Every summer resident or owner of a country estate with a large residential private house at some point begins to think about building his own bath. Going to the steam room brings a lot of fun and health benefits.
When erecting a building, it is necessary to take into account many functional, practical and decorative and aesthetic aspects. The future building must meet all the requirements and at the same time be reliable, durable and easy to use.
Features of the
For a comfortable stay and the possibility of carrying out all the necessary bath procedures, the building must have the following mandatory premises:
- steam room;
- washing;
- rest room.
The optimal bath size is 4x6 meters. Such a building will organically look at a small summer cottage, while it will allow you to comfortably organize a vacation for a small company of 4-6 people.
The owners of spacious country estates will also be satisfied with the project: the absence of unnecessary details will not affect the quality of rest, the more a small bath keeps heat better and heats up faster.
The presence of separate steam rooms and a washing room helps to solve many functional issues
- Firstly, the separation of these two zones is reasonable, since the washing room does not need high temperatures, while the steam room can be quickly and efficiently heated to the required state. A similar situation develops with excessive humidity in the steam room from the immediate vicinity of the washing room. It is important to take into account that too humid air at high temperatures is tolerated by the human body much worse.
- Secondly, it becomes possible to install a douche bucket with invigorating cold water in the washing room, which will not heat up from the heat from the steam room.
- Thirdly, staying in the baths at the same time for men and women will be much more comfortable with separate rooms.
Projects
Before proceeding with the construction of a 4 by 6 meter bath, it is necessary to select the most optimal project that meets the requirements of the future owner. There are many options for drawings and building diagrams that can satisfy the most demanding taste.
In order to correctly select a construction project, it is necessary to understand the possible functionality. A lighter version of the building can be a summer bath, which will include a minimum of premises (recreation area, steam room, washing room).
If the bathhouse will be used all year round, it makes sense to provide a toilet, as well as a small dressing room or vestibule, which will protect the heated space from cold air from the street.
If a project is being selected for a commercial purpose (for example, for a tourist base), then it is better to take care of a spacious recreation room so that all guests can comfortably sit at the table after visiting the steam room. It is worth choosing a project with a separate firebox in order to control the process of heating the bath and not interfere with the rest.
A small terrace will give guests the opportunity to get out for some fresh air or wipe themselves off with snow.
A veranda or terrace (especially in summer) can easily replace a seating area. If it is possible to close the windows of the veranda, then you can use the space of the room even in the cool season, and mosquito nets will get rid of annoying insects. Projects with summer premises will help the future owner save on interior decoration, as well as heat and waterproofing.
Properly placed priorities will help you to correctly plan the location of the interior partitions inside the bath. If the future owner intends to often invite guests to "take a steam bath", then it would be most appropriate to choose a project with a spacious lounge.
In this case, the steam room, as a rule, is visited by only a part of the guests at a time, while gatherings at the table are held with the participation of everyone. You should also not make the sink too large - you can limit yourself to the space for the shower stall and a place where you can dry yourself with a towel and put on a bathrobe.
In the case when the future bath will be intended for a family stay, as well as used for household purposes (washing clothes), then the washing block should be spacious and comfortable for several people to stay at once.
The shower stall is replaced with hot and cold water taps, basins and benches.
It is possible to correctly plan the space on the site and have a large comfortable 6x4 meter sauna if you replace the terrace with a small porch. This will provide a comfortable exit to fresh air, as well as give a finished look to the structure.
Sequence of premises
The correct layout of the premises plays an important role. The first room one gets into is the vestibule. It protects the rest of the rooms from the ingress of cold air, and they also leave outerwear here and take off their shoes. This room should not be large: 2-2.5 sq. m will be enough.
From the vestibule, most often the door leads to the recreation room, which is equipped with a table, chairs or benches. Often this room is not heated, but it remains warm thanks to the heat from the steam room.
There are projects in which it is possible to go directly to the steam room from the rest room, while a separate door leads to the washing room. But only in a purely Russian traditional bath, the steam room is the heart of the whole structure, and you can only get into it from the sink.
Thus, it is possible to preserve the maximum amount of heat in the steam room, which means that you can get maximum pleasure from the process.
Materials (edit)
Currently, there are a huge number of materials from which you can build a bath. In order not to be mistaken with the choice, you should weigh the pros and cons of each type.
Log bath
Traditionally, the bathhouse in Russia was built exclusively from a log house. Now such buildings are highly valued, since the natural material is environmentally friendly, has therapeutic properties and has a beneficial effect on the human body.
