Sauna stove - design, materials, drawings, homemade production. Which stove to put in the sauna: choosing the best option Economical sauna stoves

Despite the fact that we ourselves do not consider it a good option for creating the conditions of a real “Russian-style bathhouse,” nevertheless, this is the type of stove that most owners of personal country baths can afford. And not all owners are fans of traditional conditions, so they are quite happy with everything that is in the gap between a real Russian and a real Finnish bathhouse.

Based on this, we decided to look at what suitable stoves are on the market today and, together with you, create adequate rating, which will help other readers decide on the choice of a stove for a Russian bath in the sense in which it is understood by the majority (about).

Video version of the article

For those who find it easier to listen and watch than to read, we offer a video. You can also just continue reading.

Which sauna stove to choose, which one is better?

To begin with, it would be worth getting acquainted with the conditions that the stove we need should create. But you can read about this in to get an idea of what means do you have to create the desired microclimate?.

However, here we proceed from the fact that when asking the question: “Which stove is best for a Russian bath?”, you still Are you leaning towards purchasing a metal one?. And after reading that article, you know that you will need a stove:

• Maybe, direct heating;
• (or );
• manufactured or chrome plated become.

These are, in short, parameters of the best stoves for a Russian bath. Imperfect metal can be refined brick casing And well-thought-out ventilation system, allowing for a while to completely stop all convection currents in the steam room.

Let's take a closer look at the options that can be purchased on the Russian market today. We selected stoves for the Russian bath with a closed heater, because they are responsible for the correct steam. The creators themselves intend some of the models to be covered with bricks or natural stone, others have a cylindrical shape, which, however, is also suitable for brick lining, and this is important, because without it we will not get controlled convection.

Select from popular models

"Anapa"

The company is improving its products: if previously many people had a welded heat exchanger fall off, now it is not welded at all - it is kept “leaning” against it. About.

"Angara 2012", "Taimyr"

Stoves of the company " Termofor».

Construction of the Angara-2012 furnace. Photo

“Angara 2012” (Inox and Carbon - stainless steel and structural steel) has two heaters - open and closed. The closed one produces finely dispersed steam, the open one steams the broom. Furnace material – heat-resistant low-alloy steel with 16% chromium content. The heat exchanger inside the firebox quickly heats up the water. The company guarantees the integrity of all welds and connections for 3 years. The volume of the steam room for which “” is designed is 8-18 cubic meters.

Construction of the Taimyr 2017 furnace. Photo

"Vesuvius Russian Steam"

Construction of the Vesuvius Russian steam furnace. Photo

Main advantage – durability. It is also worth mentioning the high efficiency - 87%.

"Zhikhorka" and "Cinderella"

Stove Kalita Russian steam. Photo

Construction of the Kuban-20 L furnace. Photo

"Kuban" - stainless steel stove (13-17% chromium), designed for 10-20 cubic meters of steam room. The closed heater can hold up to 40 kg of stones, water enters it through the dispenser. There is an open heater on top. The firebox is made in such a way that there is no metal lead.

“Laguna” - the removable door of a closed heater is directed upward, the heater itself is part of a smoke removal system that heats the stones to 600 degrees. Water is supplied using a steam gun. An exclusive feature is the viewing glass into the combustion chamber, located in the steam room, while the firebox itself is located in the adjacent room. The disadvantages include the fact that furnace material – structural steel, the more expensive varieties of “Lagoon” have a thickness of 5 mm.

Kutkin 1.0, 1.5, 2.0

All three ovens are identical in design and are made of of stainless steel, finished with serpentine or other stone. Differences between stoves in size, weight and serviced volume of premises:

Oven Slavyanka Russian steam. Photo

A massive cast iron stove from the "" company, which assumes brick lining. Power – 20 kW, steam room volume – from 8 to 16 cubic meters. The firebox is made not of cast iron, but of low alloy steel 10 mm thick. The weight of stones in a closed heater is 90 kg. The delivery set includes a steam gun. Additionally, you can purchase heat exchangers for the tank and heating of adjacent rooms, tanks, chimneys, etc. By the way, as for the Troika stove for the Russian bath, user reviews about it are mostly positive.

"Hangar", "Etna"

These are two series of stoves with a closed heater from the company "". For the average consumer, the “Light” and “Medium” categories are of interest, that is, stoves for family and guest baths.

Hangar oven series Medium. Photo

Manufacturer – Finnish company Harvia(). The heater is a closed type, located on top and has a hinged lid. It is assumed that when closed it gives the Russian bath regime. The weight of loaded stones is 60 kg. Room volume from 10 to 26 cubic meters. The manufacturer does not indicate the brand, but claims that the material is stainless steel,

More information

Well, we dare to hope that through joint efforts we will find objectively best ovens for a Russian bath and will help everyone who is still deciding on their choice.

Where can I buy

You can get acquainted with the assortment and make your own choice on the suppliers’ websites, which are collected in the “” section.

In contact with

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About 25 years ago, doctors finally confirmed: the main secret of Russian and Finnish baths was revealed, and the discovery turned out to be amazing. One of the consequences of the revival of interest in the steam business at a new level is a home-made sauna stove. Firstly, the demand for sauna stoves is still not fully satisfied, so factory-made products are quite expensive. Secondly, both the Russian bathhouse and the sauna are complex hygienic and health complexes, the heart of the bathhouse is the stove, the entire bathhouse is built around the stove, and in the conditions of serial production it is not possible to provide for all possible combinations of local conditions. Therefore, often, even if they have available funds, true connoisseurs first “suggest” a bathhouse for the location, and then select a suitable stove for it or even design a suitable stove themselves. This is what this article is intended to help with.

The secret of the steam room

What is the main secret of bath health? It turned out that it was short-term, up to 40 minutes, warming up the whole body to about 40 degrees:

• Destroys cells with damaged DNA, i.e. capable of degenerating into cancer.
• It breaks down accumulated toxins into forms that can be easily removed from the body.
• It suppresses a certain gene, the function of which was not entirely clear at that time. Now it is quite clear - this is an aging gene.

By the way, methods of treating cancer are precisely based on the fact that cells with disorders are not as tenacious as healthy ones. They die from poisons (during chemotherapy) or radiation (during radiation) faster than healthy ones. In fact, the beneficial effects of a steam bath are much broader, and its mechanism is more complex. But to understand what follows, this information is sufficient.

A little incidental

The Russian bathhouse is inextricably linked with Russian culture. In particular, many famous Russian painters and sculptors paid tribute to the bathhouse not only in the steam room, but also on canvas and in round sculpture. During the time of the moral code of the builder of communism, works of fine art of such content, of course, were not exhibited for public viewing, but lay in the storerooms of museums and galleries. The following selection of illustrations is intended to fill this gap to some extent.

Sauna with a stove or a stove in a sauna?

Neither one nor the other. The parameters of the stove and bath must be linked to each other. Therefore, let us first briefly consider what a bathhouse is. A detailed discussion about the construction of a bathhouse, of course, needs a separate and thorough discussion. We will just figure out what is essential for the design of a sauna stove.

Russian or Finnish?

There is more than enough debate about the difference between a Russian bath and a sauna. But everyone agrees on the main difference: temperature and humidity conditions. In a Russian bath - 50-70 degrees with a relative humidity of 20-65%; in the sauna – 70-100 degrees with 5-15% humidity. If we turn to physics, then a cubic meter of air in a Russian bath contains 50-80 g of water vapor, and in a sauna – 15-40 g/cubic. m. It is already known that steam in a sauna is dry. And from the point of view of medicine and biochemistry, there is also no fundamental difference: in both cases, the skin steams and becomes permeable from the inside, which helps remove toxins through sweat, bypassing the usual excretory pathways and without loading the body. In the sauna it is not forbidden to “pour it on with a broom”, but in a Russian bath you can take a dry steam bath. But the design of the bathhouse itself and the sauna stove turn out to be somewhat different in design. Firstly, the Russian bathhouse (see figure), kondovoy or modern, is a log house; as a last resort - a box made of timber, lined with a townhouse from the inside. The bulges and depressions inside are necessary to better capture the infrared radiation of the oven and draw in excess water vapor from the air.

The fact is that the absolute, in grams per cubic meter, humidity in a Russian bath is close to critical at a given temperature range. This speeds up the steaming of the skin and warms up the body throughout its entire volume, but also increases the risk of unpleasant and harmful heavy steam. A Finnish bathhouse can be made of logs, lumber, or even frame. But you must take a steam bath in a cap - it protects the hair follicles with fatty glands from drying out, which can lead to premature baldness or, conversely, to the appearance of thick and coarse hair, especially on the eyebrows, and excessive hair growth in the nostrils and ears . In relation to the furnace, all of the above means the following: A sauna stove must first warm up the walls of the sauna, and only then the air in it. Otherwise, even in the sauna, heavy steam may appear, which at such temperatures is very harmful.

