When designing a bathhouse on a site next to the house, many owners ask themselves: what building material should they choose? Along with traditional wood, modern gas and foam concrete blocks, brick does not lose popularity as a raw material for the construction of baths.
Advantages and disadvantages of aerated concrete baths
The first bathhouse made of aerated concrete: pros and cons of this material. If we compare aerated concrete with wood, the former has more for a long time operation and low cost. The material contains sand-cement mixture and water.
Cellular concrete blocks have the following advantages:
- simplicity and speed of installation of blocks;
- with proper internal waterproofing, they are resistant to high humidity;
- low level of thermal conductivity;
- the ability to independently cut blocks;
- affordable price.
Simple installation of blocks becomes a decisive argument when answering a beginner’s question: what is the best material to build a bathhouse from? Optimal choice – prefabricated buildings made of lightweight aerated concrete.
Review of gas concrete bath: We converted the sauna into a bathhouse made of aerated concrete, located in the Moscow region. The sauna was 5 years old, the walls were dismantled. The autopsy showed small shoals due to violations of masonry technology. Overall everything is fine. 300mm concrete was used + half-brick cladding. No insulation.
List of strengths and weaknesses of foam blocks as a material for a bath
Despite the recommendations of construction regulations on the strict selection of raw materials for construction bath complexes(in particular, a ban on the use of cellular concrete and hollow brick), many land owners prefer these positions due to their availability and price range.
Analyzing the pros and cons of a bathhouse made of foam blocks, it is necessary to note the hygroscopicity of all concrete-based materials. This parameter is determined by the peculiarity of the internal structure of the raw material - the pores perfectly absorb water and steam molecules. The block is most noticeably destroyed when there is a sharp temperature conflict - hot air indoors and frost outside. Therefore, any building made of foam cellular concrete needs careful waterproofing interior walls sheet foil, and external ones - any facing material. These operations increase the cost of the project, making it unfeasible.
Considering the total costs of constructing a foam concrete building, it is better to build a bathhouse made of bricks.
Advantages and disadvantages of brick baths
A brick bathhouse, the pros and cons of which will be mentioned below, is a good alternative to a wooden building. Natural clay raw materials are environmentally friendly and can withstand high temperatures. The advantages of such a bath are obvious:
- the period of use of the building exceeds 50 years;
- brick - universal material, the shape of the bath can be any;
- no external finishing required;
- high fire resistance.
Brick buildings are not without their disadvantages:
- high price. Compared to a tree or cellular blocks, brick construction– the most expensive;
- high coefficient of heat capacity of the material, causing significant fuel consumption to heat the microclimate.
The listed options for bathhouse materials can be called less popular than traditional wood. Many owners of country real estate have no doubt that the best sauna there may only be a structure made of wood. And such masters are faced with a completely different question: a bathhouse made of timber or logs?
Review of a brick bathhouse: Our bathhouse is made of brick, we wash ourselves all year round. We built it ourselves, the construction was long and tedious. Overall it turned out well, the bathhouse lasted for 2 years with no problems, and it will last for several decades without any problems.
Pros and cons of wooden baths made of logs and timber
In Rus' they have long been building log cabins. Before choosing whether linden or aspen is better suited for a bathhouse, you need to make a choice in favor of timber or logs.
Timber appeared on the market immediately after the discovery of timber processing technology. Building a bathhouse from timber is simple. Profiled raw materials can be square or rectangular section, but any of these types of material has a significant drawback - cracking during operation. Another disadvantage of using timber is the need to wait until the bathhouse shrinks. This takes on average 0.5-1.5 years. This disadvantage also applies to log baths.
A significant advantage of logs is their high aesthetic characteristics. Externally, such a bathhouse looks very colorful, rustic and cozy. In addition to its beauty, a log bathhouse has the following parameters:
- a special indoor microclimate that has a beneficial effect on health;
- the tree “breathes”, allowing steam to escape;
- robust design with correct operation can last for several decades.
Illiterate preparation of logs for construction or use poor quality material leads to rapid wear and tear of the building, requiring its reconstruction or replacement.
Review of the wooden bath: A log is more durable than timber, especially if properly prepared at the end of winter.
Which wood to choose?
What kind of wood is best to build a bathhouse from - ordinary people are interested. The best option is hardwood trees, because during use all surfaces will heat up to a high temperature. Deciduous trees, most often used in bathhouse construction– aspen, linden. What material makes the bathhouse stronger?
