Is it necessary to make windows into the steam room? If yes, what size and location and other nuances

Windows in the bathhouse

Whether it is necessary to order or make windows for the bathhouse yourself is not a rhetorical question. Yes, although this is not a living space, it is also not a barn or a shed, where there is usually enough light from an open door. On the other hand, it is difficult to get by with electric lighting alone in a bathhouse: any power failure is enough (and this is a frequent occurrence in garden plots) and you will find yourself in complete darkness during a bath. Which can lead to injury or burns. That's why bath windows are needed. The question is - where and what?

One glass or two

To preserve heat in the bathhouse, it is advisable to install double glass. Moreover, it is better - with maximum sealing. But, if the window is installed correctly and there is a pocket for steam, then its effect on heat and steam conservation is not critical. Why then install double frames? Yes, to prevent condensation from leaking. It flows onto the windowsill, then down onto the wall. This is why the tree begins to rot in these places. Under the windows, and the lower crown - this is where fungus and rot appear first. Therefore, double glazing on bath windows is a measure against wood rotting.

Selecting the size and material for the window structure

The size and material of the window depends 100% on the function of the room. It is clear that the material for making the window will be different for the relaxation room and for the steam room. And this depends on temperature changes, on the permissible humidity level, on how often the bathhouse is used for its intended purpose.

In addition, you need to take into account the level of technology in arranging a bathhouse: it is one thing when it is heated with wood, and its electrified or gasified version is quite another. And also whether it maintains a more or less comfortable temperature during the cold season (heated - not heated).

The safest windows from an environmental point of view are made of wood, but due to the fact that it is subject to drying out or, on the contrary, swelling from water, its structure cracks; without appropriate treatment, wooden frames in a bathhouse can only be used in a dressing room or in a rest room, if there is one. In the washing department - only after impregnation with compounds that prevent water absorption, or from wood species that are not subject to this process: oak, larch, aspen. Alder is good, which only becomes stronger with water, and wood from both red and black and gray alder is used.

Oak and alder window frames can also be installed in a steam room, but they must be especially massive and with appropriate processing.

Kinds

It is clear that the choice of window options is relatively small. The steam room is a hot room, even if you are a fan of the Russian bathhouse and don’t raise it above 60 degrees. Therefore, you need to look at the properties of materials in a humid and hot environment.

Plastic

The vast majority considers plastic to be a deliberately unsuitable material for a steam room . But there are those who go against the grain and still put it in the steam room.

ON A NOTE! Objectively, we can say the following: polyvinyl chloride does not like temperature changes, it melts and warps from the heat, and shrinks from the cold. Therefore, it is reinforced with metal to increase resistance to warping and changes in linear dimensions.

It’s definitely not worth putting it in a sauna - it’s hot there. And in a cooler Russian bath - in principle, it is possible, if only you do not take into account the fact that plastic (especially at elevated temperatures) emits all sorts of volatile organic matter . Although... even here there are his supporters who say that he doesn’t smell like anything.

Wooden

Even if plastic warps and changes linear dimensions, then what can you expect from wood, which is known to swell when exposed to moisture and no longer fit into the designated opening, and may crack if dried incorrectly ?

However, wood should be considered the most acceptable material for the frame of a steam room window. First of all, we are, of course, talking about the environment , or more precisely, about the absence of harm to steamers . But here it’s also worth paying attention to whether this wood has been impregnated with some kind of composition or not, whether it’s varnished, and if so, what kind of varnish - there have long been compositions that are applicable in baths and saunas.

Wooden frames can be made either yourself, or to order, or purchased ready-made.

ADVICE! Regarding wood: make sure that there are no distortions that indicate warping during the initial drying stage and choose a species that is least likely to change dimensions under the influence of moisture - linden, for example (although this is very soft wood and prone to rotting). By the way, frames are often made from ash.

From the outside, wood can be impregnated with antiseptics and moisture-proofing compounds. Inside, you should use only what is designed specifically for baths and saunas.

Combined options

The plastic frame can be lined on the inside with wooden overlays. The option is rather decorative, although wood is a good heat insulator . That is, the plastic will not overheat.

The opposite option is a wooden frame, but the outside is made of plastic or aluminum. By the way, they do not affect the change in the dimensions of the tree , because they are attached to it using special clamps that allow the wood to “breathe”.

Double frame - internal made of wood, external made of plastic or aluminum. Let's say right away that this is not a double-glazed window, but simple double glazing. The frames are independent, simply fastened together with special brackets.

