Currently, many owners of country houses dream of their own bath. But at the same time, not everyone knows which material is better to choose for its construction. Today we will talk about sauna rooms made of foam blocks.
Features of the
Today, experts can offer many different projects of foam block baths. This material is aerated concrete or lightweight and cellular concrete. It comes in different types.
Foam concrete
Such material is made by adding a special foaming agent to the cement mortar. Then the resulting mass should be distributed over the forms and wait until it hardens. Foam concrete can be made independently at home. It is most often used in the construction of baths.
Aerated concrete
This material is made by mixing cement mortar with a special aluminum powder. After that, you need to wait until the mass is completely solidified. Do not make aerated concrete at home. It is produced using special technical equipment. Such products are produced with precise geometry, so they are convenient enough for decorating baths.
Silicate concrete
This type of building material is created using lime. Silicate concrete is white. It is highly hygroscopic. Despite this, this type of base is also often used in the construction of bath rooms.
According to many people, foam concrete is the most reliable material for a bath. Therefore, many people choose it during construction. And although this material is highly hygroscopic, it can be used in the design of such buildings. However, during its manufacture, it is necessarily treated with hydro-protective substances.
The foam block is an artificial material, but has the same characteristics as natural bases. At the same time, it differs in a lower price affordable for everyone. Therefore, at present, most people choose such products for external decoration of baths.
Pros and cons of the material
Foam blocks boast a considerable list of positive qualities. Let's note the main ones.
- High level of thermal protection … Even with high temperature fluctuations, the foam blocks do not collapse, they remain in their original form.
- Environmental friendliness. This material is made using safe components, it is completely harmless to human health.
- Resistant to decay and rust … When creating such products, they are pre-treated with special mortars that resist the formation of mold and mildew. In addition, such compounds protect the structure from rodents and corrosion.
- Light weight. This property greatly simplifies the installation work.
- Easy styling. Almost anyone can install the foam block. Some types of such material have a special lock, which further simplifies the installation process.
- Affordable price … Unlike natural bases, foam blocks boast a low cost. Anyone can buy it.
- Fire resistance. The foam block house-bath is quite resistant to fire. He can counteract it for two hours.
Despite the large list of advantages, foam blocks have certain disadvantages. They must be subjected to additional treatments.
It can be used in the construction of baths only after impregnation with special compounds that resist moisture. Otherwise, the material will quickly lose its appearance and may deteriorate.
Although the foam blocks themselves do not differ in high cost, their installation will not be cheap. They can be connected to each other using a special construction glue, which is expensive. When building sauna structures from foam blocks, it is imperative to carry out insulation. This is necessary in order to once again protect the material from the harmful effects of moisture and temperature fluctuations. Otherwise, the blocks can completely collapse.
Subtleties of design
When developing a drawing for a future bath, it is imperative to take into account its size. Only knowing the exact scale of the structure, you can correctly draw up a project for such a room. In addition, additional buildings located next to or under the same roof should be taken into account. Currently, you can find many projects of baths in sizes 3x4, 4x4, 5x4, 4x6 m.
This scale is small, so you need to be careful when designing these premises. The design should simultaneously accommodate a steam room, a washing room, and often a shower room with a changing room. As a rule, in these cases, most of the space is set aside for the steam room. Often such baths have a window.
There may even be two openings (in the washing and steam room). They act as the necessary ventilation. Often, projects of such small rooms are combined with other residential buildings (garages, guest houses) to make the structures look more beautiful and solid.
It is better not to use a tambour in the construction of a small sauna building (for example, 6x4 m), because it will take up a lot of space. If you decide to include it in the project, you will have to install a partition and move the doors.
In this case, many experts strongly recommend making such zones outside the premises. Today, a considerable number of projects for the design of larger-scale baths have also been proposed. Their size is 6x6 m, some structures may be larger (+ 2-3 sq. M). All the necessary rooms (shower room, changing room, washing room, vestibule, steam room) can easily fit in rooms of such an area. In addition, small recreation areas for the owners are often placed in such buildings.
In these types of baths, it is worth installing window openings. Their size should correspond to the dimensions of the room itself, since large structures require good ventilation. It is better to place windows in several rooms at once. Often, such large-scale baths are made two-story. Moreover, the second tier is also made of rather big size. Most often it is used for a pool or a large relaxation room.