How someone cares

About 20 years ago, a then good friend of the author, a seasoned Ukrainian owner named Vasily and nicknamed Khakhluy among his villagers, built himself a Russian bathhouse. The author who previously helped him with the device Abyssinian well, invited me to take a steam bath. They melted it and settled down. Vasya scooped up some dark brown liquid and poured it on the heater. It was crazy, and the author felt that he was flying to the moon. At first I attributed it to habit – I hadn’t taken a steam bath for 5 years before. But the second portion gave me the same feeling. Being already mentally prepared for the next salvo, I determined from the sensations: euphoria of clearly unnatural origin. - Vasya, what are you pouring on the stove? - That hemp infusion. - Vaska, are you completely swollen? Not only is it a drug, but such a dose can even kill your motor! - That's how the drugs are there... and the heart of mane is crippled... it's good to clear your eyes... But let's go back to the bathhouses and sauna stoves.

Bath structure

A bathhouse can be either a cramped closet without a foundation or a solid building, comparable in area to a city apartment. We will return to the second one later, because... Only a brick stove, which slowly releases heat, is suitable for it; with a small steam room volume, up to 30-35 cubic meters. m – cast iron. In a small one-room bathhouse you can also install a welded stove made of steel sheet.

Both baths can be light - made of linden or birch, or heavy - made of oak. It is not advisable to build a bathhouse from coniferous wood, just like from maple, walnut, or ash. Over the years, when heated, this wood, especially in an atmosphere with a high content of water vapor, releases volatile substances that are not always useful. A sauna is not so critical to the wall material; it can even be built from seasoned pine. The “heaviness” of an oak bath is explained not by the heaviness of the wood, but by the presence of tannins in it. A heavy bath is not for women and children. And it lasts for 5-8 years, then the tannins disappear. But for a strong man who can run a kilometer without being out of breath and without feeling his heartbeat, a heavy bath will only give him strength and vigor.

Note: According to one version of the famous fairy tale, Alyosha Popovich went out against the Snake Tugarin several times, but was able to defeat him only after taking a proper steam bath in a heavy bath.

What does this mean for the oven? Firstly, the value of thermal power. If for a light bath 0.5 kW/cu.m. is enough. m of room volume for linden and 0.7 kW/cu.m. m for birch, then for an oak bath you need at least 1.2 kW/cu. m.

Note: the indicated values ​​are valid for a ceiling height of 2.2-2.4 m. A ceiling higher than 2.5 m in a bathhouse is generally undesirable.

Secondly, the weight of the stones for the heater. We’ll talk about what kind of stones are needed there below, but the weight needed for linden is 2.7 kg/cube. m, for birch 3.6-4 kg/cu.m. m, and for oak 6 kg/cu.m. m.

Safety

Burns

In an atmosphere with a temperature of 50 degrees or more, almost any touch to a metal heated to the same temperature or higher will result in a second-degree burn, with a blister. The metal easily conducts heat and quickly transfers it to the steamed skin, intensively cooled by the sweat glands. Nowadays, the problem of thermal safety of sauna stoves has been solved: there is an inexpensive, poorly conductive heat, durable and resistant material on sale - basalt cardboard. It is used to make a fire protection area, it is used to cover the screens of stoves such as potbelly stoves, etc. From basalt cardboard wooden racks You can also make a furnace fence, it is strong enough for this.

Frenzy

In hot, humid air there is a high likelihood of carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides forming. Therefore, a stove with a flow-through heater (see below) can be “added” only after finishing the firebox and removing the ash. In any case, it is advisable to lead the combustion door of a stove with a blower through the wall into the dressing room, insulating it from the heat partition with the same basalt cardboard if the stove is metal.

Fuel

Only suitable for the bath. It is the physico-chemistry of wood combustion, the intricacies of which cannot be discussed here, that makes it possible to organize the heating of the room from the walls to the center. Coal quickly gives off the first heat - volatile components - and then the remaining carbon (pure carbon) smolders for a long time, which is good for heating, but will produce heavy steam in the bathhouse. A complete replacement for firewood “from the forest, of course,” will be fuel pellets made from sawdust or straw. They can be recognized by their size: these are logs or logs with a diameter of 30-70 mm. Pellets are also produced specifically for baths, but they are disproportionately expensive. In any case, a package of pellets costs little, and a test fire will show what this variety is good for. According to physical chemistry, gas with automatic control that regulates the flame using external temperature sensors is also good for bathhouses, but this design is not for home-made people. Industrial gas stoves for baths are very expensive and not always reliable: gas fittings that ensure 100% safety at outside temperatures of 60 degrees and above are not yet in production. The same applies to electric sauna stoves; let us mention that the heating element is not a fuel, but still a heater.

Kamenka

Any wood-burning sauna stove is a heater stove. This means that it has a heated container for stones. Stones work like a heat accumulator: they absorb the first heat and then release it with radiation; Due to the weak permeability of the stone mass, convection from the heater is not very strong. As a result, the stove heats 2/3 or more of the heating time with infrared rays, which ensures that the walls, floor and ceiling are heated before the air and the body of the stove itself. The relationship between the times of heat transfer by radiation and convection is the opposite.

Stones

Firstly, to comply with the above conditions, it is necessary that the ratio of heat capacity to thermal conductivity of stones be higher than that of brick, not to mention metal. This is provided by dense volcanic rocks: basalt, diabase, gabbro, soapstone. They can be recognized by their heaviness, dark color, and smooth or very fine-grained fracture.

Brecciated rocks: granite, diorite, syenite, labradorite, etc. are not suitable for thermal performance indicators. Metamorphic rocks are completely unsuitable: limestone, dolomite, marble, shales. In addition to complete non-compliance with the requirements of heating engineering, when heated, they can also release harmful organic matter, because often contain bituminous components.

Note: beautiful veins in marble are precisely the bituminous inclusions in it.

Secondly, the stones for the heater should have a more or less smooth surface and a round shape. In this case, the ratio of their surface to volume is the smallest (the smallest is for the ball), which ensures the desired mode of heat accumulation/heat transfer. In former times, they began to build a bathhouse only after accumulating a sufficient supply of rounded pebbles for the heater.

Laying stones

The method of laying the stones is equally important. For a flow-through heater (see below), the largest ones, the size of a fist or two, are placed at the bottom, then gradually reduced in size so that the top layer consists of khalang-sized pebbles thumb. For a solid heater, they are laid in the opposite way: the fines, which provide the largest area of ​​thermal contact, are laid down, and the large ones are placed at the top.

Flow-through and solid heaters

A homemade sauna stove can have a solid or flow-through heater. A solid heater is separated from the firebox and/or flue gases by a solid partition and is open at the top. You can press on it during the heating process, you never need to sort out the stones, they remain clean. But, due to small area thermal contact with the firebox, the solid heater heats up more slowly. This is especially true when the size of the furnace increases, when the contact area of ​​the pelvis with the stones increases more slowly than the volume of the stones. Therefore, a solid heater can only be made in a metal furnace with a power of up to 25 kW, which will ensure light steam in a one-room bathhouse with a volume of up to 30-45 cubic meters. m. It is generally impossible to install a blind heater in a brick oven; it will not warm up through the brick.

Note: the ceiling in a bathhouse with a stove with a solid heater should be no higher than 2.2 m. Otherwise, heavy steam cannot be ruled out.

In a flow-through heater, stones are placed in a casing on a grate above the firebox, and flue gases pass through the stone mass before escaping into the chimney. A stove with a solid heater is more difficult, because... A hermetically sealed loading and cleaning hatch is required in the heater casing. Such a stove can only be heated with wood that does not produce soot, for example, aspen or pellets. You can add steam only after burning it completely until it turns to gray fluffy ash. The stones must be removed, washed and cleaned periodically. But the stone backfill warms up over the entire surface area of ​​the stones composing it, and very quickly. This removes any restrictions on the size of the furnace and its power. You can independently make a stove with a flow-through heater with a power of up to 50-60 kW, for a bathhouse with three compartments of 50-80 cubic meters. m.

