How to make a bathhouse with your own hands, wooden and from other materials - step-by-step instructions with photos, videos, dimensions and drawings

A trip to the bathhouse with friends will be much more interesting if in addition to the steam room there is also a font in the bathhouse. According to legend, swimming in it has a beneficial effect on our health, and experienced bath-goers sincerely believe that no modern pool can replace the pleasure of plunging into a traditional Russian wooden font.

If you have a bathhouse at your dacha and you want to equip it with a font, then you can buy it ready-made in a special store, or you can make it for a bathhouse with your own hands , although this is difficult.

What is a font, how it works, variety of types

A font is a container in the form of a large barrel, which is made of wood, plastic or metal. A wooden bathhouse is an environmentally friendly and familiar option. But recently they began to use other materials for its manufacture.

Plunging into a round wooden font after a bath, a person feels unity with nature

How to improve an outdoor hot tub with a wood-burning stove

The operation of the font revealed bottlenecks that need to be improved. Because In winter they swim mainly in the dark, Pit7pit made decorative lighting from LED strip.

The user recommends using warm white light, it is most comfortable for the eyes.

One more thing.

Pit7pitFORUMHOUSE user

The two-meter lid is difficult to lower and raise manually. So I built a roof over the font and built a lifting block mechanism into it.

Ready-made version of the roof over the font.

The canopy over the font does not interfere with admiring the surroundings or the starry sky, and protects from precipitation. To secure the cover in the upper position, safety pins are used (the fasteners are made at 4 points for safety).

According to the user, the maximum temperature at which he swam was up to -15 °C. If you want to swim at a lower temperature, solve the issue of filling the bowl with water, because... the hose, 30 m long, gets caught in the frost. The solution is to throw in a heating cable.

What else can be improved in the font:

Heat the hoses going from the hot tub to the stove if the temperature outside is lower than -10 °C.
Provide a slight tilt of the font towards the drain, this makes it easier to wash the bowl.

Another plus of the font is that there is a utility building under the podium. The height of the “shed” is 1.5 m. The user stores there everything that is not afraid of water: barrels, buckets, gardening tools, etc.

Photo gallery: different types of fonts

The font, lined with bricks below the floor level, can be well decorated with oriental-style mosaics

The font, which does not take up space in the room, is decorated with tiles and lighting

The wooden model harmonizes perfectly with the interior lining of the bathhouse

The electric hot tub is made with heating and a hydromassage system

An external heater is connected to the plastic hot tub: it is safer and does not take up space

In the bathhouse you can place a wooden font with internal heating, but only separate it with a partition

How to make a font with your own hands - we strive to be closer to nature

Undoubtedly, the best material for a bowl in terms of health is wood. The most commonly used breeds are:

Larch. This is a unique tree that is durable, extremely strong and does not rot. Larch helps cleanse pores and improve tone.
Oak. In addition to excellent performance characteristics, it has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties.
Cedar, spruce, pine. Essential oils contained in conifers have a beneficial effect on the nervous system and have a rejuvenating effect on the entire body.

However, natural wood is very capricious. The hot tub must be installed on a perfectly flat surface to avoid skewing of the bottom (and therefore leaks). Also, the tub must be protected from drying out and mold. The first problem can be combated by regularly moistening and keeping the bowl covered, and the second by installing a ventilation system.

The problems of the relative fragility of natural wood forced us to look for a solution, and it was found. You can purchase a font made from the so-called “thermowood”. The essence of the treatment is as follows: the wood is exposed to water vapor at a temperature of 220 C. At the same time, changes occur in the structure of the fibers at the molecular level, as a result of which the material acquires unique water-repellent and fungicidal (antifungal) properties.

Thermowood is more expensive than usual, but the service life of the processed material is much longer.

So, we come to the main question: how to make a font with your own hands? It is clear that if you do not have certain skills and do not have the necessary (by the way, quite specific tools) in your arsenal, then you should not hope that everything will work out. But in assembled form, you can buy a tub in any online store, since the choice of volumes and configurations is now truly huge. But will it fit into the bathhouse space? If not, then you can assemble the structure yourself.

You will need these tools:

Box/open-end wrench.
Rubber hammer.
Screwdriver.

