The building for bathing procedures should not only be compactly located on the site, but also have such an area of premises that the rest would be comfortable and there would be enough space for everyone present. The size of the bathhouse directly depends on the expected number of guests and the functions that the structure will perform. This could be a small Russian bathhouse or a whole house with an attic, where there is room for a billiard table and a gym.
Optimal dimensions of the bathhouse for relaxation in comfort
Before starting construction work, it is important to familiarize yourself with the current legislative norms and rules governing the construction of bathhouses and other buildings in the private sector, in the country.
Depending on the frequency of use, baths are:
- Seasonal. Used in the warm season. Small in size. Can be supplemented with an outdoor pool and gazebo. The original design is considered to be a barrel.
- Year-round. Apply regardless of season. The shape and area are different. May have several floors. They are built from logs, foam blocks, bricks, timber. They have an internal heating system with a gas, solid fuel boiler, stove or fireplace. They are often equipped with heated floors.
It is important to understand that the size of the bath is also affected by the choice of materials. This is especially true for buildings made of lumber - carriages, timber. They have a standard length, so most often the sizes are chosen as multiples of this parameter. Russian bathhouses 4*4 m, 6*4 m, 6*6 m are considered popular.
The number of premises also matters. The presence of a terrace, swimming pool, or attic floor implies a more complex layout and careful calculation when purchasing materials and supplying communications.
For 1–2 people
A country version of a small bathhouse is a dressing room (dressing room), washing room and steam room.
The dimensions of the premises for one person are as follows:
- The width of the dressing room should be from 1 m. The total area is from 1.3 sq. m. m.
- Washing room - from 1 sq. m.
- Steam room. When calculating, it is important to take into account the place for people to relax and install the stove, that is, on average - up to 2 square meters. m.
The average total area of a bathhouse for one person is from 4.5 to 6 square meters. m.
The minimum size of a bathhouse for two people is 2.6 * 2.5 m. To save space, shelves are placed around the perimeter of the room in the shape of the letter L or P.
For 3–4 people
The dimensions of the steam room for three people in a sitting position are 1.3 * 1.8 m. Four people can steam if the dimensions are increased to 1.5 * 2 m. The figures are given without taking into account the stove placed there. The place for it is selected individually.
The dimensions of the bathhouse for 3 or 4 vacationers, consisting of 3 rooms, are 3.6 * 3.8 meters. In the combined version of the steam room with a sink - 2.1 * 4 m.
For 5 or more people
In order for the steam room to comfortably accommodate more than 5 people, the dimensions of the long wall should be from 2 m, the short one - from 1.5 m (provided the room is rectangular in shape). Two- and three-tier shelves are attached along the long wall, where vacationers can steam while lying or sitting.
For a large company, a bathhouse with an area of 5 * 5 m is well suited. There is enough space for a spacious dressing room, a relaxation room, a steam room and a shower room. To save usable space, the steam room can be combined with a sink.
If desired, you can add an attic and place a guest bedroom there.
No less popular is a bathhouse measuring 5*8 m. This project has enough space for a large billiard room, terrace and recreation room.
An interesting option for building from a fresh log house measuring 6*6 m with an attic. The interior is often decorated in Russian style. A large family or a group of friends of 10 or more will be well accommodated here.
What materials are suitable for manufacturing
Basin shelves made of linden
Raw wood, which is obtained after cutting down and sawing trunks, is not suitable for shelves. Under the influence of temperature, the material warps, changes size, and saturation with moisture leads to swelling. Boards with a large number of knots are rejected. The surface should be free of mold, cracks along and across, and rot.
Acceptable materials for making shelves:
- Linden;
- pine;
- birch.
Wood is used for shelves depending on thermal conductivity, taking into account resistance to moisture, hardness and density. Take boards with the correct geometry; curved, bent, or twisted lumber with different thicknesses at both ends is not suitable. Such elements will create large gaps when increasing the width of the shelves in the steam room.
Types of wood used in the bath
Abash tree or African oak
Linden is a common option; when heated, the tree produces a pleasant honey smell. The rock belongs to the group of soft materials; it is impregnated from moisture before installation. Linden produces substances that are popularly considered antiseptics. The wood does not heat up, so you cannot get burned on the shelf. The breed darkens over time.
