Basement in a bathhouse: how to properly design and build a bathhouse basement

In this article we will talk about an additional room no less valuable for a bathhouse than the attic - the basement. Namely, about what can be made from it and how to use it, especially since often a basement already exists only due to the fact that this building was at one time converted into a steam room. We will also talk about many technical subtleties and secrets, knowledge of which will help you make your baths an entire multimedia recreation center!

Yes, you can’t live in a basement all the time - a purely human factor comes into play here, when the lack of sunlight and awareness of being underground has a depressing effect on the psyche. But spending a weekend with friends or family enjoying pleasant bath procedures and watching excellent quality and sound of a movie is quite a pleasant experience. After all, the Russian bathhouse has long been no longer perceived only as a washing or laundry room - now it is a traditional and multifunctional source of recharging for any urban person.

• 2 How to build a bathhouse with a basement?
• 3 Waterproofing and ventilation of the bath basement
• 4 Finishing: breaking the perspective and raising the ceiling
• 5 Why does a bathhouse need a basement? Amazing solutions!

Pros and cons of having a basement in a bathhouse

Let's first understand the terminology. A cellar is a mini-cellar, which is designed for storing vegetables, and is located in a specific place. A basement is a room below ground level, below the first floor. Its purpose can be very different: from storing wine to arranging a living room. But the ground floor is only partly recessed into the ground and is most often used to house a garage.

The very word “basement” already explains that this room is under the shaft, i.e. under the arches. And look what can come of it:

Features of the construction of a bathhouse under a residential building

The basement itself does not have good air exchange, and the placement of a bathhouse also adds humidity

To avoid stagnant odors and stuffiness, it is important to provide air circulation in the bathhouse - install special fans or deflectors. The basement is the basis of the entire house, so it is especially important to ensure compliance with fire safety measures. Experts even recommend installing a separate exit from the bathhouse to the street, which, of course, is expensive and troublesome during construction, but can save lives if there is a threat of fire.

Sewage and ventilation systems for a bathhouse in the basement

Using a bathhouse requires a large consumption of water, which requires proper operation of the sewer systems. A well-organized water drainage system is the key to stable operation of the entire bathhouse. It’s not difficult to organize it with your own hands - you need a trench with a slope from the bathhouse towards the site.

The width of such a ditch is slightly more than 500 mm, the depth is below the freezing level of the soil. Metal pipes are laid in the trench and connected to the bathhouse with a septic tank or taken outside the site. Above the shaft, a mesh is attached with double corners to purify water, and covered with sheets of iron. With this design, the floor in the bathhouse should be sloped towards the shaft.

To take healthy procedures in the steam room, it is necessary not only to organize the drainage of water, but also the flow of fresh air. In a bathhouse, ventilation is one of the most important factors. Proper room ventilation is easy to do with your own hands without the involvement of specialists. A ventilation shaft is placed near the stove, from which fresh air from the street will flow inside, and an exhaust hood is made on the opposite wall to remove moist air into the general ventilation system of the house.

There are special systems with a fan, which, when turned on, draws outside air into the steam room.

Conducting electricity inside the bathhouse

Due to frequent high temperatures, it is necessary to lay electrical wiring at a small height from the floor, since all the hot air rises to the top.

But at the same time, you should not hide it inside the casing because of a possible fire. All electrical appliances used (lamps, light bulbs) must be resistant to hot air, and sockets and switches are generally not allowed to be placed in a steam room.

Waterproofing bath walls, floors and ceilings

Since the use of a steam room is associated with the constant use of water, it is necessary to carefully waterproof the walls and ceiling using bitumen mastic.

The floor is additionally protected with a couple of layers of roofing felt. After this stage of work, you can begin steam and thermal insulation.

How to build a bathhouse with a basement?

Building a basement already under a finished bathhouse is quite problematic - it is much easier to plan it even before construction. But everything is possible with desire and patience, of course. Also examine the soil structure before designing such a bathhouse. Indeed, in some areas it will not be possible to build basements at all - dangerous subsoil gases will seep into them. Just order such a geological service from any construction company. After all, even monolithic walls, according to experts, do not have 100% protection from this phenomenon.

Therefore, before designing the bathhouse itself, determine the exact location of its groundwater. Experienced builders do not recommend making the basement floor directly above the water - the minimum distance should be at least 50 cm.

