The heated font is a harmonious combination of Japanese and Russian traditions. Buy or make?

Furaco barrels in Finnish style

In this northern country, the wooden bathtub is especially popular. Finns have long known what furako is. They gave it its own name - palyu. It harmoniously complements the traditional sauna. In Finland they love water and swimming in lakes. But summer is quickly ending. The heated plunge pool extends the swimming season.

Strange car trailers are moving along Finnish roads. Furaco barrels with stoves of different designs are installed on the platforms. Barrels for outdoor bathing can be rented, brought with you to a campsite or on a visit to a country house.

The Finns heat the water in the font to 25-30 degrees. Gatherings in a barrel alternate with a sauna. There the temperature for vaping is -70-100 degrees. Warm water after such heating gradually reduces the load on the heart and blood vessels.

Furaco baths in Finland are made using modern technologies. A wood stove is an element of country romance. But more often they install electric heaters. The wood is subjected to special treatment to increase its service life. It is used for benches and decorative exterior cladding. The font itself is made of plastic or metal ceramics.

Thermal baths in Germany

As in Japan, baths in Germany are often located near thermal springs. Some have existed since ancient Rome. Furaco baths have expanded the list of services in balneotherapy clinics with cold mineral waters. Hot baths are combined with therapeutic mud and massage.

Joint gatherings in furaco with beer are common in Germany. As in Japan, people dive into the font without clothes. City baths without division into male and female halves still surprise tourists in this country.

Questions and answers

What oils are suitable for furaco?

In Japanese tradition, oils are used when bathing depending on the desired effect. Chamomile, sage, and valerian will have a calming effect. Citrus fruits are suitable for a cosmetic effect, and verbena and geranium are suitable for headaches and cramps.

How not to overheat in furaco for the first time?

Be sure to listen to your body; if you feel dizzy, it is better to leave the bath and rest for a while, or take a shower at a cooler temperature.

What temperature should the tea drunk after procedures be?

To increase sweating, be sure to drink the tea hot.

Is it possible to use soap in the bath?

Even in modern times, soap is not used in a Japanese bath. It is allowed to soap the skin only at the stage of taking a shower before the procedures.

Are there any additional procedures at sento besides bathing?

No, visitors can only be offered a tea ceremony or a special place for relaxation.

Great Britain

At the beginning of the century, the word glamping appeared on the islands. This is the name for a glamorous outdoor recreation. The most comfortable conditions are created in tents, wigwams or yurts. Guests are guaranteed a warm toilet, shower, kitchen and walks along ecological trails.

Furaco baths immediately fit into the life of glamping camps. This is all-season fun for couples and groups. In England, even in summer it can be damp and chilly. It’s nice to plunge into the ofuro plunge pool in this weather. In the heat after a hot bath, the body breathes easier and sweats less. Reviews of visits to barrels of all types are always enthusiastic.

Contrary to Japanese traditions

Having borrowed Japanese barrels, few places became imbued with Japanese philosophy. Almost all foreigners behave outrageously in furaco. From a Japanese point of view.

The font is a Japanese cult item. In the land of the rising sun, the guests of honor are the first to dive into the water. All conversations are conducted quietly and very politely. To drink sake, people go to special rest rooms.

In other countries they can jump into a barrel like into a swimming pool. Guests sit in the water in swimsuits and swimming trunks. They laugh and splash water. They bring drinks and food. The water temperature is much lower than in Japan.

But this does not overshadow swimming outside in the middle of the snow, at temperatures below -10 degrees. In Russia, the owner of a street barrel has to clear a path in deep snow. Guests flee through the frost from the warm living room or dressing room in clouds of steam. It's hard to look serious after a run like that.

In winter it gets dark early, so the font or sauna gazebo is illuminated by electric light bulbs. The vat has underwater lighting. This creates a festive winter mood. It's hard to resist a glass of mulled wine. For such parties, the owners of country houses install a furaco font.

