Building a bathhouse from a log with your own hands. Log sauna: pros and cons, stages of construction

A quality log bathhouse that you build with your own hands will be a profitable financial investment in a prestigious, durable building. Comfort, natural beauty, clean air, environmental friendliness are clear advantages of wooden baths. Therefore, many people strive to build such a steam room.

We can also name the advantages of constructing log cabins using our own efforts:

significant savings;
gaining useful experience;
confidence in quality.

Photo 1 - Building a bathhouse yourself

Saving

If you order the construction of the desired log house from a professional organization, then in addition to purchasing the necessary materials, you will need to pay for the services of builders. And the cost of constructing such buildings today starts from $150 per 1m2.

Experience

The first time will be difficult. You will need to draw up a project, purchase or prepare materials, follow technological steps, choose a construction technology: “in a bowl” or “in a paw,” perform finishing, etc.

But think that having learned this craft, you will be able to help your friends and relatives build log houses. Finally, you can actually make money from this!

Quality

You will not need to supervise the construction of the log house, because you will build it yourself:

create a project according to your preferences;
select quality materials;
perform each step correctly;
The finishing of the log house will be carried out only according to your wishes.

Do-it-yourself bathhouse from a log house video

An excellent, durable bathhouse built with your own hands is a dream that really comes true. The complexity of the stage-by-stage construction can be appreciated by watching the video.

How to build a bathhouse with your own hands

To cut down a steam room yourself, you will need to go through several steps. Let's look at the significant points.

Project

The project implies:

selection of location;
floor planning;
planning the number of windows;
equipment selection;
selection of materials;
design choice;
miscalculation of cost.

Photo 2 – Project of a log house for a bathhouse

Photo 3 - Timber steam room project

Preparatory work

TO preparatory activities include preparation for the construction of the designed foundation: marking, digging a pit, digging trenches, removing soil, supplying communications, etc.

Foundation

Laying the foundation is a crucial moment. Try to use only high-quality materials.

IMPORTANT! The strength of the foundation determines the durability of the building.

Walls, openings

The walls being erected are constructed from the material you choose: profiled timber or solid logs. When constructing walls directly, openings for windows and doors are always provided.

IMPORTANT! The material will determine the construction technology.

Roof

The roof is also an important, complex stage in the construction of a bathhouse. Taking into account the obligatory shrinkage of the structure, roofs are usually constructed from high-quality, prepared raw materials.

Caulk

After successful completion of construction work, completion of shrinkage, installation of the roof, it is necessary to perform caulking - the final stage of construction of the steam room. Caulking is a modification of insulating seams.

Finishing

There are many options for finishing baths being built. You choose any direction, taking into account your own preferences and budgetary possibilities.

Photo 4 - Steam room finishing option

How to build a sauna with your own hands video

Log houses are made of logs or beams. This video shows the installation of a log bathhouse made from timber.

Foundation for a log bathhouse

There are 2 popular types of foundations intended for wooden baths:

columnar;
tape

When choosing the type of foundation to be designed, you should be guided by the type of soil on the prepared site and the selected material for construction.

Columnar foundations

Require correct calculation and are ideal if the bathhouse is small in size. Suitable for columnar foundations clay soils, loams, sandstones. When choosing logs or beams as construction raw materials, the type of foundation in question is the best option.

Photo 5 - Columnar foundation for a log house

Strip foundations

Strip foundations are justified when the bathhouse is large enough. The soil is suitable for forest and garden soil. Material: log, timber, brick, blocks.

Photo 6 — Strip foundation of a log house

Strip foundations are divided into:

deep;
shallow laying.

How to install a strip foundation is up to you. Deep laying is a more expensive option. It is suitable for the construction of large-scale projects involving underground buildings. Shallow placement is relatively inexpensive and is chosen when constructing steam rooms.

Which foundation is better for a log bathhouse?

It will help to determine which foundation is optimal for a bathhouse built from a log house comparative analysis the most popular foundation types.

Columnar foundation

Advantages:

efficiency;
ease of installation;
strength;
possibility of construction on loams, sandstones, freezing soils;
efficiency of construction.

Photo 7 - Columnar foundation of the bathhouse

Flaws:

impossibility of building a basement or cellar;
the need for floor insulation;
the need for wastewater disposal.

Strip foundation

Advantages:

ability to withstand increased load;
possibility of constructing underground buildings: basement, cellar, garage;
the possibility of installing a bathhouse on heaving, moving soils;
increased durability.

Photo 8 - Strip foundation of the bathhouse

Flaws:

high cost;
comparative duration of construction.

IMPORTANT! In addition to the main foundation, the construction of a basement will be required. Also consider the need for a foundation for a traditional stove.

How to make a log bathhouse

You can make a good-quality log house yourself if you correctly carry out the stages of simple construction, using the necessary tools and high-quality materials.

If the project is ready, the foundation has been selected and erected, you can begin the classic construction of walls. You need to decide on the technology. Can be used:

cutting wood “into a bowl”;
cutting down a tree “in the paw”.

Photo 10 - Chopping in the paw

Only log houses built from rounded, pre-prepared logs are cut into the bowl. And cutting “in the paw” is suitable for unprocessed logs and beams.

The structure of the bathhouse is built with crowns - tiers, fixed using various techniques. For the first tier/crown, thicker logs/beams are used. The flashing is laid on a properly prepared foundation, already covered with a special waterproofing material.

The upper tier - Mauerlat - serves as a support for the roof. Therefore, high-quality, strong material should be used for its construction.

When constructing any log house, openings will be required. Insulation and interior finishing of the building should also be provided.

Caulking of the walls is carried out if a steam room was erected using moss or ordinary tow.

$ Log house for a bathhouse assembly price

The price of assembling a structure, such as a log house for the desired bathhouse, depends on the designed dimensions of the structure. If you order the construction of a steam room from a professional organization, then today the starting price is $150 per 1m2.

The cost varies, depending on both the technology and the size of the log/timber itself. An increase in the dimensions of logs entails an increase in prices for their installation.

The price also includes the costs of using tools, equipment, special equipment: cranes, trucks, etc. Additionally, transportation costs for delivering builders and materials are taken into account.

Video of the assembly of a log bathhouse

The assembly of the log house takes place quite quickly using special equipment.

Insulation of a log bathhouse

For wooden steam rooms Insulation must be used to ensure that the required temperature is maintained in any season.

After the construction of the bathhouse, the structure shrinks. The consequence of shrinkage is the formation of unwanted inter-crown cracks. Therefore, even during construction, insulating material must be used:

jute;
tow.

After shrinking the bath, you will need to caulk - simple process modifications to insulating seams.

Main stages of insulation:

laying out insulating materials directly onto logs/beams during the construction of bath walls;
process joints;
after shrinkage, fill the insulation with caulking, starting from the lower, first crown.

Photo 11 — Insulation of a log house

IMPORTANT! Insulation of the steam room includes insulation of floors, walls, ceilings, for example, with Panotherm material.

Construction of a bathhouse from a log house

Remember, no matter how difficult or time-consuming it may be self-construction your bathhouse made from natural logs, it will definitely pay off with cozy warmth and invaluable benefits to your health!

When constructing country houses and other specialized buildings, increasingly Lately a structure such as a log house is used. This is due to the good technical characteristics of this structure, in particular its heat-intensive properties, strength indicators and beautiful appearance. A log house built with your own hands is reliable construction, which will last a very long time without requiring any repair work.

However, not everyone knows that such a design can also be used to build a bathhouse. This work is not easy, but the result will satisfy the wishes of even the most biased developers. That is why you should take a closer look at how to build a log bathhouse with your own hands so that the structure turns out reliable and beautiful.

Features of the construction of a log house

A log building is a structure the basis of which is made up of horizontally laid logs that serve as walls. Each of these rows is usually called a crown, with the lowest level having the name “flat crown”.

For logs, you need to use only deciduous or coniferous wood. It would be best to use freshly cut and dry trees to protect all structures from the accumulation of excess moisture.

The installation of corner dressings from the outside can be carried out both with and without a residue. Moreover, the first method is characterized by laying logs outside the walls, but for the second this rule is not observed.

Options for constructing log houses can be very different - it all depends on the skills of the performer and the wishes of the owners themselves. The main installation methods are a log house “into a bowl” with your own hands, “into a paw”, as well as a simpler option - “into an end tongue”. Each of these methods has its own characteristics and distinctive features inherent in a particular structure.

Advantages and disadvantages of a log house

Such a building has a huge number of advantages, thanks to which it is advantageous when choosing the desired type of structure. So, the main positive characteristics of the log house are the following:

wood is an environmentally friendly and therefore absolutely safe material for health;
the heat capacity is very high, due to which the loss of heated air is minimal;
such a structure has an attractive appearance and original design;
the design has a high strength index.

However, constructing a structure such as a log house with your own hands may also have some negative aspects, which usually include the following:

high cost of consumables and the entire work process;
relatively short service life compared to structures made of other materials (especially in the absence of waterproofing and antiseptic treatment);
labor intensity of construction.

One way or another, it is absolutely possible to construct a log house with your own hands; it is only important to carefully follow all the rules and recommendations that can simplify the installation process.

Log bathhouse: construction features

When choosing such a popular building for construction, you should first decide on the complexity of all the work, since classic version How to make a log house with your own hands requires certain skills and abilities from the performer. However, the wide range of materials that can be found on the construction market today makes it possible to create any bathhouse design using a much simpler technology. As an option, you can always order a ready-made so-called “frame” and do the assembly yourself.

To make a bathhouse as correctly as possible, you also need to correctly determine the construction site. Classical principles provided for the construction of such a log house near a body of water, thanks to which contrasting ablutions became available. However, today there is no need to follow this rule, since nothing prevents you from creating something like a pool yourself.

When choosing the optimal location for the construction of a log bathhouse, you should be guided by the following recommendations:

the structure must be located at a distance of at least 15 m from a residential building;
a good solution would be to create an artificial or natural hedge (this could be a fence, bushes and other plantings);
significant distance from the roadway and pedestrian road.

The layout usually depends on the wishes of the owners, so the design can be either standard or original (with the involvement of a designer).

