To make the tier below, you will need 6 half-meter parts and 6 bars 1.5 m long.
• Also, to make a shelf you will need 3 boards. These components will be needed to connect the racks of the upper and lower tiers together.
• Using three tie boards, you can knock together a neat U-shaped structure.
• After arrangement, the resulting structure should be attached to the wall. It is recommended to fasten the shelf using special wooden pads (cubes). These parts will protect the surface of the bars from moisture.

• From a set of racks prepared for the lower level, you need to assemble and knock down a single frame of an L-shaped structure. In the future, this structure should be docked with the racks of the upper step and securely fastened to it.
• At the end of the work, the boards belonging to the upper and lower tier must be laid on the prepared frame frame.
• Flooring should be made from planed boards with dimensions of 20x120 mm and a length of 3.5 m.
• To secure the flooring to the frame, you must use special wooden nails or pins.
• It must be taken into account that under the conditions provided, the total height of the shelves can be approximately 1.5-1.6 m.

Below is an option for installing bath shelves using a special Finnish technology.

• First of all, you need to measure the length of the wall along which the benches will be installed. Approximately 20-30 mm should be subtracted from the obtained values. This must be done so that there is a gap between the shelves and the walls of the steam room.
• After this you need to move on to creating the frame. To do this, you first need to make the main frame. Its length is already known, but you need to choose the width yourself.
• To choose the appropriate width of a rectangular frame frame, it is necessary to take into account the size of the steam room, as well as personal preferences - the width of the structure directly determines how much free space users will have for relaxing in a sitting or lying position.

• Then the frame needs to be fastened in the corners - for this it is recommended to use special metal corners. After this, the structure should be tightened using bolts or screws. It is better to carry out such work in the interior of the shops.
• Intermediate cross bars should also be installed. Experts advise when installing them to adhere to a step of 50-60 cm.
• After completing the assembly of the frame, you should make sure that it fits smoothly in the available space.
• The next step is to fix a support frame on the walls, the length of which corresponds to the width of the shelves themselves. At this stage it is important to secure two wooden bars at the same height.
• Then you need to make sure that all the parts are fixed correctly - a building level is best for this (it is recommended to use a bubble or laser tool).

• To secure the supports, you need to use screws or self-tapping screws. Fastening should be done at 2-3 points.
• It is also necessary to take into account this point: the longer the frame, the more fasteners there should be. Experts recommend maintaining a spacing of no more than 40 cm between fasteners.
• The lower frames need to be secured with a slight protrusion relative to the upper elements. The length of the protrusion in this case should correspond to the width of the bottom shelf.

To leave the necessary gaps for ventilation in the structure, you need to place thin sheets plywood.

• Then frame structure must be placed on the installed beds. To make the structure stronger and more reliable, you should additionally attach the frames to the wall with screws or self-tapping screws.
• After this, you need to lay the flooring on the frames. In this case, the boards can be laid longitudinally or perpendicular to the frames.
• At the end of this work, it is important to close the space remaining between the top and bottom shelves.
• You also need to assemble the backrest over the top tier: you can use it already finished design or make it yourself. To do this, you should vertically nail slats to the partition, the thickness of which is 1-2 cm. In this case, you should adhere to a step of 40-60 cm. Then you need to fasten the boards to the slats.

Finishing work

To finish the resulting bath benches, you can use special varnishes and impregnations. Such compositions will protect wooden structures from rotting and destruction. It is worth noting here that ideally The wood in the bathhouse should not be subjected to any treatment - just sand the material.

If there is indoor good ventilation, then the wood in it will not deteriorate and lose its visual appeal.

If high-quality ventilation in the bathhouse is not provided, then without special protective compounds it won't work out.

To save wooden shelf from rotting and deformation, you can use some useful remedies:

• Acrylic based varnishes. Acrylic varnishes, which are not afraid of dampness and moisture, form a special moisture-proof film on the surface of the wood. The structure of such products does not change in any way, even if the room temperature is +100 degrees. For this reason, acrylic varnishes are allowed to be used in conditions Finnish sauna.

• Impregnations. Antiseptic impregnations designed to prevent the appearance of mold and mildew on wood. In addition, such compositions make natural material more resistant to moisture. Impregnations differ from varnishes in that they penetrate deeper into the structure of the wood, thereby providing it with comprehensive protection.
• Bleaches. Such special compounds used to bleach darkened wood.
• Wax solution or linseed oil . Many experts advise treating the finished shelf with a wax solution. An alternative to this product is flaxseed oil. Such products should be applied to wood in two layers. One layer of oil dries in about 8 hours.

If you need to make shelves not in three, but in two tiers, then you need to take into account that the height of the lower level from the floor should be approximately 50 cm, and from the top - 90 cm.

Between decorative finishing ceilings and benches, it is necessary to leave a technological gap. Its size is usually 4 mm on each side, while it is necessary to take into account the expansion coefficient of wood when it swells.

To treat the shelf, you cannot use aggressive chemicals - at high temperatures and their changes, such compositions will release toxic substances, accompanied by unpleasant smell. As a result, a person may experience a serious allergic reaction.

For the manufacture of frame bases, experts recommend purchasing 50x70 cm timber. In addition, to prevent the wood from drying out, the thickness of the board should be approximately 4 times less than the width. When making a frame, it should be further strengthened. To do this, you can connect all the supporting parts using boards both below and above. It is recommended to wear special rubber pads on the legs of bath furniture - with such parts the shelves will not scratch the floor or slip on damp boards.

If the steam room in the bathhouse cannot boast of a large footage, then it is permissible to build a lower shelf in the shape of a triangle. Such structures should be placed indoors in such a way that one leg fits loosely against the wall, and the other against the adjacent shelf.

Most often, the lower part of the shelf structure is not secured in any way. Thanks to this solution, the floor under the structure can be washed, and it dries more efficiently. If the bottom of the bench is too bulky and heavy, then special runners can be built under it moving along rubber guides.

The use of self-tapping screws during the construction of the shelf allows you to firmly and reliably fix the resulting structure. In addition, it will be possible to easily disassemble the bath furniture in order to dry or replace any part. When calculating the required volume of materials, it is important to remember the technological indents.

It must be taken into account that shelves for a Finnish bath are always equipped with a back made of boards. This detail is needed so that visitors to the bathhouse do not burn their bodies on the hot wall cladding.

Very it is important to properly sand the boards for the shelf flooring. The surface of these elements must be perfectly smooth and neat - sitting or lying on benches with burrs and knots will be uncomfortable and even dangerous.

It is not recommended to use coniferous wood for making shelves, despite their environmental friendliness and pleasant aroma. Such materials, when exposed to high temperatures, release a resin that will stick to the skin.

The width of the shelf should not be less than 0.4 m. If you build a narrower structure, then it will be impossible to sit or lie on it - there will not be enough space. When making a shelf, you should use special fasteners made of hard wood.

It is permissible to use stainless steel parts only when constructing a frame base, which will later be covered with boards. This is explained by the fact that metal fasteners can become very hot in the steam room and you can accidentally burn yourself on them if they are on the surface.

Most often, shelves are made three-tiered. Of course, you can build two-level furniture. Models with a large number of levels should not be constructed– it will be almost impossible to sit on them without touching the ceiling if all the work is done correctly.

It must be taken into account that the number of frame parts directly depends on the thickness of the bar. The shelf must be quite strong and wear-resistant in order to easily support the weight of several people sitting on it at the same time.

How to care?

Many homeowners wonder how to care for their bath rack. You can maintain the cleanliness of such structures as follows:

• It is prohibited to use any modern cleaning products or aggressive chemicals to wash and clean the shelf;
• experts say that the best product for cleaning a bench in a steam room is laundry soap;
• if there is serious contamination on the benches, then for it mechanical removal it is permissible to turn to an abrasive material.

The steam room should always be clean and tidy, since in these conditions a person cares about his health and hygiene.

Beautiful examples

A bath shelf is not always simple and inconspicuous. Sometimes such designs transform a room, making it more comfortable and welcoming.

For example, a three-tier corner shelf made of light wood with a rounded edge will look amazing if you integrate upward-facing spotlights into its back. This beautiful furniture looks harmonious in combination with a compact stove with an open stove in the shape of a pipe.

A three-level shop looks very beautiful and fashionable, in which the inside of each step is equipped with blue or dark blue LED lighting. The diode strip should also be added to the backrest located above the seats. To dilute the “sea” glow, you can install corner lamps with warm yellow light lamps above the shelf.

A light wooden shelf installed along one wall will look great in a small steam room, in which one of the partitions is decorated with stonework. It is permissible to make the remaining surfaces of the room less noticeable - they can be sheathed, for example, with clapboard.

A shelf assembled from boards of different shades will look very original in a steam room., especially if the various details of its design are made curly - cut at an angle. The resulting design should be supplemented with warm wall lamps above the back and a white or yellow LED strip located inside the seats.

For a bathhouse in a slightly casual rustic style, you can build a rough shelf made of wood of a dark shade with a pronounced structure. Of course, the surface of the wood must be well processed and finished, regardless of the chosen style. Such designs do not need to be supplemented with LED strips

The Finnish sauna has a high temperature - from 90° C to 110° C, humidity 10-25%. Lovers of Russian baths prefer lower temperatures from 40° C to 70° C, combined with high humidity 60-80%.

A Russian bath differs from a Finnish sauna not only in terms of temperature and humidity in the steam room. The fundamental difference between them is the different speed of movement of the heated air flow, the use of birch and oak brooms in the Russian steam room.

Patting the steam bather lying on the shelf of a Russian steam room with a broom, the bathhouse attendant occasionally increases the temperature by pouring water on the hot stones of the heater. Burning wet steam, escaping from the slightly open door of the heater, quickly rises to the ceiling and, slowly cooling, settles and gradually fills the steam room.