Birch also has a medium density and, when heated, retains a pleasant warmth to the touch. Wood products last a long time, the boards are distinguished by light brownish and reddish shades. The aroma belongs to the group of antibacterial odors. Wood from old trunks is more difficult to process.
Steam room dimensions
For the convenience of bath procedures, there should be at least 1-2 square meters per person.
The choice of steam room dimensions is influenced by the following parameters:
- frequency of use;
- number of vacationers;
- height and other individual characteristics of people;
- placement of shelves;
- design design.
Homeowners' needs vary. For some, a small two-room bathhouse is enough, while others will need to build a two-story bathhouse complex for proper relaxation.
The dimensions of the shelves should be selected based on the position of receiving procedures:
- To steam while lying down, you will have to make the length of the shelf 2 m. With a length of 1.5 m, vacationers will have to lie with their legs bent.
- The width of the shelves from the wall should be at least 0.4 m. This is enough to make sitting comfortable.
- To prevent the feet from touching the floor, the width is increased to 0.8 m.
- When constructing shelves in the form of deck chairs, the distance from the wall is 1.5-1.8 m.
For one person, a steam room with dimensions of 0.85 * 1.2 m will be optimal, provided that the stove is located safely. For two people, the steam room is made more spacious - 1.5 * 2 m (minimum). A 2*2 m steam room is considered standard and can accommodate 2-3 people.
Conclusion
The optimal size of the bathhouse must be determined based on existing conditions and your wishes. Build it too small and it will be inconvenient to steam; build it too big and you will spend extra money and it will take a long time to heat.
Sources
- https://v-banyu.ru/razmery-parilki-dlya-bani.html
- https://stroypomochnik.ru/optimalnye-razmery-parilki/
- https://PostroitBanju.ru/proekty-ban/kak-opredelit-optimalnye-razmery-bani.html
- https://www.o-vannoy.ru/banya/razmery-parilki/
- https://banyagid.com/stroitelstvo/optimalnye-razmery-bani.html
- https://m-strana.ru/articles/optimalnye-razmery-bani/
- https://parilochka.com/banya/razmery-parilki
- https://9ban.ru/formy-gabarity/564-optimalnyj-razmer-bani
Parameters of other rooms (locker rooms, dressing room, shower)
When drawing up a plan for a bathhouse, it is important to pay attention to the size of other rooms.
Locker room
The locker room is located at the entrance to the building. In small baths, it also acts as a dressing room. The width is kept to a minimum of 1 to 1.2 m. The length depends on the shape of the building.
Shower room (washing area)
The area of the washing room must be determined, taking into account that 1.5 square meters is used for 1 person. m area.
In a bathhouse for 4 guests, the shower room with a font should be at least 2 * 2.1 m.
Waiting room
A dressing room in a small building (for 3-4 people) can simultaneously perform several functions:
- Act as a relaxation room.
- Serve as a vestibule - a transition between the steam room and the street.
- Used as a fuel storage room, to put a beautiful woodpile, a neat container for coal.
- To be a locker room.
To keep the dressing room bright, it is better to install large windows. Metal-plastic double-glazed windows are well suited. Installation is carried out at a level of 1 m from the floor.
The average size of a dressing room combined with a rest room for 4 people is 1.8 * 3.6 m. A dressing room of 3 * 3 m is considered spacious.
Lenght and width
The size of the steam room should be determined at the planning stage, along with the size of the bath itself. At the same time, the dimensions of the steam room should not be too large, otherwise it will take a lot of fuel and time to warm up the air. To correctly calculate the optimal length and width of the steam room, you need to decide on its type:
- Steam room for one person.
It can be presented in two options: for one person with a seat and with a full shelf. In the first case, the steam room may not have a window; it has a single-tier small shelf and a heater. This is an ideal option for saunas located directly in the house, for Finnish saunas. The optimal size in this case is 1150-1200 mm along the wall with a heater, and 840-850 mm along the wall with a shelf.
Steam room for one or two people
If a bathhouse for one person includes a lying shelf, the length of the walls can be 1800 mm and the width – 1050-1100 mm. A single-tier bed should be equipped with a step to use it as a seat if necessary.
- Steam room for 2-3 people.