Furnace material

Sauna stoves are made of cast iron or welded sheet metal. Provides ideal heating conditions and, when correct execution, eliminates heavy steam in a bath of any volume. But its construction requires full mastery of the art of a stove maker., careful selection for quality and preparation of materials, because She works in difficult conditions. Only possible with a flow-through heater, i.e. Steam can be added only after complete combustion of the fuel. The minimum heating time until the bath is ready is 3-4 hours. After long (more than 3-5 days) breaks in the use of the bathhouse, it is necessary to dry and warm up the stove with accelerating fireboxes, otherwise there is a high probability of microcracks appearing in the body of the stove, which are especially dangerous in the bathhouse as a source of fumes. According to doctors, more than 70% of cases of burning of people occur in a bathhouse. As a result, a brick sauna stove is also very voracious. heats up quickly; the bathhouse with it is ready to receive visitors within an hour and a half after lighting. Design critical; If the execution fails, don’t expect easy steam. It also cools down quickly; In order to properly steam with the whole family, the stove needs to be heated. This is not such a disadvantage, because... the metal does not crack, but without a fireclay brick lining, a welded stove can only heat a one-room bathhouse to 20-25 cubic meters. m volume. A stove cast from cast iron has thermal engineering similar to a brick one, because The thermal conductivity of cast iron is low, but the heat capacity is high. In terms of cost and ease of use - to welded. Most industrial sauna stoves are cast iron.

Choosing a stove

Which stove is best for a sauna? Which one will you have to buy, and which one can you make yourself? This depends on the volume of the bath and the nature of its use. For large sauna for three or four compartments, about which further, only a brick oven or a large cast iron of industrial production, with a stone filling of 150-250 kg, is suitable. Such baths, as a rule, are collective for commercial purposes and are constantly heated. We will further consider the design of the furnace for it, but simply as an example of complexity, although industrial conditions for its construction are not required.

Note: a brick stove with a flow-through heater is suitable for both a Russian bath and a sauna. In the latter case, they simply heat it harder and don’t splash anything into the heater.

For a private bathhouse, heated once or twice a week, but designed for a family with in-laws and also multi-room, but of a smaller area, the best option would be a factory-made cast iron stove. There are many models on sale, of different power and price categories; we will touch on them later. All of them allow flooding when washing, and many are equipped with a water heating circuit. And finally, for a country house or a small individual bathhouse, for a family of 3-4 people, with one or two compartments, one of the homemade steel stoves described below is quite suitable. Which one is more suitable for which bath is indicated in the description.

Everything is big and real

Bath

Let's first decide what kind of bathhouse we can build. If the hut is about 3x4 m or an extension to the house of the same size, you can skip this section, except, perhaps, for information about the construction of floors and bath equipment. Although everyone already knows this. Here we will describe the bathhouse, arranged, as they say, according to the complete scheme. Its plan is shown in Fig. on right. Designations:

1. Capital (load-bearing) wall;
2. Light wooden partition;
3. Waiting room;
4. Washing department;
5. Steam room;
6. A bed, there may not be one, but in return there will be a bridge to a pond;
7. Sauna stove with solid heater;
8. Furnace firebox;
9. Kamenka;
10. Chimney;
11. Furnace foundation (flooring is not shown);
12. Sand bedding;
13. Double entrance door;
14. Regular single door;
15. A fiberglass window, approximately 400 mm wide and 250 mm high. It is necessary to quickly release excess heat, if necessary, without drying out the compartment;
16. Regular casement window;
17. Water heating register (water heater);
18. Hot water storage tank, suspended from the ceiling;
19. Steam room equipment: tub with hot water, ladle, brooms. Gangs, benches, soap, washcloths - in the washroom (4);
20. Polati;
21. A tub of cold water.

We will give the necessary explanations. It has already been said what the walls of the bathhouse should be like. To clause 7 - it is assumed that a cast iron stove for a Russian bath is installed. The disadvantages of a solid heater do not affect it as much as the heater works and the cast iron of the stove itself. And adding more heat to the heater at any time, which will immediately warm up again, is much more convenient. To paragraph 9. The stove on the foundation should be located so that the projection of its center of gravity (and not the center of the chimney, as is often incorrectly written) falls on the geometric center of the foundation. Otherwise, the heating of the soil may cause the stove to warp, even if other conditions for its stability are met. To point 10. The chimney structure is shown in the figure, which shows a sectional view of the bathhouse. Fire safety for a bathhouse is vitally important, and factory stoves, as a rule, are not equipped with chimney elements and materials, with the exception of its lower bend with a damper. This must be taken into account when drawing up an estimate for the bathhouse.

To pp. 11 and 12. The design of the furnace foundation is shown in Fig. below. Its foundation must be separate and not in any way in contact with the foundation of the building. Sand bedding is also required; without it, the stability of the stove cannot be achieved. The fire-resistant blind area (dark blue in the figure) is made of basalt cardboard.

Note 6: for a cast iron furnace with a power of up to 20 kW, a simplified foundation of ready-made reinforced concrete monoliths laid directly on the ground is possible.

To pp. 17 and 18. There are many designs homemade stoves with built-in water heating tank. They all have a common flaw: the water in the tank boils before the heater warms up. Keeping the tank empty and throwing hot water into it is then dangerous: the instant release of a large amount of steam can simply cause the stove to explode. It is also impossible to make a safety valve in the tank or open its cap: the uncontrolled flow of water vapor into the room will produce heavy steam. Therefore, the only acceptable solution is a U- or W-shaped hot water register in the firebox in combination with a storage tank, see figure:

However, if the bathhouse is not used every day, then the heated water will cool down in vain. Here again, the only acceptable solution is a bathhouse in the form of an extension to the house, and in the tank, along with the bathhouses, there are nozzles from the kitchen or heating stove. Then the tank will be a common hot water storage tank for the entire household.

Note: This, of course, does not apply to factory furnaces with a correctly designed water heating circuit.

To pp. 19 and 20. Equipment for the steam room must be made of wood, see fig. Otherwise, burns cannot be avoided. You need two- or three-tier floors, see next. rice. on the right. So each of the steamers can position themselves according to their taste and health. It’s not just a question of taste - you can put a lower-power stove in the same bathhouse and steam for several people. The fuel costs are very noticeable.

And a brick oven

And if you want to make a bathhouse completely in the old fashioned way? Or, let’s say, several owners agreed to distribute expenses, bath days, hire a stove-maker, and jointly build a bathhouse according to all the rules? Well, in order to know what you need to get in the end, and to control the quality of work - in Fig. on the right is a brick stove for a bath. We will give the order below, but for now let’s talk about materials and accessories:

• All parts in contact with flames or flue gases are made of fireclay bricks only; in Fig. (below) highlighted in yellow.
• The seams between fireclay and ordinary brick, between any brick and metal - from 6 to 10 mm.
• Halves and three-fours of bricks are ready-made, with smooth edges. Chopped or sawn with a grinder will go anywhere except a sauna stove.
• All doors and grate are cast iron; others will not last long in the bathhouse.
• The heater grill is made of channels; best of all - used pieces of rails, i.e. cold forged wheels of a train or tram.
• Masonry - medium fat with sand 1:1.
• Sand - calcined, washed and sifted through a sieve with a mesh size of 0.15-0.25 mm, gully or mountain, with ribbed granules. River sand with rounded granules is not suitable for a sauna stove; it produces microcracks.
• The cladding is made of facing, smooth and with rounded corners, brick. This will give optimal heat transfer in both convection and radiation modes.

The fat content of the solution is checked “on a stick”. Planed, wooden. Let's say a mop handle. They stick it into the solution, mixed until it becomes thick with sour cream, take it out and look. There should be a continuous layer of 1.5-2 mm. If it drains, leaving gaps, the clay is too thin. If lumps or lumps are visible, it is too oily. Now in construction stores Ready-made dry clay of any fat content is sold. If you dug the clay yourself (this needs to be done from a depth of at least 1-1.5 m), and it is too greasy, then you can add crushed brick. Not sand! Brick is made from clay. But it is not the best option, and not because fatty natural clay is a valuable raw material and is not so easy to obtain. It is much better, although more troublesome, to fatten the skinny gully clay. Then there will definitely not be any foreign particles in it that cause the same microcracks. Clay is fattened by grinding:

• Dry clay broken into small lumps is poured into the barrel 1/4-1/3 full.
• Fill to the top with water.
• Beat with a mixer until a homogeneous slurry is obtained.
• As soon as the top of the batch begins to lighten (this means that a precipitate has begun to form), pour off the top third of the solution.
• When all the clay has settled and is visible through the water, drain the rest of the water and remove the silt deposits from the “cap.”
• Mix the masonry mortar and check for fat content as described.

As a rule, one torture is enough. In the old days, stove makers for wealthy customers built sauna stoves on tortured clay. And now in industry clay is fattened in a similar way.

