Ladles and a scoop for a bath: how to choose and make it yourself

Each bathhouse for bathing procedures must be equipped with the necessary accessories. But not everyone knows what to choose - will a metal, plastic or wooden sauna ladle be best? We will consider this question in detail.

Traditional accessories for bath procedures in Rus' were made of wood.

Why do you need a ladle in a bathhouse?

Sauna stoves can have a special mounted or built-in tank for heating water. Having a tap in this design makes it much easier to collect heated water, but a more common option is to collect it through a special hole using a fairly capacious ladle called a scoop.

If you have carpentry skills and certain tools, you can make a bath ladle with your own hands

In addition to pouring water into various washing containers, represented by buckets, basins or buckets, scoops are used for pouring water onto hot stones. This very simple procedure allows you to easily and timely supply a fresh portion of steam inside the steam room of a Russian bath. The favorable microclimate directly depends on the correct choice of handle and shape of the bath scoop.

Ideally, you should have 2 scoops in the bathhouse - separately for hot and cold water.

How to choose the right one

Wooden ladles look organic in a bathhouse; when heated, they convey a light aroma of wood

To avoid burns, bath scoops are made entirely of natural wood or metal, such as brass, copper or stainless steel. The main condition is the presence of a sufficiently long and necessarily wooden handle.

Depending on the functional purpose, bath scoops come in three main varieties:

• Models with vertical and long handles. Allows you to draw water from a tank that is not equipped with a tap, or from a barrel.
• Models with horizontal long handle. Designed for watering stove stones to regulate temperature and humidity levels in the steam room of the bathhouse. Thanks to the long handle, the risk of burns is completely eliminated.
• Models with short handle. Used for water procedures in the font. These scoops are lightweight and fit very comfortably in your hand.

Scoops for a bathhouse need to be selected in different sizes: for supplying water to the stones - with a volume of 0.2–0.3 liters, for collecting water - from 1 liter.

The range of such bath accessories is very diverse. Scoops differ in shape and volume, and have a variety of finishing options, including cutting and metal inserts. The main criteria for the correct choice of such an accessory are the ease of use of the scoop, its practicality and environmental friendliness, as well as aesthetics, safety and durability.

Part of the steam room is a sauna ladle

The Atelier Saun online store offers visitors a wide selection of products. Among them, special mention should be made of a sauna ladle , which is necessary for a comfortable stay. People often cannot quickly give preference because they do not evaluate the entire range. To do this, you should first consider the materials from which different models are made today. Only after this will a person understand which option is best for him. Moreover, the catalog section is extensive, so without dividing items into separate categories you will never be able to make the optimal purchase. What material is the bath scoop offered in our catalogue, since not only metal will interest a potential buyer? The scoops presented in our store are made of: stainless steel, copper, wood.

What can be replaced

Traditional wooden scoops can be replaced with hybrid scoops, inside of which there is a metal container. Such buckets are convenient, durable and practical, but their price is higher than their classic solid or composite wooden counterparts.

After the first use of the ladle, it should be washed using soda, mustard and scalded with boiling water.

As an alternative to wooden ladles for a bath, you can consider ladles made of high-strength heat-resistant plastic. Despite their durability and sufficient reliability, such models cannot be classified as aesthetic products.

True lovers of the Russian steam room still prefer wooden products. Cooperage or carved scoops made of natural wood have always been highly valued for their original appearance, practicality and pleasant aroma of Russian forest.

Types and material of sauna ladles

There are models of different sizes and shapes. Buckets are classified according to the type of holder:

With vertical handle
. Suitable for scooping water from a boiler.

• With horizontal handle
  . Used for dousing. In the absence of a ladle, such a ladle can be used to supply water or a decoction of herbs to the heater.

Usually the bucket holders are long. This is necessary for ease of dousing, and also to avoid getting burned by the steam if you have to pour water onto hot stones.

According to the type of container, buckets are:

Carved
. They are cut from logs. Such models look aesthetically pleasing, but require special care. In particular, a wooden sauna ladle should not be left in a dry room, otherwise it will quickly begin to crack. To extend its life, it is recommended to fill it with water between uses and keep it wet.