The size of a steam room for two or three people depends on how it will be arranged - square or rectangular. The length of the walls of a square steam room must be at least 1150 mm. This shape allows you to place the entrance in the corner, the heater next to it, and in the remaining two adjacent walls you can place corner shelves with seating for two or three people.
- Steam room for four or more people.
A steam room for 4 or more people provides a long wall size of 1800-2000 mm, a short wall - 1400-1500 mm in a rectangular shape. Along the long side there are usually two-tier or three-tier shelves on which you can sit and lie. For a large bathhouse for four, the optimal size is 2500 mm by 2000 mm, without taking into account the dimensions of the heater and the area it occupies.
Correct steam room size
Standards for ceiling heights in baths and saunas
Photo: calculation of the height of the shelves in the Finnish sauna and Russian bath
The main criterion for the height of the ceilings in the bathhouse is the maximum height of the guests, therefore the minimum ceiling height is 2.1 m, the optimal (for a comfortable swing of a broom) is 2.5 m.
To steam while sitting, add 1 m to the level of the top shelf. For massage procedures with a broom, you will have to add another half a meter. The level of the top shelf is made higher than the layer of stones on the stove.
In the bathhouse, the ceiling should not be too low (less than 2 m), otherwise the cold air will not displace hot air upward and it will become impossible to breathe in the steam room.
The threshold before entering the steam room is made high, at least 10 cm above the floor level. This way the steam will stay inside the room better and longer.
In a sauna, the approach to determining the optimal height is somewhat different. Here there is a uniform circulation of air flows from bottom to top and there is no need to wave a broom. Vacationers steam in a sitting position.
The height of the ceiling in the sauna is determined by the number of shelves. The main thing is that there is a distance of 1 m from the top shelf to the ceiling.
Recommendations
If the washing room and steam room in the bathhouse are separate rooms, in relation to the locker room they should have a ratio of 1.5 x 1 x 2 m.
In order for the floor in the bath to heat up faster and maintain steam for a long time, it needs to be made 5 cm higher than the heater and 20 cm higher than the sink.
For the convenience of bathing procedures for older people, it is recommended to install a special shelf for them, at least 50 cm wide and 180-200 cm long.
Each person washing in the steam room should have 1 m2 of usable area, from which 1 m2 of the area of the heater, including the small space around it, is subtracted.
If the steam room is equipped with a window, then its dimensions should not exceed 50 cm in length and width, so as not to let out a large amount of hot air.
Requirements for the size of doors and windows in bath rooms
Recommendations regarding the size of windows in the steam room and shower are as follows:
- In the steam room it is permissible to install a window at a level of 1.2 m from the floor, in a washing room - 1.5 m from the floor.
- Windows should not be large. Sizes of 50*70 cm are enough.
- It is not recommended to install window openings opposite the entrance to the room.
- It is permissible to install several windows on the opposite wall from the stove. The dimensions are small - 35*35 cm.
A threshold is installed in the steam room to reduce heat loss. The most popular sizes of door panels for steam rooms are 1.6/1.8*0.7 m, 1.5/1.8*0.7 m.
For safety reasons, the door from the steam room must open outward. In the combined version of the steam room and shower, the two rooms are separated from each other by a solid wall with a door.
The door to the washing room is often made in standard sizes - 1.8 * 0.8 m. The threshold is raised by 5-10 cm.
Why is extreme heat dangerous?
The therapeutic effect of bath procedures is manifested when the humidity and temperature conditions are observed. In a Russian bathhouse with 90% humid air it should not be hotter than 70°C. With the wrong dosage of heat, overheating occurs, manifested by a feeling of fatigue, nausea, increased heart rate and increased blood pressure. Excessive heating is also manifested by the reaction of the skin - in some places it warms up to 42°C and a “leopard” pattern appears on it in the form of white spots against the background of general redness of the skin.
Based on research, it was possible to determine what temperature the human body can tolerate and for how long. According to the published data, it can be noted that the higher the temperature, the less time it is allowed to stay in the steam room:
- at 71 degrees – up to 1 hour;
- at 82 degrees – up to 49 minutes;
- starting from 93 degrees – no more than 33 minutes;
- from 104 degrees – 26 minutes.