• large distances between the boards of the beds are required;
• the seats are tilted to drain water;
• to make cleaning the bathhouse floor easier, the side walls are not sewn up or are removable;
• you need a wide indentation of the bench from the wall of the steam room.

Differences in the basic dimensions, height and structure of the shelves also add features to the soaring process itself.

IMPORTANT: in a Russian steam room it is necessary to maintain the ratio of the height of the shelf device and the distance to the ceiling.

The height of the upper bench is made so that there is a distance of one meter between the top of the head of the person sitting on the upper bench and the ceiling - for the normal arm span of the bathhouse attendant with a broom, gaining temperature in a cloud of steam.

The length of the shelves is regulated, which must be at least 220 cm, since it is advisable to take the bath procedure while lying down, exposing the body to massaging blows and stroking with a birch broom.

A traditional Russian bathhouse has only one or two steps of shelves located along one of the walls of the steam room; the steamer lies on a wide (at least 90 cm) upper bench.

IMPORTANT: benches in a Finnish steam room must be equipped with backs made of boards so that the person sitting does not burn his body on the hot wall cladding.

In a Finnish sauna, people often sit rather than lie on the benches, so the distance to the ceiling is shorter and the length of the loungers is not so critical.

You can often see special foot rests on the walls of a sauna, usually raised above the level of the body of a person lying on the upper bench.

Since the air in the sauna must warm up quickly, the size of the steam room is usually small, so the sauna shelves occupy the entire free perimeter of the walls, except for the wall with the door and heater.

Types of bath shelves

Bath shelves can be of several types:

• compartment - when the beds in a small sauna are placed one above the other;
• complex bath shelves - with a retractable lower shelf or a folding upper shelf;
• in the shape of the letter “L”, when the bath seats are placed on two adjacent walls;
• Stepped shelves for spacious steam rooms have two or three steps, on which several steam lovers can comfortably sit.

Tree species used for making stands, bath chairs, backrests

Wood plays an important role in the interior and design of the bathhouse. Various varieties Trees behave completely differently at high temperatures and high humidity. Therefore, you should carefully choose the material for making shelves.

WoodPhotoDescription

Pine and spruce		Pine and spruce can be used to construct bath loungers, provided that the pre-dried boards are of excellent quality. In Finland itself, saunas are made from these types of trees; resin secretions do not appear at high temperatures if the board is well dried and treated. Pine and spruce give a special coniferous aroma, which has a beneficial effect on the general condition of a person. Enough high price for other types of wood makes many steam lovers prefer wall coverings made from inexpensive pine - clapboards, bath shelves, and backrests. IMPORTANT: the only condition is the absence of knots or cracks on the surface of the boards, good quality of drying of the material, carefully processed surface of the planks.
	Aspen - used for making bath shelves, as it does not release resin when heated. It has special fame among the people as a tree that successfully resists evil spirits and bad energy. The high cost of the material does not allow the production and widespread use of aspen bath seats, beds, and backrests.
	Linden is an excellent material for making bath loungers. The structure of the wood is dense, has sufficient hardness, and low thermal conductivity. Linden lends itself well to technical processing; the design details of shelves and backs made from it are very durable.
Abash (Abachi)		Abash is the most expensive and beautiful material for making bath loungers. African oak is not afraid of high sauna temperatures. Loungers made from it do not burn the human body, since the material has low thermal conductivity and heats up very slowly. Successful advertising campaign made abash the most purchased wood for making bath shelves and saunas in the homes of wealthy nouveau riche.

Stages of manufacturing a bath shelf

You can make bath shelves yourself if you follow a simple sequence of installing beams and boards, carefully process the material, and securely fasten the structural parts together.

IMPORTANT: the top boards of the couch must be attached to the supporting beams using oak wedges driven into pre-drilled holes in the parts. The use of metal nails or screws to assemble the deck chair is unacceptable. Hot steel caps can cause serious burns to the surface of the body.

1. Installation of racks

The racks on which the bath lounger is located must ensure the stability and strength of the entire structure. Typically, for the manufacture of the top row of beds, 4 to 6 racks are used, 1.05-1.15 m long, with a cross-section of 50x100 mm or 100x100 mm each, depending on the length of the shelf.

Frame of bath shelves (one of the options)

The racks are connected to each other along the perimeter by rectangular bars 50X100 mm, onto which the load-bearing bars and boards of the bench are subsequently attached. The racks are attached to the wall with long (20 cm) dowel screws.

The timber for the upper seat posts can be used unpolished, without cracks or chips. A gap of 0.1 m is made between the wall and the adjacent rack - inserting pieces of thick boards for better circulation of hot air and improved ventilation of the shelf.

2. Assembling the supporting structure of the shelf

The supporting structure of the upper shelf must withstand the weight of the planks of the couch plus the mass of the people on top, so it is better to use a supporting beam with a cross-section of 50x100 mm or 50x120 mm.

The top row of supporting beams with a cross-section of 50x50 mm is attached across the length of the upper plane of the shelf every 0.5-0.6 m, depending on the thickness of the upper boards. The thinner the board, the more often the supporting bars should be located so that the boards do not sag under the weight of people sitting on them.

IMPORTANT: the bars must be attached with a slight slope (1-2°) from the wall towards the steam room, for better drainage of moisture from the wooden surface of the bath lounger.

The width of the top shelf is ideally made 0.9 meters for the convenience of steamers, but the size can be reduced to 0.6 m.

Fastening can be done either using nails or self-tapping screws.

3. Arrangement of the upper bed

Smoothly planed and polished boards of the bench, from 3 cm to 6 cm thick and from 0.1 m to 0.24 m wide each, are laid on the supporting bars at intervals of 1-2 cm, ensuring the free passage of hot air.

The boards must be fastened to the supporting structure using wooden (oak) wedges in pre-drilled holes.

Boards arranged along the length of the bed look more aesthetically pleasing, but you can attach the boards of the top row across the bed. In this case, material is saved, since there is no need to pierce the load-bearing bars.

IMPORTANT: do not fasten the boards of the bench with nails or screws, leaving the caps on the surface of the benches. Only by recessing the metal parts of the fasteners 5-10 mm deep into the board can the steamer be protected from possible burns.

4. Arrangement of the lower shelf

When the height of the upper bath seat is 1.1 meters above the floor surface, for the convenience of the bath attendant working with a broom, the lower bench is lowered by 0.7 m.

The bottom shelf should be made at a distance of at least 0.3 meters from the floor - if it is used not only as a step for the bath attendant, but also as a full-fledged bath bench.

Most often in a Russian bath, the bottom step is made in the form of an attached bench on legs, which is removed while the steam room is being cleaned. But the installation of a fixed lower shelf is quite acceptable.

To do this, it is necessary to attach four load-bearing wooden beams with a cross-section of 50x100 mm to the posts of the upper bench at a height of 0.4 m from the floor surface, making a kind of rectangle out of them - the frame of the lower bench. This is done so that one part of the load-bearing rectangle protrudes beyond the surface of the upper shelf to a length of 0.4-0.6 m.

The supporting frame of the lower step can be attached to the main posts with 12 cm long nails or self-tapping screws. In the corner and in the middle of the frame of the lower bench, four racks with a cross section of 50x100 mm or 100x100 mm resting on the floor are fastened with self-tapping screws or nails.

Every 0.5 m, load-bearing bars with a cross section of 50x50 mm are packed. The boards of the lower shelf are attached to them using wooden wedges driven into pre-drilled holes.

IMPORTANT: the surface of the benches is carefully sanded. The boards should not have sharp corners, chips or cracks.

The boards should not be too wide; the optimal ratio of width to thickness is four. The fifty board should ideally be 0.2 meters wide.

Video - Assembling a bath shelf with your own hands

After completing the construction of the bath beds, they need to be impregnated with a protective solution, since negative impact water, air humidity, and high temperature destroy the structure of wood quite quickly.

To protect wooden surfaces in the steam room, you must use environmentally friendly products, otherwise you risk your health. Wooden beds of Finnish saunas have long been impregnated with ordinary linseed oil, which perfectly protects against mold and mildew. The shelves of Russian baths were impregnated with a wax solution, which included purified turpentine and beeswax.

Ideally, you should apply the wax solution or linseed oil in two layers. Drying time for one layer is about 8 hours.

Bath loungers do not require preliminary preparation or processing, provided that the boards have been previously sanded with high quality. After application protective impregnation All wooden surfaces acquire water-repellent properties and a characteristic matte shine.

Proper installation of the heater, rational use of steam room space, cozy design of the relaxation room and careful assembly of steam room beds will bring health, joy and satisfaction from bath procedures.

Video - The process of making a bath shelf

Video - DIY steam room shelves

Video - Sauna with sliding shelves

Do-it-yourself bath shelves drawings

What does a person who enters a steam room see, besides beautiful finishes, competently installed by an attentive and economical bathhouse owner? First of all, his attention is drawn to the stove, which is the “heart” of any steam room, as well as shelves on which you can sit comfortably (or not so comfortably, if something is done incorrectly) during the bath procedures. It is the last item of the above list that will be discussed further.

For an ignorant person, shelves in a bathhouse are an elementary structure consisting of 1-3 wooden benches. In practice, everything is much more serious and interesting. Did you know that different materials can be used to make shelves? At the same time, the configuration and dimensions of structures may also vary. You are invited to familiarize yourself with all the mentioned nuances, as well as instructions for making bath shelves yourself, while studying the information below.

First of all, you need to pay maximum attention to the choice of material for making bath shelves. In the process of determining the optimal option, it is necessary to take into account the extreme temperature and humidity conditions in which it will be used. Traditionally, shelves are made of wood - the use of any kind of synthetic materials should be completely excluded.