In Russia, bathhouse buildings are more often built from cordate linden, which can be called a healer because of its positive energy. Light linden wood is perfectly processed and hardly deforms over time. The low density of the material and low weight are additional advantages. Basswood is usually used in conjunction with an oak frame.
Aspen has a soft structure, low susceptibility to rotting and proliferation of microorganisms. Over the years, an aspen bathhouse gains high strength; its walls begin to emit a specific ringing sound when struck. The antimicrobial properties of aspen were used by our ancestors in the construction of wells with spring water. If we talk about the financial side of the issue, an aspen log house will cost the owner of a bathhouse cheaper than its linden counterpart.
To summarize the above, it should be noted that each material has its supporters and the choice of raw materials for the construction of a bathhouse remains with the owner of the site. Below are reviews about each type of building, collected from construction forums.
Review of wood: Aspen has one advantage over linden - price! If the price tag suits you, take the linden. Fragrant tree. Linden is a more resistant tree to moisture and temperature changes.
The choice of material for the construction of a bathhouse and interior decoration largely determines the quality and appearance of the bathhouse. As it turned out, in addition to tastes, material capabilities, and traditions, it is necessary to take into account a number of factors that leave their mark on the choice of building material, so in this article we will look at what materials are best used for building a bathhouse.
What material is the bathhouse made of?
- rounded logs;
- beam;
- brick;
- concrete;
- various types of panels.
The best material for a bathhouse is log walls
Most often, baths are built from wood. Particular attention is paid to the strength and quality of the material: any irregularities or places loose fit may cause significant heat loss.
We can talk endlessly about the advantages of a log sauna, and the best material for a sauna is:
- Aesthetics. For many, when choosing between a timber log building, aesthetics is one of the main factors.
- Environmental friendliness. Wood is an environmentally friendly material, absolutely safe for humans.
- Low thermal conductivity. Long-term heat retention is ensured due to the low thermal conductivity of wood compared to other materials (brick, concrete, panel). There is no need for additional thermal insulation.
- Durability. According to this criterion, bathhouses made of timber are significantly superior to panel and frame buildings. Durability depends on many factors - from the selection, harvesting and storage of wood to the care of the building. If you follow the technology of bathhouse construction, proper and timely care, such a bathhouse will last for quite a long time. The estimated period, if all standards are met, is 75 years.
- Low cost. Planed wood is a relatively inexpensive material, and the cost of construction from it is significantly lower compared to the cost brick bath. Coniferous species are mainly used for the construction of baths - pine, larch. Pine is distinguished by a small number of knots and the greatest straightness of the trunk. Larch is denser than pine and more resistant to decay, resistant to dampness, but its price is higher than pine.
Concerning fire safety wooden bath, here, of course, a lot depends on compliance with construction standards. To increase fire resistance, wood is impregnated fire retardant compounds, the choice of which is huge.
Building material for a bath - Timber
However, the construction of a bathhouse on summer cottage can be carried out in another way - using not logs, but timber. This type of construction reduces material costs. But, on the other hand, if the owner wants to improve the appearance of the building, he will have to spend money on finishing materials.
If we talk about preferences when choosing between timber and logs, then a log is usually considered a more acceptable material for building a bathhouse. However, it would be wrong to say that a log sauna better than a bath from timber. These materials for the construction of a bathhouse have approximately the same characteristics, so preferences in the choice are quite arbitrary and are determined appearance and cost.
Brick walls for building a bathhouse
Build good bath made of brick and stone is more difficult than made of wood. However, in some cases, when brick and stone are more accessible than wood, it is necessary to build not only the foundation, but also walls from them. Using bricks during construction, you can support high temperature indoors for 24 hours, but such material will take much longer to warm up. A brick bathhouse is more durable and less fire hazardous. Its main disadvantage is large heat losses due to high thermal conductivity. To reduce it, it is recommended to line the inside of the bathhouse with clapboard, laying a thick layer of steam and thermal insulation between it and the brick wall. Any brickwork absorbs and allows moisture to pass through, so contact of the walls with the ground is not allowed.
Moisture-resistant bath materials include:
- moisture-resistant plasterboard, used in the interior decoration of baths and requires the application of additional primer;
- moisture resistant panels.
Concrete walls for a bath
The microclimate in a brick or concrete bath, of course, will not be the same as in a wooden one. It is possible to build a bathhouse from foam concrete, but vapor barrier and ventilation from inside the premises in this case require ideal execution, otherwise it is better not to use foam concrete.