The temperature in a humid Russian steam room can exceed 110 degrees with proper training of the body. The more it is hardened, the easier it will be able to adapt to external changes in temperature and steam saturation. But from the first time it is not recommended to immediately not leave the steam room for a long time
It is important to gradually increase the number of minutes spent in the heat
For heart patients and hypertensive patients, a wet and hot bath is strictly contraindicated. High temperatures and excessive humidity increase the load on the heart, dilate blood vessels, and the initially weak organ has to work hard. In the best case scenario, a patient with cardiovascular disease will experience severe weakness and lack of oxygen in the steam room, and in the worst case scenario, he will have to be hospitalized in an ambulance with a diagnosis of a heart attack or stroke.
Visiting a Russian steam room is also contraindicated for chronic diseases. Also, the high temperature in the steam room causes an exacerbation of existing chronic diseases. Alas, a bathhouse does not cure all ailments, as the old Russian saying goes. If you have a history of anemia, varicose veins, epilepsy, pulmonary tuberculosis, gastric ulcer, hepatitis and any forms of neoplasms, then steaming in the bathhouse is strictly prohibited. Intense heat and humid steam can cause the tumor to rapidly increase in size.
With tuberculosis, a sick person can worsen his condition and put others at risk of infecting others. The same goes for hepatitis. A contraindication for visiting a Russian bath is also for children under 12 years of age. Elderly citizens should refrain from bathing procedures at high temperatures. Such water procedures will harm them more than they will be useful.
Cirrhosis or kidney stones are incompatible with bath temperatures. Increased sweating can lead to slower urine production, making the disease worse. Also, skin diseases are not friendly with heat and moisture. With increased sweat production, infections and viruses have a high chance of spreading quickly.
The steam room is also prohibited at high temperatures: overheating the body can significantly increase its temperature and lead to dire consequences.
For information on the correct temperature in the bath, see the following video.
Bathhouse layout
Development of a project and planning of the location of internal premises implies a competent approach to communications (electricity, water supply, sewerage, ventilation).
We recommend that you read the articles:
- Installation of electrical wiring in the bathhouse
- Proper ventilation in the bath
Let's look at the features of the layout of bath rooms in more detail.
Steam room
Steam room is the main room in the bathhouse. In the classic Russian version, a brick oven is laid out in the steam room or a metal one is installed.
Stones are placed on top of the stove. To increase the volume of steam released, the stones are watered.
The shelves are fixed in several tiers. Material: hardwood.
Installation features are as follows:
- The bottom shelf is made narrow. It is used more often as a footrest.
- The second shelf is the most popular. It is made as wide as possible.
- The distance between the shelves is 30-40 cm. The slats are not attached closely, but 3-4 mm apart to ensure good air circulation.
There should be at least a meter left from the top tier to the ceiling, otherwise you will have to sit in a half-bent position.
The old home baths did not have a separate shower, so the water pools were right in the steam room. It's quite inconvenient. It will be inexpensive to install a shower through the partition, and your stay will be more comfortable.
The floor in the steam room is tiled and wooden grates are placed on top, since the tiles are slippery and heat up quickly.
Fans of contrasting procedures place a pool or plunge pool with cold water next to the steam room.
Recommendations for choosing the size of the steam room are given in the section above.
Washing
Here, vacationers take water treatments after the steam room. The following can be installed in the washing room:
- shower cabin with boiler;
- a cold water font in the form of a large wooden barrel;
- mirror;
- hangers for towels, clothes;
- bench;
- stand with cleaning supplies.
The dimensions of the room are selected based on 1 sq. m per person. The dimensions are enough for two people - 1.7 * 1.4 m, for four - 2 * 2.5 m.
Wall cladding is often done with wooden clapboard impregnated with antiseptics. The floor is made of wood or ceramic tiles.
Bathroom
Seasonal baths are often made without a bathroom. But for a comfortable stay you need it. It is better to make it separate. In one room, install a toilet with a washbasin, in the other, install a shower.
In bath complexes with several floors, it is important to build bathrooms on each floor. This point is foreseen at the stage of designing the building and drawing up drawings for the supply of communications.
In economy class bathhouses, the bathroom is a dry closet. This option is not suitable for year-round use. Ventilation is properly provided in the room.
Dressing room (rest room)
You need to calculate the size of the dressing room based on the free space and the functions it will perform.
The dressing room can serve as a small dressing room or a spacious lounge. For a cozy atmosphere, it is equipped with a fireplace, a sofa with armchairs and a dining table.