On the second floor, you need to place at least one window opening as ventilation.
The second floor of such premises does not have to be additionally insulated. Warm steam from the first tier will penetrate into the room, warming it up. Due to the even distribution of heat, the temperature of the upper zone will not be too high, it will remain optimal. Experts and designers do not recommend combining them outside with other buildings during the construction of two-story bath rooms. After all, they can completely ruin the beautiful appearance of the bath, make the structure too overloaded. Therefore, it is better to place all other additional structures separately.
With swimming pool
Often, during the construction of baths from foam blocks, pools are placed in them. But it should be remembered that they should be installed only in structures with a large area. Otherwise, the design will turn out to be cumbersome and will bring significant inconvenience. If you are building a two-story building, it is better to place such an element on the second tier.
A room with a pool must have at least one ventilation window.
Today, on the building materials market, anyone can see various options for bath pools. They can be of very different shapes (round, rectangular, square, semicircular). The choice of a suitable option depends on the internal layout of the building. At the same time, we must not forget that the design of such premises with a pool will cost the owners a lot.
With terrace
You can often find projects of baths with a veranda. It can be included in projects of small structures. According to some experts and designers, the terrace can perfectly fit into any type of decoration, regardless of size. If you are building your bath from foam blocks, the veranda can be made from this material. But there are options in which the terraces are made from a different base (wood, metal, plastic, decorative stone).
Many people note that structures made of wood look especially impressive.
Some designers advise placing small pieces of furniture (tables, sofas, chairs) on the terraces. It should be remembered that you cannot overload the veranda. Otherwise, it will look ridiculous. If you are equipping a two-story bath, then such structures should be placed on the upper tier.
Small buildings
Today, experts can offer projects of baths made of foam blocks with sizes smaller than standard ones. Such rooms often include only a washing and steam room. Other zones in such structures may be too small or even unable to fit there. Often, the owners, in order to increase the area of a small bath, build a second floor of the same scale.
On the upper tier, you can place a shower room, a relaxation room, a small pool. If you do not want to build another floor, remember that it is better not to load such structures with verandas and other additional elements. Even in small bath rooms, window openings must be placed. For these designs, two small windows are enough. In small-scale saunas, this will be sufficient for ventilation.
How to build?
A foam block bath can be made with your own hands, without the help of professionals. Before the construction of the structure itself, you need to build a foundation. Moreover, most builders recommend immediately insulating it. Then you need to install the walls of the future bath. For this, foam blocks of a certain size must be laid on the foundation.
They can only be connected using special construction glue. When laying these parts, you should pay special attention to the seams. They should be thin enough. After installing the walls, you need to make a rough ceiling from the boards.
It is necessary to make the rafters that are needed for the installation of the ceiling covering.
As a rule, the roof is covered with another material on top. Most often they are corrugated board. During construction, holes should be made in the roof for ventilation. Then it is imperative to cover the material from the inside with a special insulating film or waterproofing compound. After that, you can lay the electrical wiring. Moreover, it does not require special insulation in foam concrete.
Ready examples
Today, anyone can come across many different design options for foam block baths. Since the foam concrete itself is not a beautiful finish, it is better to cover it with decorative elements. Many designers offer to decorate the outer surface with stone.
In hardware stores, any buyer will be able to see a rather large selection of various decorative stones
Many people choose similar elements of a small size with a rough surface for their baths. The color scheme of such material can be very different. Her choice depends on the personal preferences of the owners. Often, such elements are used to complete the entire structure
The roof for the bath can be made of ordinary corrugated board. The presence of a terrace is also acceptable. It can also be finished with decorative stones. According to most people, this type of design is beautiful and interesting
- You can often see projects in which foam concrete baths are finished with siding on the outside. At the same time, the color palette of the material is diverse. It is more profitable and more practical to decorate the roof and all openings in dark shades.
- If a veranda is included in the project, it can be made of siding in the same color scheme as the room itself. Often, with this type of design, a small staircase is made. It can be covered with a decorative wood finish.
It is permissible to use a small amount of stone during construction.
You can learn more about how to build a bathhouse from foam blocks with your own hands.