This is what the Finns do - wood and double-glazed windows, right in the apartments of multi-storey buildings

If the walls are thick, you can make a wooden false window inside and install a double-glazed window outside. This completely solves problems with heat leakage and also eliminates temperature differences for each material.

The choice of a specific option depends on the temperature inside and the usual frosts for your region. To prevent wood from cracking, it is permissible to protect it with plastic or metal. To prevent the plastic from fading and warping, cover it with wood.

Constructions

There are several window mechanisms that are used not only in the bathhouse:

• turning;
• folding;
• tilt and turn.

If the window can be fully opened in any direction (right or left), then this is the first option. If it only partially tilts towards the opening - the second one. There are also those that combine the first two options, which is regulated by the position of the window handle.

Types of bath windows

When choosing a window material, there are three options:

1. Tree.
2. Plastic (metal-plastic, to be precise).
3. Combined (usually the most expensive option).

The most common and inexpensive windows are, of course, made of PVC, with single- or double-glazed windows, and not necessarily in the “bathhouse” version, in an aluminum frame and with a rubber (silicone) seal. But such windows are undesirable in a washing room, and even more so in a steam room, since PVC releases harmful substances when heated. And high temperatures from dry or wet steam, especially during its impact emissions, can cause frame deformation.

Another important difference between windows for a steam room, washing room, dressing room or rest room is their size, location and frame design. In the rest room and even in the dressing room, windows, if they are provided for by the design and design of the walls, can be installed in standard and standard sizes. But, for example, in a steam room, the window block must have a very complex design and special tempered and durable glass.

Are they the same everywhere or different?

Well, in fact, in the paragraph above we answered the question of this chapter. In bathhouses, the window sizes are different everywhere, because the tasks and conditions of the premises also differ from each other. Let's go through each room then.

What to do in the steam room

In the steam room it is better to make a small window into which you can, for example, stick your head. If the stove is powerful, then a larger window size is not prohibited. On average, they place from 40 to 80 cm on either side. There are no engineering requirements regarding the form. Complete freedom of choice.

It is recommended to make a very small window or simply a plugged hole the size of a brick, which will serve to ventilate the space under the shelves.

Which one for the rest room

Here, put the standard one for the apartment - it will cost less than a custom one. Although here there is complete freedom. You can even do not just one, but a couple. Just don’t do them on opposite walls - there will be a strong draft, and the smoke may well be drawn in. Do it on one wall or on adjacent ones.

In the washroom

We have already said above that a window is not a replacement for ventilation. Therefore, the window in the washing bath is simply for lighting, or for the sake of the views outside the window, or for the sake of the breeze in the hot summer. Ventilation takes care of everything else. Therefore, the dimensions and location depend solely on the will of the designer or customer. You can do without it altogether.

Wooden windows

This option is the most common: both due to its relative budget and accessibility, since almost any woodworking shop is capable of fulfilling such an order. True, there are types of wood that take wooden windows out of the budget category. These are oak, beech and hornbeam. Or even such exotic species as mahogany or ebony.

The most affordable types of windows for a bathhouse with wooden frames are linden or pine. True, you cannot put pine in a steam room or even a washing compartment, even after appropriate impregnation. Since the high temperature of these rooms will cause the inevitable expulsion of resin from the wood cells, which is in abundance there and which does not manifest itself in any way at normal temperatures.

Linden is already preferable: both because of the pleasant aroma of this tree and because of its light tone. For the same reason, many people prefer waterproof and very light (and not as expensive as oak) alder or aspen. Their wood is so light that one gets the impression that freshly made products from them were specially bleached. And old alder or aspen also looks presentable with its pearl-gray shade.

Wooden windows are also good because minor damage and defects can be easily removed from them - just treat the damaged area with sandpaper, and then apply a layer of impregnation that restores the structure of the wood. And they are not subject to high temperature deformation.

Plastic windows

Place of installation of plastic PVC windows with reinforced metal profile - corridor, dressing room, rest room.

The sizes of windows in these rooms are usually 40 x 40, 40 x 69, 50 x 70 cm, no more. And they are located low, at eye level of a sitting person. Their distinctive feature (as, indeed, of almost all modern windows) is a one- or two-chamber double-glazed unit tightly fitted into a PVC frame, consisting respectively of two or three glasses inserted into a metal frame, with gaps between the glasses from 10 to 20 mm.