You can mount a TV on the wall, or place a pool table closer to the windows (if there is enough space). There is also a corner for storing firewood in the dressing room.
The dressing room should be a walk-through area so that you can get from it to the steam room, bathroom or shower.
In a large dressing room you can put:
- pool;
- massage table;
- benches;
- mirror.
The room can harmoniously transform into a closed terrace (veranda) and connect to the garage.
For 2-3 people, a dressing room with an area of up to 6 square meters is enough. m, for 5 people - 8 sq. m, from 6 people - 15-20 sq. m.
Tambour
The vestibule is a small corridor at the entrance to the bathhouse. In year-round buildings, its presence is mandatory - it prevents cold and drafts from penetrating into the room. It has a shoe stand, clothes hanger, bench, mirror.
Washing
Now that we have more or less figured out what size a steam room should be in a bathhouse, let’s move on to the washing room. There, as you know, they traditionally wash from basins, and, if possible, run hot water and wash in the shower - on a tray or in a shower stall.
Sources of hot water can be either external - a water supply network, or internal - water heated by a stove. For the latter, heat exchangers and tanks in contact with the furnace on one side are used. So, the tank also takes up space.
If it is installed on a stove , it takes up space in the steam room, if it is installed in a soap room , and is heated using a heat exchanger, then, accordingly, at the installation site. It is also possible to install it in the dressing room.
BY THE WAY! Wherever the tank is located, heating it will raise the temperature in that room, so it can be thought of as a radiator or heater.
Therefore, it is more advisable, of course, to put it in the washing room. But here there are possible options depending on expediency, look at your specifics.
So, to wash while sitting from a nearby basin, you need a bench. Long enough to fit a basin. The best thing is one bench per person. You still need a place for pouring. And for some - under the font.
And if you have a shower, then benches are no longer essential, except for all sorts of procedures. You can also install a shower from the tank - raise it higher or use forced pressure.
Optimal washing
When you have completely decided on what exactly you want to see in your soap bar, including the water supply system, then you can start drawing a plan.
Let's assume that the basins are still in use. Then make benches for two people and enter their dimensions into the plan. It’s comfortable to sit with a seat depth of 40 cm, but it’s also possible, for example, 30 cm. One person occupies roughly 60 cm. Plus a basin. A meter bench should be enough .
But you can connect two benches if necessary to make one sunbed, then one bench should be at least 180 cm in length.
Pallets come in different sizes - from 80x80 to 140x80 (in fact, there are many variations; you can always choose a pallet to suit your ideas about a comfortable shower). If you are planning a shower, enter the area of the tray.
The size of the steam room and washing room in the bathhouse will vary greatly depending on their contents - some have a soap room and a sink, others also have a combined bathroom. We repeat: Optima is your own plan of what you desire. Arrange the objects so that it is convenient - the parameters of the room will immediately become visible.
Of course, we will not be unfounded and will give as an example a new drawing of a bathhouse, with rather modest but successful dimensions of a steam room and a washing room.
Rest room, washing room and steam room: dimensions and layout.
Please note that the tank can be mounted high, so it is quite possible to place a bench under it. The size of the pair, by the way, is quite decent - 230x200 cm.
Nuances of sauna layout
While a bathhouse often combines a steam room with a shower room to save space, a classic Finnish sauna has three separate rooms:
- steam room;
- shower;
- dressing room
The steam room has no windows and is small in size. The dressing room is made spacious, since people steam in the sauna for 20 minutes with breaks.
A stove with an open firebox is installed in the steam sauna. The stones lie on top in plain sight, but they are not watered. Steam and high temperature are enough.
Dry steam is one of the differences between a bath and a sauna.
Nowadays, wood-burning stoves are increasingly being replaced by electric heaters of the same power. They quickly heat the room and retain heat well.
A characteristic feature of the sauna is the presence of a swimming pool. After spending time in the steam room, vacationers swim in the cold pool. A shower room is installed nearby.