Arranging and drying

The order of the sauna stove is shown in Fig. on right. The principle of masonry is, i.e. ligation of seams is necessary only between rows, and in rows the seams may not be tied. The first row is laid out dry on a sheet of metal laid on the foundation and covered with a sheet of basalt cardboard 4-6 mm thick. The seams between fireclay bricks are 3 mm. Undercutting corners, where necessary, is done with a grinder using a stone wheel No. 220-240. Row 22 shows the filling of the heater; this is where it ends. Backfilling is done after drying the furnace and accelerating furnaces. Dry the oven for at least 2 weeks at a temperature of 20-30 degrees, i.e. The stove needs to be built in the warm season. After drying, you need at least 4-5 accelerating fireboxes with high-quality fuel (aspen firewood or pellets), with an interval of 12 hours. The fuel load for the first acceleration is 4-5 kg, and gradually increased to the maximum. When there is a break in the firebox for more than a week, one accelerating firebox is needed for a third of the load, and after a month of inactivity - 2-3 with an increase in load from a quarter to full.

Video: brick sauna stove

We take on the metal ourselves

Now let's try to choose a prototype for a welded homemade stove. Drawings of some well-proven designs are shown in Fig.

Bath stove

This one differs from the well-known one in the presence of a tray for stones and a firebox paved with dry, without mortar, fireclay bricks. When lighting, place a bucket or boiling water with water on the handles on the sides of the heater (made of 8-12 mm steel rod). It is not so much the stones that heat it as the convection currents between the screen and the body of the furnace. This helps to create an optimal heating mode for the bath, and a 20-liter boiler heats up in 30-40 minutes, covered with a lid, to 50 degrees. It’s quite enough for two and there will still be enough left for a child. A screen for a sauna potbelly stove is even more necessary than for a heating stove: a tray for stones disrupts the circulation of hot gases in the firebox, and the stones take a lot of heat. It is undesirable to apply thermal insulation to the screen when the bath volume is close to the maximum; it must effectively radiate IR outward. Therefore, in this case, you need to make a fence for the stove. A potbelly stove is suitable for a very small bathhouse, up to 20 cubic meters. m volume. It does not need a foundation; it can simply stand on a layer of basalt cardboard. The height of the straight chimney is 4-5 m, no damper is needed. The draft is adjusted according to the season and weather by a sliding damper made of a galvanized strip that covers some of the holes in the firebox door, but at least 2 should not overlap. A potbelly stove in a sauna can be heated during washing. You can feed no more than 0.25 liters at a time with an interval of at least 20 minutes, otherwise the heater will dry out and heavy steam will come out. This is more than enough kvass in a small bathhouse.

Note: Do not add bottled store-bought kvass. Instead of a bread spirit, such a spirit that you could at least take away the saints. Soon, probably, they will start making children from powder concentrates.

Without brick

This is an all-welded stove made from 4-6 mm sheet metal for a small sauna, also up to 20-25 cubic meters. m. The design is simple and clear from the drawing; it heats up the steam room quickly, which is good. But there is nowhere to attach the water heater, which is bad. On the heater hatch, a bucket will heat up to 40 degrees in a maximum of an hour. There is no need to shield this stove, but it is advisable to insulate it. Most of the heat already goes into the stones; the screen simply has nothing to reflect. Therefore, in such a simple stove it is necessary to have a blower: there is no vortex in the firebox, and the efficiency, which is already low in sauna stoves, will turn out to be completely unimportant. The grate is made of reinforcement bars welded along.

In a case

A brick stove in a metal case made of 3-4 mm steel is already suitable for a sauna, and for a Russian bath of 30-40 cubic meters, which it will heat in 2 hours. Therefore, a U-shaped water heating register can be built into the smoke circulation, during which time it will produce into the storage tank 40 liters of 50-degree water. Enough for three or four. The masonry is made of fireclay, the stove is without foundation. The screen is not needed for the reasons described above, but the fence is necessary - the temperature of the case is more than 100 degrees. Before washing and steaming, the oven must be completely heated; Keeps warm for about an hour.

From a barrel

This stove has similar properties to an all-welded sauna stove. It’s just as difficult to put a water heater in it. But it is very simple to implement and therefore suitable for a summer house with a bathhouse-shed of up to 15 cubic meters. You can heat it during washing/steaming, but you can’t press it in any way: for the sake of simplicity of design, there is no cleaning/loading hatch in the heater. Therefore, with frequent use, this stove will not last long. This stove is made like this: they place it directly on the ground. concrete slab, or fill a mini pit with concrete. Then a cube is laid out from ordinary red brick; At the top, reinforcement bars are built into the masonry, forming the grille of the heater. A metal barrel without bottoms is placed on this pedestal and lined from the inside with fireclay on clay. You can simply coat the inside with a layer of very thick (the consistency of plasticine) fatty clay solution of 50-60 mm. It will also take a little fireclay bricks; they are placed upright with a spoon. Finally, the top of the barrel is welded with a sheet of 2-4 mm steel with the first chimney elbow welded into it - a piece of 100 mm pipe - and the sauna is ready.

Fast

This stove is also for a country house, or for a hunting lodge. It is made entirely from a barrel and can be installed directly on the ground. The heater grille is made of welded reinforcement bars. The internal lining is the same as the previous one. The stove heats the sauna-room with 10-12 cubes in 15-20 minutes. and cools down just as quickly. Therefore, without flooding, it is designed for single washing with a little steaming, or quickly for two people. But at such a speed of bathing procedures, there is no danger that the water in the boiler will boil, and here it is designed on the principle of titanium, covering the chimney. The boiler capacity is 15-20 liters, which is enough for one or two people.

Video: a simple homemade metal stove for a bath

About brick cases

You can find advice to cover metal stoves outside with brick, this supposedly improves their properties. In fact, the outer lining does not improve anything, but only worsens it. The metal of the furnace, unable to give off heat, heats up to orange and quickly burns out even with a thickness of 8-10 mm. And the heat transfer to the heater, whether solid or flow-through, hardly improves. The outer lining simply does not release infrared, and such a furnace most often produces heavy steam.

Pipe stove

Here in the picture is a stove for a large diameter sauna.

Rarely does anyone have pieces of 525 mm pipes lying around in the trash, but if you find one, it’s a godsend:

• No foundation is needed, only heat insulation from the floor and walls.
• Heats a bathhouse up to 35 cubic meters.
• A deep double-heated solid heater allows you to add heat to the firebox at any time.
• The mouth of the firebox with the blower, extended forward, easily opens into the dressing room.
• The round cross-sectional shape provides an optimal combination of radiation and convection, which is why such a stove heats a bathhouse almost twice as much as a “bourgeois” one with almost the same thermal power.
• The heater tray in the smoke circulation is covered by a U-shaped hot water register without the slightest loss of stove quality.

Note: The water heater must not be placed flat. It is necessary to tilt it slightly across so that the hot water supply pipe is higher than the return pipe.

About hot water boilers

Not every sauna stove can have a water heating circuit installed so easily. But heating water for a bath in the kitchen and carrying it in buckets is nonsense. And it’s not always possible, because the bathhouse can be located on the outskirts. But you can attach a ring-shaped hot water boiler to any sauna stove by placing it on the chimney pipe. The degree and time of heating can be adjusted by moving the boiler up and down.

From waste materials In order not to master or order complex welding and tinsmithing work, a reliable and durable boiler can be easily obtained from two unusable car wheel rims and a piece of pipe of suitable diameter, see fig. Excess holes are welded without much care using any suitable pieces of metal. The boiler is attached to the chimney by the protruding ends of the axial pipe with clamps.

Purchased

If you have sufficient funds, buying a stove for a bathhouse is not a problem. As already mentioned, there are many models available. The world's leading producers are Finland and Russia. The Finns make Helo, Kastor, Harvia, Narvi, Iki, Upo, Tulikivi, etc. Kastor is called a “stove Mercedes”, and, it must be said, the Finns do not take money “for an asterisk”. Among the Russian ones on the market, Termofor, Teplodar, Ermak, Inzhkomtsentr VVD, Vulcan, Sukhovey are known, but special mention can be made, firstly, of Troika. These are high-quality, expensive stoves for wealthy customers or commercial bathing establishments. In Finland itself, in saunas you can often find “Troikas”, which, with equal quality, reliability and durability, are much cheaper than Mercedes from the stove. "Troek" is available in a wide range the lineup, see fig., of different power and configuration. There is only one drawback, and that is a conditional one: it is heavy compared to analogues from other manufacturers. The installation of Troika, designed for a company, requires a strong, reliable foundation and a whole team of workers.

Bath stoves “Troika”

This is explained by the fact that the company, without further ado, achieves ideal bath heating technology using the “oak” method: increasing the thickness of the material and the weight of the stones. In Troikas, the filling required by the specifications can exceed 250 kg, and the entire furnace weighs more than a ton. Cast iron ATBs have long been popular among a wide range of consumers, see Fig. Below, they have proven themselves to be excellent for small private baths and are affordable. Of the commercially available models, only ATB2 had a serious defect: water boiled in the boiler before the heater warmed up. But folk craftsmen quickly found a way out: they turned the firebox cover with its “horns” forward, opposite standard installation. At the same time, the path of the flue gases in the heat exchanger was shortened, and at the cost of a slight decrease in efficiency, which is not significant for a bath that is heated infrequently, the water was heated just in time.