The ability of such windows to resist the formation of condensation depends on the reliability of packaging glass, metal and insulating gaskets into a double-glazed unit. Even the slightest violation of the tightness of the double-glazed window will cause fogging of the inner glass facing the room. And complete depressurization will cause moisture droplets to appear even inside the glass unit. Therefore, you need to order plastic windows for your bathhouse from trusted manufacturers.

The advantages of plastic windows include strong shut-off valves inside them. Well-functioning, it allows you to close the window so tightly that it reduces outside noise tenfold. Not to mention the fact that it will completely ensure the tightness of the room.

Weak sides

Since plastic is a synthetic material, it is not capable of allowing air to pass through, so condensation quickly accumulates inside the room, and the air becomes stale. In addition, when heated strongly, toxins begin to be released from it, which is in no way beneficial to health.

And if the quality of the plastic is very low, then evaporation occurs even at room temperature. Therefore, when choosing plastic windows, you need to focus only on certified products from official representatives of manufacturers.

Among the disadvantages of plastic is its fragility. It scratches easily and can crack from a direct blow. It will no longer be possible to eliminate such defects, but it will only be possible to completely replace the window.

Combined windows

Windows that combine different types of materials are called combined. The following materials are used in combined windows:

• plastic;
• metal;
• tree;

in combinations:

• plastic – metal;
• plastic - wood;
• wood - metal;
• wood – metal – plastic.

When we talk about metal, we mean aluminum. Plastic is usually PVC, the wood for window frames in the bathhouse is either valuable varieties, or linden, alder, aspen with special processing. Birch and pine are not suitable: birch does not lend itself well to impregnation and is greatly deformed from moisture or overheating along the lines of the texture; pine is too resinous.

The combinations are as follows:

• the frame and partitions in it are made of plastic, the interior is made of wooden slats with multi-layer impregnation with varnishes and anti-rotting compounds.
• The inside frame is framed from laminated veneer lumber, the outer (external) part in contact with the window opening is made of plastic and aluminum.

What material is the window made from?

The most suitable material from which to make a window is oak. Its appearance and wood texture are suitable for creating windows that will be located in a humid environment.

However, oak wood is quite expensive. Therefore, you can use birch or linden wood. Coniferous wood is not suitable for saunas because resin leaks out of them when heated too much.

Window opening installation

To successfully install a window unit, you will need the following blanks and materials:

• timber 100×150 mm, used for the manufacture of casing (casing);
• small wooden pads made from pieces of boards or slats, through which a gap is formed between the opening and the window frame;
• window unit ready for installation.

In addition, you will need to prepare working tools and consumables according to the following list:

• electric drill;
• screwdriver and hammer;
• square, tape measure and building level;
• fastening elements (screws, nails, dowels).

Necessary or not

It makes sense to talk about windows to a bathhouse when the bathhouse is just being designed or has just begun to be built, when you can intervene in the planned arrangement and make window openings where they were not originally planned. With one condition: changes made to the design of the walls should not weaken them or have any negative impact. In addition, you need to look at which bathhouse - ours, a traditional one, or a Finnish one - you plan to open a window to the outside world. Or include it initially in the project.

Should I do it in a Finnish sauna?

The Finns themselves approach this issue strictly utilitarianly: as such, a window is not needed for normal use, but as an aesthetic element for admiring the beauty of the landscape from the outside, it will not be superfluous. If the landscape is a cluttered or purely economic plot of a neighbor, then when designing a sauna, the Finn will make do without a steam room window in the design sketch.

That is, the very atmosphere of the steam sauna with its dry heat suggests that the negative impact on the wood of the shelves, ceiling and walls will be minimal. And for ventilation, an open door after the owners have washed is quite enough.

However, a utilitarian approach may, on the contrary, encourage the owner of a Finnish bathhouse to install a window in the steam room. Purely due to the fact that a completely enclosed space, without natural light from the street, will cause a person to feel claustrophobic. Or maybe he just needs natural light.

Where to install the window? Height from shelves and floor.

A window can become a source of significant heat loss and an obstacle to the natural circulation of hot and cold air in the steam room if it is placed in the wrong place. The window installation height from the floor should not exceed 1 meter, and the optimal distance from the shelf to the bottom of the window frame is 55 cm. The height of the upper edge of the window sash should not be higher than the door level.

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The location of the window inside the steam room is chosen in such a way that it would preferably be in the center of the shelf where the person being steamed will lie.