Steam room arrangement
In order for the steam room to serve for a long time, and the bathhouse to always bring benefits, reliable materials should be used when arranging it. There are many requirements here and they must be fulfilled strictly:
- cladding - sanded boards, lining, imitation timber, it is allowed to use only wood in the bathhouse and that which can withstand the action of steam well and does not heat up too much: linden, aspen, black alder, ash; among the coniferous varieties, only cedar is suitable for a bathhouse, since the rest release resin too actively when heated;
- thermal insulation is an absolutely necessary element for a bath; mineral wool is most often used; when constructing a steam room, it is better to use foil-coated mineral wool, as it better protects the material from the action of water; it is not recommended to use polystyrene foam in a steam room, since under the influence of temperature it releases harmful substances and is quite quickly collapses;
- waterproofing - preference is given to foil materials: aluminum foil, foil foam insulation or glassine, this option not only protects against moisture, but also reflects heat back into the steam room, which allows you to heat the room at a lower cost;
- vapor barrier - allows air to escape, but prevents contact with water. For the bath, you can use polypropylene film or kraft paper. However, it is better to use modern developments: membrane variolation, foil-based on kraft paper or fiberglass;
- pipes for bath ventilation are absolutely necessary for supplying air to the stove and ensuring its circulation in the room; ventilation pipes in the steam room are installed in plastic, the main thing is to correctly calculate their dimensions.
When installing a steam room in a bathhouse, the future owner independently chooses the optimal material, taking into account the size of the room, the material of the structure and his capabilities.
Necessary furniture for a bath
Rest room (dressing room)
The dressing room should look spacious, and the furniture should be arranged so as not to block the passage to another room.
If this is a separate room, then there are no restrictions on the choice of furniture material. And if it is combined with a shower room, preference should be given to moisture-resistant raw materials with a minimum of textiles.
Often, wooden furniture decorated in country, chalet, and Provence styles is placed in the bathhouse.
For small rooms, a folding table, benches or stools, as well as wooden kitchen corners are suitable.
If there is space, you can put a leather sofa with armchairs and a glass table in the relaxation room, and a rocking chair near the fireplace.
Steam room
The main furniture of the steam room is shelves.
They are made from wood, mostly hardwood. They do not contain resins, which heat up at high temperatures and can cause burns.
The following lumber is well suited for creating shelves:
- linden;
- aspen;
- alders;
- oak
The shelves should be such that it is comfortable to sit on them.
The recommended sizes are as follows:
- length - from 1.4 to 2 m;
- width - 40-150 cm;
- distance from the floor to the bottom shelf - 20 cm;
- from the top shelf to the ceiling - at least 1 m.
The shelves can be arranged in different ways:
- Steps. Along the wall in two or three tiers.
- In the shape of the letter G. The first and last bench are attached to one wall, the middle one to the side. Plus the coupe principle - two shelves go above each other, the top one rises.
The photo above shows examples of different fastenings for shelves in a steam room.
What do they depend on?
Today, in conversations about baths and saunas, we hear many references to seats and loungers in a steam room. Some people talk about how they love to stretch out on a cozy board at full length, while others prefer to just sit on them. But the most interesting thing is that these vacation spots are called differently by people. Loungers, benches, benches, multi-tiered. In principle, these are not errors, which cannot be said about the concepts of “canopy” and “shelves”
It is important for every lover of bath procedures to remember that the bench in the steam room is called a shelf. Many people still call the shelf in the sauna a canopy
In fact, a canopy is a canopy over a bed, which was previously used in the interior of bedrooms, and today it is complemented by children's cradles.
Particular care should be taken when approaching the issue of multi-tier structures. There should be sufficient distance between the top resting board and the ceiling.
According to traditional indicators, the width of the bath shelves should be at least 40 cm. The length in this case depends on the arrangement of the steam room and its square footage. In order for a person to take a comfortable sitting position, the width of the shelf should be 85-90 cm.
As mentioned earlier, multi-tiered structures require special attention. The lowest step must have a minimum width
In principle, it is intended for use by children, but adults can use the lower tier as a storage area for bath accessories. The middle tier assumes an average width, and the top one is the most bulky. You can, of course, install a two-tier shelf, especially since you can use it to play with different shapes of sun loungers. The distance between the top tier and the ceiling covering should be at least 1 m. This way it will be comfortable for a person to stand up, and he will not worry about accidentally hitting his head. In multi-tiered structures, the lower shelf is for sitting, and the upper one is for lying.
The design of the bath shelves themselves is very simple. In most cases, these are wooden benches located near one or more walls of the steam room. The frame of the structure is made of wooden flooring with supports and jumpers between them.
