Budget options for baths: a review of inexpensive options, affordable but of high quality

Frame

Frame-panel structures became popular among consumers several years ago. They are quite easy to assemble and do not require a large amount of natural wood or special equipment.

An inexpensive frame bathhouse is placed on a lightweight foundation, most often a columnar one is chosen. This significantly reduces construction costs since it does not require as much concrete to pour the foundation.

The walls of the bathhouse are most often mounted from ready-made frames, which are immediately manufactured in the workshop. If desired, to further reduce costs, you can assemble the frame yourself, but this will slow down construction. To create good thermal insulation and for a long service life of the building, it should be sheathed with suitable boards. To save money, coniferous species are suitable.

Attention! For frame baths, timber and logs are often used. But these materials are very expensive, although they are of excellent quality and long service life. Unplaned timber will allow you to save as much as possible on material. It is not as beautiful, but very affordable.

Since frame baths have thin walls, they require mandatory insulation. Among inexpensive insulation materials, mineral wool is most often chosen. It is laid in the walls in the form of slabs. They are not only affordable, but are also reliable and have a long service life, provided they are installed well.

Attention! When building frame-panel baths, you cannot skimp on protecting the frame and vapor barrier. If you have very little money, then give your preference to polymer film and aluminum foil. They are quite hopeful and belong to the economy segment.

Step-by-step construction of an object with your own hands

Construction is taking place in stages:

along the perimeter of the future building and under its load-bearing internal walls, pits are created to form a strip foundation;
sand is poured onto the bottom of the trench, the finished “cushion” is pressed and watered;
the pits are filled with reinforcing bars and liquid concrete, the layer of which is smoothed with cement mortar;
Before pouring concrete, formwork is constructed from boards
the base for a brick kiln is formed from concrete;
several layers of waterproofing material treated with bitumen mastic are placed on the platform;
assemble the frame, connecting the beams using the method “at the corners in a paw, and the ends in half a tree without a trace”, laying insulation between them and installing dowels through each row at a distance of 20 cm from the edge;
The corners are connected in 4 steps, and the ends are connected in 3 steps
prepare a platform for the floor, that is, pour a 10 cm layer of sand, press it, and then cover it with a 10 cm layer of crushed stone;
the crushed stone is covered with sheets of roofing felt, the edges touching several centimeters;
cement is placed on the roofing material, creating a screed with a slope, thereby arranging the flow of waste water towards a sewer pipe built into the ground and leading to a separately dug hole;
a facing material is glued onto the hardened cement screed, and a wooden sheathing is placed on top of it;
Wooden sheathing on the floor prevents your feet from touching the cold floor
floor beams are attached to the upper bars of the walls in a horizontal position;
the installed beams are connected with iron brackets to the rafters - thick beams;
fasten the rafter legs to each other using ridge beams;
the rafters are covered with rolled waterproofing sheets and wooden flooring - the basis for the roofing material;
create a ceiling, that is, lay out boards every 2.5 meters for non-load-bearing walls;
A vapor barrier film is laid on top of the ceilings and thermal insulation material is placed.

From cinder blocks

Such baths began to be built not so long ago. They are very affordable, easy to build and last longer than wooden ones. Such structures require good insulation and mandatory vapor barrier. It is especially important to approach this issue if your latitude experiences constant temperature changes and cold winters.

Cinder block does not require additional protection against mold or mildew, which allows you to save on treating walls with an antiseptic. Also, cinder blocks do not burn, which eliminates the need to use fire retardants. There are several types of cinder blocks.

Expert opinion

Lovkachev Boris Petrovich

Bath master who knows everything about steaming

Attention! Cinder blocks can have different compositions; you should definitely familiarize yourself with them before purchasing. The best composition is shell rock, sand, expanded clay, sawdust and crushed stone, which are fixed with cement.

For supporting structures, it is advisable to choose monolithic blocks. They are strong and will enhance the load-bearing properties of the walls. For external walls, it is recommended to choose blocks with voids occupying 30% of the block volume. Internal partitions are erected from small blocks weighing 10-13 kg with a minimum thickness. This is necessary to save space indoors.

