Wood is the most traditional material for a bathhouse. And if walls are made from it, then why shouldn’t doors be made from it? We agree that wooden doors for a bathhouse are a good choice, but we must make it clear: each room has its own characteristics, for which the type of wood, design and thickness of the door . Therefore, we will not lump everything together, but will analyze each case separately.
Types and selection of doors
According to the type of design, there are two types of canvases: blank and combined. Blind canvases are timeless classics and are characterized by lower thermal conductivity and greater sound insulation. The variety of finishes for fixed factory doors is not inferior to combined ones. They are decorated with figured carvings and various decorative details. This conservative option is popular with people who are inclined to a more rational approach and for those craftsmen who like to do everything themselves. Do-it-yourself solid wooden doors to a bathhouse will save a lot of money.
Combined with tempered glass elements, they are manufactured in a large assortment in factories. From sellers you can see inserts of various shapes and sizes, colors, matte and transparent, with drawings, engravings and various decorations. Glass decorates any interior, makes it more modern, light, and creates an unobtrusive accent. In addition, from a practical point of view, glass allows you to quickly find your way if there is smoke, a fire, or a person in the steam room loses consciousness.
According to the type of opening, only hinged ones can be used; they retain heat better. Although in some bath complexes this rule is neglected for the sake of style. Making wooden doors for a bathhouse is divided into 3 types:
- Wedge with a continuous cloth.
- Paneled from a set of elements (frame, panel insert, there may be a lining on top).
- Panel panel from the kit (frame, filler, linings).
Depending on the choice of materials, each type differs not only in cost, but also in weight, complexity of assembly, thickness, resistance to heat and moisture.
Log house: what kind of wood is best to build from?
In countries with large forested areas, a centuries-old tradition of constructing wooden structures has developed. Therefore, you can calmly rely on the experience of your ancestors, but at the same time keep in mind that the modern bathhouse is different from the one that was common a couple of centuries ago. With this amendment we will proceed to the description.
The conclusion that you come to after studying a variety of species is disappointing for many: the best wood for a bathhouse is cedar pine round timber. The disappointing thing about this is that the construction of such a bathhouse is beyond the financial capabilities of many people. But if funds allow, this is an excellent investment.
Siberian cedar. (Photo: LesAllianceTorgBO)
You will have to invest a lot of money in a bathhouse built from oak - in such a bathhouse there is no need for internal lining at all, because hardwood was chosen, which does not emit resin. Oak has high strength and hardness. This is a dense tree that is difficult to cut. By the way, it creates an increased load on the foundation, which must be made stronger than for other log houses.
Recommendation! Spend at least a little money on oak or larch, using them as the lower crowns of a log house - this is a very good solution if all the other crowns are made of less resistant wood. The log house always begins to rot from the lower crowns and window sills.
Larch is also a good choice, but don't rely solely on sellers' claims that it is flawless - it doesn't rot at all. We never tire of repeating that everything rots - all species and all parts of trunks (the core is the same as sapwood). Therefore, good ventilation, protection of the log house from the outside, preventive measures, etc. are needed.
And all the same, larch’s own resistance is great compared to other species. Therefore, the log house for the bathhouse will be more durable.
ADVICE! When building from coniferous trees, do not forget that they emit resin. Therefore, in a steam room you need to be prepared for the fact that you will have to cover the beautiful walls of the log house with cladding made of hardwood. This is in case the release of resin from high temperature begins to cause real inconvenience. It is better to immediately sheathe the ceiling with hardwood.
We have already said that oak is a deciduous tree. But in Rus' there is a long tradition of building log houses from aspen. And this despite the fact that this tree is easily rotten. We have a hypothesis: since there were no chimneys before, the smoke from the stove spread throughout the room, the soot settled on the walls, simultaneously disinfecting them. Therefore, even unstable wood lasted a long time.
However, you can ensure the conditions for the durability of an aspen log house if you make the lower crowns and window sill beams from more resistant species, treat the outside with an antiseptic, and do not forget to throw in a log inside to dry the bath after the procedures. Then the aspen will serve you for decades. And if you do nothing at all, then both cedar and larch can rot.