But the stove had to “turn its horns” before its installation, because the chimney hole was moving back from the firebox, and then why not break the ceiling, attic and roof? Therefore, they soon came up with another method: they placed something under the legs of the tank (it simply stands on the body of the stove) to lift it from the firebox. This method of adjusting the water temperature in the boiler is applicable to almost all ATB models.

Camping sauna

The camp bathhouse was invented by tourists. But not those who buy tours to Thailand, but those who go anywhere at any time of the year and in any weather. In the Sayan Mountains, during the spring thaw, on a day trip to the bathhouse, oh, how I want to... my whole body aches, and from the mud and at the back of my neck I squelch... It will be a good thing if there is a hollow next to a flat place for a tent with rather steep walls for a fire. Then - aluminum tubes from a tent frame or easel backpacks; in winter - from ski poles. Connect the pipe sections with socks washed in the snow, they will dry so quickly, tied with laces from the vibrams. All that remains is to make a fire, place the end of the pipe with an upward slope into the tent, and put its other end into the flame, but so that the mouth is away from the fire and fresh air enters it, see fig.

Such a bathhouse saved not only from dirt and fatigue. The author knows of a case where, thanks to her, a group survived a critical situation. One winter night, a tree fell on the tent. After that, only one could move, but going for help was out of the question. Then he built a hut from spruce branches, dragged his comrades there, then built a stove from a fire with a chimney, and heated it until the deadline passed and the rescuers came. Everyone then spent a month to six months in the hospital, two received disabilities - but all survived. And without a shelter with heating at minus 15-20, they would freeze in an hour or two.

And after the bathhouse?

The author once had an acquaintance – a Finn. And in Finland then there was prohibition, and the valiant representative of Scandinavia regularly came to Leningrad on weekends to drink himself to death, to the point of being a green serpent. One day he caught himself at the beginning of a drinking binge, decided to quit and asked to arrange a bath for him. Russian, with a broom, from which the birch spirit penetrates to the marrow of the bones. Having steamed thoroughly, I concluded: “You know, your bathhouse is still different” - “Why?” - “After yours, I’d like some tea. Strong. With jam” - “And after yours?” - “Vodka.” A lot of. A woman. Rarely". However, this difference is most likely explained not by the actual difference between Russian and Finnish baths, but by Eino’s individual characteristics and a series of previous sprees.

The stove is the heart of any sauna. Wood-burning, electric or gas, home-made or factory-made, budget or expensive - a person who decides to get his own bathhouse is faced with an almost limitless range of stoves. We decided to make the choice easier and systematized the main requirements for such installations, trying to take into account all the significant points.

The stove can be maintained within any dimensional limits, operate on different fuels and have a wide variety of designs, but first of all, it is subject to 2 key requirements:

• optimal power for a particular steam room;
• installation in compliance with approved rules and regulations.

Power is the first thing you need to pay attention to when choosing a stove. It is pointless to cite any specific universal figures - it is basically impossible. The main thing is that this indicator is optimal for a particular case.

Already at this stage, many developers make a big mistake by purchasing a stove unit with a large power reserve, hoping that this will reduce the time spent on warming up the steam room. Yes, the room will heat up faster, but then the oven will switch to the minimum operating mode. The result is the same - the air will be hot, the stones will be cold. There is no point in pouring water on stones that are not warmed up enough - steam in such conditions will either not form at all, or will come out in clouds, like from a kettle. And in a bathhouse, as you know, the steam should be transparent and light, otherwise being in the steam room will become extremely unpleasant or simply impossible.

Heater in the bathhouse – photo

The other extreme is also a mistake - installing a low-power unit for the purpose of simply reducing the total costs of arranging a steam room. Even if the oven is low power and warms up the room to the required level, for this she will have to “work hard” to the maximum. What do you think happens to a system that constantly wears out? That's right, it breaks down very quickly.

Important note! You can ignore such an indicator as the power of the heat source only in the case of building a hammam (), in which there is no stove in its classical sense. But we are talking specifically about a bathhouse, so we are considering units designed for operation in its conditions.

• power, usually measured in kW;
• the volume of the steam room that can efficiently serve the stove of the declared power.

To save ourselves from complex, lengthy calculations, let’s take the simplest route: determine the volume of the steam room and, based on it, set the required power.

First step. We calculate the volume of the steam room. To do this, we need to measure its length, width, and height. Then we multiply the resulting numbers, thus finding the volume indicator. If preserved project documentation, we turn to it and save ourselves from this stage of calculation. Let's say the length of our steam room is 2 m, the width is 1.5 m, and the height is 2.2 m. The volume of this room will be 6.6 m3.

Second step. We carefully examine the walls and ceiling. Here we need to determine whether there are uninsulated areas on them, for example, masonry, tiled cladding, double-glazed windows, etc. We calculate the area of ​​each such section (multiply the length and width). Let's sum up the obtained values. For example, we have a window measuring 60x60 cm and tiled cladding 100x100 cm. The calculation is as follows:

(0.6x0.6)+(1x1)=1.36 m2.

We multiply the resulting number by a factor of 1.2 - this gives us a new value equal to 1.632. Add to the volume of the steam room and get 8.232.

Third step. If the door to the steam room is made of glass, increase the final number from the previous step by 1.5. The result is 9.732.

If there is a glass door, we increase the calculated coefficient

Thus, the stove must be designed to heat 9.732 m3. There is a very important note here: the accompanying instructions for the furnaces indicate working volumes in intervals, for example, 4-9 m3. In our example, it is reasonable to purchase a stove with some reserve, for example, a unit for 7-12 m3 will work well, while the resource of a stove for 5-10 m3 will not be enough.

When determining the required optimal power in kW, it is customary to adhere to the pattern according to which 1 kW of power is consumed per 1 m3 of space.

Important! In order for the heater to successfully cope with servicing the volume stated by the manufacturer, load it with exactly the same number of stones as recommended in the accompanying instructions.

Additional selection criteria

Having determined the required power and displacement indicators, we can let ourselves “go wild” in relation to the accompanying selection criteria.

Material of manufacture

Most often, stoves are made from the following materials: cast iron, steel, brick. The service life of the structure directly depends on their quality.

Currently considered the most durable modern stoves, made of chrome steel. Such installations produce “clean air”, which eliminates the risk of burning out oxygen in the room. The best steel stoves are produced by Finnish companies Helo and Harvia.

It is a rarity to find a sauna stove with a cast iron firebox today, although this material is, in principle, very good. Among the factory stoves with a cast iron firebox, the only one that deserves attention is the “Sudarushka M” model produced by the domestic company Inzhkomcenter.

Brick stoves are a tribute to history and respect for ancestors. If you find a good stove maker, you will be satisfied for many decades to come. But such units also have their disadvantages:

• comparative complexity of kindling with many nuances;
• relatively long warm-up;
• the need to construct an individual powerful foundation, which leads to a significant increase in total costs.

Features of the firebox location

Stoves with two types of fireboxes are available for sale:

• extended for wall mounting;
• ordinary.

The first allow you to organize the furnace of the stove from the room adjacent to the steam room, which increases fire safety indicators and the overall microclimate, but such models are more expensive.

Steam source

In a traditional Russian bath, the steam should be dry and light. However, not every modern furnace is capable of producing just such steam. For maximum comfort, it is wise to buy a separate electric steam generator - this way you can solve all the problems associated with this point.

Steam generator for a bath - installation diagram

Video - Steam generators for baths and saunas

Design requirements

A good stove should be able to:

• warm the air to 40-50 degrees at the bottom of the room with a gradual increase to 80 degrees under the ceiling;
• heat the stones relatively quickly and maintain their temperature at the required level;
• eliminate the possibility of smoke and carbon monoxide entering the steam room.

Additional requirements are at the discretion of the owner. For example, it may be important for someone that the stove can not only heat the room, but also prepare hot water.

Video - Hot water in the bathhouse, water heater + piping

Heater type

Most private stoves are equipped with open or closed heaters.

Duration of operation on one fill of fuel

Ideally, the stove will provide heat for as long as possible without the need to add new fuel. This criterion is determined by the user individually.

Firebox of a sauna stove – photo

There is little choice here.

The oven can be:

• hot. Heat is released through the outer walls of the furnace, heating up to 100 degrees or more. A very good option for private steam room. But there are also disadvantages: it is difficult to regulate the heating temperature and you can get burned. To avoid unpleasant consequences, the heating parts of the stove must be carefully insulated, for example, using a brick screen;
• cold. The walls of such a unit will not heat up above 40-45 degrees. Direct heating is carried out through circulation channels. Such ovens are safer and easier to use.