Each manufacturer offers products fully processed and ready for assembly. And, following the instructions, even a person who knows only hearsay about the art of cooperage can assemble the font.

There are a few more points left to consider:

Possibility of leaks. If the font leaks at the very beginning of use, this does not mean its low quality. The tree needs to gain a certain percentage of moisture and expand, after which the leak stops and does not appear as long as the operating rules are followed.

Heated bowls. If the hot tub is not connected to hot water and you want to be able to adjust the temperature at any time, it is better to purchase a tub with a water heater. Moreover, your comfort will depend on its location. The best option is when the heater is located outside, because in this case the temperature is distributed evenly due to the connecting pipes located in a special way.

In order to maintain the integrity of the structure, after assembly the bowl is compressed with special hoops. If the font is not used for a long time, the wood dries out and the hoops have to be tightened. With a thermal wood font you will be freed from such worries. Also, coniferous trees will inevitably release resin over time. The solution is to purchase tubs with a varnished surface, or from the above-mentioned treated wood.

What material to choose for assembling the font

You can build a structure yourself from concrete, wood or polypropylene sheets. Factory hot tubs are also made of plastic, steel or cast iron. To choose the right material, you should know the advantages and disadvantages of each of them.

Concrete structure

A similar bathing container is displayed both inside the bathhouse building and in the open area. The depth, width and length of the bowl are chosen depending on personal preferences.

It is advisable to decorate the walls with waterproof material: mosaics, ceramic tiles or cover them with film. For ease of descent, an iron ladder is fixed or monolithic steps are brought to the edge.

By following the rules for pouring concrete, it is easy to build a durable and comfortable structure with a unique design. It will be complemented by a mini-waterfall or hydromassage mechanism, and will be decorated with LED lighting.

A concrete font can be placed indoors, sunk into the floor

When building a concrete font, it is important to install a high-quality water supply and drain it. All connections are checked for leaks. Ceramic tiles or mosaics are laid in accordance with the process technology so that during use of the structure the decorative finish does not fall to the bottom.

Disadvantages of a concrete font:

a large amount of preparatory work - excavation of soil for a foundation pit, installation of formwork, reinforcement, pouring and compacting concrete mortar, laying waterproofing material, installing water drainage;
production time - concrete completely sets and hardens in about 30 days;
unsafe operation - the lining is slippery, which requires care and compliance with safety measures at the time of immersion and exit.

A concrete font will last a long time if it is built according to all the rules and high-quality materials are used.

Video: construction and operation of a sauna font made of brick and concrete

Hot tub made of fiberglass and polypropylene

A plastic container is suitable for those who do not want to spend time decorating the walls. Most often they are made in blue or green, the bottom is decorated with a pattern. Such factory fonts are cast in various shapes and sizes. The optimal depth is from 1.2 to 1.4 m. The volume depends on the dimensions - 0.95–2.65 m3. Walls 5–12 mm thick.

The service life of a polypropylene product is about 50 years. Plastic does not fade in the sun and does not lose its seal due to sudden changes in temperature.

In such a font you will need to install a faucet and a connecting pipe to the water supply and sewerage pipes. To prevent the bowl from being crushed under the weight of water, it is equipped with stiffening ribs on the outside. It is possible to install lighting, shelves, stairs and other parts. Water heating is carried out using an external heating device: a wood-burning or electric stove.

A plastic font is quickly installed and does not require additional sealing of the walls

Installation of a plastic font is carried out in a short time. Before deepening the container into the pit, you will need to concrete the bottom and walls. Insulation is mandatory. Around the structure you need to build a wooden podium on a metal frame. There is no need to wait for the concrete to completely harden: after removing the formwork, you can already install the plastic bowl. The surface of the plastic, if desired, is covered with a special anti-slip layer.

In the case of ground-based installation, such a font is decorated with wood.

A plastic hot tub, lined with slats on the outside, takes on the appearance of a wooden container and fits perfectly into the interior of the bathhouse.

Such a plastic liner extends the service life of the wood. The advantage is that such a structure does not need to be additionally treated with sealants, and the water can not be drained for several days.

To clean plastic, use any non-abrasive detergent, but without chlorine, otherwise the coating will be damaged.