It is worth noting that it is important not only to install the shelves according to the recommended parameters, but also to take care of maintaining an acceptable distance between the slats. Lamels - processed beams that form the basis of the seat
The distance between them should be approximately 4-5 mm to ensure free air circulation.
Properly designed steaming racks ensure convenience, comfort and safety for steam room visitors. Accordingly, special requirements are put forward for these structures:
- wooden decking should have rounded corners;
- the frame of the benches should be characterized by maximum strength, since its main task is to withstand heavy weight loads;
- To prevent a person in the steam room from getting burns, the metal fastening parts should be located at the bottom of the bench.
Do not forget that the quality of the shelves depends entirely on the material used. The tree must be strong and durable. The surface of each lamella must be clean and polished, without even minimal signs of defects
It is very important that the selected wood easily tolerates moisture and exposure to hot steam. To prevent visitors from experiencing a burning sensation and discomfort in general, the material of the shelves must have low thermal conductivity
Among other things, there are a number of nuances that bathhouse owners should pay special attention to when arranging the interior space
- The structures, open at the bottom, allow for easy cleaning of the steam room. The same feature has a beneficial effect on air circulation and rapid ventilation of the room.
- The lounger should be installed at a slight angle. Thus, the incoming water flows freely onto the floor without creating any inconvenience for the visitor.
- When installing shelves, it is recommended to use plastic or rubber pads. They should be installed under vertical posts. Thanks to the presence of spacers, the service life of the wood base increases.
- During use, the shelves should not creak or wobble. It is necessary to regularly check that all structural elements are securely fastened.
The information presented allows you to understand the meaning of the presence of shelves in the steam room, their properties, and on what factors the dimensions of the structures depend.
But the calculation in this matter will not be difficult. You will have to add 10 cm to the height of the oven. The result obtained is the optimal height for the lower bench.
How to choose a stove based on the dimensions of the bath
Heating the room to the desired temperature and the quality of the steam produced depend on the power of the furnace. For gas and wood stoves, this factor is not critical, since they already heat the room well. But the wrong choice of power of the electrical appliance will lead to the fact that in the winter it will be cold in the steam room.
The stove is installed in such a way that the heater is in the steam room, and the firebox itself with a reservoir for hot water is in the shower room.
Even a small metal stove will heat a room with a volume of 18 cubic meters. m, will heat up to 70 liters of water.
In small steam rooms it is customary to install metal stoves. They are compact and quickly gain temperature.
To improve the duration of heat transfer, a metal stove is lined with brick.
For a classic Russian bath with a large steam room, a brick oven remains always relevant.
Device
In order to start planning a steam room, you need to make an important decision - which bath mode (Russian or Finnish) do you prefer? Because the combined options cannot be called particularly successful. An exception would probably be steam generators, if the quality of the steam is satisfactory, of course.
Otherwise, there are significant and difficult to overcome differences between the two types of baths.
Sauna
A sauna steam room is an almost dry, hot room in which everything is designed for sitting and sweating. It contains an iron wood-burning stove (or an electric version) without a screen or casing made of stone or brick.
The shelves in the steam room of the Finnish bathhouse are a three-tier structure with narrow (40 cm) seats, covered in height with clapboard. The stones in the sauna are placed on top, in an open heater, heavy steam comes from them, but the Finns pour little water, the humidity in the sauna is no more than 15%.
Another feature of arranging a steam room in a sauna is a well-thought-out ventilation system. The volumes of air pumped by it must be calculated in advance so that the cross-sections of the pipes are sufficient to replace the entire volume of the room five times within an hour.
Russian bath
The steam in the steam room of a Russian bath works instead of the heat of a Finnish one. And this is a significant difference. Firstly, its production involves strong heating of the stones, which must be kept in a closed heater over the fire. But the stove must be designed so as not to overheat the room while the stones are heating. Therefore, stoves are either made of brick or in casings made of brick or stone. Both of these inhibit heat transfer.
The shelves in a Russian bathhouse are designed for lying down, so they are much wider. The third tier is not needed. 1-2 is enough. It all depends on the height of the steam room and access to the steam cake above your head.
However, the details of the construction of this particular type of baths are described more fully in this article.