Type of fuel used

Type of fuel used	Description
	The most traditional and popular option. Guarantees uniform and rapid heating of the room, creating the most favorable microclimate. Wood-burning stoves can be heated “black” or “white”. In the first case, a chimney is usually not made - the fumes are removed through an vent in the wall or ceiling, or simply through an open door. The “black” firebox is almost never seen today – it is not aesthetically pleasing and difficult. Stove "on white" - traditional version modern wood stove. Must be equipped with a chimney. The only disadvantages include the need to monitor the combustion process and periodically add fuel.
	Good, safe and modern version. Electric heaters provide quick heating of the steam room, while the user gets the opportunity to most accurately control the temperature and humidity conditions in the room. In order for the stove to operate correctly and reliably, there must be a stable supply of electricity at the place where it is installed. The main disadvantage is the rather significant cost of electricity, the cost of which is high in many regions.
	If preference is given to this type of fuel, there can be no question of any amateur performance - only high-quality certified factory-made units installed by qualified craftsmen. The gas oven is very easy to use and can be automated. Along with this, it is recommended to consider this option only for residents of those regions in which low gas tariffs are established, and there is no possibility of regularly replenishing firewood supplies. Under other circumstances, heating costs will be more significant compared to the costs of operating a traditional solid fuel stove.

In general, the knowledge gained is already enough to choose a good stove for a bath. The only thing we would like to dwell on in more detail is the issue of choosing a furnace unit in accordance with the type of fuel used for its operation.

Features of choosing a wood stove

Traditional wood stoves have quite simple design, the list of main elements of which includes: an ash pan, a firebox, flues, a heater and a chimney. Additionally, the composition includes accompanying elements that increase the functionality, safety and ease of use of the stove.

For example, the stove can be equipped with a tank for heating water. It is very convenient if it is placed on the chimney - the heat of the exhaust gases will not just fly away through the pipe, but will heat the water in the container. The steam room space is heated by stones and the walls of the stove body.

The order of laying firewood may vary depending on the characteristics of a particular model. There are few options.

1. Internal bookmark. Fuel is loaded into the stove directly in the steam room.
2. External bookmark. Fuel loading is carried out from adjacent rooms.

Existing types of wood-burning stoves can be classified according to several main indicators. More about them later.

Design Features

Wood stoves can vary significantly in their design features. The classification is shown in the table.

Table. Structural variations of wood-burning sauna stoves

Varieties	Description
	Stones are placed exclusively on top. The firebox is equipped with either a glass or an ordinary solid metal door.
	A peculiarity of furnaces in this category is that the casing in them has the form of a mesh assembled from metal rods.
	Such ovens are equipped with a special container. The user can pour water into it for further use to create steam.
	It doesn’t need a separate introduction - the design is equipped with a container for preparing hot water.

Principle of operation

In accordance with the characteristics of their functioning, wood-burning sauna stoves can be classified into the following groups:

• long heating ovens. Work using comparatively small quantity stones separated from the firebox using a metal sheet. In most cases, stones do not heat up above 350 degrees. Professionals do not recommend watering them with water - there is a high risk of soot particles being released into the surrounding air;
• batch heating furnaces. These units are loaded with a large number of stones. The partition mentioned in the previous paragraph is absent - the stones are heated by the forces of an open flame. You can safely add water - no soot will be thrown away. The best option for a private steam room.

Manufacturer

The modern market offers a truly impressive range of sauna stoves – there is plenty to choose from. And the instructions for laying/welding stoves yourself allow you to make the unit yourself, saving money. What to do - everyone has the right to decide independently, focusing on the available budget and personal preferences.

Based on reviews from real users, we can suggest paying attention to the products of two industry leaders.

Firstly, these are Harvia stoves.

A huge range of models, many stoves with different functionality and design - you can easily choose an option that fully meets your needs and expectations.

Harvia stoves – high quality and stylish design

The manufacturer offers both traditional floor units and designer wall and corner variations. Harvia products are very different high quality, trouble-free operation and long service life. For the manufacture of fireboxes for such stoves, modern high-strength steel is used, the thickness of the upper part of which is 1 cm or more, which guarantees the highest possible strength of the heater and its long service life.

For the outer coating of the body of branded stoves, a patented fire-resistant paint is used, which retains its original quality characteristics at a high level for a long time. The assortment of the same manufacturer includes many additional elements that are ideally combined with branded stoves and contribute to a significant increase in their functionality.

Prices for Harvia wood stoves

wood stoves Harvia

Secondly, these are Helo solid fuel stoves.

The company's product range includes: budget options, as well as luxury models for true connoisseurs. The best stainless steel is traditionally used to make the outer walls of branded furnaces.

The highlight of many models is the door with a heat-resistant glass insert - you can monitor the combustion process while enjoying the view of the flame, which creates a wonderful relaxing atmosphere. For most stoves of this brand, not only firewood is suitable, but also peat briquettes. You can choose a stove with a water tank installed either above the stove or using remote technology.

In more detail, as well as solid fuel sauna stoves, have already been discussed in the relevant publications on our website.

Features of choosing an electric oven

Electric heaters – photo

Advantages of electric heaters

Electric sauna stoves have many advantages.

1. Firstly, they are compact - an average electric heater under any circumstances will take less usable area than a gas and, especially, a solid fuel unit.
2. Secondly, they are very easy to use. As noted, the user has access to not just the ability to control temperature and humidity indicators, but also the organization of full automation.
3. Thirdly, they do not involve the installation of a chimney. In view of this, the actual installation of the furnace will require much more modest financial investments compared to other possible types of units.
4. Fourthly, in steamy room with an electric stove it will always be clean: you can forget about ash, smoke and dust.
5. Fifthly, modern electric heaters from trusted manufacturers last longer when compared to simple ones solid fuel devices similar price category.
6. Sixth, the electric stove is extremely easy to use. The user only needs to turn on the device and wait a little.

And there are no significant restrictions regarding the choice of location for installing the stove - it can be placed either near a wall or in the center of the room.

Electric heaters also benefit in terms of safety issues: thoughtful and well-organized cyclic operation, the presence of sensitive automation and protective shutdown means help minimize the likelihood of various kinds of troubles typical for devices operating on the principle of fuel combustion.

For maximum ease of use, many models of electric sauna stoves are equipped with built-in or, even better, remote controls.

It takes relatively little time to warm up the steam room with an electric heater, and the heat generated is soft and uniform.

Prices for different models of electric heaters

electric heater

Main selection criteria

The main parameters that need to be taken into account when choosing an electric sauna stove are given below.

1. The volume of the serviced room and the required system power. Recommendations for calculating this moment were discussed earlier.
2. Elements of control and regulation. As noted, the electric furnace remote control can be built-in or remote. Here everyone must decide for themselves what is more convenient for them.
3. Heater characteristics. One of the most important moments. Modern electric sauna heaters are equipped with heating elements, tape and combined heating devices.
   A heating element (tubular) can heat up to very high temperatures, but has a relatively short service life. If you decide to buy a stove with a heating element heater, make sure that it is made of a stainless alloy.

   

   Tape devices are characterized by higher heating rates, environmental friendliness and efficiency, while they do not burn air as much as their heating element “brothers”, and they last much longer.

   

   Combined options combine heaters of the two mentioned types. In terms of price, they are the most expensive, but they provide the fastest speed and temperature of heating the room being served.

4. Design. Electric ovens can come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes and design features. Regarding these points, the decision remains with the buyer.
5. External material. The stove can be either dressed in a beautiful metal case or decorated natural stone, for example, soapstone or soapstone.

   

   

   

   The use of cladding not only improves the external qualities of the stove, but also carries important practical functions, namely: it increases the user’s protection from exposure to infrared radiation, promotes heat accumulation, eliminates convection temperature changes, ensures the creation of an ideal, uniform thermal background, and has a positive effect on the human body.

Important! When planning to purchase an electric sauna stove, ask the seller to show a certificate of compliance with the requirements for such systems and fire safety parameters. In the absence of one, it is strongly recommended to refrain from purchasing a stove.

More details on the nuances of choosing an electric stove for a bath and recommendations for its installation were in the corresponding publication on our website.

Features of choosing a gas oven

Gas sauna stoves are becoming increasingly popular - the desire for maximum convenience prevails over the love for the aroma and smell of burning wood.

Gas combustion units have a number of advantages, including:

• efficiency;
• high rate of room heating;
• no need to monitor the remaining amount of fuel and its addition.

Along with this, before giving preference to a gas unit, you need to familiarize yourself with a number of rules and features of its installation and subsequent operation.

Advantages and design features

A traditional wood-burning sauna stove is excellent in every sense – that’s why it’s traditional. But what if getting firewood is very difficult? Use gas!