Rules for laying the foundation for a log bathhouse

As you know, the basis of any structure is the foundation. Moreover, it does not matter at all whether the log house is erected with your own hands or this process is carried out under the guidance of specialists, since such work, as a rule, is performed in the same way with any of the construction methods.

Here you need to decide what type of foundation will be used (columnar or strip), and also take into account the following tips:

laying should be carried out to the possible freezing depth;
The construction site must be cleared of any debris;
It is extremely important to get rid of the top (fertile) layer of soil.

Do not forget that a properly laid foundation is the key to the strength and reliability of the entire structure.

Choosing material for a log bathhouse

It is believed that a classic log bathhouse (built with your own hands or with the help of professionals - it doesn’t matter) is a building made of coniferous wood (spruce or pine) with logs with a diameter of 250 mm. It is thanks to this wood that a unique atmosphere with an amazing smell is created in the steam room.

But today there is certainly no clear framework regarding what material to use. Speaking about the properties of wood, it is worth noting that, for example, pine is convenient and easy to process and will be an excellent option for creating such a structure as a log house with your own hands (this applies, first of all, to the design of a bathhouse).

Larch used in construction has a very high cost, but this material is hard, resistant to moisture and can last a very long time.

A proven option is oak, however, in order to preserve its positive properties at the highest quality, it is necessary to cut down the tree at the moment of greatest maturity and allow it to dry.

Linden and white spruce are excellent natural materials for removing excess moisture, so it is best to use these samples as cladding for a bathhouse, as well as for its interior decoration.

The most strong tree- cedar. A bathhouse built from such material will last a long time, and the logs themselves will not crack. Perhaps the main disadvantage of this option is its high cost.

Preparation of material for the construction of a bathhouse

Putting together a cobblestone bath house is not very difficult, especially if the performer has at least minimal skills in working with wood.

Initially, it is necessary to take a log with a section of 15 x 15 and lay it according to a predetermined design plan using support metal or wooden pins. The installation step should be approximately 150 cm.

It is necessary to equip the beam with holes intended for pins to half its thickness, and the diameter must be selected so that the supporting element fits into it without any problems.

To lay the next row, special holes must be drilled in a different place (they must be staggered, otherwise the installed timber may become deformed during the drying process).

Installation of pins during the construction of a sauna log house

As mentioned above, cutting a log house with your own hands can have several varieties: “into the bowl”, “into the paw”, etc. Another common option is to install cuts 1.5 cm deep in areas and fix metal brackets in them. The last method is the simplest and fastest to implement, so it should be discussed in more detail.

Making a cut is carried out so that the bracket is located deeper, since gaps may appear during the drying process of the material. Such measures protect the frame from deformation and prevent the fixing elements from protruding above the surface.

An already completed building has corners where the ends of the beams protrude beyond the walls. There is absolutely no need to cut them down right away, and there are 2 reasons for this:

Firstly, you need to wait at least six months so that the wood does not crack at the ends.
Secondly, such protrusions can play the role of steps, making it easier to climb to the bathhouse to carry out any work.

The process of leveling a bathhouse frame from the outside

It is important that insulation is laid between all the beams of the steam room being built. belt type. Most often, materials like flax or jute are used for these purposes, but you can also use more traditional samples (tow, moss). In no case should you forget about such an event with your own hands, however, thanks to the high technical properties of modern insulation materials, you don’t have to do this, after first making sure that they are securely fixed inside the log house.

Tape type should be laid between the beams and secured with a stapler. The technical characteristics of jute are higher than those of flax, which explains its higher cost. The fibers of this insulation have one an undeniable advantage: when the beams shrink, they are pressed in a certain way, creating an insurmountable barrier to the flow of cold air and moisture.

Construction of window openings

When erecting a log house from a sauna, it is extremely important to pay special attention to such important elements structures such as window and door openings. If the parameters for the location of these holes are incorrectly calculated, the design may turn out not only unsightly, but also functionally incorrect.

To avoid this, at the intended installation site, cuts should be made in the uppermost beam or, alternatively, they should be made systematically through one crown. It is important to remember that complete sawing window openings You can start only when the sauna frame is completely seated, otherwise the holes may subsequently end up in the wrong place.

After all the necessary openings have been arranged, you can begin the following procedures - installing the roof and laying the desired covering. This must be done at the end, since during the drying process the material can be deformed, and the additional weight in the form of a roof will press the beam and prevent various flaws such as gaps and cracks from appearing on its surface.

Interior decoration of a log bathhouse

Repair work in the steam room involves finishing the walls with high-quality insulation, as well as covering them with wooden lining specially designed for this purpose. The material for this can be very different, since the modern market offers numerous varieties of species - aspen, linden, cedar, etc., so choosing the desired sample will not be difficult.

When sheathing the inside of a log cabin with your own hands, do not forget that the maximum temperature in this room is always kept under the ceiling, so it is important to foresee this point and exclude the use of wood containing a large number of resin, which when heated tends to melt and drip.

Originally made benches and shelves will give the structure special beauty and functionality, which are also best made from hardwood, because at high temperatures they do not burn the body.

In addition, it is worth remembering that the finishing of the bathhouse should be done in such a way that it remains possible to quickly clean the room, so it is better that all the benches below have an open view.

When building a structure such as a log house with your own hands, it is worth remembering that such a structure requires more attention from the owners than an ordinary residential building. Regular exposure to high temperatures and moisture can cause mold and rot, so you should take into account the following recommendations for using a wooden steam room:

even before laying the walls, it is important to treat the material with antiseptic compounds, and after assembly is completed, this should be done at least once every 1-2 years;
any should end with a thorough wet cleaning of the room and its ventilation;
All furniture and other items used indoors must be taken outside to dry.

Compliance with such measures will eliminate the appearance of harmful fungi, mold and bacteria in the bathhouse, provide the entire structure with reliability, attractive appearance and long service life and eliminate the need for any repair work.

In this article: how to choose a place for a bathhouse and its layout; stages of bathhouse construction; types of foundation; sewerage; log caulk; creating a roof; blind area; stove installation; floor and ceiling; water supply; electrician; installation of windows and doors; shelves in the steam room; fire safety measures.

The steam bath has been known since the time of the Scythians, who carried with them special bath tents and camp heaters. And in the 21st century, the Russian bathhouse has not become some kind of archaism, having successfully withstood centuries-old competition with bathtubs and showers. Getting rid of many ailments, removing harmful substances from the body accumulated in everyday life in the city, giving the body complete rest - all this has been achieved by visiting the bathhouse for more than one and a half thousand years.

Which design is preferable, how to choose a place to place it, how it is designed in general - you will find answers to many “bathroom” questions in this article.

Place and layout of the bathhouse

One of the important additions to the bathhouse itself at all times was a pond with fresh water, located nearby - in the absence of another source of water supply, water was taken from it. The special charm of the proximity of such a reservoir lies in the possibility of a contrasting ablution - after steaming in a Russian bathhouse, running out of it and plunging into the cool water of the reservoir. In addition, the natural reservoir made it possible to quickly cope with a fire in the bathhouse, which occurred quite often due to violations in the construction of the stove.

Today, there is no particular need to link a country bathhouse to a natural body of water, but it is still convenient if it is located near, say, artificial reservoir- the final decision always remains with the owner of the dacha.

The main criteria for choosing a place for a bathhouse: distance from the road, the presence of natural or artificial fencing from outside spectators (dense bushes, tree crowns, fences, outbuildings), fire distance from the main residential building of at least 15 meters.

The main rooms of the bathhouse are the dressing room, washing room and steam room (the last two rooms can be combined into one). The size of the dressing room is determined at the rate of 1.4 m 2 per bather, the size of the washing room is 1.2 m 2 per person. In addition, the dressing room should have space for furniture (a locker for clothes, a bench for sitting) and for storing fuel (a box for coal or firewood). In the washing room you will need space for containers with hot and cold water, stoves and space for sun loungers.

For example, for small family(no more than 4 people) the following bath sizes are suitable: outer size- 4x4 m; dressing room - 1.5x2.4 m; washing room - 2x2 m; steam room - 2x1.5 m. True, in a bathhouse of this size you can’t really turn around - but it also takes up little space.

In general, the size of the bathhouse is directly related to the size of the area that can be allocated for it. If the area is significant, then the bathhouse can be expanded by adding a shower cabin, rest rooms, etc.

In temperate and cold climate zones, it would be correct if the entrance to the bathhouse is located in the south, and the window openings are on its western (southwestern) side. This location of the entrance will greatly simplify the use of the bathhouse in the winter season, since the snowdrifts on the south side melt faster, and the direction of the windows will allow the premises to be illuminated with sunlight longer.

Bathhouse construction - stages

There are several of them:

1. Procurement of basic materials.

2. Selecting and laying the foundation.

3. Creating a foundation for a stove (if necessary).

4. Creating a floor and sewer system baths

5. Assembling a log bathhouse.

6. Roof construction.

7. Formation of a blind area around the perimeter.

8. Caulking bath walls.

9. Laying or installing a stove, installing a chimney.

10. Electricity and water supply for the bathhouse.

11. Installation of doors and installation of shelves.

Preparation of basic materials for the bath

The classic and most successful construction material for a Russian bathhouse has been and will remain wood - wood easily copes with waterlogging of bathhouses, removing excess moisture outside.

What wood is suitable for building a bathhouse? As a rule, baths are built from round timber of pine or spruce with a diameter of no more than 250 mm - only wood will create an indescribable internal atmosphere in the steam room. However, in some places it is better to include wood of other species in the design of the bathhouse - oak, larch and linden. For example, lower crowns and flooring logs made of oak will allow you to get a truly durable bathhouse. A nuance - the oak must be cut down “in its sap” (i.e., not dead wood) and dried under a canopy. The lower crowns (no more than 4) following the first oak crown are best made of larch. The final crowns, elements of interior decoration and cladding should be made of linden or white spruce - their wood removes moisture better than others.