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An additional exhaust hole is installed under the shelf, which closes while the bath is heating and opens along with the window to ventilate the steam room after use.

The optimal window size is no more than 50x50 cm. You should make a design of large dimensions only if you have a strong desire to have a large view in the direction where it opens. A window of 0.5x0.5 meters provides sufficient space for observation from inside the steam room, and from the outside, nothing will be visible through such a small window if you look through it into the steam room.

Is it necessary to go to a Russian bath?

We can immediately say that a window is a must in a Russian bathhouse. And purely aesthetically, even if it’s small, but not just one, but in almost all functional rooms. Except perhaps for the dressing room, and even then, if they thought about windows at the design stage, they will do it there too! And based on the health benefits of those who wash and steam, and for the safety of the material of the floor, walls, and ceiling.

Arguments for

Even if it was a small window, it was done even in the baths of the 12th-14th centuries. And even if without glass, but with a stretched bull bubble to let in at least a minimal amount of light, or even completely opaque, it was hinged - but it was! And the whole point is that the baths were heated black, smoke came out of the door and window openings, through or burst ventilation was ensured precisely by the presence of both a door and an opposite window.

But even the black-style bathhouses that replaced the white-style bathhouses, with normal chimneys, did not get rid of the problems of such burst ventilation. Only now, instead of pumping smoke, fresh air is required after the previous steamers - and they burn oxygen in the steam room during executions with brooms efficiently. And there is no need to worry that all the steam has left the steam room during such cross-ventilation - a well-heated bathhouse and steam room, with its well-heated walls, shelves and ceiling, heats up again in 10-15 minutes. And again she will be ready to welcome a new batch of people who want to whip themselves with brooms into the steam room.

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Arguments against

The main argument “against” is precisely the heat loss from the contact of the heated air of the steam room with the glass. It is known that a square of the surface of the walls and ceiling of a bathhouse, not covered with thermal insulation, requires additional heating of 1.2 m3 of air. Window glass is just the classic case of such a surface. But this argument only works if the frame is of poor quality and the glass is single. Or even if it’s double, but with poor tightness in the “street – gap between the glass – air in the bath” system. A properly designed double-glazed window will eliminate all possible heat loss.

Steam room design

It is best to design an option with an area of ​​3 by 4 meters. Its height should be 2.10 - 2.15 meters

As a result of the design, the functionality of the steam room in the bathhouse is optimized. Correct developments at this stage contribute to the organization of effective recreation, saving money on construction, arrangement and finishing. The design of a private steam room at the dacha takes into account the number of visitors, and the dimensions of the building depend on this. Sometimes a bathhouse is attached to a house, but this arrangement has its drawbacks.

The project and documentation for construction includes sections:

• plan for the construction of the foundation, walls, roof;
• layout of internal rooms, their convenient location;
• water supply and sewerage design system;
• electrical wiring, connection diagram to the main source;
• ventilation system plan;
• procedure for installing heating equipment, water heating boiler.

Premises requirements

In the steam room of the bathhouse, effective ventilation or a circuit with air recovery and purification must be installed. The system is cleaned regularly, once a year, and disinfected.

GOST 32.670 – 2014 contains general requirements for steam rooms:

• if the sewerage system is not connected to a common collector, provide a local drainage and liquid collection scheme;
• the water supply system must regularly supply water of appropriate quality;
• Lighting must be installed in the steam room, the number of points is calculated according to the norm
• before visiting the steam room, a person should have the opportunity to leave things in the dressing room or dressing room;
• hair drying units, scales, foot baths, washbasins are placed in a room that is located separately from the steam room;
• Organize rapid removal of water from the floor so that it is not slippery.

The steam room uses materials that can withstand high heat and high humidity, without releasing components harmful to health into the atmosphere. The room is equipped with single-tier benches, two-tier shelving made of timber and hewn logs with wooden shelves to make it comfortable to rest.

Optimal sizes

To save space, multi-tiered shelves are installed in the steam room to accommodate more people.

The installation of a bathhouse with a steam room requires compliance with height standards. The parameter does not go beyond 2.1 - 2.4 meters to ensure high-quality heating of the interior space. The width is planned depending on the number of shelves and their location. There may be a stove in the steam room, or it can be taken out to the dressing room. If the heater is located in a steam room, this is taken into account when drawing up the room plan.