The photo shows a gas oven with a remote temperature controller

Such a solution has many advantages.

1. Compact installation. A gas stove, unlike its wood-burning “brother,” does not have a large firebox and a massive ash pan - here they are very compact, which makes possible installation this kind of equipment even in the most cramped steam rooms.
2. Optimal temperature conditions. Gas ovens extremely easy to operate - you set the desired mode and enjoy your vacation, forgetting about trips for new portions of firewood and cleaning up unburnt coals.
3. Features of the internal structure. Classic structure The gas sauna stove is as follows: there is a body, there is a gas burner in it, and a fuel source is connected to the burner. Additionally, a water tank may be present. A pallet for laying stones is placed on top. In the same area there is a device responsible for removing combustion products.

It is worth mentioning the stones separately. In combination with a gas stove, it is best to use round cobblestones taken from the sea or river bottom. Due to the characteristics of their origin, they are best suited for use in extreme steam room conditions.

In addition to the above-mentioned elements, the design of each gas sauna stove necessarily includes a thermostat to control the temperature and a fuse, which turns off the fuel supply in the event of a sudden extinguishment of the flame.

People jokingly and, at the same time, cautiously call gas stoves “bombs.” The problem is that many people, again, in their desire to save money, go too far and either buy non-certified equipment or assemble it themselves without the appropriate skills and qualifications. The result is burns or, what is much worse, fires and explosions.

Video - Gas burner for a carob-type brick sauna stove

In practice, many buyers managed to personally familiarize themselves with all the advantages of gas sauna stoves. You too can join their number if you follow the appropriate rules for the selection, subsequent installation and operation of such equipment.

First, pay attention to the gas burner. Each burner is designed for a specific gas flow rate. In accordance with this indicator, such important characteristics as the power of the stove and its efficiency are determined. The salesperson will advise you on the choice of burner for a specific area - these points may vary depending on the design features of the equipment, the characteristics of the steam room and other related issues.

Secondly, the stove must have appropriate quality and safety certificates. If there are none, leave the dubious seller, even if he offers you a significant discount and tries with all his might to convince you that the equipment is safe.

Of course, the stove as a whole and any of its components in particular should not have any external defects in the form of damage, cracks, leaky connections, etc. In addition, even the most impeccable gas stove must undergo regular preventive inspection. Neglecting this is strictly prohibited - the safety and lives of bathhouse users are at stake.

A few words about gas-wood stoves

The range of many manufacturers includes gas-wood stoves - this is a modern universal solution, capable of working with the use of different types of fuel: firewood, as well as liquid hydrocarbon gas and its natural variety.

This was made possible thanks to the simultaneous presence of combustion devices solid fuel and special gas burner equipment. Additionally, the design includes a fuel receiver - without it, the use of firewood as fuel would be impossible.

The big advantage of gas-wood stoves is their relatively low cost with wide functional and operational capabilities.

Requirements for installing gas sauna stoves

Important! Installation of such equipment should only be performed by a qualified technician. By doing the installation yourself, you are taking a huge risk. Along with this, there are a few things to remember important recommendations– knowledge of these will allow you to monitor the correct performance of the work by the installer.

1. A minimum of 50 cm distance must be maintained between the stove and the nearest walls. Combustible surfaces must be covered with non-combustible materials.

   

   Furnace layout - one of the possible options

2. The stove is installed on a refractory base of such dimensions that it protrudes at least 100 mm from each side of the stove.

   

3. The requirements regarding the size of the opening for the gas burner must be met - specified in the instructions for the specific unit.
4. Stainless steel pipes should be used to connect the gas sauna stove to the chimney. The design is composite. The pipe is pushed into the pipe by at least 50% of its diameter.

   

5. Doors leading out of the steam room must open outward.
6. The height of the smoke exhaust pipe is calculated so that it rises at least 500 cm above the burner. Regarding the roof, the traditional half-meter elevation (minimum) is maintained.

   

7. The connection between the gas sauna stove and the chimney must be perfectly sealed.

   

All details for the bath were studied earlier in the corresponding publication on our website.

Now you have all the necessary information regarding existing varieties sauna stoves and features of their functioning. Good luck with your choice!

Video - How to choose a stove for a bath

Choosing a stove for a bath does not represent special labor, if you specifically understand what kind of atmosphere in the bathhouse you prefer: a sauna or a Russian steam room. All other questions are often related only to ease of use and available energy options for operating the furnace.

How to choose the right stove for a sauna

Despite the enormous confusion in the descriptions and advertisements of dozens of different models and designs available on the market, you need to choose a sauna stove in the following order:

Advice! Do not buy a stove on the advice of friends or just because you like its appearance until you see how it works in practice and are convinced that you can choose it for use in your sauna.

If the issue of choosing a specific model and its cost is not particularly important for you, it is better to entrust the purchase and testing of the stove to a specialist who is professionally involved in the construction and installation of heating equipment for the steam room. Naturally, you should have the best reviews about the specialist.

If you are a long-time steam lover, you probably know exactly how to best choose the conditions in the steam room for a good rest. Most of those who are starting to build or have built a bathhouse often make little difference between the conditions in a sauna and a Russian bathhouse. To better understand the difference in designs, you need to thoroughly spend more than a dozen hours in both types of steam rooms, only then choosing a stove will not be difficult.

How to choose a stove for a bath

Typically, the arrangement of a steam room largely depends on the temperament and preferences of the owner of the bathhouse. For people with a high pace of life and limited time resources, the Finnish type of sauna is better suited. For measured and leisurely people, it is better to choose the Russian option. It requires leisurely preparation, the stove heats the bathhouse for a long time, and the atmosphere in the bathhouse, unlike a sauna, is designed for a long stay.

Basic parameters of a sauna stove

For any type of bath, it is important to select the required thermal power, which should be provided by the operation of the stove. The formula sounds something like this: one kilowatt-hour of thermal energy is required for one cubic meter of heated space. The calculations take into account the presence of insulation on the walls, the quality and intensity of ventilation, the presence of a warm dressing room and rest room, and about 5-6 other main characteristics of the bathhouse. As a result, the calculation seems to be adjusted more to the recommended power than is actually calculated.

Making a real calculation and choosing a stove for a bathhouse according to the specific parameters of the room is quite difficult and not always possible. Even if you are offered any calculation method, treat such advice with a great deal of distrust. There are too many nuances that are very important to get accurate numbers, but it is very difficult to take into account everything.

Exists simple technique determining the required stove power to warm up the bath. Its results have been tested in practice, but it does not find recognition among “serious” experts due to its primitiveness. Its essence is as follows. Electricity is connected to the finished steam room and it is heated using a heat fan gun. A standard power of 2 kW should be enough to heat the room to 50 o C within half an hour. In this case, 16 kW of thermal power will be sufficient for the steam room. If you spent more time on warming up, then the heating output of the sauna stove should be adjusted in proportion to the time spent + 10%.

Accordingly, when taking measurements in summer, the calculated data are adjusted negatively by 15%, and in winter - positive by 15-20%. Sometimes, in order to increase the accuracy of the calculation, they resort to a test measurement of the heating time with a heat gun in the room of an existing steam room. The data obtained is compared with the power of the installed furnace and the error is determined. When taking measurements in a new steam room, this error is accordingly added to the calculated power data of the future sauna stove. But the figures obtained will only be valid for a specific model and the method of its installation.

How to choose a sauna stove

A sauna differs from a Russian steam room in that it has a higher steam temperature and lower humidity. Air temperature of 90-100 o C and humidity of 20-25% are not equally suitable for everyone. The load on the body is extreme, and it is better to know in advance about such surprises of relaxing in a Finnish sauna.

The stove in a Finnish sauna works more like a heater rather than a steam generator. This has its advantages:

• The air and the room in the bathhouse warms up in a maximum of an hour of operation, about the same amount of time you can steam after reaching the regime. But the steam room cools down to a cold shudder literally within half an hour from the moment the heating stops;
• The sauna stove is very simple in design, it is easy to make even with your own hands; according to reviews, such homemade products are practically not inferior to branded products;
• The design of the sauna stove is designed for a period of up to 12 years for expensive models and 5-7 for simple products. It is easy to clean and maintain; you can do your own repairs and modifications to the structure without the use of expensive equipment - only if you have welding and a grinder;
• The stove weighs on average no more than 50 kg and does not require a heavy foundation slab for installation in the steam room.

In essence, a sauna stove is a high-quality version of a regular potbelly stove, designed to work in difficult conditions.

Among the many offers of metal stove options, you can safely choose Finnish or Baltic products. They cost a little more than their domestic counterparts, but they are pleasing with the quality of production and durability. For fun, you can look at both “live” and compare the quality of metal processing or applied coating. It must be said that there are many domestic high-quality bath heaters on the market, and they are cheaper than imported ones.