The most economical option for building a basement is to use blocks: quickly and efficiently. Just start laying from the corners, and do not forget about waterproofing - the blocks are afraid of dampness. But the hole needs to be dug to the depth of the walls - the sand cushion should be on the same level with them.

But to arrange a spacious rest room or bathroom under the bathhouse, consider the option of pouring a monolithic foundation, when it smoothly transitions into the base.

Here's how to do it:

• Step 1. Mark the future foundation and dig a trench along it with a depth of two meters (depending on your groundwater level - the groundwater level under the future bathhouse).
• Step 2. Install the formwork in the trench, fill it with reinforcement cage, as well as the floor of the future trench. Add any modern waterproofing component to concrete. In the formwork itself, leave holes for future utilities.
• Step 3. Select soil inside the perimeter, make a dense sand and gravel backfill and install a reinforcement cage.
• Step 4. Fill the new frame with concrete and cover it with a waterproofing layer.
• Step 5. When the basement floor is ready, lay reinforced concrete slabs on the monolithic walls.

Remember that building a basement, even in the driest area, still requires waterproofing. After all, accidental pipe breaks or prolonged rains cannot be predicted, and if you place furniture there, it will be hopelessly damaged before the weekend. There should be no dampness in such a basement at all - after all, it will also create an unpleasant odor that is difficult to remove.

Wall masonry

The next day you can start laying. A solution of 1:3 or 1:4 is prepared. The sand should be sifted. For better adhesion, wet each brick in water before laying. To do this, you need to place a bucket of water nearby. Carefully lay the first row, be sure to poke. All the walls are brick thick. Next, in order not to damage the film, pour 5 cm of sand onto the bottom of the cellar. After three rows, supply ventilation should be provided. A corrugated pipe for cables with a diameter of 160 mm is suitable. In the future, condensation will flow down it, so it is better to move it a little inside the cellar, and in the future place a jar under it. The top of the pipe is subsequently insulated and laid in the top row of the plinth so that the inflow is outside the building.

Waterproofing and ventilation of a bathhouse basement

Thus, it is basements that are most susceptible to the negative effects of moisture - here it can penetrate from any direction. Therefore, even walls need waterproofing, for which a whole range of measures is carried out and for which it is necessary to allocate a lot of money and time during the construction process. But, naturally, if you are making the basement under the bathhouse residential, then first of all you need to make it dry.

So, if your bathhouse already has a basement, determine where exactly the moisture comes from:

• Through cracks in the floor and walls.
• On the surface of the walls in the form of condensation.
• From the upper room (for example, above the basement there is a washing room for a bath or steam room).

If the floors in the basement are literally flooded, it means that the groundwater under the bathhouse is too close. Test your fear: dig a small hole and watch it for 24 hours. If it receives abundant water, it is groundwater. They can be kept away from the bathhouse basement using a drainage well with a pump - effective, although costly. The disadvantage of such a system is that soil will also get into the water, which, although not harmful to modern filters, is gradually washed out from under the building itself.

Here's how to set up a drainage system around the basement: dig a small trench around the entire perimeter and lay a pipe wrapped in geotextile in it. This material allows water to pass through, but does not allow clogging dirt or fragments of branches.

And the condensation on the basement walls can be so strong that it forms puddles on the floor, which are safely perceived as moisture leaking from under the floor. But this is a common occurrence in the spring, when too damp air enters through the upper ventilation windows. And, if the basement floor turns out to be cold, streams immediately form on it. That is why high-quality insulation is needed in order to separate warm air from cold walls - this way condensation will never occur, and you don’t have to worry about dampness or mold.

If moisture in the basement appears due to condensation on the walls and floors, it means the ventilation is not organized correctly. To completely waterproof the basement floor from dampness, follow these instructions:

• Step 1. Remove the soil in the basement to a depth of 30 cm, and fill the bottom with a sand cushion up to 15 cm high. Compact the sand well, level it and check that there are no differences in height.
• Step 2. Pour concrete onto the compacted sand in a layer of 10 cm. Level it thoroughly.
• Step 3. Once the concrete is dry, apply hot bitumen to the surface in three layers. Each previous layer must dry well before applying the next one. Bitumen should also go onto the walls.

And then it is important to protect the basement from external dampness:

Of course, the sooner you start waterproofing problem areas, the better, because dampness can destroy walls. So, if these are cracks, then find every single one, fill them, fix the fiberglass reinforcement mesh and fill the entire floor with a layer of concrete. Hide the most problematic areas under hot bitumen - this will be a good barrier. And for problem walls, use coating waterproofing.