It is also important to understand the fact that not every type of wood is equally well suited for the manufacture of the elements of bath furniture in question. You can only use materials that fully comply with the following requirements:

• have low thermal conductivity;
• do not contain resins or include them in minimal quantities;
• characterized by high fiber density;
• They normally tolerate operation in conditions of high humidity and temperature changes.

For a long time in Rus', bath shelves were made of aspen and linden wood, sometimes poplar and birch were used for this. Relatively recently, the list of suitable materials was replenished with a guest from distant Africa - abashi wood. The listed materials fully comply with the above-mentioned requirements for wood suitable for the manufacture of bath shelves. Moreover, each of them has both a set of strengths and its own weaknesses.

Important! Making shelves out of wood coniferous species it is impossible - the resin released during heating is unlikely to provide pleasant sensations to bathhouse visitors.

You can find information about the most commonly used materials for making bath shelves today in the following table.

Table. Materials for making shelves in a bathhouse

MaterialDescription

	Almost perfect material: - there are practically no knots; - processing is easy and fast; - the material heats up slowly and dries quickly; - wood does not crack; - there are no unsightly traces of sweat left on the finishing surface; - during heating, the wood emits a pleasant light odor; - the material has been famous for its healing properties since ancient times; - Linden is relatively inexpensive. Many advantages and only one drawback - fairly rapid darkening in the temperature and humidity conditions of a steam room - make linden wood an excellent material for making bath shelves.
	Aspen is the most budget-friendly representative of the category of materials, the properties of which allow them to be used in the temperature and humidity conditions of a steam room. In addition, aspen is famous for its fairly serious durability, insignificant inclusion of knots, as well as amazing property absorb all negative energy, “cleansing” a person and improving his well-being. There are no complaints about the appearance of aspen - the material is quite attractive. Along with this, under the beautiful “cover” there can be hidden a huge nuisance characteristic of aspen - the material is prone to rotting from the inside. If you decide to make bath shelves from aspen, if possible, be sure to cut at least a couple of boards from the batch in order to check the material for the presence of the mentioned flaw.
	The abashi tree grows in hot and humid climates. The origin of the material allows it to “feel” ideally in the conditions typical of a steam room. Abashi withstands operation in the temperature and humidity conditions of the bathhouse, maintaining its original characteristics and appearance for the longest possible time. At the same time, the external properties of abasha are excellent - the material is presented in a wide variety of shades, from yellowish to pleasant cream. The only subjective disadvantage of this wood is its high cost when compared with the options discussed above.

In addition to directly choosing the material for making bath shelves, it is also necessary to select the optimal composition that will ensure the longest service life of the wood, reducing the intensity of the harmful effects of high humidity and extreme temperature changes on it.

The conditions characteristic of a bathhouse make it impossible to use the usual drying oils and oil paints as protective compositions - such materials, firstly, will not be able to ensure the safety of wood in the steam room, and secondly, when heated, they will release substances and compounds harmful to human health.

The best option is to use special impregnations for oil based. After using these, the surface of the wood is covered with a kind of protective film, resistant to high temperatures and excess humidity and harmless to humans.

Video - Protecting wood in the sauna

Bath shelf design

According to the principle of use, the bath shelf is an ordinary bench, a wide comfortable seat, assembled and installed in the steam room in compliance with the provisions of the appropriate technology.

The main structural elements of bath shelves are, firstly, the frame, and secondly, the flooring.

The frame functions as a kind of support, a base to which fixed flooring boards are attached or a dismountable flooring system is constructed. To make the frame, a wooden beam is used, the cross-section of which is selected individually, taking into account the characteristics of the system being equipped and the expected magnitude of the loads (the most commonly used material is 5x5 cm in size).

The support posts are installed in a vertical position and fastened with transverse jumpers - this is the most popular method. There is also a method for arranging a frame like a stair stringer. And an even more rarely used option for arranging bath shelves is their installation in accordance with Finnish technology, when choosing which the frame is fixed without supports, and the seats and loungers look like shelves attached to the wall, similar to those found in train cars.

Scheme existing structures frames for bath shelves are presented in the following images.

For the construction of flooring, boards from aspen or linden are usually used; if there is a sufficient budget and desire, from abashi. The boards are stuffed with 10-20 mm gaps.

Important! The flooring elements must be carefully polished, at least on the front side and ends, so that visitors to the bathhouse do not get hurt or get splinters.

There are 2 main options for flooring:

• stationary, in which the boards are attached to the frame with nails/screws or other suitable fasteners;
• removable - the boards are assembled into separate elements, laid on top of the frame without ensuring permanent fastening to it.

The main advantage of the second option comes down to the possibility of taking the flooring out of the bathhouse and ventilating it outside the room.

If preference is given to stationary flooring, the fastening of the elements must be carried out in compliance with the important requirements listed below:

• It is preferable to fix the boards using wooden nails or pins. If self-tapping screws are used, they must either be installed on the inside of the flooring or buried 1-2 mm into the material;
• boards are fastened with gaps of 10 mm or more to ensure effective air circulation inside the structure and eliminate the likelihood of its destruction due to rotting and other problems that arise in unventilated places with high humidity;
  
  

  
  

• the thickness of the boards is selected in accordance with their width: optimally, when the first indicator is 4 times less than the second;
• all surfaces of the boards that a bathhouse visitor may come into contact with are carefully sanded, and sharp edges and corners are rounded;

  
  

  The corners of the material for making shelves are chamfered or rounded

• boards for sitting/lying can be placed longitudinally and transversely in relation to the adjacent wall, backrests - longitudinally.
  
  

Shelf sizes and shapes

In the process of designing shelves for a bath, it is necessary to adhere to established standards and correctly observe key linear parameters. The values ​​recommended below will allow you to get the most comfortable shelves to use, organically fitting into the space of even a small steam room.

In terms of shelf width, the most popular variations are:

• 40 cm is a fairly narrow seat, the use of which would be appropriate in a small steam room. If there is sufficient space, it is recommended to give preference to more impressive values;
• 60 cm – medium-sized shelf;
• 90 cm is a standard and very convenient option. You can sit comfortably on such a shelf with your legs bent;
• 150 cm is a wide shelf that allows you not only to sit, but also to lie with your legs bent.

If there is sufficient space in the steam room, the size of the shelves can be increased at your discretion.

More detailed information regarding the dimensions of the components of the bath shelves is discussed in the following image.

Regarding the installation height of the elements, the recommendations are as follows:

• 1.1-1.2 m - professionals advise trying to maintain this distance between the bottom step and the second shelf;
• 40-60 cm is the optimal gap between the 1st and 2nd shelves;
• 20 cm - this distance between the floor surface and the bottom step is the minimum acceptable;
• 1.5-1.8 m is the minimum recommended shelf length.

The following image schematically shows the recommended shelf sizes and spacing. different surfaces and elements.

Additionally, bath shelves are classified according to their design features. There are 3 main options, each of which you can find in the following table.

Table. Bathroom shelf configuration options

Type of shelves for a bath Description

	It occurs more often than others. With this design, the shelves are mounted on one wall and arranged in steps. In this case, it will be the “coldest” on the bottom shelf, and the hottest on the top - heated air masses, as is known, are displaced by cold air and rush upward.
	The best option to save money and make the most efficient use of available space. The shelves are arranged in such a way that the upper and lower ones are adjacent to one wall, and the intermediate part of the structure is arranged on an adjacent wall.
	Arranging shelves in this configuration allows you to save some space in the steam room. The principle is simple: when not needed, the upper tier rises to the wall, like a shelf in a train compartment, and if it becomes necessary to use it, it can just as easily be lowered back.

The simplest design is that straight shelves in several tiers (in the example under consideration there are 2 of them, you can make fewer or more, using the same guide as a basis) are installed along the wall. As an example, we took a steam room with a 3 m long wall - one of the most common options. If in your case the length of the wall along which the shelves are installed does not coincide with that indicated as an example, the differences from the instructions given will only be in the required amount of raw materials and frame posts.

In order for the constructed shelves to be as convenient as possible, a number of important requirements must be met during their construction.

Firstly, the seat of the lower tier should rise above the floor level by at least 0.6 m. With more modest indicators, spending time on such a shelf can hardly be called comfortable.

Secondly, the width of the shelves should not be less than 400 mm. If possible, it is better to focus on 600 mm as the minimum. In general, this moment is directly determined overall dimensions paired premises, available space and preferences of the owner.

Thirdly, between the seat of the upper tier and the ceiling of the bathhouse, you need to leave a gap of at least 1.1-1.2 m in height, otherwise the visitor to the steam room will rest his head against the ceiling, which is not particularly convenient.

To assemble shelves in a steam room of the mentioned sizes, you will need about 40 m of timber measuring 5x5 cm (more is possible), from which you will make a frame, and approximately the same number of boards for finishing cladding. The optimal dimensions of the boards are as follows: width - 120 mm, thickness - about 30-40 mm.

The process of constructing bath shelves consists of 2 key stages: installing the frame and arranging the flooring. The order of these events can be found in the following table.