Metal font

Metal structures are rarely installed in bathhouses due to the complexity of their installation. More often there are vats made of cast iron or steel, suspended on a chain to a tripod made of logs, taken outside the room. The water is heated slowly using a fire built under the bottom, and then drained through a pipe at the bottom of the product. River pebbles or shield flooring are placed at the bottom of the bowl to prevent burns.

A steel font is suspended on a stable structure with the possibility of heating water from below

In some cases, a “floor” recessed installation of a metal vat is carried out. Then the fire will have to be built on the side of the bowl. For the recessed version, a concrete base is also poured.

But such bathtubs are heavy and expensive: a design measuring 2x0.73 cm costs at least 200 thousand rubles, and the weight of the product is more than 1200 kg.

Wooden font

The main advantages of a wooden font:

environmental friendliness;
aesthetic appearance;
procedures with benefit;
aroma of the material.

If we compare the cost of structures, wooden ones cost 2-3 times more than plastic ones. For example, a bowl made of larch measuring 1.2 x 0.7 x 1.1 m will cost 45 thousand rubles, and a round container made of oak measuring 1.5 x 1.3 m will cost 110 thousand rubles. The average cost of a cedar barrel is 70 thousand rubles, and a plastic one is within 20 thousand rubles.

If you want to save money, make the design yourself. However, in this case, carpentry equipment, fasteners, a special adhesive mixture and skills in working with wood will be necessary.

To preserve the appearance and service life of the structure, it is important to follow these recommendations:

do not keep an empty font under the sun - the wood will burn out and dry out;
do not place it near heating sources - installing the structure on a heated floor system leads to drying out of the wood. Make an insulating platform from a plywood sheet with a layer of polystyrene foam and rubber gaskets;
After bathing, drain the water to prevent green mold from forming;
in cold weather, leave unused outdoor structures dry so that water does not freeze and destroy the wood;
to clean walls, use liquid cleaning mixtures and a soft cloth;
Once every 30 days, check the tension level of the hoops and tighten the nuts if necessary;
Do not leave the container unused for a long time - the wood begins to deform and dry out. If the barrel has not been used for too long, soak it first in cold water.

The outside of the font also needs to be looked after using wood care products.

Fonts made from wooden boards are divided into 2 types according to the manufacturing method: those connected without glue and those connected using glue and a layer of varnish for protection. The optimum moisture content of the material is 8–10%. The slats are connected to each other using a tongue-and-groove type.

Adjacent slats should be connected using the tongue-and-groove method - such fastening is considered reliable

The joints are treated with a moisture-resistant adhesive mixture. The bottom is installed in the transverse recess of the lamella, and their connection is covered with a moisture-resistant sealant.

If we talk about the benefits of wood, then the healing effect is achieved only in a font made without glue. However, glue barrels have a longer service life and can be used intermittently without causing damage to the product.

Video: making a homemade outdoor swimming pool from a PVC membrane

Preparation: dimensions and drawings

To create a comfortable font with your own hands, you need a drawing that shows the dimensions of the product. The project is needed for both recessed and open types. The exception is shower structures, because they are very simple and you only need to determine the dimensions and method of fastening to the wall.

All dimensions are indicated on the product diagram

A drawing or technical drawing of the design makes it easier to create a font. The diagram may also show methods of fastening all elements of a wooden tank. In the case when ready-made plastic or metal containers are used, and a drawing is also required. The plan indicates the installation features, location and parameters of the ladder.

Ready-made plastic containers are easy to install

The shape and dimensions of the product are selected individually depending on personal preferences, the area of the bathhouse, and the location of communications. Products of cylindrical or oval shape are universal. Finished plastic models can be of any shape, but the dimensions are taken into account when deepening the structure.

Tips for choosing material

When purchasing wooden blanks for self-assembly of a hot tub, it is important that the material has the following qualities:

excellent appearance;
high strength;
rot resistance.

Oak and pine are more susceptible to rotting. And Siberian larch has high biostability and gains strength every year. A larch font is cheaper than an oak structure. This is due to minimizing waste when processing lumber.

The most preferred option for constructing a font is Siberian larch wood

But oak is also a high-quality material and has significant advantages: beautiful appearance, high strength, and a structure made from such a material does not deform.