In addition to bitumen, today more expensive special compounds are also used, which are quickly absorbed into the surface being treated and immediately crystallize, thereby creating an excellent barrier to moisture. And the most popular today is the method of injection with a water-repellent liquid that saturates the entire thickness of the walls.

You can finally dry the basement after all the work using slaked lime: just leave the filled bucket overnight and pick it up in the morning.

You will be surprised, but it is easier to store vegetables in the cellar than to store furniture in the basement. The fact is that in the cellar there are always some open areas with soil, and the microclimate somehow self-regulates. But the basement is a closed system, and without normal ventilation it disappears. But the norms of SNiP 31-02-2001 are responsible for this. They say that in addition to ventilation exhaust ducts, the underground section must also have a window, at least the size of a small window. The influx of fresh air can be provided by ventilation ducts: for every 10 square meters their area should be at least 0.5 square meters, and they should be in each of the corners.

There should be two pipes in the ventilation system: exhaust and supply. The first one goes from the ceiling to the roof, and the supply one is on the opposite wall and goes from the floor. The first will remove air and cigarette smoke through the roof to the street, and the second will deliver fresh oxygen. Also, a constant optimal temperature is important for a residential basement. To control it, place a thermometer.

Wall masonry

Once again, you should mark the walls (you can simply lay out the brick). Dig a trench 30 cm deep and 30 cm wide around the perimeter. Prepare a concrete mixture in the proportions of cement, sand, crushed stone - 1: 2.5: 4. Fill the trench with concrete to the base, lay the reinforcement, drowning it halfway into the concrete. Any corrugated fittings will do.

After three rows, supply ventilation should be provided. A corrugated pipe for cables with a diameter of 160 mm is suitable. In the future, condensation will flow down it, so it is better to move it a little inside the cellar, and in the future place a jar under it. The top of the pipe is subsequently insulated and laid in the top row of the plinth so that the inflow is outside the building.

Finishing: breaking perspective and raising the ceiling

As a fairly budget option, compacted clay for walls and floors may be suitable if you can lay it out. Basement walls are most often finished with ceramic tiles, multi-layer plywood or stone. But ideally, for cladding the basement walls, use moisture-resistant plasterboard, which can be mounted on a metal frame. And then - what do you like best: stone or ceramic tiles, plastic panels, special moisture-resistant paints with a rich range or mineral plasters.

If serious mistakes were made in the construction of the basement, you will notice them immediately - damp spots will appear on the plaster. There is one more point: the basement is always the coldest place in the bathhouse. Therefore, its thermal insulation is as important as waterproofing.

Vertical lines on the walls and furniture, which also look stylish, will help to visually raise the ceiling that is usually low in the basement. Also purchase glossy or mirrored stretch ceilings, which also optically expand the volume of the room. Reference: the standard basement height is 1.92-2 meters.

It is convenient to zone the basement with the help of screens and a regular bar counter, but give up podiums and steps - these are traditional attributes of the attic, which has much more under-ceiling space.

The staircase to the basement of the bathhouse itself can also be a wonderful attribute of the interior - today there are so many options available! The main thing is to purchase or build one that does not slip (under bare feet after a steam room), is not steep and has comfortable handrails.

Because There is no natural light in the basement, so in the interior they give preference to light tones of decoration. Even if they don’t harmonize well with the bathhouse style. But it is better not to use green color at all, except in the form of upholstery on a billiard table.

Modern lighting design will also help get rid of the feeling of being in a cave and being enclosed - you can work wonders with it!

Sauna assembly

First of all, you need to determine the location where the sauna will be placed. When choosing the location of a future sauna in the basement of a private house, you must be guided by the following criteria:

• The height of the basement ceiling is sufficient to accommodate a sauna;
• One or two sides of the future sauna are adjacent to the wall;
• There are convenient accesses to ensure ventilation of the room;
• There are connections for electricity, sewerage, water supply;
• Basement construction materials are fire resistant.

Two options are recommended as building materials for building a sauna in the basement - sandwich panels and a frame sauna made of bars.

Sandwich panels

The frame for building a sauna in the basement of a private house from sandwich panels is shown in the figure below.