When do you need to stockpile wood for building a bathhouse? Round wood, wood for interior decoration, must be cut down in winter, during the period when tree trunks contain the least amount of moisture - it is easier to dry. In addition, not the entire tree trunk is suitable for building a bathhouse - only the middle part of the trunk is suitable, i.e. the top and butt are not suitable.

An important criterion when selecting wood will be the absence of cavities and streaks of resin on the coniferous round timber, dryness, sanded surface, absence of rotten areas and places of wood-boring beetle damage.

Bathhouse foundation

The main types of foundations for the construction of baths are strip and columnar, depending on local soils. Regardless of the type of foundation chosen, it is necessary to lay them with the utmost care - preferably to the depth of soil freezing. Preliminary work before laying a foundation of any type: clearing the site of debris, completely removing the top layer of soil to a depth of 200 mm (we remove the fertile layer).

To choose the right foundation, you need to determine the type of local soil, which can belong to one of three main groups:

1. Weak soil consists of peat, silt, silty sand (contains a lot of water), fluid or fluid-plastic clay.

2. Heaving soil (subject to seasonal swelling) consists of sand (silty or fine), clay components (clay, loam and sandy loam).

3. Slightly heaving soil is formed by rocks, medium and large grains of sand.

Columnar (pile) foundation for a bathhouse

Installed on slightly heaving soils: it consists of pillars laid in the corners of the bathhouse, as well as at the junction of internal and external walls. If the distance between two adjacent foundation pillars is more than 2 m, another pillar is laid between them. The depth of laying the columnar foundation is at least 1.5 m.

The pillars for such a foundation can be easily made directly at the site where the bathhouse was built; the material for them can be red brick, rubble stone, bound with concrete mortar. The main (corner) brick pillars for a columnar foundation are usually square in shape, with a side of 380 mm, auxiliary ones are rectangular, with a cross-section of 380x250 mm. If necessary, the main pillars are made of two bricks - with a section of 510x510 mm. Saving rubble stone and brick during the construction of a columnar foundation is achieved by filling the foundation pits with sand - half their depth; coarse sand is laid in layers (each layer is 100–150 mm), filled with water and compacted.

When building a bathhouse with your own hands, you can also make foundation pillars yourself. To do this, you will need a collapsible formwork made of boards, coated on the inside with a non-hardening lubricant such as Emulsol. You need to place iron reinforcement inside the assembled formwork, then pour the concrete mixture.

To cast foundation pillars inside holes dug for them, sliding formwork made of roofing iron, plastic, roofing felt or thick cardboard is used. From the material selected for sliding formwork, a pipe with a diameter of 200 mm is created, which is placed in a foundation pit of a larger diameter - from 300 mm. The free space around the formwork is filled with sand - it will act as a lubricant and prevent the concrete pillar from rising when the soil swells. Reinforcement tied with thick wire is inserted inside the formwork, then a concrete mixture is poured, which must be thoroughly compacted. Using wire handles pre-fixed to the sliding formwork, it is lifted by swaying by 400 mm, sand is poured on the outside and a new portion of concrete is poured.

Asbestos-cement pipes can be used as a columnar foundation; they are durable, not subject to rot, and their outer surface is quite smooth, which allows them not to change their position when the soil swells. Asbestos-cement pipes are also filled with concrete; their underground part must be coated with a mineral-based construction lubricant to reduce the risk of freezing to the ground.

In the spaces between the foundation pillars of the outer walls of the bathhouse and interior walls The walls of the steam room are laid out from bricks, their thickness is sufficient - brick and even half a brick. Such brick walls must be buried 250 mm into the ground.

The foundation pillars and brick walls between them are raised to a height of 300–400 mm from the ground level; they need to be leveled with cement mortar and covered with roofing felt for waterproofing. During casting, metal embedments of the required shape are installed at the ends of the pillars - they are designed to fasten the bathhouse frame to the foundation.

Strip foundation for a bath

When building a bathhouse on heaving soils, it will be necessary to create a strip monolithic foundation.

Sequence of work:

1. Marking a construction site with twine stretched between pegs.

2. Digging a trench of the required depth (its size is related to the characteristics of local soils, at least 400 mm) and 300 mm wide.

3. Add a layer of sand to the bottom of the trench, then gravel (each 70–100 mm).

4. Installation of formwork.

5. Laying reinforcement.

6. Fill concrete mixture.

The reinforcement laid at the bottom of the foundation trenches must have a cross-section of at least 12 mm; it is laid along each of the two sides of the trench, lifted to its middle using brick fragments.

The composition of the concrete mixture is calculated in the proportion 5:3:1 (crushed stone: sand: cement), the sand used must be dry and clean (washed). Calculating the volume of concrete required to pour a strip foundation is quite simple; you just need to measure the width, depth and total length of the foundation. For example, with a width of 0.3 m, a depth of 0.4 m and a total length of 22 m, the following volume of concrete mixture will be required:

· 0.3 x 0.4 x 22 = 2.64 m3

One of the difficulties in preparing a dry concrete mixture is the lack of scales at construction sites. Therefore, this method of calculating dry components for concrete will be useful to you: one 10-liter bucket holds from 15 to 17 kg of crushed stone, sand - from 14 to 17 kg, cement - from 13 to 14 kg.

The formwork is placed in such a way that the concrete foundation cast into it protrudes 100 mm above the ground level. As the concrete mixture is poured into the prepared formwork, its mass must be pierced repeatedly with a bayonet shovel or a wire probe, and the outer side of the formwork must be tapped with a hammer (we eliminate air pockets). Then you need to wait until the foundation is completely cured, approximately 5 to 7 days. When conducting foundation works in the cold season, after pouring the concrete, the formwork must be covered with PVC film and covered with sawdust or other insulation on top.

After the expiration of the period allocated for drying the cast foundation, we proceed to waterproofing it and lifting it in brick rows (if lifting the bathhouse is not required, then after waterproofing we proceed to the cement screed). You will need the following materials:

1. Ruberoid.

2. Pipe about 2 m (plastic or metal), with a cross-section from 32 to 57 mm.

3. Masonry mesh.

4. Red brick.

5. Masonry mortar.

Roofing felt (roofing felt) is cut into strips sufficient for laying on a concrete foundation, then laid on top of the foundation on bitumen mastic(for roofing felt - tar mastic). The brick is laid using a single-row ligation method: masonry mortar is laid on a layer of roofing material, the first brick row is laid on it “in a poke” (across the foundation axis), then a masonry mesh is laid, the mortar is laid and the next brick row is laid, but in a “spoon” (along the axis foundation). Every new row brickwork accompanied by flooring masonry mesh, placements “in a spoon” and “in a poke” alternate with each other. In the 3rd or 5th bonded rows of masonry, you need to install ventilation vents from pipe scraps - 5-7 vents are enough for the entire foundation. The number of brick rows depends on the desired foundation height.

The last row of brickwork is covered with a cement screed (mortar composition sand:cement as 1:2 or 1:3), with a 20 mm layer.

Independent foundation for the heater and bath floor

We create the foundation for the stove and assemble the sauna frame. If it is expected capital masonry heaters - it requires an independent foundation, i.e. not connected to the main foundation.

The floor in the bathhouse can be clay, earthen, wood or concrete. By and large, it does not need thermal insulation, since the temperature at its level is practically no higher than 30 ° C. A wooden grate, cork mats or mats are usually laid on the surface of the bath floor - their task is to relieve bathhouse visitors from the sharp feeling of cold caused by touching the floor at the exit from the steam room. For self-drying, the flooring is raised above the level of the main floor.

The main disadvantage of a wooden bathhouse floor is its frequent waterlogging - water, penetrating through the cracks between the boards, will accumulate in them, causing rot and the appearance of an unpleasant odor. Wooden covering the floor wears out quickly, acquiring an unsightly appearance, and may require replacement after 6–8 years. Tile tiles would be more practical for bath flooring - they are easier to care for, they are not susceptible to moisture, which easily flows down its surface.

The floors in the bathhouse premises must be placed at different levels: the steam room floor is 150 mm above the level of the washing room floor (we retain heat), the washing room floor is 30 mm below the floor level in the dressing room (we protect it from water).

Since the construction of a coated concrete floor ceramic tiles in the washing room and steam room is more profitable than wooden floor- We will consider this option.

There are several ways to install a concrete floor in a bathhouse. First of all, we prepare the base for the formation of a warm floor - it consists of a 100 mm layer of sand and a 100 mm layer of medium-fraction crushed stone, laid sequentially. Each layer should be well compacted and leveled. Then lay roofing felt on top, covering the walls with it to the height of the future floor.

Further actions:

1. First option- laying a 50 mm layer of felt, expanded clay or slag, on top of a 50 mm layer of concrete with the formation of a slope towards the drain hole. After the concrete has set, it needs to be leveled with a cement solution, after which you can begin tiling work.

2. Second option- 50 mm cement strainer, containing perlite (expanded sand). Mixture composition: perlite: cement: water as 5: 1: 3. After a full week has passed since the perlite concrete was laid, we apply a 30 mm layer of concrete on top with a slope towards the drain. When dealing with perlite, you need to be especially careful - this material is extremely light, even a light breeze blows it away, so you need to work with it in indoors without drafts. Observe the proportion of water exactly!

If the base of the bathhouse is raised significantly above the ground level (from 300 mm), flooring will require wooden joists square section (side 150 mm). If the dimensions of the bathhouse premises do not exceed 2000x3000 mm, then the supports for the logs will be the frame logs. For large sizes, additional supports for floor joists will be required; they are pillars made of concrete or brick (250x250 mm) and are placed at a distance of 700–800 mm. Support posts for logs must be placed on a multi-layer base of sand, crushed stone and concrete - each 100 mm thick.

Important! Before forming the base to support the logs, it is necessary to make a foundation for the stove and build a sewerage system.

The wood for the logs can be oak, larch or coniferous trees; the logs should be treated with tar or an antiseptic before installation.