In addition, the internal walls rarely act as load-bearing walls, which eliminates the need for their significant strengthening. The same materials can be used as insulation and vapor barrier as for a frame bath.

To build baths from cinder blocks, you also do not need an expensive foundation, which allows you to save up to 50% of the budget. Usually a columnar or strip base is chosen.

The main thing is that it is perfectly aligned horizontally to avoid movement and deformation of the walls. If you violate the foundation laying technology, large cracks will appear on the cinder blocks.

Attention! Cinder block baths are not suitable for everyone. They are characterized by increased sound permeability. To eliminate this drawback, additional sound insulation will be required. It is worth calculating what is more profitable in this case: to build a bathhouse of a different type or to build a structure made of cinder blocks.

Restroom

Designs of bathhouses with a relaxation room give room for imagination. When there is only one recreation room, it needs to be made multifunctional. Eating, drinking tea, watching TV, billiards - all this happens in this room. Zoning is done using partitions, windows, furniture, and finishing materials. Additional comfort will be created by a fireplace in the corner and a couple of armchairs in front of it.

Foam block

This material also began to be in demand for the construction of baths not so long ago, but has already earned its respect among consumers. Foam block structures are lightweight and do not require the construction of a serious foundation.

Despite the fact that foam blocks retain heat well, you should definitely take care of good thermal insulation. It is especially important to think about it in case of severe winters. Foam block baths are not afraid of fire, which allows you to save on fire retardants, while the material does not crumble even at very high temperatures.

The strengths of foam block baths are their rapid erection, naturalness of the material and ease of cladding. The environmental friendliness of the materials eliminates the release of toxins and harmful substances when heated. And the low cost makes it possible to compete with other materials, gradually displacing even wood.

Attention! When using wooden slats or any wood elements as cladding for foam blocks, they should still be carefully processed for fire safety and protection from rotting.

Materials for interior finishing

Wood remains the best material for interior work. At the same time, special requirements are imposed on the wood that will be used to decorate the steam room. The most suitable materials here are:

Linden;
Aspen;
Larch;
Cedar.

But it is better not to use the usual birch or pine. The first material dries too much, the second releases a lot of resins, the smell of which can harm health, and the oleoresin released during the heating process can cause burns.

For other rooms, the choice of wood is not very important. They usually do not have abundant moisture and elevated temperatures. Ceramic tiles and stone on the floor, glass wallpaper and tiles on the walls will help complement the decoration of these rooms.

From aerated concrete

In its characteristics, this material is similar to foam blocks. Aerated concrete blocks are made from a mixture of cement, sand, aluminum mixture and special gas-forming substances. During a chemical reaction, the mixture hardens, and pouring into special molds allows the block to be given the correct shape.

Aerated concrete baths are prefabricated, lightweight, and do not require the construction of a solid foundation. In terms of ease of processing, the material is comparable to wood; it is easy to cut and assemble.

In terms of thermal insulation properties, aerated concrete blocks are not inferior to timber, which allows you to build a very warm and strong bathhouse. The special composition of the material allows you to avoid the appearance of mold and mildew, but you should understand that this requires proper ventilation.

The blocks do not burn, and when exposed to high temperatures they do not emit any harmful substances or toxins.

The only drawback of aerated concrete is its high ability to absorb water. This is due to the porous structure of the material. To prevent a reduction in the service life of the bathhouse and destruction of the concrete structure, good waterproofing is required. Particular attention should be paid to this work in the steam room and washing room. The floor in such baths should always be left wet and not insulated with anything.

Attention! Aerated concrete does not shrink significantly; it does not exceed 1-2%. This moment allows you to immediately begin decorating the steam room and dressing room.

Wash room

The washing room is a shower stall located near the steam room. If the size of the building allows, these zones are separate from each other; in small buildings they are combined. In large buildings, a swimming pool or plunge pool is also equipped here.

The average area of the washing room is 2000x2000mm, then there is a place to take water procedures and place containers with water, hot and cold.