Traditionally, these accessories are made from:
Wood
. According to its performance characteristics, this material is optimally suited for use in a steam room. It is environmentally friendly and safe. However, the product requires careful care for a long service life.

Stainless steel or copper

. Practical and convenient metal buckets can be used and stored in any conditions. Their only drawback is that they get very hot. Metal products can cause burns. Therefore, most often, for safety reasons, such buckets are equipped with a wooden handle.

You can purchase a ready-made production model or make a sauna ladle with your own hands.

Selection by materials

There are a lot of offers on the market for steam room accessories. Every manufacturer praises their product. But you need to understand what materials these accessories should be made of, because they must withstand fairly high temperature loads (find out here how to properly steam in a Russian bath).

Good scoops are not afraid of constant contact with cold and hot water, as well as significant temperature changes. Not every material can cope with such loads.

Tree

Vologda carved ladle of the 18th century.

Traditional accessories for use in the bathhouse have long been made of wood. Russian peasants, even after the advent of metal utensils, preferred to use wooden ones, which they often made with their own hands, especially carved or hollowed ones.

Wooden bath accessories could be of three types, divided according to the principle of manufacture:

1. cooperage, when the container itself consists of separate planks, which are fastened together with metal hoops;
2. carved, when the product is cut entirely from a piece of wood;
3. hollowed, bowls were hollowed out from a single piece of wood.

Various wooden objects were made for bathing procedures:

1. scoops and ladles;
2. buckets;
3. gangs;
4. tubs;
5. tub;
6. trough;
7. barrels.

Most of these items were produced in cooperage workshops. Today, when there are many products made of metal and plastic in everyday life, wood products have not lost their attractiveness.

Works of ancient folk crafts have not lost their relevance today. Every possible support for the traditions of producing national Russian utensils continues in small enterprises and private workshops.

Cooper's sauna ladle with a long handle made of alder.

The advantage of wooden products is their environmental friendliness.

Today you can purchase the entire set for equipping a bathhouse from different types of wood:

1. Altai cedar;
2. oak;
3. aspen;
4. larches;
5. linden trees

The price for a cooper's ladle made of linden will be half that of a similar ladle made of cedar. But cedar products are more durable. However, with proper care of cooperage products, their service life can be significantly extended.

Instructions for caring for cooper's scoops for a bath:

1. before the first use, lower the ladle into a barrel of water and keep it there for an hour;
2. remember that the product must be kept wet at all times;
3. scoops should not be kept without water in the sun or near heating devices;
4. Cleaning buckets with chemicals is not allowed.

Following these instructions will help you keep your cooper's accessories in excellent condition.

Metal

Galvanized sauna ladle with wooden handle.

Another suitable material for making buckets is metal. The main advantage of metal products is their long service life.

But there is one minus. Metal scoops get very hot.

You can avoid burns if this accessory is combined:

1. metal container with wooden handle;
2. wooden scoop with metal insert.

For the manufacture of bath accessories, choose metal that is not susceptible to corrosion:

1. brass;
2. copper;
3. Cink Steel;
4. aluminum.

The most convenient, practical and aesthetic option is considered to be the combination of a wooden cooper's ladle with a metal insert. Such a scoop does not leak, because the metal does not dry out. There is no danger of getting burned by touching it.

Plastic

Universal plastic bucket.

Plastic containers are used in the bathhouse only in the washing compartment. Typically, they come with a small handle and are used for pouring warm or cold water.

Important. The use of plastic ladles in a steam room is undesirable, since high temperatures may cause the product to melt. In addition, at elevated temperatures, plastic can release harmful substances.

Modern technologies do not stand still; types of plastics are appearing that are heat-resistant and do not emit harmful substances. One such new material is polycarbonate, which combines unique strength with high heat resistance.

The photo shows a polycarbonate bucket and ladle with birch handles.

Important. Ladles and other polycarbonate products should be stored at room temperature without water, wiping them dry with a towel.

Features of choosing a bath ladle

You can purchase the finished product in a specialized store or order it online.

It is advisable to have several ladles in the bathhouse for different purposes:

Several people can be in the steam room and washing area at the same time. It will be convenient if a bucket is provided for each vacationer.

There should be a separate model with a long horizontal handle for supplying water to the stones.

