The unique atmosphere of pampering and health that reigns in the bathhouse does not leave a single person indifferent. And covering this room with high-quality material is one of the important points in construction.
Most often, baths are lined with wooden clapboard. When choosing lining for finishing a steam room in a bathhouse, take into account all the properties of the wood from which the material is made.
One of the most used types of wood for finishing the steam room of a bathhouse is lining made of linden wood. Let's figure out why. What are the pros and cons of this material?
Linden. Why is it called the “bath tree”?
Perhaps the most important property of linden for us in the construction of baths is the porosity and lightness of this tree. After all, it is quite obvious to anyone more or less familiar with the basics of thermal conductivity that linden conducts heat much weaker than trees with dense and heavy wood, such as oak or beech. Having made a shelf from linden, you will never be able to get burned on it, even in a very hot bath. This shelf is “soft”, “affectionate” in feel, pleasant to the touch and easy to process. As for the walls, a steam room decorated with a linden slab is essentially a “thermos” - linden walls do not absorb heat and do not release it outside, thereby reducing heat loss. But that's not all. The most important advantage of the linden tree, which makes it a bath tree, is the ability of the linden croaker to exude the most delicate honey aroma. And this feature of linden wood is preserved throughout its service for the benefit of humans. Conduct an experiment... Warm up the linden steam room to working condition and ask someone to pour plain water on the hot walls. Now enter the steam room and take a deep breath through your nose. You will feel an incredible honey spirit, a subtle aroma of something native, recorded at the genetic level. This is what a bathhouse with linden slab trim smells like. No other tree gives such an effect.
Linden is the No. 1 material for finishing baths
Wood is widely used in the construction and decoration of baths, creating with its appearance and aroma a fertile atmosphere for cleansing and recuperation. But which breed will be preferable for this? This is far from an idle question, given the prevailing temperature and moisture there. Let's find out whether linden wood, traditionally used since time immemorial, is suitable.
Linden log house - a tribute to Russian traditions
In the old days, peasants built a log house not only from solid aspen logs, but also from linden logs. Nowadays, few people decide to take such a step; the problem is the availability and price of the material. It is difficult to find round timber of suitable size and quality, because there is almost no industrial logging in the territory of the Central and Southern parts of Russia.
Logging is taking place north of its natural habitat. The building materials market is overflowing with coniferous timber. It turns out that it will take longer to find calibrated linden logs than to build the bathhouse itself. In addition, purchasing such a ready-made log house will cause significant damage to the family budget. There is something to puzzle over for those who want to enjoy visiting their own linden bathhouse.
The origin of the name of the tree goes back to common Slavic and even more ancient roots, reflecting its softness, stickiness of juice and pliability of the fibers. A bathhouse made from linden logs is highly valued by true experts and connoisseurs of Russian traditions. They say that its wood is so beneficial that it cures colds, has a positive effect on the liver, and strengthens the immune system.
Advantages and disadvantages
The main criteria by which the suitability of wood for felling is judged are hardness, resistance to deformation, ease of processing, and durability. An important factor is accessibility. Let's weigh the most obvious pros and cons of linden construction.
Let's start with the pros:
• a light log house does not require a massive foundation; • such a bath heats up quickly and retains heat well; • logs are easy to process, do not emit resin and essential oils, like coniferous trees; • the log house can stand for quite a long time with regular drying after each use.
Surely the last advantage will alert experienced bathhouse attendants. Taking care of a log house like a capricious child? Yes, that’s exactly it, otherwise it will disappear quickly and you won’t have time to come to your senses. It should be honestly admitted that, in general, the disadvantages of chopped linden outweigh the advantages. Loose wood has little resistance to wormholes, hence its fragility without proper care.
An alternative option is aspen. This tree is found almost throughout Russia; its processing capabilities are not inferior to linden, but it is more stable and cheaper. Aspen logs dry evenly, do not crack, and tolerate high humidity better.
The balance of “price - quality” ultimately leans in favor of building from aspen logs, as the most economical option, taking into account the cost of funds and time. This is, of course, provided that you are not considering the most reliable and popular material - pine or spruce.
But it’s up to the builder to decide, because choice is everyone’s right, and a bathhouse can be built using different types of trees. A log house made of linden or aspen logs can easily do without interior cladding; you just need to install a wood-burning stove and take care of comfortable furniture and accessories.