How to choose a font for a bath

Before you buy a font, formulate your intended use. Next, based on this factor, choose according to material, shape and size, the presence of heating, and configuration. Let's take a closer look at each point.

Material

If you rely on strength and durability, choose a concrete structure. If financial possibilities are limited, polymer materials would be the best option. The optimal solution is to buy a wooden font, as it is not only reliable, but also aesthetically pleasing.

Shape and size

The most comfortable option is the oval shape of the font, where not only free space is used economically, but also water. The barrel fits easily into a doorway and can accommodate several people. If corner installation is intended, then a triangular design is suitable. Round and square are more often used outdoors.

Presence of heating

If you choose a model for outdoor use, then it would be useful to have heating. The design has a built-in wood-burning stove with a door in the upper part and a hole on the side for air venting. For some barrels you can install a stove on the outside yourself.

Equipment

In addition to installing a water barrel, various additional accessories are required. For a comfortable location, you can use benches, a ladder to climb up, as well as a water collection and drainage system. An elderly person will benefit from the presence of handrails, holes for hydromassage, etc.

Do-it-yourself Japanese furako bath

It is important to decide why you need a Japanese Furaco bathtub in your garden. To entertain guests? For relaxation and health? The cost of implementing the project depends on this.

Steel vats

A steel vat is perfect for surprising guests. It is cheaper and more durable than a wooden barrel. It's easier to keep clean. A wooden container should not be left without water for a long time. The steel vat can be easily dismantled and stored in a basement or shed.

The sauna vat is lined with stone or brick and lined with wood for thermal insulation. Layers of thermal insulation are laid between the casing and the walls of the vat. A furnace for heating water is placed under the bottom of the vat. This way the water heats up faster and less wood is consumed.

The original design is a vat suspended on three supports. A fireplace is folded under it or windbreaks are placed around the fire pit.

A steel vat with an external furnace can be placed on a platform with wheels and moved around the site.

Amateur welders post videos. They demonstrate the process of making a vat from a sheet of steel. But you shouldn’t take on such work without experience.

Many companies have mastered the production of bath vats. You can buy the finished product from them. Or order a container of the required size and shape.

Installing a vat provides space for those who like to work with their hands at their leisure. You can build a full-fledged aqua gazebo, with a changing room and a relaxation area. Limit yourself to building the foundation. Build a podium around the boiler and build a wooden walkway away from the house.

You can attach a veranda to a Russian bathhouse and install an outdoor font there. Each owner has his own engineering and design solutions.

Innovative ideas

Inventors have found a budget option for an outdoor bathtub. An external furnace with a heat exchanger is connected to a frame plastic pool. You can swim in summer and winter. In the cold season, wooden flooring is laid in the pool, benches or sun loungers are placed. You can take a Japanese bath.

Rating of bath tubs

Domestic and foreign manufacturers most in demand on the market took part in the selection of nominees. We weighed the quality against the features and prices offered. Also indicative were the reviews of the owners and their experience of using the hot tubs.

We assessed the leading contenders on a number of characteristics:

• Form;
• Material;
• Dimensions;
• Capacity;
• Presence of heating;
• Equipment;
• Price, manufacturer.

The result of the comparative analysis was a top list of 10 positions. For easy acquaintance with them, we divided it into 3 categories - plastic, wooden, and models with a heating function. From the experience of previous buyers, we have identified the advantages and disadvantages of each nominee.

Working with wood

Do-it-yourself Japanese Furako bathhouse in the best traditions is a wooden barrel. In Japan, with limited resources, there are not many huge barrels. They were made in the castles of the nobility and in public baths. In the house of an ordinary Japanese there was a single barrel about a meter high. The barrel was intended for all family members. We took turns warming up; the water was not changed every day.

Wooden sauna vats are made in Russia and Finland. Furaco barrels have become a profitable business for the woodworking industry.

Marketers support ideas about the medicinal properties of wood. Spas advertise Japanese natural wood barrels. They are used for rejuvenating herbal treatments.

