A visit to the bathhouse itself is an incredibly useful and enjoyable activity. Our ancestors also knew the benefits of a bathhouse and gladly went to the steam room with brooms. You can increase the effectiveness of the procedures by swimming in cool water between relaxing in the steam room. This strengthens the body, strengthens the immune system and improves mood.
But few people want to just take a dip in cool water from a basin; of course, it is much more pleasant to jump into a pond. Of course, not everyone can boast of having a river or lake next to their summer cottage, and in this case you have to look for other options - making a sauna with a swimming pool, installing it in a washing font, etc.
But if you are the happy owner of a plot of land next to a pond, then the choice of the best place to build a bathhouse becomes obvious.
Application of profiled bars
To make them, a gun carriage prepared in advance or logs are usually taken. The technologies are almost the same.
Bars and logs are obtained by processing them on four sides. This produces the required cross-section. A special machine is used for the work. It is also convenient that the connections are cut out immediately. Most often it is a tongue and groove.
Carriage – lumber. Two faces opposite each other are already flat. They are cut on a machine with special devices. For many summer residents, such material seems to be the most successful.
Therefore, they prefer it over cylindrical logs or beams. The carriage has the necessary strength, and most importantly, it is convenient and quite easy to install.
Structures made from profiled timber have a number of advantages:
- They are environmentally friendly;
- They have a relatively low cost, allowing savings of up to twenty-five percent during construction;
- The appearance is very attractive;
- Can last twenty or more years;
- Retain heat well and keep out cold;
- Installation, thanks to special fasteners, is quick and easy;
- Do not require special finishing with decorative materials;
- They have a relatively low weight, allowing the construction of a light foundation part, saving money and time.
The only thing is that it will take a longer time for shrinkage compared to laminated veneer lumber. About six months. In addition, it is more susceptible to precipitation.
Advantages of mini structures
The beneficial effects of bath sessions on the human body can hardly be overestimated. But to rejuvenate, there is no need to visit public saunas or erect a huge building on your site. Of course, it’s very nice to take a dip in the pool after a steam room. And after completing the procedures, play a game of billiards.
But in order for the body to receive maximum benefit, it is quite enough to make it sweat several times. And this can be done both in a spacious steam room and in a small cabin. The effect will be the same. Only the costs of the process in the latter case will be much less.
In addition to significant financial savings, it is also appreciated that small bathhouse projects do not require the allocation of a large area on the site for construction. This is especially important if the suburban area is small or has already been completely planned out. In the latter case, there is always the opportunity to take a few meters from the garden. Or tuck a small structure into the far corner of the site.
Small steam room on the site Source renovaci.ru
There are plenty of advantages to a small bathhouse:
- The compactness of the structure does not require significant space.
- A small house requires very few materials.
- The building can be erected in a very short time.
- All designs are not seriously complicated, so for most people it is possible to build them yourself.
- It is much easier to operate and maintain a small building.
- A small steam room requires very little fuel or electricity to heat up.
- The low weight of the structure allows you to use a light foundation or abandon it altogether.
- You can purchase a ready-made operating structure, which will be quickly delivered to your address and installed on the site.
- There are mobile versions that are easy to move around.
In the last two cases, the cost of a bathhouse for a summer residence increases. But it will still be several times smaller than that of a built full-fledged house with a spacious steam room and a relaxation room. And mobile options have a number of additional advantages. For example, they can be attached to a car and taken with you on trips.
Bathhouse on wheels Source tvoya-banya.ru
But, when planning to build a mini steam room on your summer cottage, you should remember that the area of the building is designed on average for two people. And even members of a large family will have to take paired procedures in turns. And it is practically no longer possible to receive guests. And this is the only drawback.
See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in the design and construction of baths of any complexity
Application of glued beams
Recently, more and more land owners prefer to build a bathhouse from laminated veneer lumber. This can be explained by three important factors:
- no need to additionally insulate the structure;
- resistance to external influences;
- optimal value.
Such beams are made in stages by drying, gluing and pressing. Special elements for fastening are already cut into ready-made laminated veneer lumber. Quality depends on three components:
- type of glue;
- presence of defects;
- homogeneous or heterogeneous structure of the tree.
The quality of the glue is especially affected. The strength characteristics, as well as the durability of the material, largely depend on it. High quality is ensured by the resorcinol type of glue or melamine.
This significantly affects the price. The presence of polyurethane-based glue indicates a fairly high humidity during gluing. Therefore, it is not surprising if after construction the beams can delaminate.
What is good about laminated timber:
- complete absence of shrinkage;
- excellent durability characteristics;
- speed and ease of installation;
- relatively light weight and attractive appearance.
As for the disadvantages, it is the high cost. In addition, you can often find low-quality material on the market.
It is important to remember that both types of beams are not subject to reconstruction, that is, it will not be possible to make an add-on or, if necessary, demolish the walls.