Figure 2. Sauna in the basement of a private house: diagram of a frame made of sandwich panels

We intentionally did not indicate the dimensions in the figure; only the structure of the sauna in the basement is shown. The sauna project is individual for each home. Its dimensions, options for placing the steam room, other rooms, and the amount of material must be determined independently. Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram that can be used during construction. The connection diagram of the sandwich panel frame boards is shown in sufficient detail and clearly. The places where the sauna stove is attached are shown in green. Blue color – supply air vent. Brown crossbars are where shelves are attached. Pink color is the exhaust vent. On the back wall there are layers of insulation and interior decorative panels. On the ceiling, to avoid increased heat loss, a layer of insulation is laid twice as thick as the wall panels.

Frame made of bars

This option is the simplest. The main thing is to make the frame correctly, calculate the dimensions between the vertical bars, and adjust the corners of the future room. Cover the outside of the sauna walls at your discretion: with clapboard, plywood, or other material. Next, lay a layer of mineral insulation. For vapor and waterproofing, use foil material. Use rolled material - it is better and has fewer joints.

Figure 3. Sauna in the basement of a private house: steam and waterproofing of the sauna

We carefully connect the joints with foil tape. The next required element is slats (longitudinal or transverse) to prevent the inner lining from adjoining the vapor-waterproofing material. It is advisable to use lining made of non-coniferous wood as internal cladding. We insulate the ceiling in the same way, only lay out the insulation in two layers.

Making the floor in the sauna

The floor of a sauna in the basement of a private house can be varied, depending on desire. The easiest way to make a floor is from ceramic tiles, and in order to stand on it pleasantly without getting burned, a grated flooring is made.

Installing the stove

The sauna stove is the main element of the system. Not only the proper operation of the sauna, but also the fire safety of the building as a whole depends on the quality of the stove.

Figure 4. Sauna in the basement of a private house: electric sauna stove

It is advisable to install an electric sauna stove in the basement. Power, control system, floor or wall placement must be selected individually.

For small saunas, we recommend using wall-mounted stove options. Place the stones in it evenly and not tightly so that the heat from the stove rises freely and prevents water from getting directly onto the walls of the stove.

Thanks to the unique design, the walls of the sauna stove do not become hot. Therefore, it is better to fence the furnace if this is allowed by its design.

Condensation problem

So much condensation can form on the basement walls that it causes puddles on the floor. These puddles are often mistaken for groundwater infiltration from the foundation. Condensation on walls can form for various reasons, so effective insulation is also required to ensure that warm air masses are constantly removed from cooled walls. In this case, condensation will not form, so you won’t have to worry about mold colonies and high humidity. Often condensation occurs due to a poorly organized ventilation system in the room.

Condensation forms on surfaces when moist air cools.

The ventilation system in rooms of this type must be forced, because traditional supply and exhaust ventilation often cannot cope with such volumes of air. It is also recommended to install air conditioners or split systems. Equipment of this level will help combat condensation, high humidity, and stagnant air. But, of course, not everyone will decide to install an air conditioning system in their basement or cellar.

In addition, it is necessary to make vents in the basement walls that rise above the ground (if any), with the help of which it will be easier to ventilate the room if necessary. As a rule, basements under bathhouses are small, so a few vents are enough for relatively high-quality ventilation.

A basement or cellar under a bathhouse can be used for different purposes. If your bathhouse is large, then it is quite suitable for arranging a relaxation room or one of the main rooms of a traditional bathhouse. In a small cellar it will be convenient to store not only food, but also low-alcohol drinks for quick access to them.

Building a cellar under the veranda with your own hands

To build a cellar, you do not need special knowledge or professional education. Even a beginner can cope if he chooses the right approach to work. Let's take a closer look at all the stages of building a cellar with your own hands.

First of all, it is necessary to carry out engineering and geodetic surveys. To do this, calculate the depth of the lowest point in the cellar. Then dig a hole near the house of the same depth and observe it for two days.

If the ground gets wet or water appears at depth, this indicates a high level of groundwater. It is possible that you will have to move the cellar to higher ground.

Remember that building a cellar involves risks. They are small, but they still exist, so it is better to enlist the help of professional soil researchers.

Examples include voids and gas pockets. In the worst case, you may find a karst failure, which threatens to deform the walls of the house and even completely destroy it. Don't waste a small amount of money on soil research! The cost of saving may be too high

Next you need to dig a pit. Install anti-talk structures inside to prevent the house from collapsing. Ideally, it is better to first build a cellar, and then a veranda above it. If you have enough time to dismantle and subsequently install the veranda, do not regret it. It will be much more convenient for you to work, and your safety will increase.