Disadvantages of an oak font:

blackness periodically appears on the walls;
the outside of the wall must be lubricated with linseed oil - this will emphasize the texture of the wood and increase the service life;
it cannot be installed on concrete - you need to use rubber pads several cm thick;
it must be moved carefully, placing thin rolling logs so as not to damage the bottom or lower parts of the planks.

Pine wood is cheaper than others. Procedures in such a font are pleasant and useful - pine contains many phytoncides. To prevent cracking of the material, when making a pine barrel, the lamellas are not glued together. And to extend its service life, it is enough to burn the wood once every 3 years or coat it with an antiseptic.

To strengthen the outer layer of wood, the pine font should be fired from time to time.

Spruce structures are inferior to pine ones both in terms of the benefits of the procedure and in the quality of the material. It is also not recommended to use alder, aspen, ash and linden wood. Cedar is inferior in strength to larch, but its cost is higher.

So, the preferred option is pine or larch. Select the color of the product taking into account the color scheme of the bathhouse lining. Before first use, the walls of the font should be coated with a layer of primer and painted.

The hoops that hold the font together are made of stainless steel. Pay attention to their fit to the wood. The adjustment bolts should fit tightly in the holes and not wobble.

The hoops pull the barrel together in several places, giving the structure strength and stability.

An important stage in the construction of the font is the execution of facing work. Correctly selected material and accessories will create a complete image. There are 2 options for materials for cladding any structure: wood and mosaic (or ceramic tiles).

If you plan to cover the font with wooden elements, then choose parts treated with wax. Combine the appearance of the font harmoniously with the interior of the bathhouse itself.

Outdoor hot tub: estimate, how to reduce cost, recommendations for use

According to Pit7pit calculations, it took him more than 200 thousand rubles to build the font. To reduce costs to 100 thousand rubles, make it yourself without using hired labor. Or install a font near your house on the terrace and pour water from the hot water supply, rather than heating it with a stove. Or reduce the size of the font, for example, take a bowl for 2-3 people. There are many options.

Many portal users liked the font and had questions.

VitalikPollFORUMHOUSE user

Will plaque and deposits form on the wooden walls of the seats? Do I need to somehow treat the font bowl using chemicals like for a swimming pool?

Pit7pitFORUMHOUSE user

No problem. I wash the font with household dish soap. In sunny weather, winter and summer, open the lid and dry the font.

Sergey_SirotkinFORUMHOUSE user

Aren’t you afraid of catching a cold while swimming outside in winter?

Pit7pitFORUMHOUSE user

We swim for 2-3 hours. Otherwise, there is no point in bothering with filling the bowl with water, lighting the stove, etc. I also swim when it snows. I feel like I’m warming up in the font as if after a full-fledged steam room. After bathing, I struggle to get to bed and sleep soundly. I have never caught a cold while swimming in the font. On the contrary, the effect is healing. Even in a pre-sick state I bathed, and in the morning I was already healthy. If you are not lazy, brew a bucket or two of wormwood, or, say, spruce branches, you get aromatherapy.

Observations: according to the user, it is better not to combine a font with a bathhouse. Either a sauna or swimming in a font. He controls the water temperature using a sensor. Comfortable temperature - +37 - +38 °C. A little more, it's already hot. If it’s less, you need to go and heat the stove.

When you finish swimming in winter, drain the water from the font and from the stove.

Calculation of material for a wooden font

The optimal thickness of the slats is 35–50 mm.

For a glue-free method of fixing parts, prepare:

boards, slats;
large metal clamps;
polypropylene pipes;
siphon for draining water;
beam;
nails;
sealant;
bolts;
durable cord;
float mechanism;
hose.

You will also need tools:

hacksaw;
building level;
electric drill;
roulette.

Before starting work, draw up a schematic representation of the structure with exact dimensions and number of parts.

A diagram of the font indicating the dimensions of the parts will allow you to determine how much material you need to buy for its manufacture

Draw out the diagram in different projections - this will allow you to calculate the dimensions of all parts: walls, stairs, bottom and other parts. The staircase is decorated with flat steps or rungs made of wood. If you are planning a portable ladder, then calculate the height of its attachment to the edge of the font.