By doing masonry work made of foam block, it is necessary to remember about additional waterproofing of the material. This can be bituminous soil (liquid bitumen) with pre-treatment with deep impregnation soil.
During panel construction of a bathhouse external walls erected on a frame base of sandwich panels. Bye similar option building a bathhouse is not popular, although it allows you to save money on the basis of the design. Due to the lightness of the walls being erected, it will be enough for a panel bath
Currently gaining more and more popularity Canadian technology construction country houses from OSB sandwich panels. You can build a bathhouse from this material, and such a bathhouse will have a number of advantages:
- construction time is very short,
- the sauna does not shrink and is immediately ready for use,
- the cost of foundation for a bathhouse is minimized due to the lightness of the structure,
- walls made of OSB panels with 150 mm thick insulation do not freeze in winter and provide quick warm-up internal space, retaining heat for a long time.
- and finally, OSB - a panel - is the ideal rough panel for any interior or exterior decoration.
The service life of a panel bath depends on quality characteristics interior finishing materials and averages 25 - 30 years. In operation panel sauna no different from baths made of other materials.
Conclusion: what material to build a bathhouse from?
Materials for building a bathhouse, such as brick, foam concrete and sandwich panels, have their advantages, but they are artificial. The best material for a bath - natural wood and it should be given preference when building a bathhouse. You can build with wood at any time of the year, be it cold winter or dry summer. Wood serves as an excellent heat insulator, as it has the excellent ability to accumulate heat and retain it for a long time, which is important when heating a bathhouse. Baths, built from rounded logs, combine long-standing Russian traditions of construction wooden buildings And modern technologies production, which makes them unsurpassably beautiful.
From time immemorial, a real Russian bathhouse was built from logs. Wood is a traditional material for construction; fortunately, there were always enough forests in Rus'. In a wooden bathhouse you can breathe easily and freely.
The atmosphere of a real steam bath allows you to get complete and incomparable pleasure. Today's builders also keep up with their ancestors, offering various options wooden baths. Along with traditional log bathhouses, bathhouses are built from rounded logs, timber different types: profiled, glued, as well as frame baths.
Some people prefer baths made of bricks or concrete blocks, some build combined structures: first wooden frame, which is then covered with brick. The choice of materials for building a bathhouse depends on the financial capabilities of the owner, his wishes and requests, and the climatic conditions of the region.
Bath lining - indispensable construction material
It is always important to take into account the characteristics of the site, the desired layout, size and decoration of the bathhouse. If you are making a bathhouse for a family, then you should not get carried away with pompous and huge structures: they will be expensive and not always good. Often, compact, cozy bathhouses are much preferable, and the comfort and steam in them is the best.
For lovers of noisy companies, large baths are needed, which require a thorough design, careful compliance with all construction standards, and then the same careful care and operation.
And it doesn’t matter what you build the bathhouse from, the main thing is that the building materials for the bathhouse are of high quality.
How to choose materials for building a bathhouse
So, how to choose building materials for a bathhouse? For a chopped bath you will need logs, and you must ensure that the fibers in them are straight. If the fibers in the logs are curved and twisted, then when settled, such a log house may crack.
Saunas made from rounded logs are distinguished by their special beauty and strength of joints, because such logs are processed using special equipment. During construction, it is important to wait almost a year for the frame to shrink, and only then begin all the finishing work.
Many consider profiled timber to be the best material for building a bathhouse. Beautiful surface, clear, precise lines, low thermal conductivity - all this makes such timber very popular in the construction of baths. Important:
- wait time after the walls are erected (shrinkage occurs);
- Carefully caulk all cracks.
Another option for building a bathhouse is a bathhouse made of laminated veneer lumber. This building material came to Russia from Scandinavia and already has many fans. Among the advantages of laminated timber:
- Smooth and smooth surface, which eliminates the need to do finishing;
- Installation of baths from it is carried out year-round, assembly follows the principle of a designer.
- There are no deformations or shrinkages, after construction in such baths you can immediately begin all procedures.
- Glued laminated timber retains heat perfectly, does not rot, and is not affected by fungi and insects.
Glued laminated timber
True, it should be borne in mind that such material is not cheap, but a bathhouse built from laminated veneer lumber will last for ages.
Frame buildings are not so famous, but they also have their admirers. Baths built according to frame technology, are lightweight, which allows you to save on the foundation, are easy to erect and are not subject to deformation. The main thing here is to choose wisely the materials for insulating the bathhouse in order to save large quantity heat. The timing of their installation is very fast and you won’t even notice how a neat and beautiful building will appear on your site.