Solution flooring in this case it is as follows: the concrete space between the foundation is covered with roofing felt with the walls overlapping to the height of the floor, filled with slag or expanded clay (a layer of 200 mm of foam can be laid between the layer of roofing felt and bulk insulation), a subfloor made of 29 mm edged boards is attached to the underside of the joists. Then a PVC film, foil mineral insulation, and another layer of film are laid for vapor barrier. Pour a 5 mm layer of concrete with fine filler on top, create a slope under the drain hole - after 3-4 days we lay ceramic tiles.

Attention! Don't forget to bring the foundation for the stove to floor level.

The floor in the dressing room is made of 19-29 mm tongue-and-groove boards made of coniferous wood.

Important point: When finishing a clean floor, and indeed the entire steam room and washing room, do not use synthetic building materials - this condition is especially relevant for a steam room!

Bath sewage system

To drain wastewater from the bathhouse you will need: a pit with a water seal, a well for wastewater and pipes draining dirty water into the pit and then into the sewer.

The pit is torn off from the outside of the bathhouse foundation, and gravity pipes made of plastic, cast iron or ceramics are inserted into it from the steam room and washing room ( metal pipes will rust quickly).

The pit should be 500 mm from the foundation, its depth - 700 mm, cross-section - 500x500 mm. The walls of the pit are covered with a 100 mm layer of concrete, and a 110 mm drain pipe(s) from the bathhouse is inserted into it under the foundation. The main well for drainage, containing at least 2 m3, must be dug at a distance of at least 2.5 m from the pit - the further the better. A pipe is supplied to it from the pit, laid at a slope at a depth of 1.5 m (below the freezing depth), its outlet from the pit must be located 100 mm from its bottom. After inserting the drain pipe, the main drainage well is filled with gravel or sand 1 m from the bottom, and soil is poured on top - in a layer of at least 500 mm. When laying, carefully compact each layer.

Before leading the drain pipe into the pit, a galvanized water seal is installed, located at an obtuse angle to the drain pipe from the bathhouse. Its edges and upper side are hermetically attached to the walls of the pit; the distance from its lower edge to the bottom should be no more than 50 mm - thanks to this design unpleasant odors and cold air will not penetrate into the steam room (washing room) through the drain hole.

To prevent freezing in winter period The pit must be covered with two lids of the appropriate size (wooden or metal), felt must be laid between them, and the top lid must be covered with expanded clay, slag or sawdust.

Log house, roofing and blind area

It is better to make a log house for a bathhouse to order from professional performers; its production is quite difficult. The finished log house in disassembled form must be brought to the construction site and assembled according to the numbering of the logs. The crowns are fastened with steel 25 mm tenon brackets with a total length of up to 150 mm, a tooth length of up to 70 mm.

The roof structure of the bathhouse includes rafters, sheathing is attached to them, then roofing material. The choice of final roof structure depends on roofing, with which it will overlap. The rafters are attached to the last crown of the frame (preferably the penultimate one) using tenon brackets. As a rule, the construction of baths involves the installation of a single- or gable roof, the slope angle (from 10° to 60°) of which depends on the abundance and amount of precipitation in the area. Please note - the steeper the roof, the more material is required to create it.

Single-pitch rafters located at an angle are secured with two external or internal and external supports. If the span of the rafters exceeds 5 m, they are supported with additional struts. The rafters of a gable roof rest with their lower ends on the walls, the upper ends are connected to each other, forming a ridge.

The roof of the bathhouse can be covered with any material (slate, tiles, roofing felt, galvanized, etc.), with an overlap of at least 500 mm on the walls.

The attic space must be made ventilated, that is, equipped with two doors at opposite ends of the roof.

We make a blind area along the perimeter of the foundation: we completely remove the top layer of soil, go deeper by 200 mm at a distance of 600-800 mm from the base of the bathhouse, lay a 100 mm layer of gravel (crushed stone, expanded clay) and then level it. Let's lay it down expansion joints(19 mm board coated with resin or bitumen, in increments of 2-2.5 m perpendicular to the foundation), fill with a 100 mm layer of concrete. Before the concrete sets, its surface must be ironed - cover with a layer of dry cement of 3-5 mm. After 3 days, the line of contact between the blind area and the foundation of the bathhouse must be covered with bitumen to waterproof it.

Caulking for a sauna log house

Performed to insulate a log house - sealing the cracks between its logs, the material for caulking is traditionally flax tow, red moss, hemp hemp, wool felt. Natural materials for caulking can be replaced with factory-made ones made from jute and flax fibers: flax batting and felts - jute and flax-jute. The advantage of factory-made caulking materials over natural ones is their resistance to moths and fungi, and it is easier to work with factory-made material, since it is produced in the form of a continuous strip of a given thickness and width.

Caulking of a log house is carried out during its assembly - caulking material is laid between the logs during their laying. After the roof is built, full caulking is carried out - from the outside and inside log house, after a year - re-caulking (the log house settles - the logs dry).

The main tools for caulking are a spatula and a mallet; you can make them yourself or purchase ready-made ones. Both of these instruments are made of wood (ash, oak or beech). A caulking shovel looks like a wedge with a handle 200 mm long and a pointed blade 100 mm, the thickness of the handle is 30 mm, the width of the blade at the base is 65 mm, at the end - 30 mm. The wooden mallet has a round shape: the diameter of the handle is 40 mm, its length is 250 mm, the diameter of the striking part is 70 mm, its length is 100 mm.

Caulking is done in two ways - “set” or “stretched”. The second way to caulk is as follows: we collect the caulking material into a strand, lay it in the gap between the logs and push it there with the help of a spatula, filling the gap completely, without gaps. Then we collect the tow with a roller, apply it to the caulked groove, take out small strands of material from it, wrap them around the roller and drive it into the groove using a spatula and a roller - with force, until you are completely sure that the groove (slot) is filled.

The first method of caulking log houses is designed to cover large grooves (slots). We twist the material for caulking into 2 mm strands, form several loops from them and drive them into the gap. Loops are collected in a quantity sufficient to completely fill the gap.

Rules for caulking:

· First, the material is hammered along the upper edge of the log and only then along the lower edge;

· We begin caulking work from the cracks of the lower crown, on both sides. Then we move to the lower crown of the adjacent wall and so on. Having finished caulking the cracks of the lower crowns, we begin work on the next one in height, moving from this crown to the adjacent one in the nearest wall (from right to left or left to right, it doesn’t matter).

Important! Under no circumstances should you caulk only one wall - it will rise and cause the frame to skew and you will have to disassemble/assemble it again. Let us remind you once again: caulking is done in a “bottom-up” direction along the perimeter of the log house.

Installing a stove

There are many design options for bathhouse stoves; they can be heated with wood, gas, liquid fuel, or use built-in heating elements and heated by electricity; they can be brick, cast iron or metal. Brick kilns in bathhouses they are made with a wall thickness of “half a brick” or “a whole brick”, masonry seams must be bandaged especially carefully, striving for their smallest thickness to achieve the greatest efficiency of the stove. Only red brick is used for laying the stoves. The furnace firebox is led into the dressing room, its remaining three walls are located in the washing room (steam room), and the distance from them to the walls of the washing room must be at least 250 mm - in this case, the heat will not go “into the walls”.

For a cast iron or metal stove, the formation of an independent foundation is not required - only for a brick one.

Heaters installed for those who like to steam are equipped with a chamber containing stones of various weights (from 1 to 5 kg). Rubble, pebbles, boulders and granite are suitable for filling the heater chamber. The design of these stoves is extremely simple - similar to kitchen stoves, heaters differ from them by having a larger pipe or the presence of a chamber with stones.

To obtain the highest temperature in the steam room, you need to add cast iron pigs to the stones in a percentage ratio of 80:20 (stones: pigs). For every 1 m 3 of steam room you will need at least 6 kg of stones and cast iron pigs.

By maintaining a distance of 40–50 mm in the furnace between its walls and the water heating boiler, the effect of all-round blowing of the boiler with hot gases and rapid heating of the water is achieved.

For better traction you need to remove chimney as close to the roof ridge as possible. When laying a chimney through the attic, be sure to fluff the pipe 380 mm. Remember that the pipe should not pass closer than 150 mm near the roof sheathing and rafters (fire safety standards).

Electricity and water supply for the bathhouse

To wash one bathhouse user, at least 8 liters are required hot water. This amount can be provided in several ways: heat a container of water on a heater, use geyser, install an electric heater - boiler. If there is a central water supply, the pipeline to the bathhouse leads from the main house - the water from such a pipeline system must be drained in winter, otherwise it will freeze and burst the pipes.

Water can be taken from a well or borehole by installing a submersible pump to pump it in and equipping such a water supply system with purification filters. And in this case, in winter, the water must either be drained after each use of the bathhouse, or the supply pipes must be insulated.

You need to extend an independent line to the bathhouse to supply electricity, and the easiest way is to do it by air (air). For the air supply you will need a special cable - we sweep away the “bare” aluminum right away, focusing on two options: SIP (self-supporting insulated wire) and VVGng. The first type of cable is very good, it has a long service life (more than 30 years), it is durable and does not need to be supported by a supporting cable. But it is extremely difficult to carry out installation work with it, because it is too thick ( minimum section- 16 mm 2). Aluminum SIP cannot be pulled through the attic of a bathhouse according to fire safety standards, you need to attach it to special anchor clamps - considering the amount of costs and hassle with its installation, its cost will be expensive.

A simpler solution is air supply with a VVGng copper cable attached to a supporting steel cable. The cable is suspended from the cable on a plastic-insulated wire; its service life is up to 10 years, after which it must be replaced (!). For a single-core VVGng cable (of course, there must be two cores - each of them must be in an independent double braid), stretched over the air to the bathhouse, the optimal cross-section will be 2.5 mm 2 - it is not known exactly what electrical equipment the owner of the dacha will want to power from it in future.

All junction boxes, sockets and switches, electrical panel should only be outdoor installation. According to fire safety rules, it is prohibited to install junction boxes, switches and sockets in the washing/steam room - only in the dressing room. Don’t joke about the possibility of a short circuit in a wooden structure - all internal wiring of the bathhouse should be done only in non-flammable corrugated hose, secured with special clips, cable passage through the partitions should only be through a steel pipe.