Table. The procedure for arranging two-tier bath shelves

Work stageDescription

	In the example under consideration, a two-tier structure is being constructed. The work is performed in the following sequence: - the frame of the upper tier is made. To do this, 12 blanks 120 cm long are cut from the timber. You also need to make 6 blanks 60 cm long. By connecting the long vertical supports at the top with horizontal jumpers, we get U-shaped racks in the amount of 6 pieces. Their height will be 1.2 m; - we fix the resulting racks on the wall surface in increments of 60 cm. Wood screws are well suited for fastening, but it is better to fix them through wooden plugs - the presence of such will eliminate the possibility of moisture accumulation between the racks and the wall of the bathhouse. If this rule is not followed, the wood will rot very quickly and the shelves will become unusable; - to make the structure more reliable and rigid, we fasten the far free corners of the frame with a long beam. In the example under consideration, the wall has a length of 300 cm, we take the corresponding beam. To fasten wooden elements we use self-tapping screws or other suitable fasteners; - let's start making the frame of the lower bath shelf. To do this, we take a beam and cut it into 6 elements 60 cm long (they will take on the functions of vertical supports) and a similar number of blanks 120 cm long (they will be used as horizontal crossbars). We fasten the prepared blanks into elements in the shape of the letter L, following the above recommendations. Vertical posts should rest against the floor of the steam room. For greater stability, we also fasten the far free corners of the lower tier of the frame with a 3-meter beam. As a result, we received a frame for shelves 3 m long and 60 cm wide.
	Recommendations regarding the selection of the optimal material for cladding were given earlier. Having chosen the ideal wood for us, we proceed to covering the frame. To do this, we prepare the required number of cladding elements slightly less than 3 m long (about 20-30 mm should be left for the air gap between the walls of the bathhouse and the cladding of the frame). We alternately sheathe both the horizontal surfaces of the frame and the spaces between the shelves. For fastening, it is recommended to use wooden pins, for example, made from oak wood. The disadvantage of fastening with self-tapping screws/nails is that in the sauna conditions the metal will heat up quite strongly, and this can lead to burns for visitors to the steam room. If the use of metal fasteners is the only possible option, their heads should be recessed into the wood by 2-3 mm, and the resulting recesses should be masked using wooden plugs. It is also recommended to leave gaps between the flooring boards - centimeter gaps will be enough.

Video - Simple do-it-yourself bath shelves

Corner shelves for a bath are constructed in a similar sequence. In fact, when constructing a corner structure, the shelves are simply mounted against two adjacent walls and neatly joined in the corners. To ensure greater reliability and rigidity of the structure, an additional corner support post should be installed.

The main feature of the “Finnish” shelves, as noted, is the absence of vertical support posts. The manufacturing technology of the structure comes down to assembling the frame of the seat/lounger with its subsequent placement on support frames, previously attached to the walls of the steam room, and covering.

Recommendations regarding the fasteners used and the required gaps remain similar to the previous instructions: where possible - wooden pins, where not - self-tapping screws with deepening the head into the wood and installing decorative plugs, gaps - 20-30 mm between the ends of the shelves and the walls, 10 mm - between elements flooring

To make supporting frames, it is recommended to use a wooden beam of increased cross-section, for example, 10x10 cm. You will need little material (the length of the frame is determined in accordance with the planned width of the shelf), so you will not incur significant costs for its purchase. The frame can be made from 5x5 cm bars (preferably 10x5 cm) or boards with similar parameters.

Let's get to work.

First step. We measure the length of the wall along which the shelves will be mounted. This will allow us to determine the required length of the frame. Do not forget to subtract 20-30 mm from the obtained value to ensure a gap between the shelves and walls (a more optimal option is to ensure this gap by laying a smaller amount of sheathing, as in the previous instructions).

We have already determined the length of the product. We select the width ourselves, taking into account the size of the steam room and personal preferences. The width directly determines how much space will be available to a bathhouse visitor for sitting/lying. At the corners we fasten the frame with metal corners and tighten with bolts/screws. It is better to do this from inside the structure. We also install intermediate transverse slats from the same timber. The recommended spacing of the crossbars is 50-60 cm.

After assembly, we make sure that the frame fits into the available space.

Second step. We fix support frames on the wall with a length corresponding to the width of the shelves being installed. Our task comes down to securing 2 wooden blocks at the same height. We make sure that the frames are fixed evenly using a building level.

To fasten the supports we use screws/self-tapping screws. We fasten at 2-3 points. The last point depends on the size of the frame - the longer it is, the more fasteners there should be. The recommended spacing of fixing elements is no more than 40 cm.

We fix the lower beds with a protrusion in relation to the upper ones. The length of the protrusion should correspond to the planned width of the bottom shelf.

To provide the necessary ventilation gaps, we place thin plywood strips on the outside of the frames.

Third step. At this stage, our task comes down to laying the assembled frames on the supporting frames. To ensure greater reliability and rigidity of the structure, we additionally attach the frames to the wall using screws/screws.

Fourth step. We are installing the flooring. The boards can be fastened both longitudinally and perpendicularly to the structure frames. Recommendations regarding the fasteners used and the spacing between boards have been given previously.

In the example under consideration, the master cuts into elements required sizes already finished flooring. If you wish, you can buy the same one - this moment is entirely at your discretion.

We also sew up the space between the lower and upper shelves.

Fifth step. We mount the backrest above the top shelf. To do this, we can use either a ready-made corresponding product, or we can build the backrest ourselves by nailing vertical slats up to 1-2 cm thick to the wall in increments of 40-50 cm, and then fixing the boards on them.

The shelves are ready.

Video – Finnish bath shelves

Helpful advice! Using the same technology as a basis, you can make a compartment shelf. The only difference is that the upper shelf in this case is not placed on a stationary frame, but is mounted using a folding bracket that can withstand the upcoming loads.

Now you know what bath shelves can be and how to assemble these products on our own. Choose the option you like and start doing the work, following the provisions of the corresponding instructions.

Video - Do-it-yourself bath shelves drawings

How to make shelves for a bath

If you love saunas and have a summer house, then you should already be thinking about stopping depending on private steam rooms and building your own. If you wish, you can do this project yourself. Moreover, from a technical point of view, construction is not particularly difficult.

The shelf plays a special role in the bathhouse. Your comfortable time in the steam room depends on how correctly you do it. The structure itself consists of: logs and frame. Special meaning has a ratio of elements. How comfortable it will be to sit or lie on the shelf depends on the correct selection of sizes.

What should the shelf be like?

Usually a two-tier shelf is made in the bathhouse. You can sit on the first tier, and the second is great for lying down. This is where some of the complexity lies. The top floor should be wide enough to lie on.

It is very important to choose the correct thickness of the logs for the bathhouse shelf. The fact is that if you buy logs that are too thin, they will sag under your own weight. But on the other hand, the thicker the product, the higher its cost.

Fortunately, there is a more than worthy way out of this situation. It is necessary to make the holes in the frame small. This will allow you to choose thinner and cheaper boards, but at the same time the shelves for the bathhouse will have sufficient strength.

Regarding the size of the shelf for a bathhouse, opinions vary quite a lot, but if we take into account the canon, then the total height of the structure should be 70 centimeters. In this case, the first tier needs to be made 40 cm high, and the second 30.

The distance between the lags of a bathhouse shelf should not be too large, but if it is not done at all, this can lead to a deterioration in the performance of the structure.

If you wish, you can not buy logs, but make them yourself. But for this you need to have at least basic carpentry skills. You will also need tools and drawings.

Of particular importance when designing a shelf for a bathhouse is the number of people who will be steaming here. In this case, you need to take into account the size of the room. After all, if you make the shelves too large, it will be inconvenient to move inside.

Attention! The parameters of the shelf depend on the size of the room.

It is better not to place shelves for a bath near a window. The fact is that high temperatures can cause the glass to burst and this will lead to injury to people inside.

It is best to make shelves for a bath along a blank wall. At the same time, the interior of the room itself can be quite diverse. If the room is quite large, then you can place benches on several sides. This will allow you to make the most of the available space.

Making shelves with your own hands

Selecting a tree

Selecting the right wood for the shelf is the basis on which your comfortable time in the bath will be based. The most commonly used varieties are:

In principle, each of the types of wood described above are suitable for a bath shelf. All of them have suitable thermal conductivity and high moisture resistance, although each variety has its own disadvantages.

Preparation

Before you make a bathhouse shelf with your own hands, you need to make sure that you have everything you need to create it, namely:

• level;
• roulette;
• square;
• electric drill;
• a hacksaw with teeth designed for wood;
• screwdriver;
• set of drills;
• Screwdriver Set;
• mallet;
• pencil with ruler;
• self-tapping screws;
• hammer;
• abrasive sandpaper for several types of processing.

Having collected this entire set of tools, you can make shelves with your own hands. But you need to take into account that there are many projects. From all of them, you need to choose the one that is best suited for your room.

General algorithm

Some builders use nails to make shelves for a bathhouse, but such a solution is not considered the best, since it does not guarantee the strength of the structure. Therefore we will use wood screws.

Attention! Shelves connected by nails are almost impossible to disassemble without damage.

It is best to fasten the shelf boards from the inside. This approach will allow you to hide the screws inside the wood. As a result, the risk of getting burned when bare skin comes into contact with metal disappears.

But to attach the shelf boards, precise calculations are required. Fortunately, there is another way to furnish the interior of a bathhouse. Enough to do blind hole for the hat. Then you need to prepare a wooden dowel. With its help you can cover the metal.

The pin must be carefully processed so that the shelf in the bathhouse has a uniform surface. For this you will need abrasive sandpaper. After all the work is completed, you will receive a perfectly flat surface.

When creating a shelf for a bathhouse, special attention should be paid to the order of actions; it consists of the following steps:

1. To make shelves, apply markings for the rear pillars.
2. Attach the studs to the wall. To fix the lower ends, use rubber gaskets.
3. Mount top beams and secure them to the posts.
4. The upper side beams need to be slightly fixed.
5. Side beams must be mounted to the front outer pillars. This will make the shelves more convenient.
6. Install support beams at the front.
7. Assemble the top frame.
8. Take measurements and set right angles. Use self-tapping screws.
9. By analogy with the upper frame, make the lower one. Consider the shelves ready.