It is more convenient to draw water from the boiler with a ladle with a long vertical handle.

It is recommended to give preference to safe wooden accessories. They will not be cheap, especially the models made by folk craftsmen. But you can be sure that they will not burn you when heated.

Technology for making a wooden ladle for a bathhouse

To make a sauna ladle yourself, you must initially decide on its size, length and position of the handle, material of manufacture, and type of container. Having chosen a model, it is advisable to initially make blanks from thick cardboard.

Selection of material for a sauna ladle

First of all, choose the type of wood you will use.

The best options for these purposes:

Linden
. Practical wood with a pleasant aroma and original texture. Ideal for making all bath accessories. Does not rot or crack. Suitable for processing.

Oak

. Strong and durable material. It has an interesting rich shade.

Ash

. Light and fragrant wood. Withstands large temperature changes.

DIY carved sauna ladle

This method of making a bucket is considered simple, but it will require certain carpenter skills and a set of tools. Decide on the type of wood and start processing.

Let's look at how to make a carved ladle for a bathhouse:

On thick cardboard we draw templates for the bottom of the bucket, its top and side walls. It should not be too large, as it will be difficult to carry when filled with water. However, if it is too small, you will have to draw water more often. The optimal size is up to two liters.

We cut out the blanks and mark the edge contour lines on the wood with a pencil.

We perform rough cutting.

We mark the outline of the sides and top and make a cut according to the approximate outline of the bucket.

We process the resulting workpiece with a round chisel and remove excess layers of wood.

We form the handle of the product using a chisel.

We process the inner sides with an adze and go through it again with a large chisel.

Using a wood knife, we cut out the handle of the desired shape and the entire product. If you have artistic skills, you can make original patterns as decoration.

The inside of the product is treated with cranberry.

We sand the outer surface with coarse-grained paper and move on to the inner surface.

How to make a composite ladle for a bathhouse

You can make such a model without any special cooperage skills. To do this you will need a board, a handle, a base and a metal rim.

We adhere to the following instructions during the process:

Cut out a plank measuring 1 x 2.1 cm.

We grind the sides at an angle of 12 degrees.

We trim 15 parts, 8 cm each.

We mill a groove along the bottom of all planks; its depth should be 0.4 cm and width 0.8 cm.

We round off the sharp corners of the end sides. These will be the boards for the product.

Let's prepare the handle. To do this, we use a planed board, the dimensions of which are 1.5x7.5x38 cm.

We cut out the part into a convenient shape and round off the sharp corners.

We drill a hole at the end with a diameter of 0.8-1 cm and thread a loop of rope into it.

From a planed board 1x9 cm we cut out the base and grind the circumference to 0.6 cm, and to the radius - to 0.8 cm.

We drill two through holes with a diameter of 0.4 cm in the main board. They will be used for fastening with sharp self-tapping screws with a pressed washer (0.4x2.5 cm).

We assemble all the individual planks around the base, driving the bottom into the lower pre-made grooves.

We compress the structure using twine.

We prepare two hoops. To do this, we choose cold-rolled low-carbon, soft, steel packaging tape, measuring 0.4x0.2 cm.

We make three holes in the prepared hoops with a diameter of 0.16 cm for construction nails 0.16x2.5 cm.

We fill the first hoop from below at a height of 0.5 cm.

We shorten the nails from 2.5 cm to 0.8 cm and attach the top hoop at a distance of 1 cm from the top edge.

We fix the handle using self-tapping screws with a pressed washer.

Do-it-yourself wooden scoop for a bath

If you have at least basic carpentry skills and a certain set of tools, then you can try making a sauna ladle with your own hands.
Let's look at the process of making a wooden scoop with a horizontal handle from a single piece of wood. Its design is not too complicated, so with a little practice and patience, even a beginner can handle it. The main thing is to follow the instructions:

• We prepare a log that is suitable in size. It should be well dried. We split or saw it in half into a couple of even pieces.
• On one of the halves of the log we draw the outline of the future product with a simple pencil. It will be easier to do this using a paper pattern.
• We use a hacksaw to cut out a scoop from half a log along the contour.
• Using a small hatchet, we cut off sharp corners and edges and form the rough shape of the future product.
• Using a hatchet, we create an angle of inclination on the side where the recess of the scoop will be located, and then at the base of the handle.
• Use a file to round off the area where the scoop meets the handle.
• We put sandpaper on a stick and “refinish” the area near the handle.
• Round and cut out the outer shape of the scoop using a coarse rasp. We use it to round the handle. After that, we sand everything with sandpaper.
• We cut out a recess in the scoop using a semicircular chisel. At the same time, we check the thickness so as not to make the product too thin.
• We “finish” the inside of the scoop with sandpaper. It is best to secure it on a small rounded block.