Try to arrange the cables in a junction box, socket or lamp so that they enter there from the bottom or side, but not from the top - a drop of condensate sliding along the braid can cause a short circuit.

All electrical appliances must have a moisture protection class of at least IP44 (preferably the maximum - IP54). Install simple lamps - a metal body, only a glass shade. All connections internal wiring cable - only on the terminal block, no twists. And install an RCD in the shield, setting it to 30 mA.

To work in the electrical panel and install an RCD, be sure to invite a qualified electrician if you are not one yourself!

Installation of partitions, ceilings, interior decoration, installation of windows and doors

Internal partitions in the bathhouse can be brick or wood, followed by heat and moisture insulation in both cases. The partition between the washing room and the dressing room, in which the stove is installed, must be made of brick, or there are brick inserts in it, with single brick masonry - on the sides in contact with the stove body.

Interior finishing is usually carried out in cases where the bathhouse itself is built of brick, stone or timber - here the finishing scheme is classic: insulation, vapor barrier film and lining. In addition, when performing external and internal finishing, you will have to rebuild the ventilation system of the bathhouse, because the log logs will be covered with cladding and will not be able to provide full ventilation.

The ceiling is formed in two layers - rough and finishing. The rough ceiling is attached to the horizontal roof joists, if necessary reinforced with intermediate beams. Its area is covered with insulation - expanded clay or slag. From inside the washing/steam room, insulation and a vapor barrier film are attached to the rough ceiling, after which the ceiling is covered finishing- linden, pine tongue-and-groove board (from 20 mm thick - the thicker the board, the longer it will retain the woody smell).

In the bathhouse you need to install small windows (on average 500x700 mm) and cut them low - enough so that the person sitting on the bench can look out through them. Windows in the bathhouse are always made with double glazing, depending on the size - with a window or completely hinged - for quick ventilation.

Doors in bathhouses must be installed so that they open outward - for fire safety reasons. The material for the door leaves is a tongue-and-groove board (40-50 mm) or a board with a selected quarter; the boards are fastened with dowels. The size of the sashes must be deliberately reduced by 5 mm - more than is needed for the actual distance between the quarters of the jambs - otherwise, when humidity increases, the sashes will swell and it will be difficult to open (close) it. Optimal size the doors in the washing compartment of the bathhouse are 600x1600 mm, in the steam room - 800x1500 mm, with a threshold height of about 300 mm above the floor level (it’s uncomfortable to walk, but it will keep you warm). The hinges for hanging the door leaves are brass, opening into the dressing room (washing room) and into the washing room (steam room). Door handles are wooden (especially in the steam room).

Shelves in the bath

The material for the shelves is linden, pine, poplar or aspen. The minimum length of the shelves is 1800 mm, width - 500–800 mm. The distance between the “floors” of double-row shelves should be at least 350 mm, the minimum distance from the second row to ceiling covering- 1100 mm.

The lying surface is formed by a board with a width of 80 mm, a thickness of 40 mm, and a gap of 15 mm wide is formed between the boards. A distance of 10 mm is maintained from the wall to the shelf. Boards for sheathing shelves are attached to a frame made of timber with a cross-section of 50x70 mm in two ways: from above - using nails, the heads of which are recessed into the wood; from below - using screws. For fastening, choose nails and screws from of stainless steel or copper.

All corners in the shelf structure are rounded, the surfaces are carefully cleaned with zero-grade sandpaper.

For greater convenience, the shelves in the steam room are equipped with a headboard: the height at the beginning of the rise is 30 mm, the length of the headboard is 460 mm, the final highest height- 190 mm.

When choosing material for creating shelves, be careful - it is believed that knotty areas are more dense and can lead to skin burns. Therefore, try to choose boards and timber without any knotty areas or with a minimum number of them.

Fire precautions

Protect the sauna premises from the threat of fire - lay it in front of the stove firebox steel sheet, make sure that the stove doors are securely fastened, install fire extinguishing means nearby (a container of water, sand and fire extinguishers). Make sure you can open the doors of the steam room and washing room freely when lighting the sauna. Do not block passages or the space in front of doors and windows.

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Build a bathhouse from a log house not an easy task, however, the construction technology, the choice of materials and even the exact sequence of actions have long been known and worked out by many craftsmen. This material explains all the key points that will help in building a log bathhouse: from laying the foundation to interior decoration.

Which design is preferable, how to choose a place to place it, how it is designed in general - you will find answers to many “bathroom” questions in this article.

Place and layout of the bathhouse

One of the important additions to the bathhouse itself at all times was a reservoir of fresh water located nearby - in the absence of another source of water supply, water was taken from it. The special charm of the proximity of such a reservoir lies in the possibility of a contrasting ablution - after steaming in a Russian bathhouse, running out of it and plunging into the cool water of the reservoir. In addition, the natural reservoir made it possible to quickly cope with a fire in the bathhouse, which occurred quite often due to violations in the construction of the stove.

Today, there is no particular need to link a dacha bathhouse to a natural body of water, but it is still convenient if it is located near, say, an artificial reservoir - the final decision always remains with the owner of the dacha.

The main rooms of the bathhouse are the dressing room, washing room and steam room (the last two rooms can be combined into one). The size of the dressing room is determined at the rate of 1.4 m2 per bather, the size of the washing room is 1.2 m2 per person. In addition, the dressing room should have space for furniture (a locker for clothes, a bench for sitting) and for storing fuel (a box for coal or firewood). In the washing room you will need space for containers with hot and cold water, a stove and space for sun loungers.

For example, for a small family (no more than 4 people) a bathhouse of the following dimensions is suitable: external size - 4x4 m; dressing room - 1.5x2.4 m; washing room - 2x2 m; steam room - 2x1.5 m. True, in a bathhouse of this size you can’t really turn around - but it also takes up little space.

Construction of a bathhouse - stages

There are several of them:

Procurement of basic materials.
Selecting and laying the foundation.
Creating a foundation for a stove (if necessary).
Creation of the floor and sewer system of the bathhouse.
Assembling a log bathhouse.
Roof construction.
Formation of a blind area around the perimeter.
Caulking bath walls.
Laying or installing a stove, installing a chimney.
Electricity and water supply for the bathhouse.
Installation of doors and installation of shelves.

Preparation of basic materials for the bath

The classic and most successful construction material for a Russian bathhouse has been and will remain wood - wood easily copes with waterlogging in bathhouses, removing excess moisture outside.

What wood is suitable for building a bathhouse? As a rule, baths are built from round timber of pine or spruce with a diameter of no more than 250 mm - only wood will create an indescribable internal atmosphere in the steam room. However, in some places it is better to include wood of other species in the design of the bathhouse - oak, larch and linden. For example, lower crowns and flooring logs made of oak will allow you to get a truly durable bathhouse. A nuance - the oak must be cut down “in its sap” (that is, not dead wood) and dried under a canopy. The lower crowns (no more than 4) following the first oak crown are best made of larch. The final crowns, elements of interior decoration and cladding should be made of linden or white spruce - their wood removes moisture better than others.

Bathhouse foundation

To choose the right foundation, you need to determine the type of local soil, which can belong to one of three main groups:

Weak soil consists of peat, silt, silty sand (contains a lot of water), fluid or fluid-plastic clay.
Heaving soil (subject to seasonal swelling) consists of sand (silty or fine), clay components (clay, loam and sandy loam).
Slightly heaving soil is formed by rocks, medium and large grains of sand.

Columnar (pile) foundation for a bathhouse

To cast foundation pillars inside holes dug for them, sliding formwork made of roofing iron, plastic, roofing felt or thick cardboard is used. From the material chosen for the sliding formwork, a pipe with a diameter of 200 mm is created, which is placed in a foundation pit of a larger diameter - from 300 mm. The free space around the formwork is filled with sand - it will act as a lubricant and prevent the concrete pillar from rising when the soil swells. Reinforcement tied with thick wire is inserted inside the formwork, then a concrete mixture is poured, which must be thoroughly compacted. Using wire handles pre-fixed to the sliding formwork, it is lifted by swaying by 400 mm, sand is poured on the outside and a new portion of concrete is poured.

In the spaces between the foundation pillars of the external walls of the bathhouse and the internal walls of the steam room, brick walls are laid out; their thickness is sufficient - brick and even half a brick. Such brick walls must be buried 250 mm into the ground.

The foundation pillars and brick walls between them are raised to a height of 300-400 mm from the ground level; they need to be leveled with cement mortar and covered with roofing felt for waterproofing. During casting, metal embedments of the required shape are installed at the ends of the pillars - they are designed to fasten the bathhouse frame to the foundation.

When building a bathhouse on heaving soils, it will be necessary to create a strip monolithic foundation.

Sequence of work:

Marking a construction site with twine stretched between pegs.
Digging a trench of the required depth (its size is related to the characteristics of local soils, at least 400 mm) and 300 mm wide.
Add a layer of sand to the bottom of the trench, then gravel (each 70-100 mm).
Installation of formwork.
Laying reinforcement.
Pouring concrete mixture.

The reinforcement laid at the bottom of the foundation trenches must have a cross-section of at least 12 mm; it is laid along each of the two sides of the trench and knitted into a frame, lifted to its middle using brick fragments.

0.3 x 0.4 x 22 = 2.64 m3

The formwork is placed in such a way that the concrete foundation cast into it protrudes 100 mm above the ground level. As the concrete mixture is poured into the prepared formwork, its mass must be pierced repeatedly with a bayonet shovel or a wire probe, and the outer side of the formwork must be tapped with a hammer (we eliminate air pockets). Then you need to wait until the foundation is completely cured, approximately 5 to 7 days. When carrying out foundation work in the cold season, after pouring the concrete, the formwork must be covered with PVC film and covered with sawdust or other insulation on top.

Ruberoid.
Pipe about 2 m (plastic or metal), with a cross-section from 32 to 57 mm.
Masonry mesh.
Red brick.
Masonry mortar.