Ideal sauna for a summer residence with a relaxation room
A popular option for a summer residence is a bathhouse measuring 4*4 m with three small separate rooms (locker room, steam room, shower).
The steam room has a compact metal stove. A brick heater is excluded, otherwise you will have to combine a steam room with a shower due to lack of space.
The outer part of the firebox opens into the dressing room.
There are layouts for a one-story bathhouse or with an attic. In the first case, the rest room is harmoniously combined with a locker room (average dimensions - 2 * 4 m). If the bathhouse has an attic, then there is space below for a dressing room and a staircase that leads to the second floor, and bathhouses, and a full-fledged recreation room is moved to the attic.
It is permissible to attach a terrace to the bathhouse for outdoor recreation or to make it with panoramic glazing for year-round recreation.
The flooring in the bathhouse should not be slippery, so tiles without a smooth glossy finish are chosen for finishing, or the floor is made of planks, anti-slip rubber mats and wooden grates are laid.
The remote heating of the stove in the rest room will add a cozy atmosphere, especially on cold winter evenings. Near 1.5 m from the firebox, the floor is covered with non-combustible material (stone, sheet of metal).
A classic Russian bath implies the presence of a large reservoir with cold water for dousing and a contrast shower. In small buildings it is placed directly in the steam room.
For interior decoration of bath rooms, lining remains the most popular option. It covers the walls and ceiling. Wood fits perfectly into country (rustic) and chalet styles.
A more expensive interior design option is a stone floor. Typically, this finish is combined with a neat solid oak table, a leather sofa and armchairs. The walls are covered with block house or clapboard.
A beautifully decorated veranda will become a cozy corner for relaxation after bath procedures.
If you can’t do the layout of the premises yourself, problems arise with calculations, you can use a free construction calculator or order a consultation from a construction company.
The importance of careful calculations
Regardless of what kind of stove is installed in the bathhouse, double-circuit wood-burning, electric, metal or brick, you need to correctly calculate its parameters
It is worth giving clear examples of the importance of the characteristics of a heating unit
- If you choose the wrong stove for a sauna by volume, it will be impossible to achieve ideal steam. If the installation power is insufficient, it is simply impossible to warm up the room.
- An equally unpleasant situation is when the design of a sauna stove deliberately overestimates its power. The steam room will constantly overheat. Therefore, we will have to ventilate it and make visits shorter.
- If you choose too large a furnace volume and quantity of stone for a wood-burning sauna, it will be impossible to obtain stable steam. Without ventilation, the room will become extremely hot. And if you achieve relative comfort by opening the doors and reducing the entry time, you will have to put up with changes in the temperature of the steam, both at the floor and on the top shelf.
There are other difficulties caused by incorrect calculations. In particular, certain algorithms for determining the mass of stones can force the owner of a bathhouse to build powerful supports - scales, the task of which is to withstand significant loads. Therefore, the calculation of the power of a sauna stove must be done carefully, taking into account the nature of the steam room: Russian bath or Finnish sauna.
Afterburner reserve
Experienced builders of baths and saunas recommend increasing the final power of the stove by 10-15% of the calculated one. The idea of such an action is very simple. Firstly, the ease of use of the oven is improved. It does not need to be heated to the limit and constantly monitor the amount of fuel or temperature. The unit will not operate at peak power levels, allowing a certain range of adjustment.
Secondly, for bathhouses that are not constantly visited, it becomes possible to quickly warm up with afterburner
This is especially important for buildings in suburban areas. For such a bathhouse, which in winter can literally freeze through and through, you can accept a tolerance of 20%. This will allow you to quickly prepare the room and quickly start taking thermal procedures.
This will allow you to quickly prepare the room and quickly start taking thermal procedures.
Watch the video with a detailed explanation of how to calculate the size of a steam room
https://youtube.com/watch?v=T3mT_4zsgdk
Beneficial features
When the body begins to sweat, the pores are cleaned along with sweat, and the skin becomes clean. Also, your overall condition improves because you give your muscles the opportunity to rest and relax.
If a broom is involved in the process, it stimulates skin receptors and improves blood circulation.
The main thing is not to forget to put on a special hat before starting the procedures, since high temperatures cause hair to fall out after a while.
And special essential oils that are added to the oven will help cleanse the lungs and nasopharynx.