The window is built one and a half times larger than the window in the steam room. The doorway has also been enlarged – 1800x800mm to provide greater comfort. The requirements for heat conservation are lower than in a steam room. The threshold is made high, and the floor is laid with special tiles to prevent slipping and related injuries.

Inexpensive mini-baths

Such designs are usually chosen for small areas or with a very limited budget. Mini-baths can be of several types, but they all include a dressing room and a steam room. A washroom or shower room is found only in the largest structures of this type, and in this case it is always combined with a steam room.

Mini-baths are usually built from boards, logs or timber. They can be built on a wooden frame or mounted on wheels for mobility of the structure. The most popular models of inexpensive mini-baths are barrels. They are convenient, attractive in appearance, and can be installed on a foundation, without it, or on rolling stock.

It is recommended to build mini-baths only in cases of limited space. In terms of cost, due to the peculiarities of size and design, such baths will be equal in cost to frame-tile type structures or those built from cinder blocks.

Roofs

The roof should fit into the surrounding landscape and, preferably, repeat neighboring elements.

Commonly used:

Tree;
Aluminum sheets;
Ruberoid;
Slate.

Small bathhouses can even be closed with polycarbonate.

Roofs made of straw or clay mixed with dry leaves (sawdust) will look unusual.

Save your budget

If you have a small budget, you can save on several points. Such savings will not affect the quality of construction, ensuring the construction of a reliable structure.

You should not buy a stove with a remote firebox. Such a purchase will not only be cheaper, but will also allow you to heat up the steam room much faster, and this will save firewood.

If the soil allows, give preference to a removable foundation. It is very inexpensive, allows you to quickly carry out the necessary repairs if necessary, and is easily dismantled and replaced with another.

If you plan to have a window in the bathhouse, be sure to insulate it in the winter; regular film with bubbles, which is used for packaging, is suitable for these purposes. It is used to trim the frame from the outside.

There is no need to install a shower stall or install a shower in the washroom. Just put basins or tubs for water. It is not so convenient, but very economical.

To reduce the cost of the roof, you should not make it very high. This will not only reduce the cost of cladding, but will also make the chimney not so high.

Attention! In a budget bathhouse, you will also need to abandon full sewerage and water supply. For cold water, you can put barrels or equip a hose. Water in such baths is usually simply poured onto the floor, from where it is immediately absorbed into the ground.

Project development

The project is easy to do yourself, taking into account the overall dimensions of the future structure. When calculating the dimensions, take into account the number of people who will be in the room at the same time. To comfortably accommodate one person you need 3 sq. m area.

At the planning stage, you should accurately determine the location of the person in the steam room. Seats will require less space than sunbeds to accommodate an adult horizontally.

In addition, it is important to think through the internal layout of the bathhouse in detail. The main room is the steam room. It can be supplemented with a shower room, a relaxation room, and a dressing room. If the area of the site does not allow you to place a spacious bathhouse, then you will have to limit yourself to a steam room and a small dressing room.

The table contains average standards for different bath options.

Independent work on the project will allow you to create the most convenient structure, taking into account various individual wishes.

What you can't save on

Even if the budget is very limited, it is strictly forbidden to save on the following points:

Use of construction products without a quality certificate . Such building materials are several times cheaper, but there is no guarantee that they will not emit harmful fumes during use, especially when exposed to high temperatures. In addition, such materials can quickly fall apart and become completely unsuitable for further use.
Saving on electrical wiring and related elements . You should not buy the cheapest sockets, hang uninsulated lamps and unsuitable wires. Such things will not only quickly fail, but they also increase the risk of fire and accidental electric shock several times.

Use of unsuitable materials . If you want to save money, you should not replace recommended products with those that cost an order of magnitude cheaper, but at the same time, due to their performance characteristics, cannot be used in a bathhouse. This applies to insulation, flooring, and some types of wood. Unsuitable materials for specific conditions will not fully perform their task and will quickly deform or rot.
Sauna stove and water heater . You should not buy handicraft products. They are not always safe; they may not be tightly sealed enough, which can cause a fire or burn.