Roofing felt (roofing felt) is cut into strips sufficient for laying on a concrete foundation, then laid on top of the foundation with bitumen mastic (for roofing felt - tar mastic). The brick is laid using a single-row ligation method: masonry mortar is laid on a layer of roofing material, the first brick row is placed on it “in a butt” (across the foundation axis), then a masonry mesh is laid, the mortar is laid and the next brick row is laid, but “in a spoon” (along the axis foundation). Each new row of brickwork is accompanied by a laying of masonry mesh, laying “in a spoon” and “in a poke” alternate with each other. In the 3rd or 5th bonded rows of masonry, you need to install ventilation vents from pipe scraps - 5-7 vents are enough for the entire foundation. The number of brick rows depends on the desired foundation height.

The last row of brickwork is covered with a cement screed (mortar composition sand:cement as 1:2 or 1:3), with a 20 mm layer.

Independent foundation for the heater and bath floor

We create the foundation for the stove and assemble the sauna frame. If capital masonry of the heater is planned, it requires an independent foundation, that is, not connected to the main foundation.

The main disadvantage of a wooden bathhouse floor is its frequent waterlogging - water, penetrating through the cracks between the boards, will accumulate in them, causing rot and the appearance of an unpleasant odor. Wooden flooring wears out quickly, acquiring an unsightly appearance, and may require replacement after 6-8 years. Tile tiles would be more practical for bath flooring - they are easier to care for, they are not susceptible to moisture, which easily flows down its surface.

The floors in the bathhouse rooms must be placed at different levels: the steam room floor is 150 mm above the level of the washing room floor (we preserve heat), the washing room floor is 30 mm below the floor level in the dressing room (we protect it from water).

Since installing a concrete floor covered with ceramic tiles in the washing room and steam room is more profitable than a wooden floor, we will consider this option.

Further actions:

First option- laying a 50 mm layer of felt, expanded clay or slag, on top of a 50 mm layer of concrete with the formation of a slope towards the drain hole. After the concrete has set, it needs to be leveled with a cement solution, after which you can begin tiling work.
Second option- 50 mm cement screed containing perlite (expanded sand). Mixture composition: perlite: cement: water as 5: 1: 3. After a full week has passed since the perlite concrete was laid, we apply a 30 mm layer of concrete on top with a slope towards the drain. When dealing with perlite, you need to be especially careful - this material is extremely light, even a light breeze blows it away, so you need to work with it indoors without drafts. Observe the proportion of water exactly!

If the base of the bathhouse is raised significantly above the ground level (from 300 mm), square-section wooden logs (side 150 mm) will be required for flooring. If the dimensions of the bathhouse premises do not exceed 2000x3000 mm, then the supports for the logs will be the frame logs. For large sizes, additional supports for floor joists will be required; they are pillars made of concrete or brick (250x250 mm) and are placed at a distance of 700-800 mm. Support posts for logs must be placed on a multi-layer base of sand, crushed stone and concrete - each 100 mm thick.

Important! Before forming the base to support the logs, it is necessary to make a foundation for the stove and build a sewerage system.

The wood for the logs can be oak, larch or coniferous trees; the logs should be treated with tar or an antiseptic before installation.

The flooring solution in this case is as follows: the concrete space between the foundation is covered with roofing felt with the walls overlapping to the height of the floor, covered with slag or expanded clay (a layer of 200 mm of foam can be laid between the layer of roofing felt and bulk insulation), a subfloor of 29 mm is attached to the underside of the joists edged board. Then a PVC film, foil mineral insulation, and another layer of film are laid for vapor barrier. Pour a 5 mm layer of concrete with fine filler on top, create a slope under the drain hole - after 3-4 days we lay ceramic tiles.

Don't forget to bring the foundation for the stove to floor level.

The floor in the dressing room is made of 19-29 mm tongue-and-groove boards made of coniferous wood.

An important point: when finishing a clean floor, and indeed the entire steam room and washing room, do not use synthetic building materials - this condition is especially true for a steam room!

Bath sewage system

To drain wastewater from a bathhouse you will need: a pit with a water seal, a well for wastewater and pipes that drain dirty water into the pit and then into the wastewater well.

The pit should be 500 mm from the foundation, its depth should be 700 mm, and its cross-section should be 500x500 mm. The walls of the pit are covered with a 100 mm layer of concrete, and a 110 mm drain pipe(s) from the bathhouse is inserted into it under the foundation. The main well for drainage, containing at least 2 m3, must be dug at a distance of at least 2.5 m from the pit - the further the better. A pipe is supplied to it from the pit, laid at a slope at a depth of 1.5 m (below the freezing depth), its outlet from the pit must be located 100 mm from its bottom. After inserting the drain pipe, the main drainage well is filled with gravel or sand 1 m from the bottom, and soil is poured on top - in a layer of at least 500 mm. When laying, carefully compact each layer.

Before leading the drain pipe into the pit, a galvanized water seal is installed, located at an obtuse angle to the drain pipe from the bathhouse. Its edges and upper side are hermetically attached to the walls of the pit; the distance from its lower edge to the bottom should be no more than 50 mm - thanks to this design, unpleasant odors and cold air will not penetrate into the steam room (washing room) through the drainage hole.

To prevent freezing in winter, the pit must be covered with two covers of the appropriate size (wooden or metal), felt should be placed between them, and the top cover should be covered with expanded clay, slag or sawdust.

Log house, roofing and blind area

The roof structure of the bathhouse includes rafters, sheathing is attached to them, then roofing material. The choice of the final roof structure depends on the roof covering with which it will be covered. The rafters are attached to the last crown of the frame (preferably the penultimate one) using tenon brackets. As a rule, the construction of baths involves the installation of a single- or gable roof, the slope angle (from 10° to 60°) of which depends on the abundance and amount of precipitation in the area. Please note - the steeper the roof, the more material is required to create it.

The roof of the bathhouse can be covered with any material (slate, tiles, roofing felt, galvanized, etc.), with an overlap of at least 500 mm on the walls.

The attic space must be made ventilated, that is, equipped with two doors at opposite ends of the roof.

We make a blind area along the perimeter of the foundation: we completely remove the top layer of soil, go deeper by 200 mm at a distance of 600-800 mm from the base of the bathhouse, lay a 100 mm layer of gravel (crushed stone, expanded clay) and then level it. We lay expansion joints (19 mm board covered with resin or bitumen, in increments of 2-2.5 m perpendicular to the foundation), fill with a 100 mm layer of concrete. Before the concrete sets, its surface must be ironed - cover with a layer of dry cement of 3-5 mm. After 3 days, the line of contact between the blind area and the foundation of the bathhouse must be covered with bitumen to waterproof it.

Caulking for a sauna log house

The caulking of a log house is carried out during its assembly - the caulking material is laid between the logs during their laying. After the roof is built, full caulking is carried out - on the outside and inside of the log house, and after a year - caulking again (the log house settles - the logs dry).

Rules for caulking:

First, the material is hammered along the upper edge of the log and only then along the lower edge;
We begin caulking work from the cracks of the lower crown, on both sides. Then we move to the lower crown of the adjacent wall and so on. Having finished caulking the cracks of the lower crowns, we begin work on the next one in height, moving from this crown to the adjacent one in the nearest wall (from right to left or left to right, it doesn’t matter).

Under no circumstances should you caulk only one wall - it will rise and cause the frame to warp and you will have to disassemble/assemble it again. Let us remind you once again: caulking is done in a “bottom-up” direction along the perimeter of the log house.

Installing a stove

There are many design options for bathhouse stoves; they can be heated with wood, gas, liquid fuel, or use built-in heating elements and heated by electricity; they can be brick, cast iron or metal. Brick stoves in bathhouses are made with a wall thickness of “half a brick” or “a whole brick”; masonry seams must be bandaged especially carefully, striving for their smallest thickness to achieve the greatest efficiency of the stove. Only red brick is used for laying the stoves. The furnace of the stove is led into the dressing room, its remaining three walls are located in the washing room (steam room), and the distance from them to the walls of the washing room must be at least 250 mm - in this case, the heat will not go “into the walls”.

For a cast iron or metal stove, the formation of an independent foundation is not required - only for a brick one.

By maintaining a distance of 40-50 mm in the furnace between its walls and the water heating boiler, the effect of all-round blowing of the boiler with hot gases and rapid heating of water is achieved.

For better draft, you need to bring the chimney as close to the roof ridge as possible. When laying a chimney through the attic, be sure to fluff the pipe 380 mm. Remember that the pipe should not pass closer than 150 mm near the roof sheathing and rafters (fire safety standards).

Electricity and water supply for the bathhouse

To wash one bathhouse user, at least 8 liters of hot water are required. This amount can be provided in several ways: heat a container of water on a heater, use a gas water heater, or install an electric heater - a boiler. If there is a central water supply, the pipeline to the bathhouse leads from the main house - the water from such a pipeline system must be drained in winter, otherwise it will freeze and burst the pipes.

You need to extend an independent line to the bathhouse to supply electricity, and the easiest way is to do it by air (air). For the air supply you will need a special cable - we sweep away the “bare” aluminum cable right away, settling on two options: SIP (self-supporting insulated wire) and VVGng. The first type of cable is very good, it has a long service life (more than 30 years), it is durable and does not need to be supported by a supporting cable. But it is extremely difficult to carry out installation work with it, because it is too thick (minimum cross-section - 16 mm2). Aluminum SIP cannot be pulled through the attic of a bathhouse according to fire safety standards; it is required to be attached to special anchor clamps - considering the amount of costs and hassle with its installation, its cost will be expensive.

All wiring boxes, sockets and switches, and electrical panels must be for outdoor installation only. According to fire safety rules, it is prohibited to install junction boxes, switches and sockets in the washing/steam room - only in the dressing room. Don’t joke about the possibility of a short circuit in a wooden structure - all internal wiring of the bathhouse should be done only in a non-flammable corrugated hose, secured with special clips, cable passage through the partitions should only be through a steel pipe.

Try to arrange the cables in the junction box, socket or lamp so that they enter there from the bottom or side, but not from the top - a drop of condensate sliding along the braid can cause a short circuit.

All electrical appliances must have a moisture protection class of at least IP44 (preferably the maximum - IP54). Install simple lamps - a metal body, only a glass shade. All connections of the internal cable routing are made only on the terminal block, no twists. And install an RCD in the shield, setting it to 30 mA.