People often ask whether it would be better to make a log house for a bathhouse from pine wood? It depends on which side it is better: in terms of finances, you can, of course, benefit from a significant budget reduction. This is a big plus for many. In addition, pine is a structural material; important parts are made from it, that is, it is a suitable tree for construction. But it releases a lot of resin (they say about cedar that you don’t even need to cover it in a steam room, but pine is very desirable). Therefore, it may be better to build a bathhouse from pine wood, but the finishing inside the steam room should be made from aspen or linden.
An alternative to pine is spruce, but it has its pros and cons. It is less dense than pine, which is good, because it will have lower thermal conductivity and will retain heat better. But it has many knots that spoil the instrument and reduce the insulating qualities of the material. They also say that spruce produces less resin than pine and is saturated with less water.
In general, there is simply no clear answer to the question of which tree is best for a bathhouse - it all depends on the financial capabilities of the owner. Linden is sometimes used as a building material, but the tree is fragile, soft and prone to rotting, so follow the same tips that apply to aspen. Birch is also not suitable - it is prone to rotting.
Standards
If you want to learn how to make a wooden door to a bathhouse , then follow simple standards. In order to reduce heat loss in the steam room, they are made as low and narrow as possible. The minimum dimensions are 150x60 cm. The distance from the ceiling to the sash should not be less than 40 cm, then you won’t have to bend over too much. This can be solved either by increasing the height of the opening or by adding a threshold. If the room does not have a dressing room, then a threshold with a height of at least 15 cm is simply necessary, then the cold air will not spoil the humid heat. And for ventilation, an exhaust hood and supply ventilation are installed separately; in addition, there may be a window for burst ventilation.
A do-it-yourself wooden bathhouse door is assembled from pre-processed lumber.
In the manufacture of the sash the following is used:
- for strapping timber 60X80 mm;
- for the canvas, tongue and groove boards 36X120 mm;
- clapboard cladding 12X96 mm;
- two high-quality mortise hinges;
- furniture glue;
- self-tapping screws
You can, of course, take a simple board, but then you’ll have to cut out the quarter yourself using a router or electric planer. These board blanks are laid on a flat workbench, where they are glued and tightly pulled together. You can make a strap around the perimeter or simply reinforce it with self-tapping screws in small increments (without interfering with the hinges).
Do-it-yourself wooden bathhouse doors - drawings with dimensions:
Also, to make the canvas more resistant to deformation, two dovetail grooves are cut out at the top and bottom. A key corresponding to its size (or a slightly larger one) is driven into each groove, which, thanks to pressure, fits tightly into it. The canvas dries out or swells over time, and the dowels will prevent it from critically deforming. Under no circumstances should you glue them, otherwise the junction with the groove will crack.
Materials for external wooden bath doors
Sometimes there is an opinion that it is necessary to take into account what part of the log the board or timber is cut from. It is believed that for cladding the walls and external doors of a wooden bathhouse it is necessary to use slabs and boards cut as close as possible to the surface of the log, but most experts believe that given the existence of a wide range of protective impregnations, such requirements have long been outdated.
The outer door leaf is exposed to double exposure: hot humid air from inside the bathhouse, rain and drying frost and wind outside. Therefore, the main requirements for the material used for the external cladding of the entrance are always related to the wood structure of the timber or board.
If you make wooden doors from young thirty-year-old pine or cedar, then most likely the door will not rot in the first two months, like doors made from linden. After ten to fifteen weeks, wooden doors made from large-grained young pine or spruce will become cracked, all because of the structure. It must be remembered that coniferous wood, despite numerous statements by amateur specialists, today remains the most optimal option for the manufacture of high-quality entrance and internal doors of a bathhouse, with the exception of a steam room.
Therefore, when choosing a material for external wooden doors of a bathhouse, in addition to the type of wood, you need to pay attention to the structure:
- Density and age, the more mature the tree from which the material was prepared was cut down, the more durable the entrance wooden frame and door leaf are. If you cut tongue-and-groove boards from old Karelian pine that grew on the outskirts of a forest area, then it is possible that the outer doors of the bathhouse will outlive the building itself and its owners;
- Thin and uniform fibers of solid wood. Doors for a bathhouse, hewn and assembled into a wedge from one solid cedar pine, can stand at the entrance to the room for more than twenty years;
- No defects, knots or signs of disease. The more breaks and cavities in the structure, the higher the likelihood of swelling and further rotting of the wood.
The densest wood is found in pine, oak, and cedar, which grew in cold climate zones. Due to the high content of semi-celluloses, wooden bath material has high density and resistance to moisture. But it is old wood that remains a favorite target for woodworms, so it is necessary to pay attention to traces of insects.