The heating capacity of the stove, indicated by the manufacturer in the passport data, is an average indicator when the device is operated in a bathhouse using relatively high-quality fuel. Many experts advise it is better to choose a sauna stove with a power reserve of at least 30%. This will help to properly heat the sauna even on the coldest days using slightly damp wood.

Design features of steel sauna stoves

There is one drawback in the design of steel sauna stoves - they are poorly controlled and can quickly overheat the steam room when set to normal. In this case, you have to regularly be distracted and control the valve in order to select the desired mode and better maintain the heating dynamics more or less uniform. This is not always convenient.

Therefore, almost all steel or cast iron stoves for a bathhouse they are either lined with bricks or have a special niche around an iron body into which stones, rubble or even sea pebbles are loaded. They shield the hot body and increase the cooling time of the steam room. If desired, you can easily find and select a model of a sauna stove already lined with stone, for example, calcite or jadeite. This finish is better in appearance and reduces the effect of overheating, but such bath models are much more expensive.

If the bathhouse, in addition to the steam room and locker room, has a rest room or dressing room, it is better to choose a stove model with a loading tunnel. The stove is installed in close proximity to the inner wall separating the steam room and the dressing room or rest room, where the loading window is located. This option allows you to better heat the room, fully relax and, if necessary, choose the most economical operating mode.

Stone stoves for baths

The brick heater has become synonymous with the stove for the Russian bath. A large mass of hot stone in closed space produces a huge amount of hot and humid steam. The temperature in a Russian bath is from 60 to 80 o C, but with very high air humidity. The conditions in the steam room can be chosen to be milder than in the sauna, so the hot atmosphere is easier to bear.

Choose a stove for a steam room in the Russian style

For a steam room in a Russian bath it is difficult to choose a better design than brick stove. First of all, because of the design of the heater. A large mass of stones must be constantly heated to a temperature of at least 250 o C, otherwise the steam will be cold and difficult to breathe. You can heat the stone using an iron stove for 10-15 minutes, and then a slow cooling will begin. The large mass of brickwork produces 6-7 times more heat than when working with a steel frame.

The stove in the bathhouse takes a very long time to heat up, the process can take a whole day. It is impossible to accelerate it, like metal, in a couple of hours; such heating can cause the masonry to crack. It is better to choose a gentle gradual heating mode. Sometimes electric heating is included in the design of the heater to accelerate the heating of the stone, but the atmosphere in the bathhouse still remains cool.

If you choose a brick oven for your steam room, you need to be prepared for the construction of a capital foundation and, possibly, for a long and difficult process of laying bricks. Therefore, choosing a brick model is always more difficult and expensive; sometimes the finished structure has to be sorted out, made better and adjusted to the parameters of the paired compartment.

Conclusion

Experience and practice show that for a small bathhouse for five to six people, 15-20 m3, it is better to choose a hybrid of a brick heater and electric heating. This option is cheaper and more practical than a simple wood-burning design and better than the purely electric option for heating a steam room. The stove is heated with wood and electricity, the latter allows you to choose the best temperature regime in the bathhouse and heat the stones to the required temperature. The stove heats up faster, but before entering the steam room it is better to turn off the electric heating and steam only using the heat from burning wood.

It is better to leave sauna stoves using solarium or other liquid fuel for mobile sauna options, in hiking conditions There's not much to choose from. Such options are extremely dangerous at work, and it is better to avoid using them at home.

The most important stage in arranging a modern bathhouse is choosing a stove.

The type, shape and functional features of the firebox affect the safety of staying in the steam room, the rate of heat generated and the saturation of the steam produced.

Let's figure out what equipment should be selected for a Russian bath or sauna so that bath procedures bring maximum benefit to the human body.

Characteristics

Choosing a stove for a bath begins with determining key characteristics similar equipment.

The main purpose of the stove is to maintain heat in the bathhouse during health procedures.

Important characteristics that you need to pay attention to when choosing heating equipment are:

1. Convection;
2. Steam volume;
3. Firebox shape (extended or standard);
4. Fuel power.

Vaporization

The main indicator of any steam room is the quantity and quality of steam. The best option is light and rich steam, which is obtained by heating the air to 86 degrees.

A similar result can be achieved in practice by using modern wood-burning fireboxes with a built-in steam generator, which promotes rapid heating of the stones. Similar models of furnaces provide maintenance optimal temperature air and the formation of saturated steam.

Convection

The next important characteristic is air convection, which provides for the formation of air flows between the heater and the protective casing. As the stove heats up, the cold air mass slowly moves downward, and as it warms up, it moves upward. Convection ensures equalization of air heating temperatures and promotes rapid heating of the steam room.

Oven models without a convection component also allow you to create the necessary microclimate in the room, but for much longer.

Extended firebox

For convenient use of the stove in a bathhouse, it is recommended to install models equipped with an extended firebox. A similar design is mounted in a wall or a special opening between the dressing room and the steam room, allowing you to add fuel at any time, as well as heat several working rooms in the bathhouse at the same time.

Fuel power

Fuel power determines the rate at which the steam room warms up. When choosing a stove, you should first calculate the volume of the steam room and the required fuel power.

To do this, add 1 cubic meter to the internal volume of the room. for every 1 sq.m. door and window openings. The thermal power of heating equipment is calculated based on the internal volume of the stove.

Furnace power = 0.5× V,

where V – (internal volume of the furnace in liters).

For example, a furnace with a firebox volume of 25 liters has a thermal power of 12 kW.

Kinds

How to choose a stove for a bath to ensure quick heating of the premises and comfortable stay in any season? Quality equipment must be compact, durable, convenient and safe to use.

Meanwhile, it is better to choose stove models for a Russian bath that have sufficient thermal power and the ability to generate thick and rich steam.

There are three types of sauna stoves on the modern market:

1. Wood-burning;
2. Electrical;
3. Gas.

Wood-burning

Wood-burning stoves can create a special atmosphere of coziness and comfort in baths and saunas. Such fireboxes are practical, convenient and durable.

Wellness treatments can begin 40 minutes after the start of the combustion process. Among other things, a wood-burning sauna stove promotes efficient heat accumulation over a long period of operation.

To choose a wood stove, it is important to know some of its distinctive characteristics:

• The firebox in such a heater can be of a remote or built-in type of different volumes;
• In some models, the doors are made of fire-resistant glass and are additionally equipped with an expansion and grate.
• Brick or metal is used to make the body.

Brick

Metal

Electric

The simplest and affordable option heating any bath - which are characterized by high power, compact size and high air heating speed. Electric heating equipment is installed without a chimney pipe, therefore completely eliminating the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning.

The electric heater is convenient and practical to use, equipped with automatic system management. The lightweight metal body prevents injury and burns.

The main disadvantage of such equipment is high energy consumption.

Gas

Based on the heating temperature of the outer walls, stoves can be cold or hot.

• In hot heaters, the air temperature reaches 100 degrees, for this reason it is recommended to install such equipment in any steam rooms, as well as rooms in which there are no other heating options.
• The heating temperature of the walls in cold fireboxes does not exceed 50 degrees, and the air in the room is heated through special channels through which cold air enters the heater and returns hot. The channels allow you to correctly adjust the temperature.

According to their design features, fireboxes can be permanent or direct heating.

• Direct heating units (periodic) are designed in such a way that heated stones can accumulate heat over a long period of time. The heating process takes up to 10 hours, and bathing procedures begin after its completion.
• Constant heating devices (continuous) require fewer fire stones and heat the air to medium temperatures.

There are also combined options - brick fireboxes using liquid fuel. It is good to heat such a stove before and during basic health procedures.

Which stones to choose

A correctly selected firebox promotes the accumulation and transfer of heat indoors. And for this you need to prepare one of the key attributes of the stove -.

Experts recommend choosing stones of volcanic origin that are resistant to high temperatures, cracking and damage. For heaters, it is better to use round stones of different sizes with a smooth polished surface.

The base of the masonry is made up of large cobblestones, the middle - medium stones, and the top - small stones.

For modern heaters, the best option would be granite, andesite, basalt, quartz, and pebbles. They can be purchased in specialized stores, or you can assemble them yourself.

To enhance the convection of heated air and better heat accumulation, you can additionally use special products made of refractory ceramics or porcelain, which are laid out as the topmost layer.

To understand which stove to choose for a bath, first of all, you should focus on personal preferences and financial capabilities, as well as take into account the technical features of the steam room and performance characteristics heaters.

If the site is connected to a gas main, you can provide a gas-fired brick heater. In the absence of gasification, it is better to opt for finished oven using solid fuel. If health procedures are carried out rarely, then you can purchase a compact electric heater - the safest and fastest heating of the premises.