To work in the electrical panel and install an RCD, be sure to invite a qualified electrician if you are not one yourself!

Installation of partitions, ceilings, interior decoration, installation of windows and doors

Internal partitions in the bathhouse can be brick or wood, followed by heat and moisture insulation in both cases. The partition between the washing room and the dressing room, in which the stove is installed, must be made of brick, or there are brick inserts in it made of single brick masonry - on the sides in contact with the stove body.

The ceiling is formed in two layers - rough and finishing. The rough ceiling is attached to the horizontal roof joists, if necessary reinforced with intermediate beams. Its area is covered with insulation - expanded clay or slag. From inside the washing room/steam room, insulation and a vapor barrier film are attached to the rough ceiling, after which the ceiling is covered with a finishing finish - linden, pine tongue and groove board (20 mm thick - the thicker the board, the longer it will retain the woody smell).

In the bathhouse you need to install small windows (on average 500x700 mm) and cut them low - enough so that someone sitting on a bench can look out through them. The windows in the bathhouse are always double glazed, depending on the size - with a window or completely hinged - for quick ventilation.

Doors in bathhouses must be installed so that they open outward for fire safety reasons. The material for the door leaves is a tongue-and-groove board (40-50 mm) or a board with a selected quarter; the boards are fastened with dowels. The size of the sashes must be deliberately reduced by 5 mm - more than needed for the actual distance between the quarters of the jambs - otherwise, when the humidity increases, the sashes will swell and it will be difficult to open (close) it. The optimal door size in the washing compartment of a bathhouse is 600x1600 mm, in the steam room - 800x1500 mm, with a threshold height of about 300 mm above the floor (it’s uncomfortable to walk, but it will keep you warm). The hinges for hanging the door leaves are brass, opening into the dressing room (washing room) and into the washing room (steam room). Door handles are wooden (especially in the steam room).

The material for the shelves is linden, pine, poplar or aspen. The minimum length of the shelves is 1800 mm, width is 500-800 mm. The distance between the “floors” of two-row shelves should be at least 350 mm, the minimum distance from the second row to the ceiling covering is 1100 mm.

All corners in the shelf structure are rounded, the surfaces are carefully cleaned with zero-grade sandpaper.

Fire precautions

Protect the bathhouse premises from the threat of fire - lay a steel sheet in front of the furnace firebox, make sure the stove doors are securely fastened, install fire extinguishing means nearby (a container with water, sand and fire extinguishers). Make sure you can open the doors of the steam room and washing room freely when lighting the sauna. Do not block passages or the space in front of doors and windows.

A log sauna has both pros and cons. The process of its construction has a certain specificity: there are characteristic stages of construction that are not so obvious at first glance. In order for a log bathhouse to be built correctly, the builder needs to familiarize himself with some theoretical information.

Peculiarities

A log bathhouse is a traditional Russian building. Such baths were built back in Ancient Rus', but since then the technology has been slightly changed and improved. In particular, this is due to the fact that the technology of making logs has changed greatly. The requirements for bath buildings have also changed. So, now it is necessary that the bathhouse be equipped not only with a dressing room and steam room, but also with a shower, toilet, relaxation room, and billiard room. The size of the bathhouse and, accordingly, the amount of material depend on how many rooms will be equipped.

Wooden baths differ from their brick counterparts in a number of advantages.

Wood has a wonderful effect on human health. The healing steam in such steam rooms improves mood and overall well-being. Depending on which wood is chosen, the effects produced differ. For example, if you choose coniferous wood (spruce, pine) for construction, you can be sure that after visiting the bathhouse your mood will improve and insomnia will disappear. In addition, the evaporation of the resin emitted by these rocks has the ability to kill viruses in the human body.

The timber is an environmentally friendly material, so even in the process of destroying the bathhouse, no harm will be caused to the environment. Disposing of logs is also very easy: you just need to unload them somewhere in the forest. This will turn your garbage into useful fertilizer.
Ventilation in wooden buildings is high. This is due to the fact that timber naturally has excellent ventilation properties, so there will be no problems with stagnation of moist air. Thanks to this feature, during bathing procedures a microclimate is formed that is most suitable and comfortable for steaming in principle, and as a result, the best results are achieved.

Wooden baths retain heat well and do not cool down quickly. Wood has low thermal conductivity, which cannot be said about brick. Low thermal conductivity provides another advantage: in winter, a log bathhouse will warm up many times faster than a brick one.
Thanks to natural ventilation and low thermal conductivity, there will be no need to spend additional funds on equipment wooden bath ventilation, and there is no need to additionally insulate it. As a result, this will allow you to save much more money than was spent on purchasing logs.
The surface of the wood is attractive in itself, so no additional cladding or interior finishing of the bathhouse is required. If profiled timber was chosen for construction, then the building will look neat and tidy and will not “sag” or warp. In addition, the soundproofing qualities of wood are excellent.

A wooden bathhouse on the site is evidence of the high status of the owner. It can even be called a status thing. In addition to the fact that it is convenient and beautiful, a sauna made of timber makes it possible to gather with a company or family and have a good time with intimate conversations in the intervals between procedures in the steam room.

Materials

When deciding to build a log bathhouse, you need to take into account several factors, the first of which is the difference in materials.

Chopped or planed logs(they are also called debarked) are an ordinary log house oval shape, all processing work was carried out manually. Upper layer wood, called sapwood, is carefully removed. The result is logs of different sizes, slightly knotty and rough to the touch. Due to the fact that the wood is not sanded and, roughly speaking, remains in its original form, it retains the ability to resist various kinds negative impacts, which can be exerted on him not only from inside the bathhouse, but also from the external environment. Since logs have different diameters, it is quite difficult to achieve good thermal insulation: you must have experience working with this material. In addition, chopped logs are cheaper.

Galvanized or calibrated log has a higher cost and a completely different appearance. The logs here are processed on a special machine, which makes them all equally round, even and beautiful. The result is a smooth surface without any roughness. However, along with its original appearance, the tree also loses a good half of all its qualities during such processing. The forest becomes more sensitive to external influences, since it loses much of its stability. However, craftsmen have found a solution to this problem: they repeatedly treat the wood with various impregnations and antiseptics, and as a result, galvanized wood becomes more stable.

Solid wood buildings are popular, but you need to know which solid wood to choose.

The following breeds are optimal:

pine;
larch;
birch and others.

All of these options are dense and hard enough to withstand constant exposure to hot temperatures and steam. It is best to purchase timber brought from the northern regions. Wood from the Pskov region is most respected and in demand. It is also necessary to pay attention to the time of purchase: it is best if the wood was harvested in winter. Try not to choose logs that are too thick, as they will crack more quickly than others. It is worth giving preference to young trees of medium diameter.

After purchasing timber, you need to carefully prepare for subsequent construction. You need to let the log house sit for at least a month. Logs are stacked. It is necessary to leave a ventilation gap of 5 cm between them so that the material can “breathe”. Only after the log house has been “rested” can construction begin.

Selection and preparation of material – important step on the way to building a bathhouse. Don't try to save money by choosing low quality wood. The walls of the bathhouse may crack, and thermal insulation properties be below average. To play it safe, buy high-quality timber cut down in winter and supplied from the northern regions.

Project

Moving directly to planning the bathhouse building itself, it is worth deciding on its specific appearance and layout. There are two ways: either you can choose already finished project, or create your own individual one that meets all the requirements and wishes of the future owners. The first method is simpler. Below are examples of projects with their brief descriptions.

If you are planning to build small sauna, for example, size 6x3 m, then it’s worth taking a closer look at minimalist options with a small number of rooms. In this project, only the essentials are left: a shower, a steam room and a spacious dressing room. This is enough for a comfortable bathing experience.

Such a bathhouse looks more like a whole house, especially considering its impressive dimensions. Here the rest room can no longer be called a dressing room due to its large area and high functionality. If desired, the recreation room could be supplemented with a TV or converted into an indoor pool.

Small wooden sauna measuring 6x6 m equipped with everything necessary, including a bathroom. Even a small building can have sufficient functionality. The only inconvenient thing about this project is that the stove used here is not equipped with an external firebox.

The bathhouse can become a full-fledged place recreation, especially if you supplement it with several functional areas: equip a barbecue on the terrace, equip the relaxation room with a TV, or come up with something else. The limitation is imposed only by the design area.

A truly large bathhouse, equipped with a special room for a swimming pool. As you can understand from the plan, this building is two-story, but it is not necessary to equip a second floor or attic: the construction is good as is.

A clear example of what a project should not be. Please note that there is no access to other rooms except the vestibule. Be extremely careful when compiling project plans and don't make such basic mistakes.

If something happens, you can even live in such a building in the summer. You will need to make an extractor hood in the kitchen, because if the smells from it reach the steam room (which is unlikely), then the wood will absorb all the unnecessary aromas, and it will not be possible to get rid of them.

As for individual sketches, you can draw them up yourself or have it done by a professional. The main thing is that your bathhouse is the right size and accommodates all the necessary rooms, in your opinion. Despite the fact that one-story buildings are more popular than two-story buildings, in some cases, two floors can save site area while creating additional space in the bathhouse building. Please note that the steam room is always located on the floor, since a reinforced foundation is required under the stove.

Foundation

In order to make a foundation, no special knowledge or experience is required. All you need is to arm yourself with materials and tools and be prepared to spend a sufficient amount of time on construction.

You will need the following materials and tools:

fittings;
lumber;
nails;

a couple of rolls of roofing felt for waterproofing;
plastic vents;
wooden stakes;
rope;
hammer;
shovel;
level.

Pay attention to the condition of the soil. If it is heaving, then it will be necessary to further strengthen the foundation with reinforced belts.

Now you can start building the foundation from scratch. Below is a list of steps to follow step by step.

Demarcate the area for building a bathhouse using stakes and rope. Install the stakes at the estimated corners of the future bathhouse, and stretch a rope between them.

Keep in mind that the foundation should be made 45 cm high. For log bathhouse this is quite enough. If you make the foundation lower, you may not be able to place all communications, and a higher foundation is a waste of money.