Linden lining
Hardwood lumber is traditionally used in baths and saunas. Most often these are linden and aspen, which do not emit resins and have a low heat capacity. Linden wood does not burn the body, does not crack, or rot. There are few knots and irregularities in the lumber, and minimal shrinkage allows you to start using the steam room immediately after construction is completed.
The steam room always needs to be given special attention and it’s not only about beauty, but also, not least, about comfort and safety. If coniferous tree logs were used, then the walls in the steam room are lined with light and dense linden lining. This material has many advantages and is considered the best for baths.
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Linden eurolining - “softline” - is available in several categories (“Extra”, “A”, “B”, “C”). The material is very light, with a pleasant texture and light aroma. Prices depend on sizes, and they can be very different.
Average prices in rubles per m2 of linden lining:
— “Extra” grade, length 1.0–1.7 m — 480 rubles, from 1.8 to 3 m — 800 rubles; — grade “A”, length 1.0–1.7 m — 380 rubles, from 1.8 to 3 m — 660 rubles; — grade “B” — 250–400 rubles
For comparison: the price for 1 m2 of “Extra” grade aspen paneling with a length of 1–1.9 m is 400 rubles, materials of the same length of category “A”/“B” are 350/300 rubles. A two- to three-meter one will cost more: “Extra”, “A”, “B” - 600, 550, 450 rubles, respectively.
You can save money by purchasing short molded products. For example, cheap linden moldings are 1.0–1.7 m long. In the bathhouse, the shelves are quite high, the distance from them to the ceiling is short. A short board will do just fine here; it will also be suitable for the gap between two steps. The wall of the steam room below the shelf can be finished with boards made of inexpensive aspen or pine.
The joints will not be noticeable if they are made behind the shelf and decorated on the walls using special profiles.
Why is a steam room lined with linden boards considered a standard in sauna construction? Indeed, in terms of color shades, wood properties and usefulness, it cannot be called an undisputed leader. It turns out it's all about the aroma. Yes, only for this reason many people, despite the high price, buy linden. It is difficult to convey in words, you can only fully feel it - these light, unobtrusive honey notes, as if you suddenly found yourself on a hot July afternoon under a fragrant blooming linden tree. And you want to inhale and inhale this fragrant air, enjoying its natural uniqueness. Great, isn't it?
Of course, over time it becomes duller, but these subtle aromas, pleasant texture and golden tones will give you a feeling of comfort for a long time.
Doors, windows and shelves
Linden windows and doors to the steam room retain heat well inside due to their low thermal conductivity. If lumber is processed correctly, it contains a small percentage of moisture and does not deform even in an atmosphere of hot steam. The door is made of a single leaf, its profile can be vertical, horizontal or diagonal, the leaf itself can be solid or with a window.
Connoisseurs of wood materials will name many arguments in favor of the fact that the places for lying and sitting in the steam room of a bathhouse should be made of linden. This shelf is pleasant to the touch, heats up less than others, does not burn, but warms the body.
The profile for the shelf from the “bath” wood itself is produced in categories “A” and “B”. The length ranges from 1 to 3 m, width 90–92 mm, thickness 26–28 mm. Price 1 linear m depends on the length and category of wood: up to 1.7 m - 80–130 rubles, from 1.8 to 3 m - 150 rubles.
If you are a fan of dry air mode, you don’t need to cover it with anything. The fact is that linden has one amazing feature: over time it acquires a “tan” - a slight darkening of the wood. But admirers of a real Russian bathhouse should immediately take care of preserving the appearance. Unfortunately, in such steam rooms it worsens over time. Abundant sweat and water from the broom, scattering in all directions, settles on the surface of the shelves and makes them unsightly.
The same fully applies to lining. You can read how and how to protect a tree in this article.
Bathroom finishing: “linden style”
The desire to decorate a bathhouse with linden products is not so much a whim, it can be said that it is in the blood of a Russian person. Wood, bast, flowers, young twigs - peasants found a use for everything in their time. Young linden leaves used to be added to simple village dishes; dried flowers and small nuts were used for treatment. The bast fibers of the tree were literally “shoeed and dressed” by ordinary people in Russia, as well as in Western Europe.
In the summer, Russian peasants prepared linden logs, and in the winter they made various utensils: bowls, spoons, ladles, scoops, thin planks were used to make boxes. After all, linden cuts well, bends, and polishes well. Perhaps the interest in linden products is still preserved at the genetic level.