You will need:

Slats - for cladding.
Wood with a section of 120x20 mm - for the main parts. The extreme parts of the planks will be processed. Their length is equal to the height of the font (usually 1 m in height and 1.2 m in diameter). Calculate the number of boards.
Beam 100x100 mm or 150x150 mm - for stands. The length of the parts depends on the size of the oval font.
Metal strips and bolts for fastening boards. Take iron that is strong and pliable.
Self-tapping screws - for external fixation of elements in the lower part of the font (no iron parts are placed inside the structure!).

Installation nuances

Bathhouse in the basement of a private house: projects, pros and cons

A heated font can be built for use indoors or outdoors by allocating an appropriate place on the site.

On the street

It is necessary to prepare a flat and solid base for mounting the bowl. This takes into account the weight of the structure when filled with water, along with the weight of the intended users. In order to comfortably take water procedures, the outdoor version of the font is surrounded by decorative plantings overlooking a beautiful garden landscape. It is necessary to build a canopy; if necessary, you can supplement the outdoor bathing complex with a hedge.

In room

Often, bathtubs are placed in a bathhouse; if desired, the bowl can be mounted on a veranda, in a garage, or an indoor pool. Indoors, the structure should not be installed close to heating appliances. If you have a heated floor system, it is recommended to equip the podium with insulating materials, for example, plywood with a layer of polystyrene foam and a rubber backing.

Decorating Tips

Use sandpaper to sand the wooden container inside and out, paying special attention to the edges of the walls: smooth out small flaws, prime. After the primer has dried on the outside, sand it, oil it and coat it with varnish or paint.

To finish other types of fonts, mosaics, ceramic tiles, and PVC film coating are used. The last option allows you to save money. Sometimes a deep font is made in bathhouses, if the structure of the room allows. The deepened bowl is more attractive and looks like a swimming pool.

The recessed font has an attractive appearance and does not take up space

It is easy to get in and out of, and only a small amount of materials is required for finishing. However, it will not be possible to move a deep font from one place to another.

Types of fonts and design features

General information

For water procedures in Ancient Rus' they used an ordinary barrel, but today, with a large selection and availability of materials for construction, as well as the availability of many useful devices, this procedure has become more enjoyable.

The shape of the font can be round, angular, oval, rectangular, square or even polygonal. It can be installed in the washing compartment of the bathhouse, under a canopy, next to the bathhouse or inside a glazed terrace/veranda. In addition, the bath font is also a bucket for dousing. It is attached to the wall and connected to the central water supply. There is a special float in the container that will prevent overflow. This is the most budget and compact option available.

Classification by material

Tree.
Oak and cedar can be used. The surface of the material is treated with wax or other safe protection compound, which will neutralize the negative effects of water on wood. Such hot tubs look chic, are also environmentally friendly, and have a positive effect on the health of those who use them. Sometimes wooden products are equipped with PVC inserts. To avoid drying out of the material, it is recommended to fill the container with water at least once a week, and after completing the procedures, cover it with a lid or film. It is very important to ensure good daytime ventilation in the room with the font, which will introduce certain features into the installation process. The price of a wooden bath font is from 23,000 to 85,000 rubles. Making a similar design with your own hands will be much cheaper.
Cast iron or stainless steel. Such fonts are made in the form of a vat. It can be mounted on a tripod, in a pit, hung on a chain, or even placed above a wood stove. The bottom is lined with wooden boards or stones. You are unlikely to be able to install such a bowl on your own, as it weighs a lot. Welded structures are considered lighter, but they are not so attractive in appearance. The price of the bowl is from 130,000 to 185,000 rubles, and a tripod, bench and other additions will cost you another ~50,000 rubles. In this case, you can only make a steel welded bowl with your own hands, but with experience working with a welding machine.
Concrete. It is considered a durable structure that is very reminiscent of a swimming pool. Such a font for a bath can only be made in a pit. The outside of concrete walls should be painted with rubber paint or finished with mosaics, ceramic tiles, and pool film. For the arrangement, you will need to create a full-fledged project, which will indicate the location of the drainage and water supply system, physical strength and at least minimal knowledge about the design of monolithic concrete containers.
Plastic (polypropylene). Such containers can be made in two variations - with a wall thickness of 0.5 cm and 0.8 cm. The price and weight of such structures are relatively low. To strengthen the bowl, stiffening ribs or a metal frame can be used.