What are the criteria for selecting timber for a steam room?
One of the significant stages in the construction of a bathhouse is, of course, the choice of massif. After all, the characteristics of the bath directly depend on this.
First of all, pay special attention to the absence of any cracks in the logs, which, when expanded in the future, will become the cause of defects and rotting of the massif during shrinkage.
In addition, the wood should not have blue highlights, indicating internal rotting, which is associated with the presence of fungi.
It is not recommended to build a building from such material. In addition, the timber is defective if there is a wormhole on it.
At the same time, a good timber is absolutely smooth. If there are defects, as well as various distortions, this will not have the best effect on the arrangement of the crowns; accordingly, the construction of the steam room may take a long period of time.
There are several types of timber: solid and profiled. The second option is equipped with tenons and grooves that can be ground. Such parts are easier to connect to each other.
The most important advantage is that such walls are not susceptible to the adverse effects of moisture. As for the disadvantages, the material has a low degree of fire resistance, which means it must be subjected to additional processing with propylene.
Solid timber is also used in construction. However, it does not look attractive in appearance, so it is covered with siding.
Features of timber construction
How to make a bathhouse so that the costs are lower and it lasts longer to the delight of the owners? It must be said that building bathhouses with your own hands from beams is a fairly simple process when compared with brickwork or building a bathhouse with a log house.
If you have doubts about your own abilities, you can use the help of the manufacturer’s specialists. True, this will require additional payment.
Usually, building it yourself takes quite a lot of time. The foundation part hardens within two or three weeks. Then the timber must give the necessary shrinkage. Only then can you start decorating the structure.
When studying the construction instructions, it is most convenient not only to read the instructions, but also to watch them on video. This makes it easier to perceive useful information.
There are some practical recommendations that should not be neglected during construction:
- When choosing a foundation, be sure to take into account the properties of the soil. It is likely that you will need not an ordinary one, but a tile or strip one;
- Self-laying of beams will require additional insulation between the crowns. To do this, it is worth using special materials for caulking work;
- A long service life largely depends on the high-quality insulation of the structure and the presence of appropriate waterproofing. If it is of high quality, then the bath will quickly warm up, and you will feel comfortable in it;
- Finishing must be carried out only after the timber has shrinked. Over six months, subsidence can range from five to ten centimeters, which will lead to damage to the cladding.
Bathhouse on the river bank: features, advantages and disadvantages
A bathhouse on the river bank provides excellent opportunities for relaxation: in between warming up your body in the steam room, you can cool off in a river or lake, and you don’t have to go far, because the water is very close.
The ideal place for construction would be a row of banks next to a pond. It is better to choose an elevated place, in this case it will be more convenient to create a drainage system, and you will also be able to protect your building from flooding when the water level rises.
But before you start planning to build a bathhouse on the river bank, you need to find out if this is possible. According to the Water Code of the Russian Federation, a plot of land running along the coastline is intended for public use, therefore it is prohibited to restrict access to it. The width of the coastline is 20 m. But there is an exception - small rivers, canals and streams with a width of no more than 10 m, in this case the width of the coastline is reduced to 5 m.
Another thing is if you have made an artificial pond, or it is on your property, then the area can be fenced off with a fence and made a personal beach.
The best option is to read the current laws and seek advice from specialists before construction. Of course, you will have to pay for this, but it is better to spend money on a consultation than to later face the need to pay a fine or, even worse, demolish the building. As you can see, the question “who pays the land tax” is not the only headache for land owners.
If you have received all the necessary permits and are convinced that construction is possible, proceed to drawing up the project. Projects can be very different; they differ in size, number of rooms and floors. When choosing, consider your budget, the number of people who will go to the bathhouse, as well as personal preferences. A good option would be to make a spacious terrace so that there is a bridge leading directly from it into the water.
The process of building a bathhouse on the river bank is similar to the work of constructing a building in any other place. The only difference is that here you need to approach the issue of installing the foundation more carefully.
The river bank is rarely level, in addition, there is a possibility that the site will have a high groundwater level, so not every foundation will be suitable; a pile foundation would be a good solution.
Of course, a bathhouse on the river bank is an excellent solution, but keep in mind that you will have to face a number of difficulties: obtaining permission, building an expensive foundation, on the other hand, in exchange for this you will get the opportunity to swim in a pond between rests in the steam room, and not make do a plunge pool or swimming pool.
Advantages of having a terrace in a bathhouse
The functional purpose of a bathhouse in modern life is associated not so much with a place where the body and soul are cleansed, but with a pleasant time spent communicating and eating.
That is why hospitable owners prefer to immediately build a bathhouse with a terrace, where they can organize a barbecue nearby.
There are a considerable number of excellent solutions, which are clearly presented in the photos of finished baths. They can be offered by a construction company or timber manufacturer. Here you can choose an excellent layout and get acquainted with ready-made projects for your own execution.