A strip foundation is a trench arrangement of a seamless reinforced concrete slab of complex shape. It will require significantly less resources than a monolithic one, but the reliability will also be slightly lower. Let's consider the algorithm for its creation.

1. Dig a trench about 25 cm deep and about 35 cm wide along the direction of placing the foundation.
2. Organize a sand and crushed stone cushion. It performs the function of waterproofing. It also serves to evenly distribute the load over the entire foundation. The layer of sand should be about 6 cm, crushed stone - 8 cm.
3. It is necessary to install reinforcing elements. They should be located approximately in the middle of the future foundation. Remember that the steel should not touch the ground and the sand and crushed stone cushion, otherwise this will inevitably lead to corrosion of the metal.
4. Install timber formwork. It is possible to install the foundation without formwork if the soil is hard enough.
5. Now pour in the liquid mixture. It is not recommended to take breaks during work to achieve maximum uniformity. Lay the foundation layer by layer until you reach the desired height.
6. Now wait 4 weeks, during which time the mixture hardens. Assess the structure, there should be no cracks. The foundation is ready to use!

A monolithic foundation is built a little differently.

1. Sand is poured onto the bottom of the pit. The layer thickness is approximately 6 cm. Ordinary river sand will do.
2. Next, a layer of crushed stone is poured (up to 10 cm). The function of the pillow is the same as in the previous case.
3. The next stage is the installation of wooden formwork. Remember that it should rise above the proposed foundation by at least a few centimeters.
4. Install the fittings. The rods should be arranged in two layers crosswise. The lower one does not reach the sand-crushed stone cushion by 7 cm. The upper one is located at the same distance from the top of the foundation.
5. Next, the liquid mixture is poured according to the same rules, wait 4 weeks.

When building a foundation, voids often form inside. To avoid them, and to ensure the strongest foundation possible, we recommend that you use a vibrator.

The walls are erected using standard cement mortar. After the second row of masonry, it is recommended to create a hole for ventilation.

Laying is carried out to the very top of the pit.

Floors are made of wood, concrete slabs or simple roofing felt. Calculate yourself what will be most convenient for you.

Security measures

In order for a basement sauna to have the right conditions, it is necessary to maintain the appropriate relationship between temperature and humidity. This relationship describes the "right to the sum of 110". According to this formula, the sum of the temperature (in degrees C) and humidity (in percent) in the steam room should be 110 (for example, 70 degrees C and 40%).

Otherwise, placing a bathhouse in the basement is a complete plus. You can start heating a sauna without leaving your home. Residents can take a steam bath and go out to drink kvass right in the kitchen. You will save on building a free-standing bathhouse - after all, you no longer need a log house, say, somewhere on the outskirts of a summer cottage.

Where to get a project for construction

Of course, before you start building a garage, especially if you are also planning a utility block, you need to have a project with you. This greatly simplifies the construction process, and also makes it possible to easily and quickly calculate the amount of building materials that will be needed for construction.

And here the question arises: where to get projects for garages with a utility block? There may be several possible solutions.

The easiest, fastest and cheapest way is to create a project yourself.

In this case, you do not have to contact specialists, wait for them to start working on your project, and also pay a lot of money for their services. The garage and utility block are built according to fairly simple drawings.

Project and drawing of a garage with utility room and canopy

The main thing is to clearly check the optimal dimensions and thickness of the walls. On the one hand, the room should be spacious enough to make it comfortable to stay and work. On the other hand, it should not take up too much space on the land plot. The effectiveness of thermal insulation depends on the thickness of the walls. That is, how quickly the room will freeze in winter.

If nothing comes to mind, you can look at the numerous photos of garages that are available here. Surely the options you see there will suit you or inspire you to create a project that suits you.

If you can afford to spend extra money on construction, you can turn to specialists. Yes, you will have to wait for some time and pay a considerable amount for their services. But the resulting project will be calculated down to the smallest detail.

The presence, location and size of windows, the thickness of the walls, the optimal area of ​​the premises - all this will be calculated with really high quality. This means that you will not have any problems during the operation of the garage.

An example of an original garage layout with a workshop and a gazebo

Of course, before you start designing, seriously think about what kind of premises you need and how they should be located. For example, many people like a utility block with a bathhouse and a garage, where all the buildings are under one roof. On the one hand, it is convenient and saves space.