The shovel should be well sharpened before you start digging a trench. Use a grinder for sharpening.
Dig trenches 50 cm deep, strictly observing the boundaries marked in the first stage.
The walls of the trench should not crumble; this is why the shovel was sharpened. If you are building a bathhouse on an area with loose soil and there is no way to correct the situation, then protect the walls from falling off with wooden panels.

In the corner, dig an area for the future boiler. Its size depends on the dimensions of the boiler you choose.
Check the quality of the lumber delivered to you. It is extremely important that it is of truly high quality: then the base will not crack or fall apart. The lumber should not have any knots or breaks.
Install the box along the boundaries of the trench without immersing it. The lumber box should be slightly larger than the width of the trench. Every meter on the walls of the box made of longitudinal boards you need to install one transverse strip. Secure the wooden “walls” on the sides with self-tapping screws.

Reinforce the trench by installing metal rods in it. They should be 10 cm away from the wall and protrude 1.5 cm upward.
Check the width of the box in several places. The distance between the walls must be the same everywhere, otherwise the foundation will not be perfectly level. Cover the inner wooden walls with roofing felt.
Install vents by placing them across the boundaries of the box above the trench. Thanks to them, air will constantly and freely circulate under the bathhouse.

Pour the foundation. You can use a special machine for this, or you can simply throw concrete into the trench and box with a shovel. In the process of laying the mortar, be sure to level the places where the concrete has already “set” and become lumpy. This is done in order to completely level the foundation.
Leave the foundation to dry for 30 days. If there are concerns about precipitation, then cover the structure with polyethylene, otherwise just leave it to dry in the open air.

How to build?

After the foundation has been erected and dried, it is time to build the bathhouse itself. Please note that some time must pass after the logs are cut down. Only then will they be most suitable for construction.

To build a bathhouse with your own hands and do everything correctly, use the following instructions.

One row of logs in a log building is called a crown. The first crown should be as strong as possible and laid evenly, since it bears the rest of the load. Therefore, a frame made of hardwood is chosen: oak or larch. Only such rocks have a sufficient margin of strength to withstand the weight of the entire structure and heat and humidity loads without cracking. For the first crown, it is permissible to use large diameter logs.

The first crown is laid on a foundation equipped with waterproofing. It is extremely important to pay special attention to the treatment of logs with all kinds of antiseptics and moisture-repellent impregnations. The lower part must be cut off to ensure maximum adherence of the log house to the foundation. When laying, you can use the “in the bowl” or in the paw method, as well as “in the head”. The marking process and manual cutting technology are shown in the following pictures. Groove depth depends on temperature environment in winter: the colder the region you live in, the deeper the groove should be.

When laying, keep in mind which side the log is placed on. So, its north side should be located outside, and its south side should be inside. The side is determined by the annual rings on the cut: on the northern side they are thinner. This feature is due to the fact that the tree on the north side is more resistant to negative influences and is less susceptible to warping, so the likelihood that the log will crack or rot is minimized. A bathhouse built in this way can last many times longer - from 50 years.

Since the timber cannot be the same thickness on both sides, it is placed with the thinner side in one direction or the other. This helps keep the top edge horizontal. After the walls are laid, it is necessary to caulk them - plug all the cracks and gaps. Caulking can only be done with certain suitable materials: hemp fiber, dried moss, flax tow, felt. These materials will withstand the shrinkage process well, and they will not lose their properties over time. They caulk the bathhouse in a circle, gradually “walking” along all the seams from top to bottom. If you caulk first on one wall, then on the other, and so on, then the bathhouse can “lead.”

The upper crown, also called the Mauerlat, must be selected as carefully as the first. The Mauerlat will subsequently support the roof, ceiling and, in general, the entire rafter system.

Roof

The roof was built over the log bathhouse in the same year. It can be either temporary or permanent, but it is extremely important to build it within these time frames. It is best to choose a roof of simple design, for example, a gable roof. There will be no need for unnecessary frills. A small attic must be left under the roof, but it is important to ensure that it is well ventilated.

Depending on the snow load, the distance is determined, on which the rafters are located from each other. Usually the step is 1-15 m. If you plan to equip the attic as a room or you just want to insulate it, then select the distance between the rafters depending on the width of the insulation slabs.

To install the rafters, you need to cut them into the upper crown - the Mauerlat. It turns out that the upper crown serves as a support for the rafters.

The rafters are connected to each other at the top. Next, you can begin to form the roof itself. First you need to make a sheathing for the gable roof. An example of what it looks like is shown in the photo below.

Some kind of waterproofing material, for example, roofing felt, is laid on the sheathing. It will protect the tree, which has not yet had time to sit properly, from getting wet.

Only after the construction of the waterproofing layer can it be laid finishing coat. It depends on the project and is usually chosen for aesthetic reasons. Examples include ondulin, slate, metal tiles, corrugated sheets and others.

Since the main functions of the roof are protective, after installing it, you can safely begin finishing work, including making floors.

Although gable roofs are usually chosen, there are cases where a shed roof design is more appropriate.

The choice of one option or another depends on a number of factors.

Bathhouse location. Wooden structure It can be either free-standing or attached. In the second case, the option with a pitched roof is more relevant.
Finance. The construction of a pitched roof is much cheaper than a gable roof, and many choose this option in order to save money, even though it does not look as attractive in appearance.
Presence of an attic. So, if you plan to equip it, then it is best to make the roof gable, otherwise you can successfully get by with a lean-to structure.

Gable roofs with a high ridge look most attractive on log bathhouses. By insulating such a roof, you can create an additional room: a recreation area, a billiard room, a room for storing towels and other bath accessories. If you do not insulate the space, it can also be used by adapting it for storing brooms, for example. Shed roofs They are usually made almost flat, practically without inclination, which fundamentally influences the fact that no room can be equipped under them.

Insulation

A log bathhouse is insulated both inside and outside. In theory, a variety of synthetic materials, most reminiscent of foam plastic, can be used for insulation. However, it is worth keeping in mind that during the construction of insulation the lion’s share is lost useful qualities bath procedures. This is due to the fact that vapor barrier does not allow the walls to “breathe”, so the microclimate created in the steam room cannot be called useful.

Among the insulation materials there are some that should not be used. One of them is waterproof foam, which precisely contributes to the creation of a greenhouse effect in the steam room. This also includes synthetic polystyrene: when heated, it evaporates highly toxic substances that are dangerous to humans. Mineral wool- also a bad option, since it cannot withstand high humidity. Materials on plastic base When heated above 60 degrees, they quickly collapse. We can conclude that synthetic compounds are not suitable for insulating a log bath.

Only natural insulation materials should be used.

Tow. This material is used for insulation quite often. This is due to its excellent thermal insulation qualities, low price, and convenient form of sale in rolls. Laying tow between logs is very easy. The insulation procedure with this material takes little time, but the result exceeds all expectations.
Ecowool. The advantage of the material is that it can be used to regulate the level of humidity in the steam room. This environmentally friendly material is able to absorb excess moisture when there is too much of it, and release it when there is not enough. Thus, the most comfortable microclimate is guaranteed. Among other things, ecowool perfectly insulates, “locking” the heat in the room.

Jute. Another name for jute is felt or flax batting. The material consists of a mixture of flax and jute fibers. It has increased strength characteristics and is more dense, which makes it an excellent choice for insulating a log bathhouse. Felt does not rot, insects do not breed in it, and the material is also heat-resistant.
Moss. Since moss is difficult to work with, it is rarely chosen. Only a professional can carry out moss insulation work correctly and quickly. However, moss perfectly protects against heat loss, it is completely natural, environmentally friendly, so some still prefer it.

The bathhouse must be insulated. This is done in order to keep heat loss to a minimum, otherwise you will have to constantly turn on the furnace at full power. It will quickly fail and will have to be repaired. It is much more correct and cheaper to immediately properly insulate a wooden bathhouse, thereby reducing all possible negative consequences.

Finishing

By and large, finishing a log bath is not required. This is due to the fact that she already looks aesthetically attractive and neat. However, many ordinary log walls seem boring and they are thinking about how to update their interior design.

Any work on the design of the bath should be postponed until the moment when the structure is completely seated. The interior decoration of the steam room, if it is planned, must be carried out only with the help of environmentally friendly and natural materials. Also, do not use metal parts, as they will become scalding hot when heated. This will increase the risk of injury. This partially applies to fastening elements, but if it is not possible to use wooden ones, then galvanized metal ones must be buried.

For the interior decoration of a bathhouse made of timber, lining is perfect. She needs to be exposed additional processing, well soaked with antiseptic compounds. As for wood, linden and larch are optimal for a steam room. They don’t get hot, so even if it’s very hot in the steam room heat, you won't get burned. Coniferous lining cannot be used: when heated, the wood releases resin, which can severely burn the skin. As an alternative, you can combine wood species, but this option is only suitable if horizontal laying and is done for the smell, and not for practical reasons.

Most often, for lining the inside of a steam room, they use vertical method placement of lining. To begin with, special markings are made, the walls are covered with waterproofing, and only after that the lining is installed.

You can also use facing slabs for interior decoration. She happens to be universal material, and is also extremely resistant to all “baths” negative influences: elevated temperatures and humidity. The tiles are easy to maintain and durable, and by tiling your bathhouse with tiles, you will get the most unusual structure of all.

The walls must first be insulated from moisture, and then a special plaster mesh. Next you need to plaster everything. The tiles are laid on glue solution. Be sure to seal the seams with a water-repellent and antiseptic composition to achieve a presentable appearance for many years.

The outside of timber baths is usually covered with siding. This way they are protected from many climatic influences, including rain and frost. The siding will definitely need to be left for a couple of days, having first been spread on a flat surface. This way they get rid of creases and bends. It is important to be careful about what siding you choose: you need a moisture-resistant option.

To lay siding, the walls are primed and sheathed. It is also necessary to do additional insulation. Waterproofing is done with a special film. After this, the elements are fastened, leaving a small gap between the insulation and the finishing cladding itself. All work is carried out in a bottom-up direction. At the end, platbands are installed.