Since ancient times, a variety of linden buckets, ladles, tubs, and steamers have decorated and made peasant life easier. Together with bath furniture, they were conducive to leisurely, thorough procedures that turned into friendly communication. Linden wood for the steam room was selected taking into account its contact with the steamed skin.
Nowadays it is also widely used for the manufacture of modern bath utensils: figured platbands, handles, windows, headrests, tubs, buckets. The price of a hanger or grate is in the range of 300–350 rubles, while buckets are more expensive - from 1000 rubles. Linden cooperage products are in great demand as bath accessories.
Even a quick glance at the prices in the price lists convinces us that lumber and bath utensils made from it are not the cheapest. But health, good mood, well-being are not measured by money. The linden shelf allows you to sit comfortably and enjoy bath procedures. Covering the walls with beautiful lining, trim, doors, handles, corners provide comfort in the steam room and protection from burns.
Environmentalists and builders unanimously claim that linden logs, timber, and lining are excellent materials for construction, finishing baths, making furniture, and accessories. The choice is based on the valuable qualities of wood - strength, low thermal conductivity, density and the absence of resin passages. When making a choice, they also take into account the ease of processing, pleasant aroma and natural beauty of linden wood.
Preparation of linden croaker
Harvesting lime croaker is not an easy task. It would seem that it would be easier, cut the linden trunk into boards and finish the steam room as you want, but don’t rush - it’s not that simple. Linden is a special tree; it shrinks greatly when dried and has another feature - a predisposition to infection with blue mold. This fungal disease covers the board completely, growing inside and making it completely unsuitable for bathhouse construction. Therefore, you even need to be able to store linden, not to mention working with this tree. By the way, you noticed that on the linden slab installed in the bathhouse, there are places that seem poorly treated from the bark. So this is bast. Bast has protective and aesthetic functions in the bathhouse. A linden tree without a bast looks rather dull and monotonous. Therefore it is important! be able to remove the bark so that the bast remains on the log. It is worth noting that this is done only manually, with special tools, which somewhat justifies the rather high price of linden croaker. In order for the bast to hold up well, it is necessary to harvest only winter wood , since nature itself ensures that the tree is preserved and the sap flow in it is suspended. The high cost of the linden croaker is also facilitated by the small habitat of the linden - this tree has become a biosphere rarity in some regions. Appreciate the linden tree! Take care of her!
Characteristics of building materials
The pros and cons of a linden bath are determined, of course, by the operational and technical characteristics of the material used in construction.
Advantages
- As a cladding, linden is good because it does not emit resin at all, so you don’t have to worry about the presence of various impurities in the hot air of the steam room. This determines the high safety of using linden for interior cladding of bathhouses.
- Linden wood can breathe, which has a positive effect on the entire structure as a whole. Indeed, in this case, the building material retains its natural qualities for quite a long time. This means that linden can be used not only for interior decoration, but also for the construction of various elements of a bath interior, as well as as a building material for the construction of walls and roofs.
- The fact that linden wood is excellent for constructing a bathhouse is evidenced by its pliability to various types of processing. Consequently, all preparatory manipulations, along with subsequent installation, can easily be done with your own hands.
- Linden in a bathhouse, when heated, can fill the atmosphere of a steam room with an amazing smell. Moreover, hot air does not deprive linden wood of its healing and performance qualities.
Flaws
However, linden also has disadvantages.
- The most important thing is that it is not durable. In order to extend the service life of this building material, the interior of the bathhouse must be ventilated after each use of the steam room. This will make it possible to avoid the rapid occurrence of rotting processes.
- By the way, it will be said that linden begins to rot from the inside, which quite often does not allow us to detect the problem in time and promptly replace the element that has begun to deteriorate.
- Separately, it is necessary to say about the cost of linden wood. This indicator depends on the method of procurement of building materials. If drying was carried out artificially, the price of linden products will be slightly higher than in the case of a natural occurrence of this process.