Of the hardwoods, beech is completely unsuitable for bathhouse door panels; this is a kind of exception. The high strength and density of the material does not “fit” in any way with the tendency to rot, corresponding to the level of poplar.
Materials
Operation under extreme conditions requires the correct choice of materials. On the one hand, they are affected by steam, moisture and heat, and on the other, a sharp temperature change. Although wooden bath doors may look no different from simple ones, their design has important features. Therefore, knowing the properties of the wood species and the quality of its grinding, processing and assembly is very useful. Wooden bath doors should close tightly, retaining precious heat, not swell, have low heat transfer, not shrink or warp. Firstly, the frame can only be made of the hardest and most stable materials: aspen, larch, oak. For those who are more economical, linden is perfect.
In the sauna, the air temperature reaches 90-110 C, and in the bathhouse no more than 70 C, so coniferous species are more suitable for a classic Russian steam room, the resin will not be released.
Of course, wood materials are somewhat inferior in fire safety; they require special impregnations. For cladding choose: linden, fir, pine, spruce, aspen, abash. Pine sauna doors have a very good price-quality ratio. And all conifers are suitable for cladding because they release beneficial essential oils for a long time. Oak, ash and Canadian cedar have greater density, although they are expensive, therefore they give extra loads and sag faster. High-quality materials retain up to 78% more heat. As the lining wears out, it can be replaced without disturbing the frame of the sash.
Functional Features
Doors installed in paired rooms are selected according to the following criteria:
Heat resistance, fire safety, resistance to deformation. These are some of the most important qualities required from bath products. The canvas must easily withstand difficult operating conditions and retain its original shape under the influence of humidity and high temperature. High-quality designs are designed for operation in conditions of sharp temperature fluctuations.
- Ability to effectively preserve and retain internal heat. Good doors are sealed, small in size, equipped with a thermal vapor barrier that ensures minimal heat loss.
- Wear resistance - due to the enormous load that bath doors have to withstand in the above conditions, their strength also plays an important role.
- The absence of harmful fumes when heated - visiting a bathhouse should improve health, and not create a threat to it. Therefore, the thermal and vapor barrier filling of doors must be made of environmentally friendly materials that prevent the release of toxins under the influence of high temperatures.
- Appearance - any owner wants his bathhouse to be different from others in design. Installing original doors provides this opportunity.
- Security. Single-leaf structures that open outward not only contribute to the rational use of the usable space of the steam room, but also allow you to quickly leave it in emergency situations.
External
There are no special requirements for entrance doors
It is important that they provide good thermal insulation and close tightly, helping to retain valuable heat throughout the bath. Any wooden or metal model presented in the manufacturers’ lines fits these criteria
Ordinary street doors are single-leaf and have a high threshold. In a black bathhouse, which is rarely used today, the entrance is equipped with double-leaf products.
Interior
Many modern bath complexes have a large number of recreation areas. Therefore, the density of door structures that isolate rooms from each other is fundamentally important here in order to limit the access of moisture to them as much as possible.
Openings
When installing the canvas, it is placed in such a way as to leave a small gap at the bottom for a ventilation gap. If the bathhouse is equipped with a ventilation system, then there is no particular need for this. Clearances may also be necessary for sauna equipment to function properly.
Entrance and interior doors
The entrance door to the bathhouse made of wood protects against burglary and preserves the indoor climate. The choice of finishing for entrance and interior doors is quite large. There are modern models made from combined materials with tempered glass. Non-flammable and non-toxic basalt wool is ideal as a filler. To protect the insulation from moisture and hot steam, a film is stretched over it under the skin. In simpler interior models, honeycomb material made of cardboard or fiberboard is used. Most often, panel and frame doors are chosen for the entrance group, and panel doors work quite well as interior doors (dressing room, rest room).
Features by room type
As a rule, a bathhouse consists of several rooms: a washing room, a steam room and a dressing room. Sometimes it can accommodate a swimming pool. All these areas require doors that perform specific functions and comply with regulations.
So, the entrance door for a log bathhouse must be reliable and strong enough so that neither burglars nor drafts can get inside the room. Therefore, any box consisting of durable materials can be installed at the entrance of the building. The only thing is that metal doors will be warm on the inside, but cold on the outside. This nuance often causes inconvenience to people who like to run outside after a steam room.