To save space, multi-tiered shelves are installed in the steam room to accommodate more people. Stepped shelves are made of such a height that a person sitting on the upper bench can rest his feet on the lower bench, and a person can also climb the steps to the upper tier. A separate bench is made for the bathhouse attendant, the height of which is planned to be 70–90 cm.

The first level of shelves is placed 40 - 50 cm from the floor. Benches for sitting are made 60 cm wide, and a width of 91 cm provides comfortable lying. The length of the shelves is 1.5 meters or more, so that you can stretch your legs. The sauna seats are 50 cm wide.

Location of the stove, windows, doors

Most often, doors and windows for bathhouses are made of wood.

The stove is placed in the dressing room to ensure continuous heating if the steam room is working. No trash and fuel will be brought into the room; you can organize drying of firewood next to the fireplace. The sauna has clean air because there is no carbon monoxide, and space is saved in the steam room. The stove takes air from the dressing room, so forced ventilation is installed there.

Windows in a steam room are not always made, but the opening can increase comfort if it has a panoramic viewing function. They use special designs of double-glazed windows with tempered glass, and put a rubber or wood lining on the handle so as not to get burned on the hot metal.

Dimensions and location

The size of the window in any room of the bathhouse is designed based on the room in which this window is located. The smallest one, naturally, will be in the steam room for burst ventilation. A large window, up to 40 x 60 cm, is installed by those who are concerned about the level of security: through such a window it is quite possible to evacuate in case of accidental blocking of the doors to the steam room. Only the window-tow truck should be arranged accordingly.

Location of windows in the bathhouse

In the rest room - as far as possible from the entrance to the washing room, on that wall and in that corner of the room where there is an area for relaxing and drinking tea, with a table, sofa, kettle or even a stove.

In the steam room - above one of the shelves-beds on which they steam, moreover, at the head. In the washing room on the side wall, relative to the washing benches with washers and basins, and also away from the firebox door - if this door is located in the washing room.

In the dressing room, if the ceiling is high, a blind window as a source of minimal daylight can be installed above the door. Its height will be 15 centimeters, its width will be up to the width of the doorway.

Is it possible to install a plastic window in a sauna?

It is also possible to install a plastic window in the sauna. But only with the following technical characteristics:

• PVC profiles for window units must comply with GOST 30673-99
• The vapor barrier of the window must correspond to the vapor barrier of the steam room (have the same characteristics), with an upper limit of temperature resistance not lower than 110⁰C,
• The heat resistance of PVC frames must be maintained at a temperature of at least 150⁰C for at least 30 minutes.
• The window plastic must comply with the permissible emission class of harmful substances up to a temperature of 110⁰C.
• The presence of a double frame, with internal tempered glass and an opening handle equipped with a wooden or jute cover.

Number of windows

The number of windows in a bathhouse is not regulated by any standards and depends entirely on habits, the perceived convenience of placing such windows and the aesthetic preferences of the bathhouse owner

Number of glasses

A tubeless window (with one glass) can only be installed above the door in the hallway of a bathhouse or room that combines the functions of a hallway and a dressing room. In other cases, the double-glazed window must be at least single-chamber, with two glasses, and in a double-glazed window it is better to make it two-frame, with a deep window opening to prevent water splashes from getting on the inner glass.

Where to make a window in the steam room

For the same purpose, a window in a steam room is made at the head of a person lying on the back shelf - so that in case of overheating of the body there is an opportunity to quickly open/slightly open the sash and take a breath of fresh air. In addition, the head of such a lounger is most often located as far as possible from the trajectory of superheated steam leaving the heater. If we take into account that the temperature gradient in the area where fresh steam is supplied differs from the area located one meter below by at least 20 degrees, then such a precaution will not be superfluous.

To ensure the required degree of ventilation, the upper edge of the window in the steam room is located no lower than the level of the upper jamb of the entrance door.

Should they open and in which direction?

The window in the steam room should open into the bathhouse. If the internal frame is located flush with the wall of the steam room, then the best option for opening the sash is from top to bottom, so that the open sash hangs freely along the wall of the steam room. If both frames are recessed into the wall, then the profile of the opening should look like a truncated tetrahedral pyramid with the base inside the bathhouse. That is, the inner door should be larger in size than the outer one facing the street. (“Scandinavian double frame”, as in Fig. 1) And the internal glass looking into the steam room is tempered.