On the other hand, a bathhouse is always a source of increased danger, because in most cases it is heated using classic stoves. Therefore, think seriously: do you want to locate the garage in close proximity to the bathhouse? Or would it be better to place them at some distance from each other?

What is better to build from?

The modern building materials market provides quite a large selection for the construction of garages and other outbuildings. The most popular are brick, wood, concrete and frame structures. Give each of these options serious consideration before you finally commit to one.

This video shows a very convenient garage functionality that you can make yourself

To make the choice easier, each option should be described in detail.

1. Brick. Very comfortable, high quality and durable material. Buildings made of brick have a beautiful appearance. However, there are also a number of disadvantages. One of them is high cost. Yes, bricks are quite expensive. In addition, you will have to pay a fairly large amount to the masons who will do all the work. By the way, building walls also takes quite a lot of time.
2. Tree. A great option, especially if your house is also built of wood - the garage will look great next door. Environmentally friendly, attractive and, importantly, costs much less than brick. Low weight allows in many cases to do without a foundation.

   
   Excellent thermal insulation ensures that heating the garage in winter will be very simple: just turn on a medium-power heater for a few hours. But do not forget that wood is a flammable material. And garages often store reserves of oil, diesel fuel or gasoline. A simple oily rag can cause a fire. And a garage built from well-dried wood will be occupied in a matter of minutes.

3. Concrete. Quite a good solution - very inexpensive, accessible and simple. It is durable and easy to construct. Of course, due to its heavy weight, like a brick, it needs a foundation that distributes the load from the massive structure. Not flammable at all. Allows you to build a structure of any shape and complexity. Alas, he is not very attractive in appearance. Even with complex finishing, it remains a rather rough concrete box, spoiling the appearance of the entire area. Because of this, many people are forced to abandon it, choosing other, more suitable options.

4. Frame construction. This option is suitable for people who want to get a really elegant structure on their site in a short time. Professionals will work on its construction, and you only need to tell us what the future garage should look like. And specialists will be able to build a garage with a canopy and a utility room of any size and shape to please you. Most of the work is done in the company’s workshops, and only the assembly of finished parts is carried out at your site. Therefore, construction takes a few days at most. The low weight of the structure makes it possible to do without a foundation (if there is high-quality waterproofing of the walls). However, even with insulation, a frame garage will cool down quite quickly in winter and heat up in the sun in summer. In addition, it is not uncommon for strong winds, which occur in many regions of our country, to damage frame structures. Therefore, it is worth considering: is this option suitable for you, or is it better to give preference to more suitable materials.

Electric heating or wood?

It is not easy to answer the question: what type of stove to choose for a home bath in the basement. First of all, because it is very difficult to define specific criteria that would allow such an unambiguous assessment. Even if we take into account energy efficiency, cost or ease of use, this comparison can only be made on individual models representing a given type of heating.

What to consider when choosing stove types

Varieties	Peculiarities
Single-component electric furnaces.	Dry sauna stoves, in which we pour water (usually with the addition of essential oils) onto heated stones to obtain higher humidity.
Electric dual-function ovens.	This is a stove with an evaporator (for example, from the Bi-O series), which will fill the bath with dry, humid air or steam.

What to choose? The answer usually lies in the preferences of the person planning their own home bath in the basement. In technical questions regarding the possibility of using specific stove models in rooms intended for bathhouse needs, it is worth consulting with production and assembly specialists.

Ladder

The simplest, but very inconvenient option is an extension ladder welded from pipes or knocked down from wood. It is advisable to include in the project a stationary staircase made of iron, concrete or metal; it is both more convenient and safer to use:

• the minimum width is 30-40 cm, but about 50-60 cm is better, it will be convenient to climb

A beautiful cellar will delight your guests for a long time

• if you plan to lower heavy, large-sized loads into the cellar that need to be carried by two people, then the width of the stairs should be at least 80 cm

• the maximum permissible slope is 75 degrees, but such a staircase will be within the capabilities of the young and energetic. To make the stairs comfortable, but not take up much space, the optimal slope is 45 degrees - it’s quite easy to climb (the flight is not very long) even with a load in your hands
• step height – 15 – 20 cm, width – 25-30 cm

You can purchase a ready-made cellar in the form of a capsule, which you simply have to hide in the ground

Brick consumption

For a cellar with internal dimensions of 2 by 1.5 m, a height of 2 m and a thickness of 25 cm, 800 bricks are needed. But you should also take into account the vestibule from the ground to the floor. It is also better to lay the floor in the cellar with bricks, filling the cracks with sand, so it is better to have 1000 bricks. The brick is better red, solid. You cannot use silicate.