For brick baths take ordinary white or red brick, but in no case silicate. The interior decoration of the bathhouse requires special attention and selection of materials.
Bath roof material
The material for the roof of the bathhouse is selected taking into account the style of the building itself, the materials used for the walls, climatic conditions and, of course, financial capabilities. The shape is usually made into lean-to or gable roofs, in some cases – broken. In a huge variety of modern roofing materials you can choose any option: slate, roofing felt, metal tiles, ondulin, bitumen shingles and others
Sometimes the roof on the bathhouse is matched to the same color as the roof of the house, this creates a harmonious ensemble suburban area. Important element any roof - rafters, which must be free of cracks and no knots. They are usually made of wood, most often spruce or pine.
Material for bath walls
As mentioned above, the best material for a bathhouse is wood.
If you are building a log bathhouse, then the logs should be the same in thickness, without burrs or cracks. The log house is placed in a “lapa” or “oblo”, it all depends on your choice and the work system of the master builder. All gaps are caulked to ensure warmth inside the room.
Bathhouses made of timber are built much faster; the technology is usually developed down to the smallest detail. Special tape materials are used as insulation.
Fireproof materials for a bathhouse are brick or stone. The walls are laid in the usual manner; such baths are durable and fireproof, but require careful finishing and insulation.
Choosing materials for finishing the bath
What materials for saunas and baths should I choose as finishing? The choice is wide: from traditional planed boards to modern eurolining, block house and ceramic tiles.
Wood is beyond competition here, because what could be better and more beautiful? wooden surfaces emitting the aroma of nature itself.
Finishing materials for baths are most often made from linden or aspen, less often from pine or spruce. Linden is considered an expensive but very high-quality material; its finish has an attractive appearance, does not cause burns when heated and does not darken over time. Also a popular material for interior decoration of a bathhouse is aspen, its only drawback is that it quickly becomes dark.
Namely linden, aspen, and also exotic tree Abashi is recommended as a finish for steam rooms and washrooms. It is also preferable to make shelves for a bathhouse from them.
Wood coniferous species when heated, it releases sticky resin, so pine and spruce are best used in rest rooms, dressing rooms or vestibules.
Any finishing material must be free of knots, otherwise it will very easily get burned. And, of course, all the finishing should be beautiful, smooth, without roughness or nicks.
Vapor barrier materials for baths
Insulating materials for bathhouses are designed to conserve heat, reduce the impact of humidity and temperature changes on the walls and ceiling, and also extend the life of the building. These include vapor barrier materials for baths and thermal insulation materials for baths.
We choose foil as a vapor barrier for the steam room, but in no case roofing felt. It can be used for dressing rooms and rest rooms; kraft paper is also suitable in these rooms.
Polyethylene is also used, but less often, but now there are better ones vapor barrier materials for a bath.
Foil materials for baths are very popular, combining both insulation and vapor barrier. For example, polypropylene with foil allows you to maintain a very high temperature in the steam room for a long time. Good quality The fiberglass boards coated with the same foil are also different.
Calculation of materials for the construction of a bathhouse
You can’t build a bathhouse from scrap materials; it requires approach, careful preparation, and only then will it reward you for your care with heat and an excellent park.
How to calculate materials for building a bathhouse? Most good advice– contact specialists who will make all the calculations and tell you approximate cost the buildings. But even by doing your own calculations you can buy required amount materials. So what we have:
- material for the walls and roof of the bathhouse,
- edged floor boards,
- boards for ceilings and interior decoration,
- waterproofing,
- vapor barrier,
- materials for bath insulation,
- roofing materials.
This list can be supplemented with a number of other materials, it all depends on your desires. The amount of materials for purchase is calculated in each specific case, because this is directly related to the size of your bathhouse, its area and your budget. There are special tables that show detailed costs of lumber depending on the method of finishing and arrangement of interior spaces.
In any case, a competent approach, a carefully calibrated calculation of materials for a bathhouse will help you avoid unnecessary expenses and at the same time build a high-quality and durable bathhouse.
Have a sauna on your own personal plot every owner wants, so these household structures are often erected before the construction of the main house is completed. And despite the fact that country cottage it is much easier to equip a modern bath with a hydromassage system or a mini-sauna with Turkish bath And tropical shower, many homeowners prefer to build separately standing bathhouse, equipped with a stove-heater, steam rooms, and sometimes supplemented with a nearby swimming pool.