Geometric shape

The shape of window frames for a bathhouse depends on:

• The size of the partition into which the window is installed.
• Aesthetic preferences of the customer.
• Availability of certain standard sizes that are available for free sale.
• The financial capabilities of the customer (after all, it is clear that no production can painlessly adapt to the “whims” of the customer, and if it does this, the cost of the window will differ from the standard one by 2-4 times).

With appropriate payment and if the production has the capabilities, frames and windows can be created in oval, round, triangular and generally any shape.

Dimensions

The size of the dressing room windows usually does not exceed 5-8% of the total usable wall area in it. In the rest room, if it is separate, window sizes are allowed up to 20% of the total wall area, and if the rest room is combined with a dressing room - up to 15. But you need to remember about possible heat loss from such windows, which is why increased demands are placed on windows for baths. They take into account

• heat resistance of materials,
• corrosion resistance of metal parts,
• resistance of all window frame materials to deformation,
• environmental safety in conditions of extreme heating with the inevitable release of harmful substances from materials not suitable for use at elevated temperatures.

Location

Window openings are made in the walls in such a way that:

1. do not weaken the wall’s ability to be a load-bearing structure;
2. protect people in the bathhouse from the indiscreet gaze of strangers;
3. be an aesthetically appropriate detail of the interior.

Orientation by cardinal directions

The preferred orientation of the bathhouse windows is to the cardinal points - north, northeast and northwest. That is, on those sides where the sun will not intrusively hit the window openings, blinding or additionally heating the already quite warm air inside the bathhouse.

Natural fabrics: materials overview

The natural material is environmentally friendly, breathable and meets all hygiene requirements. A review of the options in the table will help you make a choice:

Traditional linen curtains Source stone-artificial.ru

Linen curtains Source i0.wp.com

For your information! Natural silk is environmentally friendly, artificial silk is not.

Purpose and functions of a window in a steam room

Lighting

Independence from artificial lighting sources. Even in the event of a power failure during the day, the window in the steam room will serve as a source of light and will retain the ability to navigate the potentially dangerous area of ​​the heater with its hot stones.

Providing an overview

A purely aesthetic function, especially in demand in bathhouses located in suburban areas or in rural areas, with views of the edge of a forest, pond, etc.

Possibility of evacuation

That is, questions of safety in the steam room and in the bathhouse in general, when the entrance door to the bathhouse is accidentally or intentionally blocked.

Ventilation and temperature and humidity control

Possibility of burst ventilation for express renewal of air in the bathhouse in general and in the steam room in particular (enriching the air with oxygen, removing carbon monoxide).

A little about the disadvantages of PVC double-glazed windows

All manufacturers are silent about the shortcomings of plastic double-glazed windows in bathhouses. But just open the forum and read the reviews. Among the most popular negative reviews, I would like to highlight a few:

• At high temperatures, low-quality plastic can become deformed. Therefore, you should not install PVC windows in the steam room.
• Condensation accumulates on the glass, flows onto the wooden trim, the lining under the window sill has turned black and has begun to rot.
• When heated, the plastic began to smell unpleasant.
• The glass unit burst while heating in the steam room.

Considering the disadvantages that users write about, it becomes clear that when choosing windows for a bathhouse, you need to buy high-quality ones and install them anywhere, but not in a steam room.

Indeed, inexpensive Chinese plastic can melt at high temperatures and at the same time release toxic fumes. In such a bath you can even get toxic poisoning. High-quality German or Russian plastic windows are manufactured using the latest technologies and are able to withstand temperatures from +90 to -80 degrees. Another thing is that a non-professional cannot determine quality by eye.

Installation

The specific use of premises, extreme values ​​of temperature and humidity, wall materials (in more than 90% of cases - wood, log or timber frames) require some special features in the installation of windows.

Preparation

A bathhouse, the building of which is based on a log frame, is never put into operation immediately after construction. The log house must stand for at least a year - otherwise the shrinkage of the walls will distort even the door openings, and not just the window openings, so much that the doors and windows will be impossible to open or close. Therefore, during drying, a casing is inserted into the openings - a board that takes on the main load. Moreover, vertical casings made of timber are inserted 1-2, 2-4, 3-5 cm smaller than the height of the future opening (the length of the tolerances depends on the height of the future window; the larger it is, the larger the tolerance) It is by these centimeters that the wall will settle after drying, but a small amount of free space should still remain. it will be filled with polyurethane foam.

Tools and materials

To process window openings (as well as door openings), you will need a circular saw. Or chain - with internal combustion engine or electric. And also a good carpenter's axe, mallet, chisels of different widths.