Attention! Also, do not skimp on fuel for your sauna stove. Do not throw flammable materials into it that are not intended for use in enclosed spaces with high humidity and temperature. They can saturate the air with harmful substances, which will cause poisoning and even death.

Ventilation arrangement

A well-equipped ventilation system will allow you to fully ventilate the room to avoid the formation of fungus and mold.

The air inlet is located at the bottom of the wall next to the heating boiler. The exhaust vent is located on the opposite wall, right under the ceiling.

During heating of the bath, the exhaust hole must be closed. Open it when it is necessary to ventilate the room.

Tips and tricks

Regardless of whether you are building an expensive or cheap bathhouse, you can use a number of effective tips:

Choose the right bathhouse design, taking into account how many people are going to use it. The best option is 10-15 sq.m. Such dimensions allow you to equip all the necessary rooms and not spend a lot of fuel on heating.
All boards and wooden bases must be treated against pests, mold and fungi. If this is not done, the bathhouse will last only a few seasons and will quickly require repairs.
The ceiling is not made very high. Measure how much height you need to sit freely on the shelf and add 15-20 cm from above so as not to touch the ceiling with your head while floating.

Doors should be installed with a high threshold. This speeds up the heating of the room and prevents the heat from quickly leaving the steam room. Be sure to seal the door to minimize heat loss.
If possible, try to make the outer wall at least 30-35 cm thick. This will keep the heat in the steam room for a long time, which is especially important in winter, when the bathhouse cools down much faster.
Windows are more than just decoration. They are recommended to be used as an additional fire exit. They should be placed on the western side, where there is the most sun in the afternoon, when the bathhouse is mainly heated.

Attention! Be sure to protect the bathhouse from drafts. To do this, you will need not only to properly insulate the seams, but also to correctly mark the doors. To prevent drafts inside, they should not be placed perpendicular to each other.

Construction standards

Consider the distance to a residential building. You can consider the following location options: the bathhouse complex is a separate building, or the bathhouse is part of the house. The best option is to locate the bathhouse separately from the residential building. In this case, the distance from the house to the bathhouse should be at least eight meters.
The bathhouse can be located no more than 20 meters relative to the water well.
The minimum distance of the bathhouse complex from the neighbors’ fence must be at least three meters;
A brick bathhouse should be located four meters from the house, and a wooden bathhouse should be no less than twelve meters away.
The distance to the street must be more than five meters.
The distance to buildings made of non-combustible materials is from six to eleven meters.
Wooden buildings should be eight meters from the bathhouse.
Extensions for household needs should be 15 meters away from the bathhouse.
If there is a forest near the dacha area, then the distance from it to the bathhouse complex should be at least 15 meters.
If there is a natural body of water (lake, river or pond) on the site or outside it, the distance to it should be at least 5 m.
The bathhouse should be located at a distance of 4 meters from tall trees, 3 meters from small trees, and 1 meter from small shrubs.

Questions and answers

In the case of using boards to build a bathhouse, is it possible to use unedged material or will the quality of the structure suffer from this?

No. You can safely use unedged boards if you have no complaints about their appearance. The main thing is that the wood itself is strong and dry.

Why do you need a vapor barrier if insulation is already used to lose heat?

Insulation and vapor barrier perform different tasks. Vapor barrier prevents the destruction of wood due to constant ingress of water and exposure to high temperature.

Does the wood need to be treated again after some time has passed since it was put into use?

Necessarily. To prevent the wood from drying out, use antiseptics and fire retardants from time to time. To be on the safe side, all wood can be varnished again once a year.

What is better: an individual project or a standard building?

An individual project is much more expensive, so if you are building a budget bathhouse, you should focus on standard small-sized projects.

Where is the best place to install the door?

It makes no difference what kind of bathhouse you are building. Always install the door on the south side if you plan to use the steam room in winter. This way the snowdrifts will melt quickly and will not block the entrance.

A budget sauna is a reality that everyone can implement on their own site. Careful familiarization with the characteristics of materials for construction, as well as knowledge of where costs can be reduced, allows you to build a durable structure for relatively little money.