Before final assembly For the entire structure of the bath shelf, place all the elements together to check how the dimensions are maintained. Only after this fasten the jumpers and secure the structure with bolts.

Bath shelf projects

Two tiers

Two tiers in a shelf are an ideal option for a small bathhouse. A design with three tiers may only be suitable for a large room. You also need high ceilings, which is an unnecessary financial investment.

To make a two-tier shelf with your own hands for a bathhouse you need at least four meters. In this case, the height can be at the level of 2.3 m. This is the ideal ratio at which the benches will fit perfectly into the interior.

Attention! Small baths are good because they heat up quickly.

When creating a shelf for a bathhouse, you need to take into account that the lower bench is the initial level, at which the temperature is much lower. The higher you go, the harder it will be to breathe.

To create a bottom shelf for a bathhouse, you need to make initial calculations. The ideal height is 30 centimeters, but it can be increased to 35 if it is more convenient for you.

Calculating a shelf for a bathhouse begins with you measuring the height from floor to ceiling. It is very important that there is at least 1.2 meters from the top shelf to the ceiling. This distance is more than enough to make the bathhouse comfortable.

Attention! The maximum permissible distance between shelves is 50 centimeters.

Three tiers

The three-tier design of a bath shelf is considered more complex and will not be appropriate everywhere. But if you have enough free space and you expect that many people will use the bathhouse, then it is better to do this option.

You should also take into account that a three-tier shelf design requires more materials, which means high costs to your building. For example, the first bench cannot be more than 25 centimeters.

The second shelf is installed at a height of exactly 55 centimeters from the floor. This is the optimal proportion, tested by time. The third shelf needs to be raised by 95 cm. As a result, you will get a convenient shelf for the bath, which will be extremely spacious.

Attention! The width of each shelf cannot be less than sixty centimeters.

If your room is small, but you still want to install shelves for a bath on three levels, then the top shelf can be made folding. Such a move will save space and add functionality to the bathhouse.

Results

A sauna is an opportunity to get rid of toxins from the body and feel refreshed after a busy week. The shelves play a special role in it. The overall comfort depends on how well you do it. Particular attention should be paid to wood selection and design.

If you built a bathhouse on your own, then you definitely won’t trust its holy of holies - the steam room - to outside craftsmen. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the popular design options for its main element - the shelf, as well as methods for its construction. At first glance, the shelves in the bathhouse are a simple wooden structure with simple flooring. But to make a convenient and reliable shelf that will bring only joy to visitors, you will have to take into account a lot of nuances.

Choosing material for bath shelves

All structures in the steam room are subject to extreme conditions - high temperature and humidity, so the flooring is made only from wood, and from certain types with low thermal conductivity and high fiber density. The cover should not burn the body, so the boards are made of coniferous trees do not do.
The following types of wood are suitable for making shelves in a Russian bath:

• . Heats up slowly and dries quickly. The wood has no knots, it is easy to process, does not crack or rot. When heated, a pleasant amber appears. There are no traces of sweat on the surface. Has healing properties. The only drawback is that it gets dark quickly in the steam room.
• . The most popular material among bathhouse attendants due to its low cost. In folk medicine, it is considered a material that absorbs negative human energy, a healer of mental adversity. Disadvantages include the ability to rot from the inside; it is difficult to externally identify defective boards.
• Abash. A tree from Africa, accustomed to high temperatures and moisture. Heats up slowly, does not lose color in extreme conditions. The wood is knot-free and easy to process. The only drawback is the high cost of the blanks.

Less commonly, shelves are made of maple, alder, and poplar.

Design options for shelves in the bathhouse

To decide on the design, look at the finished structures from your neighbors and friends or ask them to take a photo of the shelves in the bathhouse. Three shelf options are popular in steam rooms:

• . Installed in a large steam room for large companies. The flooring is placed along one wall in two or three steps. The top one is the hottest.
• L-shaped shelves. Designed for medium-sized steam rooms. The lower and middle shelves are located on one wall, the middle one on the adjacent one. This design visually increases the volume of the room.
• Shelves. Suitable for small buildings. The floorings are placed one above the other. The top shelf can be folded up and secured in this position.

If there is a choice, the shelves are placed along the longest wall. Decks are not installed on walls with windows. If glass comes into contact with hot glass, it may crack and the glass shards may injure visitors.



The dimensions of the decking are selected based on the following considerations:

• To lie on a shelf with your legs bent, you need 1.5 m.
• 1.8 m is the average size for a lying position, but everything is decided by the height of the owner of the bathhouse. If there is space, the size can be increased to 220 cm.
• The width of the bottom shelf is 0.4 m. The size is sufficient for the bathhouse attendant to stand on it and wave a broom, as well as to sit and cool off.
• For small steam rooms, instead of a rectangular bottom shelf, a step in the form of a right triangle is made. One leg of the triangle is placed along one wall, and the second along the shelf.
• For seated shelves, a common width is 0.6 m; you can lie on them, but not comfortably.
• The reclining seats are made 0.9 m wide, the size allows you to sit across the step with your legs tucked. If the size of the steam room is not limited by anything, the shelves can be made double, then you get floors.
• The dimensions of the shelf in the bathhouse and their number are selected based on the recommended size of 1.1-1.2 meters between the ceiling and the top flooring. With this size, it is convenient for the bathhouse attendant to swing a broom, and the visitor can not only lie down, but also sit comfortably.
• The height of the first step (distance from the floor) is at least 20 cm.
• The height of the steps is 40-60 cm. The range allows you to provide the required number of steps of convenient sizes.
• Another guideline when choosing the size of the distance between steps is that the surface of the flooring with a recumbent visitor should be at the level of the thumb bone of the standing bath attendant’s lowered hand. On average, the height of the shelf is 70-80 cm. This is a comfortable height for the bathhouse attendant, at which he does not have to climb or bend over during the procedure.

Methods for attaching shelves in a bathhouse

The ideal option for connecting structural elements is the use of oak wedges, which are installed in pre-made holes. Metal fasteners reduce the strength of the structure over time, and in a hot room you can get burned on metal. If the elements are connected with metal fasteners, use these tips:

• Self-tapping screws are preferable to nails.
• Recess the fastener heads into the wood by 5-6 mm.
• If possible, install fasteners from the underside of the shelf.

Bath shelf assembly technology

The shelf has a frame structure and is assembled in the following sequence:

1. Make a sketch or drawing of a bath shelf with dimensions, taking into account the previous recommendations.
2. Cut structural elements from blanks.
3. Carefully sand the boards and beams and round off sharp corners.
4. Place the beams vertically and fasten them together with thick boards. Install rubber pads under the vertical beams for waterproofing. The distance between the beams is no more than 60 cm. The frame can be fixed to the wall or left unfastened in order to remove the structure from the room for drying.
5. Fix thin ones between the beams cross beams, on which the flooring boards rest.
6. Attach boards to the frame to form the deck. Leave gaps of 1-2 cm between the boards, and secure the flooring itself with a slight slope for free flow of water. The boards are chosen thin (within 20 mm), the proportion of thickness and width is 1:4, in this case the boards dry out quickly.
7. The flooring boards can be left unattached and removed to dry after using the steam room.
8. Leave 10 cm gaps between the boards of 2 and 3 tiers and the wall.
9. Seal the space between the levels with wooden slats with 2 cm gaps between them. This space is often sewn up to reduce the volume of the heated space when steam is let in, but the boards will take longer to dry. The choice is up to the owner, but you can seek advice from experienced bathhouse attendants who will tell you how to make shelves in the bathhouse - whether sewn or not.

For comfortable lying, you can make a simple design that allows you to comfortably keep your legs on the shelves above your head. To do this, make wooden product from two boards, knocked down at an angle of 30-45 degrees. The same stand can be installed under the head.

Protecting shelves from moisture in the bath

Impregnate the wood with an antiseptic to protect against rot and pests. Use only natural substances specifically designed for bath areas. They do not smell when heated and do not emit harmful fumes.
An economical option is to buy flaxseed oil and cover the shelves in the bathhouse with your own hands. Apply the oil with a brush and rub in. Before impregnation, warm up the steam room well; at high temperatures, the oil polymerizes. Synthetic antiseptics at high temperatures and humidity release toxic substances that have a strong odor and cause an allergic reaction. You also cannot use the usual drying oil and varnish.
An overview of the manufacture of shelves in a bathhouse is shown in the video:

In a steam room, the level of comfort is largely determined by the characteristics of the shelves - their height, location, type of wood, design. Therefore, exercise caution when choosing materials, diligence when doing the work, and your shelves will last for many years without replacement. Author: editors of TutKnow.ru

Special standards for the construction of bath shelves are dictated by the specifics of the use of furniture that, at the glance of an uninitiated person, is simple. Those who want to build shelves for a bathhouse with their own hands need to understand that they are built according to a strict set of rules that ensure long service life and comfort of use. Let's find out what needs to be taken into account and how to act in order to properly arrange your favorite steam room.

Standard design of steam room shelves

It’s not for nothing that a bath shelf is often simply called a bench. Yes, these are shops different heights, arranged according to a special pattern. Their design includes two main elements:

• A frame that serves as the basis for attaching planks to a stationary deck or as a support for a dismountable deck system. Most often, the frame is constructed from support posts, reminiscent of bench legs, and connected by transverse jumper boards. Less commonly, the frame is made according to the principle of a stair stringer, to which the steps of the bath shelves are mounted. Using technology borrowed from Finnish dry steam lovers, the frame is sometimes built without supports in the form of a railway shelf attached to the walls of the steam room.
• The flooring is made of linden or aspen boards, carefully sanded with gaps of 1.0-2.0 cm. As already mentioned, it is either attached to the frame or individual components are knocked together, like floor ladders. It is more convenient to remove and ventilate loose flooring outside the walls of the steam room. It serves as a seat, a bed, and a podium for the tireless bathhouse attendant, who treats the mortal bodies of his clients with a fragrant broom. According to the principle of constructing the flooring, they also knock together: seat backs, sides of shelves, special “bath pillows” and devices for taking a relaxed “lying” pose with the legs positioned at head level or higher.