Marking

The openings are cut out after marking with a plumb line and level. Or better yet, use a laser level. Just make the lower edge of the opening further than in the middle of the log - this will increase the strength of the structure. The window sill is then installed in this place

Cutting a hole

After appropriate marking, an opening is cut out with an electric saw with the possibility of a tongue-and-groove connection, as in Fig. 2 or, in more detail, in Fig. 3., and assemble the external support frame-frame in the opening. The work requires a well-balanced and sharpened tool and at least minimal skills - both a hand-held circular saw and a chainsaw are dangerous. First, a hole of the desired shape is cut out, smaller in size than the future window - a reserve is made for the protrusion of the tenon, which should be at least 5 cm.

Formation of a spike on the side surfaces

A cut for a tenon in a log house is made without bringing the notch to the specified depth - otherwise there is a risk of cutting off this future tenon altogether. It is better to increase the depth and chop off an unnecessary piece of wood with an ax or chisels and then bring the size to the desired size. The spike is thus formed from the walls of the bathhouse. The groove for it is made in spacer boards.

Treating the opening with antiseptics

After the tenon and groove are formed, the opening is treated with antiseptics, keeping in mind that they must be non-toxic when the structure is heated during operation of the bathhouse. Special impregnations for baths and saunas based on beeswax are suitable for processing.

Manufacturing of casing

The casing is used to directly attach a window frame with glass to it. That is, it turns out that the bath window is not inserted directly into the wall, but into a casing frame floating in the opening. With this installation technology, you can insert windows and doors even into a fresh frame - future shrinkage and settlement of the walls will not jam windows and doors in the openings - this is why gaps are left, as described in the “Preparation” subsection

Frame installation

The top of the frame is attached to the top thick casing board, and the gap between the crown and the board is filled with insulation after the frame is installed. In the lower part, a window sill board is also attached to the frame, the gap between which and the crown is also filled with insulation (usually environmental class A polyurethane foam is used as insulation). But it could be mineral wool or flax wool.

Finishing

Finishing the windows of the bathhouse consists mainly of installing a platband, which will hide traces of polyurethane foam, jute insulating tapes and the like. The casing can be of the simplest form, with its vertical and horizontal parts connected at an angle of 45⁰, or shaped, cut with a jigsaw, with carvings, etc. In addition, it is also advisable to treat the casing wood with wax-based antiseptics and impregnate it with antipyrine.

Common installation mistakes

1. no gap in the pigtail: the gap should be 5-7 cm at the top and bottom, 1-2 cm at the sides;
2. fixing the window frame in the frame with ordinary self-tapping screws, which will add too much rigidity to the structure, which may affect the integrity of the window for 3-5 years of operation. For fastening, it is better to use anchor screws for wood;
3. Thermal deformations are not taken into account, which are greater the larger the window opening. The difference between the linear dimensions of the window frame in the cold and after the bath has been warmed up from the inside to working condition can reach 5-10 mm;
4. Errors in determining verticals and horizontals in the future will cause distortion of frames and destruction of glass in them. this can also happen due to over-tight, overtightened fasteners - always leave some slack when tightening the elements;
5. connection units are of poor quality or carelessly assembled, which will inevitably cause condensation to appear on the walls and inside the double-glazed windows.

Requirements

When choosing a window, you need to consider several important criteria:

• number of glasses;
• thickness of the glass unit;
• dimensions;
• shape;
• location.

Window in the steam room (Photo: Instagram / swedensauna)

Thickness and number of glasses

The first requirement concerns the thickness of the glass unit and the number of chambers. Peculiarities:

1. The average thickness of a single-chamber double-glazed window is 24 mm.
2. The glass will often be exposed to high temperatures, which can cause it to shatter. To prevent this, you need to choose windows with two cameras. There is an air gap between them, which minimizes the effect of heat on the material.
3. For a cold climate zone, it is better to choose a three-chamber double-glazed window to minimize heat losses.

Dimensions and shape

Steam room windows can be rectangular or square. Rectangular ones are installed in small rooms, square ones are suitable for large rooms. Features of calculating the size of a window frame for a steam room:

1. In a room with ceilings up to 2 meters high, the window opening should occupy 4.5% of the floor area.
2. In rooms with ceilings up to 2.15 meters high, the window opening should occupy up to 6% of the floor area.

It is better to make a small square window, which will be located opposite the stove.