To prevent possible deformation of the wood, it is necessary to purchase a product framed with metal. Such a frame will securely fix the wooden panel and help avoid problems with opening and closing the door. After all, often a wooden structure swells and makes it difficult for people to freely pass outside.
You can install a standard box in the washroom or dressing room
In these areas, heat retention is not so important, so narrow and low models will not be needed. When installing wooden products, it is necessary to provide a gap of 2-5 mm between the canvas and the frame
This is important so that when the wood swells, you can open and close the door without much effort.
It is good to install glass models for the washing room and dressing room. Heat-resistant glass does not deform, deteriorate or crack. Thick glass can withstand even very high temperatures and retain heat indoors.
Often, plastic models that imitate natural wood are selected for these functional areas. In this case, plastic copes well with its main tasks: protecting the space from cold air and retaining heat inside.
Choosing a door to a steam bath or hammam is much more difficult than choosing a door to a sink. This is due to the unstable temperature and humidity inside the steam room. For it, it is necessary to select a low and narrow door so that when the structure is opened, a minimum of heat escapes from the room. In addition, it is necessary to set a high threshold, which will prevent drafts and cold air flows from entering the steam room. Its optimal height should be 15-20 cm.
It is also very important to install a good door on the gable of a building. There are no increased requirements for it, but it must have high strength
Its standard dimensions are 50x50 cm, which is quite enough to fit under a roof.
Door to the steam room
Wooden steam room doors are installed according to the principle of maximum energy intensity and environmental friendliness. They are not large, have no gaps, i.e. they are assembled very tightly and do not contain any toxic paints, varnishes or insulation materials. For such humid and hot rooms, blind frame or wedge doors are suitable. Note that a wooden door with a frame for a custom-made bathhouse is a high-tech product. It guarantees the most correct fit than a self-assembled one, and it will be much easier to install.
Wooden sauna doors do not require such thorough insulation; they allow gaps between the floor and the canvas of a couple of centimeters. Dry heat does not tolerate the use of wood species with a high resin content, like conifers, but oak, alder, aspen, beech and, of course, linden will take root well. There are elite models of doors made from Siberian larch and other species, specially hardened for extremely high temperatures.
Doorway
Noticeable weakening of the structure in log walls due to shrinkage dictates its own rules for the installation of windows and doors. A casing box or, as it is also called, a casing box is inserted into the ends of the walls using the “tenon-and-groove” method. Now you can install a frame (door frame) in them, on which the leaf structure itself hangs. Platbands and extensions cover the mounting elements of the frame, completing the finishing touch and giving the openings a finished look.
In fact, for a small room of 20 square meters. m, three doors are enough: to the steam room, the dressing room and the entrance group. It may be more, but you will have to take into account that this does not reduce the strength of the log frame. In the smallest ones, two are enough. If your bathhouse is made of brick, then the doors do not affect the strength, but will still cause excess heat loss.
Step-by-step production
The plan according to which the bathhouse is being built is as follows.
- Any building, as you know, begins with the construction of a foundation, which is the foundation. When the required dimensions of the bath have already been calculated, trenches are made and filled with everything necessary, after which the solution can be mixed.
- The next and equally important stage is the construction of walls, the material for which is most often wood. The logs are stacked on top of each other exactly until the intended height of the structure is reached.
- Next, you can make the roof. This is a complex process that begins with the installation of the ceiling beams, followed by the installation of the roof itself, which includes sheathing, which involves fastening boards, decking, vapor barriers, insulation and, finally, waterproofing.
- After this, you can begin installing the floor and heating stove. The installation of the floor, like the manufacture of the roof, is carried out on beams. Once the construction of the floor is complete, it’s time to move on to installing the stove. It is best to first determine the location for installing the boiler. To simplify temperature control, you should choose the adjacent wall between the dressing room and the steam room.
Safety and quality
So, wooden doors for baths and saunas must meet certain requirements, not only for reasons of durability, but primarily for the sake of safety. That is why the wooden steam room door only opens outwards. In case someone becomes ill in the steam room, a roller latch is installed. Its mechanism is designed so that opening can be done with a simple press, which meets the best safety and quality standards. For the steam room, all elements must be chosen wooden or hidden and with low heat transfer. Door hinges and locks are mortise, handles and bolts are only wooden, otherwise there is a risk of serious burns.