After finishing sanding, you should treat the scoop to improve its performance. To do this, you can temporarily place it in heated vegetable oil. This will protect the scoop from moisture and it will not get wet. You can also use a mixture of linseed oil and wax as a treatment composition.

Material for a ladle in a bath

When choosing any accessories and items for the bath, you need to proceed from several criteria. You need to take into account safety, practicality, durability, and aesthetic components. Well, there’s no escape from the material side either: in many cases, the decisive factor in the choice is the price.

Wooden buckets

Wood is the most traditional of all possible materials for bath accessories. Typically, linden, aspen, cedar or oak wood is used for bath ladles. In order to extend their service life, wooden ladles are coated with a layer of wax or impregnated with linseed oil. But even in this option, they have a short service life: they darken or crack, and may simply lose their aesthetic appearance.

Wooden bath ladles also come in several types:

Hollowed out from a single piece of wood. They are also called carved because they are cut from a single piece of wood. They may look a little rough, but they certainly suit the atmosphere of a Russian bathhouse. If they dry out, they may crack, so after completing the bath procedures, leave a little water in the bowl.

Buckets made from a single piece of wood

Wooden sauna ladles, like small barrels

Metal

Metal sauna ladles are more practical, but in order not to get burned, the handle of such an accessory must be made of wood or heat-resistant plastic. The materials used for production are copper, brass or stainless steel.

A brass or copper sauna ladle is not a cheap pleasure, but it also has a significant service life. The stainless steel ladle is the cheapest in this group, but by no means the worst: its performance characteristics are no worse, and perhaps even better. Brass and copper ladle will oxidize and darken over time. Periodically they need to be rubbed to restore a decent appearance. Not everyone will like this procedure: sit and sand the surface with a soft cloth. No problems with stainless steel. They are like a Christmas tree: in winter and summer they are the same color. In the sense that they do not change at all.

From a safety point of view, sauna ladles and metal scoops are not the best choice: they can become hot and burn. In a Russian steam room with its not very high temperatures, you will get a full-fledged burn if the ladle lies near the stove, but in saunas they heat up even from the air. In dry air vents, temperatures of 90-100° C are not the limit. And you can easily get burned with metal at this temperature. SO it’s better not to take metal buckets into saunas.

Metal sauna ladles must have a wooden handle

There are also hybrid buckets: a metal container is inserted inside a wooden bucket. This bucket is convenient, durable and practical. It is difficult for them to get burned; it will not allow water to pass through, even if the wood dries out. The cost is, however, decent.

A metal container is inserted inside a wooden ladle

Plastic

The most budget option is a ladle made of heat-resistant plastic. Appropriate modern materials can be safely dipped into boiling water. The only issue is the issue of aesthetics, which is compensated by the low price and a decent margin of safety.

Each of these options has its own advantages and disadvantages, but any of them is suitable for use in a bathhouse, but there should be no glass accessories in the steam room (and even in the bathhouse).

Material for making the scoop

Stainless steel is considered reliable and practical. Because of this, buyers pay more attention to it. We remind you that true comfort is rarely achieved with such models. In many cases, it is better to buy a wooden sauna ladle. It matches the surrounding finish better. At all times, people used such scoops without fear of getting burned and maintaining the naturalness of the situation. Although in recent years, users have shown particular interest in the third type of raw material. Copper is somewhat reminiscent of luxurious gold, which is why it is chosen by demanding customers. Yes, this metal conducts heat very well and is not considered the best for a hot sauna or steam bath. However, the manufacturers have thought through this nuance, which means that none of the owners will ever get burned because of the special wooden handle. This is not a decorative decoration, but an important element that prevents damage to human skin due to the high temperature in the steam room.