Interesting. Bath color therapy is coming into fashion. It is known that light waves of different lengths have different effects on the body and mood. In a bathhouse, when a person is relaxed, the effect is enhanced. Cool colors reduce aggression and calm. Warm and bright help overcome the winter blues.

Special waterproof lamps and reflective screens are installed in steam rooms and saunas. A white plastic liner is installed in the Furaco barrel. LED cords are laid between the liner and the walls of the font. A remote control is included to control color and mood.

Which bath font is better?

After getting acquainted with the ten best models of the current year and the criteria for choosing wisely, making a decision no longer seems such a difficult task. Having once again compared the advantages and weaknesses of each model, Vyborexperta.ru especially highlights several nominations:

• GoodWay - a spacious, load-lifting structure made of durable plastic, which allows for the installation of an external oven if desired;
• Admiral Pools Walrus 2 – compact triangular shape, easy transportation, large selection of colors, anti-slip coating;
• BentWood round stained oak – bath barrel with polyurethane coating, adjustable hoops, convenient drain valve;
• Blumenberg without TVK Premium stove - handmade, completely sealed oval bowl, double bench and reliable overflow with water seal;
• Furako oval made of cedar with a built-in stove - a Japanese bathhouse of a comfortable oval shape with a professional coating, a built-in wood-burning stove;
• NKZ Cedar round with electric heating - a cedar barrel with an energy-intensive heater, an expanded podium, comfortable benches, and a rug.

The purpose of our ranking was to narrow down your search. The final decision is yours. Rely on personal preferences, financial capabilities, and circumstances of further operation.

Cooperage

Even in the days of subsistence farming, barrels were made by specialists - coopers. For a long-lasting barrel, good wood and skillful hands were needed. Furaco manufacturers are subject to the same requirements.

The wood is harvested in ecologically clean areas of the Siberian taiga. These are larch and cedar. In Finland, thermowood is used. After processing at high temperatures, any wood is suitable for a bathhouse or furaco barrel. Its structure does not change from moisture and steam.

Barrel parameters for outdoor swimming:

The thickness of the dies is 4-5 cm, regardless of the diameter of the barrel. This is the optimal size for saving heat.

A Japanese furako sauna, made by yourself, can be of any configuration. A round barrel is a traditional but not required shape. It’s easier to assemble a rectangular wooden bathtub with your own hands. An oval-shaped font is more comfortable for two.

Wooden dies for a barrel cannot be placed on glue or sealant. This shortens the life of the container. High-quality assembly is achieved by adjusting the grooves.

Furaco is collected like an ordinary barrel. A bevel is made at the side ends of the dies (the cross section becomes a trapezoid). The dies are pulled together with hoops and driven into place with a wooden hammer. Mark the installation location of the bottom. Then the barrel is disassembled, a groove is made, the bottom is inserted, reassembled and trimmed to height.

A high-quality and durable connection is guaranteed by the moon groove. The tenon and the mate have a semicircular shape. It is difficult to make such a groove without special equipment. Therefore, it is easier to buy ready-made parts for a furaco bath. Many companies sell this type of construction set. With assembly instructions.

Holes are made in the finished barrel for draining and connecting the pipes of the external furnace. The immersed oven is installed on a console or on legs. They are secured with stainless steel self-tapping screws. The heated metal should not come into contact with the walls and bottom of the font. The top edge of the stove is above the water level.

Install benches and furnace fencing. The barrel is filled with water for several days. The wood swells, all grooves close hermetically, and leaks disappear.

Submersible furnace design

The wood-burning stove body is a sealed rectangular box made of stainless steel. Firewood is loaded through the top. The inside of the oven is tripled so that the air for blowing is sucked in through the gap between the lid and the body. The base of the chimney is low.

The furaco stove is selected according to the size of the font. Furnaces from different manufacturers may have separate design features.

The external oven can be connected to a container made of any material. The water is heated by circulation. Cold water from below moves through the pipe into the heat exchanger. The heated water flows back into the font. The layers of water need to be stirred (it is recommended to take a paddle).

An outdoor stove is safer and easier to light. Heating the entire volume with the stove outside is slower.