Since the steam room is usually small in size, since a small room is easier, more economical and quicker to bring to the required condition, the furniture for its arrangement has an extremely simple rectangular geometry in plan, profile and frontal view. The imagination of craftsmen usually justifiably draws the semblance of a staircase with two or three large steps. True, these steps may resemble sun loungers or corner sofas with a rounded shape. But such delights are indulged mainly by the owners of bathhouses with large steam rooms, who do not mind taking up space with their personal quirks.

Advice. If the area of ​​the steam room does not allow you to build a rectangular bottom shelf, it can be made triangular. That is, in plan it will be a right triangle, one of the legs of which is loosely adjacent to the wall, the second to the shelf adjacent to it.

Why are the bath shelves multi-stage?

According to the laws of physics familiar from school, steam and heated air tend to rush upward. Having given off the healing hot power and cooled under the ceiling, the air flow is partially expelled by the steam room ventilation system, and partially returns down, reflected from the upper ceiling special system ceiling. That’s why it’s much hotter at the top than at the bottom of the sauna “pyramid.”

Multi-stage functionality allows users to independently choose the optimal steaming mode for them with the appropriate temperature background. Craftsmen who decide to build shelves in a bathhouse with their own hands will have to adhere to the traditional “staircase” configuration in order to ensure the opportunity to both enjoy the most intense steam and a gentle microclimate.

In Russian steam rooms, two regiments were most often arranged. But no one forbids making three, as long as there is enough space to install them. In the sense that there is space left for the movement of people receiving bath procedures without traumatic consequences.

Preliminary planning and calculations

Calculations and elementary design – prerequisites successful result. Draw a preliminary small plan of the room, put down dimensions, mark the location of equipment, window and door openings.

Attention. Shelves in the steam room are not installed along walls with glazed windows. Hot steam attacks can cause glass to crack, and glass fragments can injure people.

Scheme and principles of placement of regiments

Therefore, the owners of steam rooms with windows who decided to do self-production convenient shelves for a bath, the choice is limited. They will be able to draw a plan for a future multi-stage structure only along walls without windows and without glazed ventilation vents. Otherwise, the placement schemes are the same for everyone. Shelves can be arranged:

• a single linear object along one wall in one, two or three rows;
• G-shaped design with numerous variations in the number of steps. Two or three along each wall, or the upper and lower benches along the long wall, and the middle one along the adjacent short one, etc.;
• two parallel structures, symmetrical or asymmetrical, installed at opposite walls of the steam room, as in a railway compartment. Or how in the same compartment there are two equal tiers of shelves.

Draw out several options from which you can choose the best. Just for proper planning and calculation of costs for the purchase of lumber, you will also need exact dimensions multi-stage or single-stage shelves for a bath.

Dimensions of bath seats or beds

To begin with, we list the traditional sizes of places for receiving bath procedures in a lying and sitting position:

• 1.5 m of length is needed in order to lie on a shelf with legs bent at the knees;
• 1.8 m in length will allow the average majority not to bend their legs when lying down. But according to this parameter, everything is purely individual, sometimes 2.00 m is not enough;
• 0.4 m is the minimum width of the shelf, most often the lower one, used primarily as a stand under the feet of a bathhouse attendant wielding a broom. It will be quite comfortable to stand on such a step, and you can also sit down to refresh yourself and cool down;
• 0.6 m is the most common size for the width of a sauna bench, although not very conducive to lying down;
• The 0.9 m width will allow you to sit across the shelf with your legs tucked in, and people with any physiological characteristics will be able to lie down.

Variations are acceptable, but bath attendants do not recommend doing less than the minimum limits.

Let's figure out the height of bath furniture

In terms of height, the principles of arranging shelves in a bathhouse are radically different from standard designs. All calculations begin with determining the height of the upper bench. In order to be able to sit on it and, when waving a broom, treat the back of a lying person, and not the bath floor, the plane of the upper shelf is located at a distance of 1.10 - 1.20 m from the ceiling. There is another reference point - the level of the steam door of the heating equipment. It is up to the owner to decide whether to adhere to it.

The height of the sauna benches varies from 0.4 m to 0.6 m. A “run-up” of 20 cm will allow you to slightly raise or lower the lines of the benches in the drawing so that the steam room has the required number of steps. The main thing is that the lower tier is at least 0.3 m above the floor surface.

Note. Most often, the lower component of a multi-stage structure is not attached to the floor, but is made in the form of a portable bench so that the floor underneath can be washed and dried. The very heavy lower stage is equipped with specific skids that move along rubber guides.

Rules for constructing shelves for a steam room

• There should be a ventilation gap of 10 cm between the walls of the steam room and the shelves. When the steps are permanently attached to the walls, this gap is ensured by installing pieces of timber. More precisely, first a beam cut into pieces is attached to the wall, then the frame elements are screwed to it with self-tapping screws with heads recessed into the array.
• The recommended dimensions of the timber for constructing the frame are 50 × 70 mm. The thickness of the board should be four times less than its width so that the wood can dry completely.
• The number of supports is determined by the thickness of the planks. If the thickness of the board is 22 cm, then there should be at least 0.6 m between the supports.
• To ensure stability, it is advisable to tie the frame supports with a board both at the top and bottom along the entire length.
• Rubber pads must be nailed to the bottom surface of the legs of all stationary steps and portable benches.
• Instead of self-tapping screws, it is recommended to use wooden pins, driven into holes drilled for them, or wooden nails as fasteners for flooring boards. If you can’t find anything other than self-tapping screws, it is better to fasten it from the back so that the metal parts do not burn users. Metal heats up much stronger and faster than wood. If there is no way out and you have to fasten it from the outside, be sure to bury the metal caps in a secret place.
• There should be a gap of at least 1 cm between the planks of all elements of the flooring of the bench seats.

Attention. When calculating the purchased material, do not forget about technological indents.

The sides of steam room shelves, made in accordance with Finnish sauna rules, are made with ventilation gaps by analogy with the technology for constructing the entire flooring. However, in Russian bathhouses the sides were sewn up tightly with boards to reduce the cubic meters of space heated by wasted steam. Of course, a steam room reduced by this method will heat up faster, but the wood of the floor and wall decoration hidden under the furniture will also dry out worse. The owner will choose what is more practical.

There are no special tricks in how to make a bathhouse bench or shelves for a bathhouse. The shop will be the same in Africa. The main thing is not to forget about the peculiarities of constructing a multi-stage bath structure and get down to business responsibly.

How to make shelves in a bathhouse correctly - instructions

At first glance, bath shelves do not represent anything complicated. However, there are special standards for their construction, which are dictated by the characteristics of their use. Therefore, in order for them to last as long as possible and be comfortable to use, it is necessary to strictly follow all the rules for their construction. Let's look at what shelf layouts exist, and also provide a step-by-step guide for building a canopy in a bathhouse with your own hands.

Design elements of bath shelves

The bath shelf has another name - a bench. The benches come in different heights and are arranged according to a certain pattern.

They consist of two main elements:

1. Frame, which is the base to which the flooring boards are attached. The flooring can be fixed or dismountable. The most common is a frame made of support posts that resemble bench legs, connected by wooden crosspieces. There is also another option, when the frame is made as a stair stringer, to which the steps of the shelves are attached. Sometimes the frame is built in the likeness of the frames in a sauna. In this case, there are no supports, and the frame looks like a railway shelf fixed to the walls of the steam room.
2. Flooring, made of stuffed linden or aspen well-polished planks. There should be a small distance of 1-2 cm between the planks. The flooring is either fixed to the frame or consists of separate elements. Loose flooring can be taken outside to dry. It can also be used as a seat, a couch or a podium for the bath attendant. In the same way as the flooring, the backs and sides of the shelves, headrests, and devices allowing you to lie down so that your legs are located at head level or higher are made.

As a rule, a steam room is small in size, since it is easier, faster and more economical to warm up a small room to desired temperature, so the shelves have a simple rectangular shape (read: “What are the optimal dimensions of a steam room”). Usually the shelves in a steam room look like a staircase with 2-3 degrees. Such steps can be similar to chaise lounges or corner sofas with a rounded shape. However, something like this can only be done in a large steam room.

If there is not enough space in the steam room to build a rectangular lower bench, it can be made in the shape of a right triangle. It is located as follows: one leg should fit loosely against the wall, and the other against the shelf adjacent to it.

The reason for the multi-stage shelves in the bathhouse

According to all known laws of physics, steam and hot air rise to the ceiling. After some time, the air flow at the top cools down. Some of it goes through the ventilation of the steam room, and some goes down to the floor. For this reason, it is much hotter at the top than at the base of the bath shelves.

Multi-stage operation allows a person to independently choose the best temperature regime for him. Therefore, in order to be able to steam both at the maximum temperature in the steam room and at a more gentle one, you should make shelves in the sauna with your own hands in the likeness of steps. In a Russian bathhouse, two shelves are most often built, but three can be made, but there must be enough space for them. This means that space should be left for people in the steam room to move without getting injured.

How to arrange shelves

To build a shelf in a bathhouse with your own hands, you will need drawings, and you should also make all the necessary calculations. A small plan of the room is drawn, dimensions are indicated, equipment installation locations, the location of windows and doors are noted.