Consider the advantages of log baths:
- keep warm well and are quickly heated;
- environmentally friendly material is safe for human health;
- log buildings have a low level of shrinkage;
- chopped baths have good sound insulation;
- due to the fact that for the construction it is enough to erect a strip foundation (a wooden blockhouse is a fairly lightweight structure), you can save a considerable amount and time;
- wood has natural ventilation, such a bath is considered "breathing";
- you can buy a ready-made log house and save time and effort for building a structure;
- a log bath has excellent decorative properties and looks great on a suburban area;
- the wood resin, which is released from the heating of the room, smells good, which creates a special atmosphere inside the building.
However, log baths have their own disadvantages, which should be taken into account during construction:
- wood material is highly flammable and supports combustion, therefore there is an increased risk of fire, fire safety techniques should be observed during construction and operation;
- the tree absorbs all excess moisture and evaporation, because of this, the material can begin to rot, mold and mildew form on it (special impregnations and antiseptics with which wood are treated during the construction stage will help prevent undesirable processes);
- seams are formed between the logs, which must be sealed to avoid heat loss.
Bath on the basis of a frame
Buildings erected using frame technology are gaining more and more popularity.
Houses and baths on a frame have become widespread due to the obvious advantages of such structures:
- for a light frame construction, no foundation is required, which saves a lot of time, effort and money (the frame is installed directly on the piles);
- the absence of a foundation makes the structure stable in the event of seismic vibrations;
- baths and houses made using frame technology are environmentally friendly and safe for humans;
- it is possible to build an object at low temperatures (up to 15 degrees below zero);
- you can heat the bath immediately after the completion of the construction;
- the building perfectly keeps heat and heats up quickly, while the material is able to "breathe" (it passes and releases air perfectly);
- the structure can be erected even alone.
The frame bath also has disadvantages:
- finishing, insulation, waterproofing will require a lot of investments, since the use of cheap and low-quality materials can cause harm to health (toxic volatile substances are released during strong heating, besides, inexpensive foam plastic is highly flammable, and affordable mineral wool may not have the necessary properties that retain warmly);
- the foundation of a frame building shrinks (up to 10 cm in 2 years).
Brick bath
You will rarely find such a bathhouse. However, this material is quite suitable for the construction of this structure.
Let's consider all the pros and cons to assess the rationality of the choice in favor of a brick. The advantages of a brick bath are:
- resistance to mechanical damage;
- the building will serve for more than a dozen years;
- heat-resistant material does not burn and does not support fire, and therefore the construction of a bath is safe even at a short distance from residential buildings;
- the brick does not absorb moisture, does not rot, mold does not form on it and inside;
- the material retains and gives off heat for a long time;
- a brick bath is easy to build, even if the project involves complex architectural elements;
- any brick structure looks fundamental and attractive.
However, such baths have a number of disadvantages that make the construction of brick baths unpopular:
- the material is very expensive;
- a reinforced foundation is required for the construction;
- a brick bath heats up for a very long time, it is necessary to spend a lot of time and fuel to create the necessary microclimate;
- inside, it is imperative to make decoration and thermal insulation.
Aerated concrete block bath
This material is relatively young and has not yet managed to gain confidence, therefore, it is rather difficult to assess the degree of reliability of aerated concrete baths.
The undoubted advantages of the material include the following characteristics:
- aerated concrete blocks have a porous structure, which allows you to create good thermal insulation;
- the material has a low cost, therefore it is widespread;
- this material is durable, while it is easy to saw and fit to the desired size;
- block buildings are safe for human health;
- the material does not rot, mold does not grow inside and on the surface;
- a bath from aerated concrete blocks can be built alone;
- for the construction of a sufficient lightweight strip foundation.
Negative properties of blocks can affect the choice of this material:
- due to the porous structure of the blocks, the material absorbs a large amount of moisture, which dries for a very long time;
- in order to dry the room, it is necessary to provide high-quality ventilation in the form of windows, and such a measure leads to large heat losses, which are especially noticeable in the steam room;
- any building made of aerated concrete blocks needs external and internal finishing;
- in order to produce competent waterproofing, a sealant is needed, which, during strong heating, can release volatile toxins.
Beautiful examples
The plan for future construction may also include an attic floor. Thus, there is an additional place for relaxation or a guest bedroom. It is best to choose projects with a sloping gable roof, then it is possible to make the most of the space in the upper tier.
A chopped round log sauna with a spacious outdoor terrace is the best option for spending time with your family or for a noisy company of friends.
Brick baths look solid and attractive. Such structures will look organic next to large brick-built residential buildings. A single architectural ensemble will emphasize the style of the entire site and give it a finished, well-groomed look.
For an overview of the steam room and sink in the bath, see the next video.