If the height of the cellar is 2 m, and the number of rows is 25, build the walls up to 23 rows. Leave along the long sides (at the rate of 2 m by 1.5 m) six cavities 16 cm (2 rows of masonry) by 12 cm (half a brick) in the corners and in the center. Add last 2 rows. Last row with a poke. Next, on the outer sides, put three more rows of half a brick. They will serve as external formwork for the concrete floor. The inside of the masonry will serve as a support for the ceiling.

Installation of partitions

The easiest way to fence off a steam room and a dressing room is to make frame partitions from timber, insulate them and cover them with linden clapboard. To protect the wood from rotting, the lower part is slightly raised above the floor level. There are several options. You can lay a row of bricks and tile. You can mount the frame on an aluminum pipe or profile laid and fixed to the floor. If you use the bathhouse carefully and do not pour water on the floor, you can place the frame on the floor. But the insulation must be raised above the floor level! Near the stove you will have to build a small brick wall and cover it with metal.

Beautiful examples

• An excellent bathhouse made of natural wood, which is made in a minimalist style.

• A luxurious bathhouse in a large basement, which includes a relaxation area.

• Bathhouse with a separate shower room and shower stall. The lighting inside creates a unique microclimate and allows you to relax.

• Sources used in the article:
  https://stroy-banya.com/karkas/banya-pod-domom-v-podvale.html
• https://stroyday.ru/stroitelstvo-doma/pridomovye-postrojki/sauna-svoimi-rukami-v-podvale.html
• https://stroypomochnik.ru/banya-v-podvale-01/
• https://o-vannoy.ru/banya/vse-o-saunah-v-podvale/
• https://PlanVsem.ru/banya/banya-v-cokolnom-etazhe.htm
• https://poparimsya.online/stroitelstvo/banya-dom/podvale-sauna.html
• https://bouw.ru/article/banya-v-podvale-chastnogo-doma

Preparation period

To implement the desire to have a bathhouse with a basement with a specific use for the latter, it is necessary to develop a design solution, which is carried out by appropriately qualified specialists - design engineers. It is better to carry out the construction of a basement in conjunction with the construction of a bathhouse.

Installing a basement in an existing bathhouse is undesirable for several reasons:

• excavation of the soil indoors can only be done manually, and this will involve destruction of the flooring;
• soil development leads to a weakening of the load-bearing capacity of the foundation of the bathhouse, and the possibility of collapse of the entire building.

When designing a bathhouse with a basement, geologists study the level of groundwater and the depth of soil freezing. Design engineers, based on data from geologists, develop recommendations for the correct construction of foundations, implementation

, interior decoration.

Practice has proven that a high-quality and technically competent construction project saves up to 40% of work time and 30% of invested funds.

Digging a pit

The construction of a cellar at the dacha with your own hands begins with marking the foundation pit, while adding from 0.5 to 1 m to the planned dimensions - this will make it easier to waterproof the cellar. First, the top fertile layer of soil is removed - it can later be used to create flower beds, terraces, alpine slides, etc. After this, the pit itself is dug (Fig. 6).

Before building a cellar, you need to choose the right place

A cellar is practically the same refrigerator, but with slightly different dimensions, and without the constant costs of repairs and electricity

Rice. 6. Digging a pit

To make sure that water is not seeping through the walls somewhere, the pit is allowed to stand for some time. Places where water appears are sealed with so-called “clay tampons” - they dig out a ditch (up to 50 cm deep) and trample it with crumpled fat clay, compacting it tightly.

Sewage disposal system

Removing dirty water at the end of bath procedures is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. The reason is obvious - the basement itself is located below the level of the sewer pipes and drains of the house.

Therefore, all wastewater in the basement is collected in a sealed tank or cistern connected to the sewer riser of the house at the level of the first floor. An air compressor is connected to the container with waste water; after turning it on, excess air pressure forces the collected liquids into the general sewer system of the house.

Sometimes bathhouse owners take a more expensive and reliable route; instead of a compressor, a submersible fecal pump is installed in a collection tank in the basement subfloor, capable of pumping the contents directly into a septic tank or cesspool.