The best plastic bath tubs

The first category represents hot tubs made of polypropylene and composite materials. They are durable, compact and lightweight. Plastic is moisture resistant, unlike wood, so it will last much longer. At the same time, the price of such products will be lower. The best combination of cost and durability was shown by 3 nominees.

GoodWay

Outdoor lightweight hot tub with good capacity for people. It is intended to be used together with a wooden bathhouse with a stove installed outside. The manufacturer is the Russian brand “GoodWay”.

The plastic bowl (polypropylene) takes on 100% of the load. The boards on the outside are more of a decorative element. The wide side outside, 1.2 m, serves as a stand for placing dishes. Tightness guarantees not only the absence of leaks, but also the preservation of heat. Capacity – 10600 l.

Durability, strength, and wear resistance are promised by thick plastic 5 mm. The shape is round, its diameter is 3 m with a wall height of 1.5 m. The manufacturer offers 2 color options - white, blue.

Advantages:

• Wide side;
• Tightness;
• Good load capacity;
• Quick drain;
• Convenient round shape;
• Stove compatible.

Flaws:

• Requires the purchase of a stove;
• Smells like plastic at first.

The stove can be connected via a rubber hose with steel clamps. The design provides for a quick drain with a diameter of 50 mm. The recommended water level is 10-15 cm below the edge.

StroyPlast Prestige economy

The fiberglass outdoor font differs from the previous nominee in its square shape. It is characterized by practicality, ease of care, safety and durability. Country of origin: Russia.

The capacity of the structure is 8 m³. The bowl is one-piece with a wall thickness of 4-6 mm, in places of reinforcement 8-10 mm. The material does not slip when the surface is smooth. There are no sharp corners, joints or seams, which prevents injuries. It also has low thermal conductivity, resistance to frost and high temperatures.

Product dimensions – 2.6×2.6×1.5 m with a weight of 120 kg. The manufacturer guarantees tightness for at least 20 years, service life over 50 years. Comfort is provided by steps and seats.

Advantages:

• Durable composite material;
• Non-slip coating "AntiSlip";
• One-piece bowl;
• Low thermal conductivity;
• Comfort of use;
• Strength.

Flaws:

• Price;
• For concrete pouring.

The width of the side around the entire perimeter is 16 cm. You can place dishes, glasses, and other personal items on it. Composite materials comply with European standards. Due to the absence of pores, cleaning does not require effort or detergents.

Admiral Pools Walrus 2

The compact, functional font is distinguished by its original design shape. Economical for transportation, belongs to the “Compact” category. The manufacturer is the largest developer of composite pools “Water World Pools”.

A triangular one-piece bowl with a volume of 2 m³ is made of composite material – fiberglass. It is designed to be installed in a corner. The manufacturer offers a whole catalog of interesting colors to choose from. Practicality and safety are ensured by the anti-slip coating.

Overall dimensions – 1.7x1.7 m with a depth of 1.5 m and a weight of 100 kg. There is also a side around the entire perimeter for placing personal items. The design has been tested for compliance with technical parameters.

Advantages:

• Triangular shape;
• Corner installation;
• Compactness;
• Transportability;
• Anti-slip coating;
• Catalog of colors.

Flaws:

• Purification equipment needs to be purchased;
• No seating.

Such a pool involves installing it inside a concrete bowl or filling it with concrete. It can also be placed on any surface. When purchasing, it is advisable to order special cleaning equipment.

Additional accessories

To care for a furaco barrel, you need simple equipment. They are offered by manufacturers of bath equipment:

• Barrel lid. Protects from debris and heat loss during heating.
• Long-handled poker and ash scoop
• Pump for quick drainage of water (or natural flow drainage system)
• Thermometers
• Paddle for stirring water

A floating tray table is useful for receiving guests. They even offer light and music lighting for furaco baths. But a disco in a bathhouse is not Japanese. A set of aromatic oils and herbal mixtures will come in handy. To combine fun and wellness on a frosty bath day.