Bathhouse projects with panoramic windows

It is unlikely that a bathhouse with panoramic windows will be built on an ordinary plot of land and for one family. Such windows in bathhouses are the domain of establishments at homes and recreation centers, sanatoriums, etc. Panoramic windows require reinforcement of walls in their vertical and horizontal boundaries, and, as a rule, a protected area outside.

Material for the frame of a panoramic window in a bathhouse

The choice of material for the frames of panoramic windows is not critical; they can be made of anything. The main thing is careful assembly and taking into account the characteristics of the bathhouse as a room with high temperature and humidity.

Glass material

Internal glass in a double-glazed window or individually must be in accordance with GOST 0698-2014, that is, tempered, and when broken, do not form sharp knife-like fragments. External double-glazed windows in double frames can also be made of ordinary glass.

Types of windows in the bathhouse

Baths with wooden windows

Wooden windows in bathhouses are installed where there are no extreme values ​​of humidity and temperature. That is, NOT in the steam room and NOT in the washing department.

Baths with plastic windows

This is also a completely acceptable option, even if the plastic is installed in a steam room. The main thing is that the threshold values ​​of the PVC, glass and silicone seals used do not exceed the temperature and time limits set for this type of frames and windows. In a well-organized production, in compliance with the entire technological process, there is data on any types of materials used.

How to choose wood

Of all the available types of wood, pine is the most affordable. However, you can’t make a window out of it for a steam room, because when it gets too hot, it releases resins that are harmful to health.

It is optimal to make the window to the steam room from oak, larch or beech, which are characterized by increased strength and durability.

In addition, windows and doors for a bath can be made of ash, aspen or linden, which at high temperatures give off a pleasant aroma of medicinal essential oils.

Factory-made wooden windows with double-glazed windows are quite often made from laminated pine lumber. Although it is possible to install combined versions of windows in the bathhouse, on which a layer of oak veneer is attached on top. By the way, such windows are much cheaper than those made from solid oak, and are not much inferior in quality.

If desired, you can order windows made of expensive wood, for example, mahogany. At first, such products are very beautiful and exotic, pleasant to the eye and to the touch. But such wood is not intended for use in low temperatures, because when it freezes, it begins to crack and quickly loses its attractiveness. Therefore, it is better to focus on tree species that are more familiar to mid-latitudes, tested by time and practice.

Another point regarding the choice of material concerns its quality. For the manual production of wooden frames, only strong timber is suitable, light in color, without knots, stains or traces of insects, with a moisture content of no more than 12%. Such raw materials will last a long time and will reliably protect the room. And if there are any defects, such wood cannot be used for making frames.

Bathhouse projects with panoramic windows

Construction secrets

To calculate the shape and area of ​​a panoramic window in a bathhouse, it is necessary not only to strengthen the walls and introduce structures into them that take on the main vertical load, but also to calculate the shape and thickness of the double-glazed windows. The maximum thermal load on double-glazed windows and the architectural features of the building are taken into account. For example, the ratio of length and width (height) should be at least 1: 2, or even 1: 3. Only in this case there will be no extreme values ​​of the temperature gradient of the air layers in the steam room or in the washing room.

Price for bath windows

a window for a bathhouse cannot cost as much as a window for an ordinary apartment or house. There may be some similarity in prices only with windows for houses with wooden frames, but still specific bath windows will be more expensive. So don’t be fooled by the advertising promises of unscrupulous manufacturers; approach the issue carefully. Keep in mind that 1 m2 of a high-quality window for a bath (and even more so for a steam room or washing department) cannot cost less than 12 thousand rubles. Multiply the cost of a square meter by square meters of a real window + 10% and you will get the real price. and require a certificate of conformity of the sold product to the conditions in which the window will be used!

Prices for PVC windows

The cost of PVC windows varies. The price is influenced by the following points:

• size of the structure. The larger the dimensions, the higher the cost.
• number of doors. The cheapest devices consist of a single opening. Triple-hung windows are the most expensive. The best option is double-leaf structures.
• number of cameras. The more there are, the higher the cost.
• manufacturer. German and Turkish devices are expensive because they are characterized by high quality and durability. Domestic analogues have a lower price. It is best to choose products made using German technology. They have an optimal combination of price and quality.
• seller's pricing policy. Often the same models have different prices from different companies. Therefore, before purchasing devices, it is recommended to compare prices in several organizations to choose the best option.

PVC windows