When implementing these plans, the owner of the site, first of all, faces the following questions: what material for building a bathhouse will be optimal, where to get it, how much of it will be needed, and who will carry out the construction of the bathhouse itself and the equipment of the bathhouse premises.
What materials are used to build a bathhouse?
When deciding to build a bathhouse, you must remember that it is a rather complex engineering structure that requires compliance with fairly stringent measures to ensure safety during operation. At the same time, the question of which material is better for building a bathhouse is, to a certain extent, quite prosaic. Not a single room for washing and receiving bath procedures can be built from one material. Additional construction and finishing materials will be required to fill the foundation, heat and vapor barriers, and roofing.
When choosing best material for the construction of a bathhouse they can be divided into the following categories:
- wall materials;
- heat-steam-waterproofing roll or sheet products;
- roofing materials;
- finishing products.
Of course, major expenses and labor will be required to build the walls. Today, depending on the region, soil-climatic zone, financial capabilities of the owner for the construction of a wall structure on the site bath room most commonly used:
- mineral building materials – brick, gas silicate blocks, natural sawn stone;
- wood - sanded log, regular, profiled or rounded timber;
- wood concrete, which is a frozen cement mortar filled with wood waste - usually wood shavings or sawdust;
- frame structures, for the manufacture of which various materials can be used.
Some gardeners and summer residents boast that they were able to build a bathhouse from scrap materials.
Paying tribute to the low cost of such construction, it should immediately be noted that it is impossible to build a comfortable washing and steam room building from boards, boxes and plywood left over from the main construction.
Currently, completely new materials are used for the construction of bathhouses, news about the practicality and durability of which can be found on the relevant forums, information resources and construction portals in the Internet.
It is generally accepted that the best material for the construction of a bathhouse is wood, which can be used to build walls, arrange floors, ceilings and for the manufacture of elements of rafter and roof structures.
Features of wooden baths
When choosing a finishing material, the greatest attention is paid to products intended for lining the steam room and washing department. There should be no knots in the carriage plank, because with several cycles of heating-cooling and wet-drying, these knots will definitely fall out, giving wall panels unaesthetic appearance.
The most common types of interior decoration are lining made from linden, alder, aspen and maple.
Of course, you can use beech, cedar or oak lining, but its cost is much higher.
When covering walls entrance vestibule and locker rooms no special requirements for finishing materials not presented. Here you can use any lining or edged, tongue-and-groove board, subsequently treating it with stain, impregnating it with drying oil and varnishing it.
The greatest difficulty in building a bathhouse is the choice of material for arrangement. Floor surface works in more severe temperature conditions. From below it is exposed to atmospheric temperatures, and inside it perceives temperature and excess humidity steam room. For the durability of floors, you should not only choose the highest quality materials, but when laying them, you must take all measures to ensure high-quality hydro-steam and thermal insulation.
You should not think that the choice of materials for building a bath ends after the walls are erected, the roof is arranged and the floors are laid. The homeowner still has to choose the type of heater and purchase materials for its construction.
When building a bathhouse, you must choose materials carefully. They must be completely safe, heat-resistant, have good characteristics, and it is also desirable that they are not afraid of high humidity.
First of all, this applies to insulation: all rooms are insulated, and the steam room is especially carefully insulated. And it is in this group that it is very difficult to find material that fully satisfies all the requirements. So far we know only one: foam glass. It has excellent thermal insulation characteristics, is absolutely chemically neutral, does not absorb and is not afraid of moisture in any state, and is also a vapor and water insulator. An excellent combination of qualities, but there is a rather significant drawback: the price. High quality material originally from Europe. It costs a lot. There are more cheap option from Belarus. Quality and price are average. And there is cheap (relatively) foam glass from China with dubious characteristics.
Other thermal insulators have disadvantages. Widespread hygroscopic, but at the same time afraid of moisture: in wet loses most of its properties. If it freezes when wet, then after thawing it simply crumbles into dust. In addition, produced in the form of rolls, when heated, it releases formaldehyde, which is used in production as a binder.
The second more or less common insulation can be used for external insulation. Inside, it is used only in cold rooms. Disadvantage: low density, susceptible to deformation. And one more thing: it does not allow air or vapor to pass through. Therefore, when using such insulation, ventilation must be very effective.
There is another material that has more high density than polystyrene foam, and also different best properties by thermal conductivity. This is extruded polystyrene foam. But its disadvantage is its high price.
Building materials for baths
Building materials for baths