Operating rules

Remember, wooden hot tubs are extremely capricious and do not perform well without prolonged use. So periodically warm up the hot tub completely.

In summer, you can leave 5-10 cm of water in the bowl to avoid drying out. In winter, it is not recommended to leave water. It is better to maintain the density of the boards, in order to avoid destruction by ice, to use a layer of clean snow in a covering of 15-20 cm.

To better preserve the font, change the water every 3-4 days. The heating temperature of the hot tub should not exceed 40 ˚С.

Choosing a form

First of all, you need to decide on the material from which the font will be made, and its shape. Previously, in Rus', such a bathing container was an ordinary wooden barrel in the shape of a circle or oval. But the development of modern construction technologies allows you to choose any shape: from a traditional circle to a triangle or square. The only question is how many people the bathhouse is designed for and whether there is room to place a mini-pool in the house or on the veranda.

Traditionally, fonts are built in the shape of an oval. It saves space and can be installed even in a small steam room. In addition, oval fonts hold their shape well and are easy to assemble during installation.

The spherical shape is ideal for the traditional Japanese bath - ofuro. The difference between ofuro and the usual Russian bathhouse is that it is essentially both a bathhouse and a place for swimming at the same time. The Japanese version requires a separate place to place the stove: it can be installed inside the structure itself or located nearby. A do-it-yourself font with a stove can be made in exactly this form.

The square shape rarely becomes a favorite among bathhouse owners. It is not practical and its design is not rigid enough. In addition, square structures dry out much longer than their spherical “brothers”, and this happens very unevenly, and this can lead to defects in the wooden structure. It is for this reason that experts round the corners on the inside.

Triangle-shaped structures are traditionally made of wood or artificial materials (for example, plastic). Its advantages are that it is compact and can stand in the corner of the room without taking up much space in the bathhouse. Visually, such a mini-pool is pleasing to the eye and looks modern and representative. It is universal and suitable for almost all types of premises. Ofuro is ideal for those who are thinking about how to make a heated font with their own hands.

Photo from the site https://strb64.ru

Advantages of plastic hot tubs

In order to fully appreciate all the advantages and disadvantages of a composite or plastic bowl over a regular wooden one, you need to have some experience using an oak or linden font. Periodic drying and cleaning of the barrel, washing and removing dirt from the seam joints, all this clearly does not add positivity. God forbid you forget a wooden font in the sun for a long time - there will be a lot of hassle with repairing and adjusting the rings.

Therefore, replacing a wooden barrel with a plastic one is a whole heap of bonuses and advantages:

Lightweight bowl design. Bringing and installing a container in the bathhouse or nearby on the site will not be difficult for a team of two or three people;
Durability, the average life of a polypropylene bathtub, even in a humid and hot bathhouse atmosphere, is 20-25 years, of course, provided that the stove is installed correctly and at least the simplest care;
Resistant to hot and cold water. The plastic wall of the font is absolutely inert to moisture, even if the bowl had to be used as a backup water storage, nothing will happen to the container.

Separately, we should remember the decorative qualities. Sometimes potential owners are put off by the stereotype of a plastic container that looks like a water tank. In fact, this is not entirely true; for those who appreciate aesthetics, you can always choose a plastic font made of polypropylene with an external stone finish, but more often with an imitation of oak plank.

A plastic font is easily recognized by the absence of hoops on the body. This model has heating from a remote stove, it can be installed either in a bathhouse or in the yard

Of course, such a barrel bath would simply be a copy of a mini-pool, which are usually built inside a bathhouse and are rarely taken outside the building, if the font were not equipped with heating in several versions. If you exclude the traditional heating of water using a hot stone for a Japanese furaco barrel, you can choose more convenient heating methods using a bottom electric heater, or choose a hot tub with a stove, a real wood-burning sauna firebox.

Cast iron or steel hot tubs

Here they use forms in the form of a bowl or vat. They are placed either in a pit or suspended on a chain; tripods and special support legs are used.

This option is less common, since not everyone enjoys contact with metal, it has good thermal conductivity (it gives off heat too quickly), and the material is expensive.