Linden steam room - highly valued among bath masters
Experienced bathhouse attendants know for sure that only a linden bathhouse can work for a long time and is easy. Linden honey aroma - makes breathing easier in the steam room. This is due to the fact that linden is an excellent humidity regulator . As soon as you turn on the heater, the lime croaker will immediately absorb excess steam and within two minutes completely balance the ratio of humidity and temperature. Since ancient times, this tree was revered by the Slavs as the “tree of health and happiness.” And in the linden bathhouse you can feel especially clearly how the linden tree takes away negativity and relieves depression. But this is not all fake “miracles”. Only in a linden bathhouse can a person be easily freed from negativity, but also quickly and easily filled with vitality, calmness and tranquility. Linden is a very “durable” tree in the sense that it remains “alive” even after 10 years . To make it clear to you, let’s say for comparison that aspen “lives” after being cut down for only 3 years. Throughout this life, the linden tree continues to carry a unique honey smell and bestows positive energy.
Finishing the steam room with a lime slab is the right decision!
1. The question of the “correctness” of the bath is being resolved. Since the linden tree will take on part of the tasks of regulating the atmosphere of the steam room. 2. With the help of a linden croaker, an amazing aesthetics of the steam room is created . The bast on the slab, the hanging threads of tow, the very shape of the slab - create the image of a log bathhouse and the “wild” pristine nature of the building, as well as the beauty of nature in the color scheme. With each soar, the appearance of the linden tree only becomes more noble and smoother. Ultimately, the linden finish takes on an antique value in its external characteristics. 3. Linden croaker does not require any further processing to maintain its appearance. This is an investment for many years to come with a guaranteed good result.
A little about construction
timber
Linden timber is an excellent material for building a bathhouse.
Advice! When choosing linden timber for building a bathhouse, you must carefully ensure that the surface of these elements is clean. That is, the presence of cracks, chips and other unwanted inclusions should be completely excluded. In addition, the color of the product should be evenly distributed over its entire surface.
Before installing the timber, the foundation must be insulated, and special slats must be laid on top of the thermal insulation, which will prevent the beams from touching the base, and will also ensure ventilation of the building material.
Next, the beam itself is mounted on the mentioned slats. The first crown must be carefully checked for the evenness of all planes.
As for fixing this row, this manipulation is not required for two reasons:
- The weight of the structure will reliably fix the lower crown without corresponding elements.
- If such a need arises, loose beams will be easier to remove.
The lower crown of the beam does not require additional fixation.
After the lower beams are in place and are perfectly aligned using special tools, you can begin laying the second row. Here you can no longer do without fastening elements, which are metal pins or wooden dowels.
To carry out the installation operation, holes are made at the ends of each beam through which the building material is placed on the fasteners. It is important that these perforations exactly match the size of the pins.
It is necessary to lay a heat-insulating layer between the crowns in order to additionally protect the structure from the influence of various negative factors related to the environment.
A linden bathhouse has one feature that distinguishes it qualitatively from its sisters, built using other types of wood. We are talking about two upper crowns, which are usually not fixed until the structure shrinks.
The upper rims are fixed after the structure shrinks.
This is due to the fact that the upper beams, after the bathhouse shrinks, must be dismantled in order to lay the ceilings. In the case of linden, everything is different, since a linden structure is not subject to such a phenomenon as shrinkage. It is for this reason that the upper crowns are fixed immediately, after which the roof is installed.
Lining
Before installing the lining, you need to build a frame. To do this, guide bars are nailed to the wall, between which additional slats are attached.
Then thermal and waterproofing is laid. Lining is sewn on top of these elements (photo).
The lining is fixed on the sheathing, which serves as a frame for thermal insulation.
Advice! The direction of fastening the cladding should be foreseen in advance, since the method of installation of the guide bars, which are always installed perpendicular to the lining boards, depends on this.
Components of a good bath
To obtain good steam, which in the old days was also called “soluble air,” several components are important to us. First on this list is a convenient and fast stove-heater . Whatever one may say, this is the heart of the bathhouse, and you will have to “dance” from the stove in any case. Of course, you will make a decision on your own, but why not rely on the vast experience of those who have been operating private baths and bath clubs for many years? We recommend paying attention to the ParAvoz stove , it is also called the Steam Locomotive sauna stove or Dobrovolsky stove. The second component of a good bath is linden . It is the linden croaker that makes the bathhouse unique. It's like fingerprints - no two steam rooms are the same, even if they are made according to the same project. You read about other advantages above. The main thing in the bathhouse rightfully remains - Man . And everything here is done for his benefit and pleasure. Go for it!