It is very important to remember that you cannot place shelves near walls with glazed windows. Under the influence of hot steam, the glass may burst and fragments may fall on people. Therefore, in steam rooms with windows there are not many options for arranging shelves in the bathhouse. They can only be placed along walls where there are no windows or glazed ventilation vents.

There are several shelf layouts:

• Along one wall in 1-3 rows, placing shelves on top of each other.
• Design in the form of the letter G with various options for the number of degrees. For example, 2-3 along each wall, the top and bottom shelves along the long wall, and the middle one along the adjacent short one.
• Two parallel structures located along opposite walls, similar to a compartment in a train carriage. Structures can be either symmetrical or asymmetrical.

Before making shelves in the steam room on paper, you should draw several options and choose the most suitable one from them. In order to plan everything correctly and calculate the required amount of lumber, you need to know the exact dimensions of the shelves for the bathhouse.

Dimensions of bath shelves

Based on a person of average height and configuration, the following sizes of shelves in the bathhouse have been developed for receiving steam procedures in a sitting or lying position:

• The length of the shelf so that you can lie with your knees bent is 1.5 m.
• To lie on a shelf at full height without bending your legs, the length should be 1.8 m. But in this case, everything is individual, since all people are of different heights and it may be that 2 m is not enough (read: “What is the size of shelves in you need to make a steam room - practical advice").
• The minimum width of the shelf is 40 cm. Most often this is the bottom shelf, which is used mainly as a stand for the bath attendant’s feet. You can not only stand on such a stand, but also sit if you want to cool down a little.
• The most common bath benches are 60 cm wide. However, they are not very convenient for steaming in a lying position.
• The width of the shelves is 90 cm, allowing a person of any size to sit crosswise with their legs tucked in and lie down.

The minimum dimensions are given, but no one forbids making larger shelves. But there is no point in building smaller bath benches - they will simply not be comfortable.

Height of bath furniture

Regarding the height of the shelf in the bathhouse, completely different principles apply; there are no standard values. First, the height of the top shelf is determined. 1.10 - 1.20 m is measured from the ceiling and the top shelf is installed at this level. This will allow you to sit on it, and gives you enough room to swing the broom to whip the person's back rather than the ceiling. But in order to be able to do this while holding the broom in an unbent hand, you should leave more space, about 1.5 m.

Sometimes the top shelf is installed opposite the steam door. This will allow you to get more benefits from the steam. However, it is not necessary to adhere to such a scheme.

The height of the bath shelves can be 40 - 60 cm. The lower bench should be at least 30 cm from the floor. The height of the shelves depends on their number.

As a rule, the lower part of the structure is not fixed. This allows you to wash and dry the floor underneath. For a fairly heavy lower step, special skids are made that move along rubber guides.

Rules for creating shelves for a steam room

To guarantee the comfort of steaming, safety and long service life of bath decorations and furniture, you should adhere to the recommendations below, which explain how to properly make shelves in a steam room:

• Shelves should not fit tightly to the walls. A gap of approximately 10 cm should be left between them; it is necessary for ventilation. To ensure such a gap, sections of timber should first be secured to the wall. The frame elements are attached to it using self-tapping screws, and the heads of the screws should be recessed into the wood.
• For the construction of the frame it is recommended take timber 50x70 mm. In order for the wood to dry completely, the thickness of the board should be 4 times less than its width.
• Depending on the thickness of the planks the required number of supports is determined. If the board is 22 cm thick, then the supports are installed at a distance of 60 cm from each other.
• To give the structure stability, the frame supports should be connected along the entire length with a board from the bottom and top.
• For all legs of bath furniture rubber gaskets should be nailed.
• For fastening boards It is recommended to use wooden nails or pins that are driven into holes drilled for them. If there are only self-tapping screws, then they should be screwed in from the reverse side so that you cannot get burned on them. If there is no other option but to fasten it from the outside, then the metal caps need to be buried in the wood.
• Shelf flooring planks should be located at least 1 cm apart from each other.

Making calculations required quantity material, you should remember about technological indents.

According to Finnish technology for arranging shelves in a steam room, the sides are made in the same way as the flooring, that is, with ventilation gaps. However, in Russian baths, the side boards were attached tightly to each other, this was done to reduce the heated space. Of course, in this case the steam room will warm up faster, but the wood that is hidden will take much longer to dry out. Which option is the best for the owner of the bathhouse? Read also: “How to make bath curtains with your own hands - tips and instructions from the master.”

Technology for creating a simple shelf

Here's a step-by-step guide for building simple shelves in a bathhouse with your own hands:

1. The length of the flange is measured. There should be a gap between the wall and the shelf.
2. The shelf frame is fastened with galvanized corners.
3. The frame should be adjusted to the required length.
4. The frames are attached to the wall with screws, and you should use a level.
5. Next, right and left frames are installed at the same level.
6. To ensure ventilation between the wall and the shelf, pieces of plywood are placed on the outside of the frames.
7. Flooring is made for the upper shelf measuring 60 cm, for the lower shelf – 40 cm.
8. The shelf frames are attached to the walls with screws.
9. Finished shelves should be cut to the length of the frame. Then they are placed in their place and secured.
10. The backrest is made to the required size and fastened in place.

There is nothing complicated about how to make shelves in a steam room. It is important to follow the recommendations given above on how to properly make shelves in a steam room, and to approach construction responsibly.

- a true pleasure for a person. You can make shelves in the steam room with your own hands. To install them, it is necessary to choose the right material, dimensions of parts and take into account all the rules for constructing shelves, not forgetting invaluable experience our ancestors.

Material selection

A steam room is a room with high levels of humidity and temperature, therefore all materials must meet the requirements of these operating conditions. These properties include:

• low thermal conductivity;
• absence of resins in wood;
• moisture resistance;
• strength.

The shelf is made of wood hardwood. These include: linden, birch and aspen. This choice is based on the absence of resins in them, unlike coniferous wood. Resin released at high temperatures may burn the skin.

Linden board

Increasingly in Lately African abashi wood is used to construct the shelves. It has very low thermal conductivity and moisture resistance. This is an environmentally friendly material that does not emit harmful substances.

Abashi board

To increase moisture resistance and biostability (rot, mold, bacteria) wooden parts regiments have created special impregnations for wood based on natural oils. They will perfectly protect the surface of the shelf and will not harm your health. From folk remedies You can choose linseed oil, which is inexpensive, saturates wood well and reliably protects against moisture.

Dimensions and location of the shelf in the steam room

The Russian steam room is different in that the air temperature in it is not the same in height. For every 30 cm, the temperature increases by approximately 10 °C. To ensure that the body heats up evenly, it is better to steam while lying down. Taking these features into account, the shelves in the Russian steam room are made in several tiers. The number of shelves depends on the height and size of the room. Each level has its own temperature and by going lower or going higher one tier, you can adjust the body heating temperature.

The lower tier is a support for the feet. People can also wash on it while sitting. Most often, shelves are placed along the wall with a height of no more than three tiers. If the height of the room does not allow installing three levels on one wall, then they are installed on two adjacent ones. In this case, the lower and upper shelves are made along one side, and the middle one along the other.

The width of the tier shelves should be selected based on convenience: in a lying position, since the procedure requires a relaxed state. It ranges from 400 mm for the lower shelves and up to 1500 mm for the upper ones. The length is taken to be at least 2000 m in accordance with the height of the person.

The figure shows how to choose the height from the stand to the ceiling so as not to touch it with a broom. Sometimes, for convenience in a sitting position, a bench about 300 mm wide is placed on the lower tier.

Sequence of regiment construction

Having decided on the design of the shelves, it is necessary to select all the elements of the frame, flooring and side cladding. To do this, it is advisable to make a drawing of the entire structure to scale. This will make it much easier to calculate the number and dimensions of each structural element. In fact, this will be the project of the future regiment. The more detailed and accurate the drawing on paper is, the easier and better the process of manufacturing the structure as a whole will be.

Next, you need to prepare all the frame parts from timber measuring 50x70 mm. Then the shelf structure is marked on the walls and floor of the steam room, observing the vertical and horizontal installation of the parts. The installation sequence depends on the chosen design. This may be a pre-collection first. individual parts, and then installing them in a given shelf space or installing elements immediately on site.

Below are several options for constructing a frame. It must be of a rigid structure and can withstand the weight of an adult. The presence of diagonal struts and jibs in the structure contributes to this. When constructing shelves, it is important to take into account the possibility of access to the floor underneath them. This is necessary to maintain cleanliness in the steam room.

The shelf flooring is installed on the finished frame structure. It should be even and smooth without sharp corners or burrs for the safety of human skin. The most commonly used board is 80 mm wide with rounded edges. They are laid with a gap of 10-20 mm to drain water and free air convection. The thickness of the board depends on the distance between its supports (L):

• 22 mm for L = 600 mm;
• 25 mm for L = 900 mm;
• 44 mm for L = 1200 mm;
• 63 mm for L = 1800 mm.

In this case, the width of the strip should not exceed the thickness by more than 4 times. This is necessary to prevent warping of the wood. For the back, you can attach a board 200-250 mm wide, or several narrower planks.

Metal fasteners must be recessed into the wood and covered on top with a wooden pin or decorative caps so as not to burn the skin.

Attaching the decking strips to the bottom will also protect the skin from high temperatures. You can use fastening using oak pins (dowels).

The shelves in the steam room should be durable, not creak and have an attractive appearance. It is better to make it open at the bottom for ventilation and for convenient cleaning of the floor underneath.

Care of the shelf during operation

To ensure normal operation of not only the internal equipment, but also the steam room itself, it is very important to have good ventilation of the room. This will significantly extend the service life of all wooden elements of the steam room.

You cannot wash off dirt from the shelves in the steam room. chemicals. To do this, you can use simple laundry soap. Heavy stains can be scrubbed with a not very stiff brush.

Convenient, safe and beautiful shelves The steam room will add more pleasure to the bath procedure. In Rus' it was believed that the bath not only cleanses the body, but also frees the soul from the sorrows and hardships of life. “A bathhouse will wash away all sins,” one of the Russian proverbs says about this.

Shelves in the bathhouse - the best designs

Shelf in the bathhouse. Best designs

If you are conducting internal Finishing work log bathhouse, then a number of questions usually arise: What are the shelves for the bathhouse made of? What design of shelves for a bath will be optimal? Which steam room design styles should you choose? What types (types) of bath shelves exist? How to cover the steam room? How is wood protected in a sauna? What are the pros and cons of hardwood lining? How to make simple shelves for a bathhouse with your own hands? What should you consider if you want to create bath shelves in several tiers? What will be the significant difference between the design of sauna shelves using Finnish technology and Russian steam room?

Let's try to clarify these points and present to your attention ideas for the design of a bath shelf.

To the question: what to make shelves for a bath from, the answer is simple - only wood is suitable, it is this traditional choice that meets all the features of the steam room. Any artificial materials inappropriate here. Wood fits perfectly into the interior of a log bathhouse, meets the requirements of environmental friendliness, beauty and heat resistance.

Shelf made of linden for a bath. Saw cuts in the interior of the bathhouse.

An additional material for finishing the steam room is salt slabs for the bath. Recently, it is increasingly usedHimalayan salt , as an element of the bath interior. Himalayan salt is a unique substance containing about 80 microelements.

According to scientific research conducted in the last decade, the undeniable advantages of Himalayan salt have been identified as a substance that can have a general strengthening effect:

• strengthen immunity
• stabilize the nervous system
• relieve the effects of stress
• promote relaxation
• improve blood circulation
• improve brain activity
• restore the body's water-salt balance
• have a preventive effect on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems
• skin cleansing

Salt panels in the interior of the bathhouse

Himalayan salt in the interior of the bath - perfect solution to improve health and create unique design steam room It is worth considering that salt brick is not only durable and durable material, but when heated it enhances its healing properties. That is why salt blocks will be very appropriate in a steam room.

Salt panels for baths

Himalayan salt tiles are made by pressing. It is resistant to temperature changes, and when heated it can change color. Ions released during heating create the effect of mountain breathing. Therefore, for asthmatics, bathing procedures in a steam room with built-in salt blocks will be especially useful.

Himalayan salt insert in the shape of a window in the steam room

What is the difference between a Finnish sauna and a Russian steam room?

Note that when arranging a steam room, it is worth asking yourself the question: what do you want to get: a Finnish sauna or a traditional Russian version of a steam room? Why is it important? Let me explain. The Russian bath differs from the Finnish sauna in terms of humidity and temperature, as well as the method of taking the bath procedure.

Round shelf in the bathhouse. Log shelves

So in a Finnish sauna the heating temperature reaches 90-100 degrees, in a Russian steam room it is lower: 70-90. At the same time, the humidity in a Finnish steam room is significantly lower (about 25%), while in a Russian steam room this figure ranges from 45 to 65%. The air movement itself in these two steam rooms is significantly different: in the Russian steam room, the movement of the hot air mass is much slower than in the Finnish sauna and this is due to high humidity.

The process of carrying out the bath procedure also differs: in a Finnish steam room it is customary to sit, in a Russian steam room they usually lie down, and the bath attendant increases the temperature with a broom, and often turns up the heat by increasing the humidity (pouring boiling water on the heater).

Round shelf in the bathhouse. Interior of a bathhouse with a central stove-stove

Sauna shelf design

Everything listed above should be taken into account when designing a bath shelf.

Multi-level shelves in the bath

Let's illuminate subtleties of the arrangement of shelves in a Russian bath :

• It is important to make larger distances between the planks of the sun loungers than when constructing shelves in a Finnish sauna.
• When designing the shelf, take into account a slight slope for draining water.
• Since brooms are used in the Russian steam room, it is important to take into account when building a bath shelf the possibility of easy access to the floor, that is, to make cleaning easier, it is better to make the side walls removable or not sew them up at all.
• In addition, you need to arrange a wide indentation of the bath shelf from the wall.

Shelves in a Russian steam room. The shape of an "L-shaped" shelf in a bathhouse. Do-it-yourself bathhouse shelves

Peculiarities different approach the steaming process determines the different design of the shelf for the Russian steam room and the Finnish sauna.

In the Russian tradition, it is important to take into account the ratio of height and distance to the ceiling when choosing the best shelf design in a bathhouse. A simple drawing of bath shelves for a Russian steam room recommends the following dimensions: 40 cm (height of the bottom shelf), 70 cm (height from the bottom to the top shelf). At the same time, the recommended length of the lounger should be about 220 cm, this is important so that you can lie down on it comfortably. The width of the top bench of the bath shelf should be at least 90 cm, which is also designed for convenience and comfort during the bath procedure.

Shelves in a bathhouse made of linden

Shelves in a bathhouse made of logs

The interior decoration of a log bathhouse can be made in different styles, and the heart of this decoration will be the steam room. What’s a steam room without a shelf? Since a bath shelf is the main attribute of any bathhouse, there are many questions about its construction.

Shelves of simple shape made of half-logs. Do-it-yourself bathhouse shelves

If you chose “Russian antiquity” as the main design style for your bathhouse, then the best option for the shelf may be the idea of ​​constructing it from logs. A log shelf has its advantages: consistency with style, reliability and durability of the structure, ease of installation and cost-effectiveness. Note that for the shelf you can use both a log and a half-brow. However, a shelf made of logs also has its drawbacks, first of all, it is the massiveness of the structure, which does not allow the flight of fancy to go beyond simple straight lines, and simply put, only shelves of a simple configuration can be made from logs. They look impressive, and sometimes heavy.

Half-log shelf. Do-it-yourself bathhouse shelves

The location of the shelves in the bathhouse. Steam room and sauna layout

Shelves in a bathhouse are traditionally located along the walls, and where there are no windows. The sunbed benches are mounted in two or three stages. Since the temperature rises as it approaches the ceiling, as a rule, the upper tier of bath shelves is made for lying, and the lower one for sitting.

Rules for constructing bath shelves:

• The size, shape and location of the shelves in the bath should be comfortable.
• The corners of the shelves should be rounded.
• The material for the manufacture of bath shelves must be selected carefully, taking into account not only aesthetics, but also the finishing of the material. Any, even minor, roughness will not allow you to relax and enjoy.
• The entire structure of the shelf in the bathhouse must be reliable, so pay special attention to the fastenings.
• All metal parts of the shelf must be protectedor hidden in other ways to avoid burns.

Log shelves. L-shaped shelf design with saw cuts

Different shapes of a shelf in a bathhouse

Now let's illuminate subtleties of arranging shelves in a Finnish sauna :

• The most important difference is the need to equip the benches with backrests. Why is this being done? As mentioned above, the temperature here reaches and often exceeds one hundred degrees. At the same time, the walls become scalding hot, which is why backs on the shelves are needed. They protect the body from contact with the wall cladding.
• Another difference between a Finnish sauna and a Russian steam room is the steaming process itself. It is customary to sit in the sauna rather than lie down. Therefore, the distance to the ceiling here may be less (you do not need to take into account the span of the steamer’s broom). A simple drawing of bath shelves for a sauna consists of observing the following standardized dimensions: 40 cm (height of the bottom shelf), 40 cm (height from the bottom to the top shelf) and the same distance to the next one, if provided. The width of the sunbeds on the sauna floor is from 60 cm. Sometimes additional footrests are placed on the walls.

How to arrange shelves in a barrel bath

Abasha shelf

What size should a sauna be? Unlike the Russian steam room, here dimensions play an important role, since the steam room must be heated to a temperature of one hundred degrees. Therefore, the size of the sauna is usually small and all its space is occupied by shelves.

Do-it-yourself bathhouse shelves

Types of bath shelves

Bath shelves can be of different types:

• Simple straight shelves placed one above the other.
• Complex bath shelves have several options: rounded shelves with an “L-shaped” or “U-shaped” shape.”
• Stepped shelves in a bathhouse are usually arranged in large rooms. Such shelves have two or three steps. A modification of this type of bath shelves are shelves with retractable steps, which is convenient if you need to increase the space of the steam room.
• Closed (wired) shelves in the bathhouse.

Do-it-yourself bathhouse shelves

The question is what wood is best to use for interior decoration baths, was discussed in detail in the article . Here we will only provide a table of wood characteristics.

Installing shelves in a bathhouse or sauna is a rather complex issue, so before you start construction, think about all the nuances in advance. Taking everything into account when building a bath shelf means not only getting comfort and pleasure, but also avoiding all those small but annoying problems that appear over time. For example, if you have completely sewn up a bath shelf without creating access to the floor (like a Finnish sauna), in the near future you will notice an unpleasant musty aroma from bath leaves and wood rotting below, which does not have time to dry out due to lack of air circulation and high humidity characteristic of a Russian steam room.

Three-tier shelves in the bathhouse with sun loungers. Forms of shelves for a large bath (steam room)

Loungers for steam room (sauna)

Comfortable sliding beds for a bath (steam room, sauna)

Comfortable sunbeds for the bath. Do-it-yourself bathhouse shelves

Bath chairs

Mobile lounger for steam room (sauna)

Oval (rounded) shape of shelves in the bathhouse

A simple rounded shelf for a black bath

Carved panel for bath decoration

Placing shelves in the bathhouse on opposite walls with a common raised floor acting as the first stage.

Light rounded aspen shelves

Drawing of a two-tier shelf in a bathhouse. Shelves in the bathhouse dimensions device

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