We propose to build the simplest and cheapest, but quite convenient small sauna, the dimensions of which allow it to be placed anywhere on the site, and accessible technology and the low price makes it possible for everyone to have such a bathhouse if they wish. The dimensions of the building are only 3x3 meters, the height is 2 meters, the bathhouse has a combined steam room and washing room with a stove and a relaxation room. All construction works should be produced taking into account the requirements.
For a small bathhouse, we choose cheap but quite satisfactory quality materials. What do you need to prepare?
Table of building materials
| Materials | Quantity | Illustration |
|---|---|---|
| Cement M400 | 150 kg | |
| Sawn timber 150×150 mm | 3.5 m3 | |
| 0.3 m3 | ||
| 25 m/p. | ||
| 0.5 m3 | ||
| 0.3 m3 | ||
| 500 pcs. | ||
| 10 m2 | ||
| 30 pcs. |
Nails and screws of various sizes, metal corners for rafter systems, construction fittings, windows and doors. You can make windows and doors yourself (cheap, but time-consuming, and quite difficult) or buy ready-made ones (quick and will cost less in the end). Insulation will be required electrical cables and fittings.
We specially provided all materials in reserve. Firstly, during any construction it is impossible to do without unproductive waste. Secondly, lumber and hardware are always useful on the farm. If you have the opportunity and desire, you can make a water supply and drainage. There is no desire or opportunity - the bathhouse will “function” anyway, only the water will have to be carried into a boiler installed in the stove (for hot) and into a barrel (for cold) in buckets. We choose the simplest option - engineering plumbing systems Let's not do it.
Stages of bathhouse construction
To make the technology easier to understand, we will divide the entire process of building a log house into several stages:
- foundation;
- log house;
- roof;
- floors;
- window and door openings;
- electrical wiring;
- cladding of external and internal walls.
Foundation
We choose columnar concrete.
| Step, No. | Description |
|---|---|
| We make markings on the ground. In plan, the dimensions of the bathhouse are 3x3 meters, the distance between the columns is 1.5 meters. The partition between the rooms is not load-bearing; there is no need to build a foundation underneath it. Drive pegs around the perimeter and stretch ropes between them. Along the ropes, mark the position of the intermediate posts. | |
| Step 2. | Dig holes 50–60 cm deep, approximately 40 cm wide, and at the bottom make a sand cushion 15–20 cm thick. |
| Step 3. | If the soil is clayey, there is no need to make formwork; pour concrete directly into the holes. Give the concrete time to set approximately two weeks. |
| Step 4. | Mark the location of the stove; according to our project, it will be located between the combined steam room with a washing room and the rest room - this location will allow you to heat two rooms at once. You need to make a deeper foundation for the stove, preferably to the depth of soil freezing. But if the stove is not very complex and massive, then a depth of 1 m is enough; make a sand cushion 25-30 cm thick. If you are still afraid that the foundation may “undermine” in winter, place holes around the perimeter foam boards 2÷3 cm thick. They will absorb the forces of swelling, the foundation at any climatic conditions will remain motionless. How to lay the stove - large and interesting topic, a separate article is needed to consider it. |
| Step 4. | We recommend not pouring them, but walling them with concrete blocks measuring 20x30x60 mm. First, level the concrete a little at the base, use a hydraulic level and cement-sand mortar for this. Next, place the outermost column using cement-sand mortar align in height and place intermediate posts. At the same time, use blocks to “pull up” the foundation under the stove; it should be higher than the columns by the height of the beams, floor beams and floorboards. |
Columnar foundation (with the first crown)
Strapping and frame
There are many various options connections of beams (see photo), we will use the simplest ones: at the corners in the paw, and the end connections in half a tree without a trace.
Step 1. Once again we check the distance between the columns, if there are problems, we trim it a little.
Step 2. It is highly advisable to treat the first crown (or better yet, two) with antiseptic agents. We lay them on two or three layers of roofing felt. We mark on the first crown the position of the window and doorways. We lay the first row, be sure to fasten it with dowels in the corners, it is advisable to put intermediate dowels as well.
In the photo - waterproofed columns and the first crown laid
Prices for roofing material
roofing felt
Step 3. Lay the beams lower ceiling, the distance between them is 1.2÷1.5 meters, the connection is half a tree without any residue. Pay very close attention to this stage; correcting the mistakes made will be very difficult, and often impossible. You'll have to take it apart and do it all over again. The corners do not need to be filed; for a small bathhouse this is not necessary; just place the ends of the timber in these places in a checkerboard pattern.
Step 4. For inter-crown insulation, you can use modern tape insulation or traditional tow. It is, of course, easier and faster to work with tape. Each crown must be checked according to its spatial position.
Step 5. Through the row we install wooden or metal dowels, the distance between them is about a meter. In the corners of window and door openings, dowels should be placed at a distance of no more than 20 cm from the edge.
Nagel – photo 
It is very important - drill the hole for the dowel strictly vertically, the dowel should fit into it with a gap. Otherwise, during natural shrinkage and shrinkage, the rows of the bath may sag. The dowel should hold 1÷2 rows of the log house.
Step 6. Install ceiling beams. They need to be placed without reaching two rows to the end of the log house. The approximate height of the bath is two meters, but if you get a little more or a little less, there’s nothing to worry about, it’s not critical. Ceiling beams are sawn down into half a tree without leaving any residue; for our small bathhouse it is enough to install two ceiling beams.
Step 7 Lay down the top two rows of timber.
It is important that they must be fixed very firmly with dowels; the dowels must fit into the holes with force. This is done in order to rafter system I didn’t “move apart” the crowns - the last row will serve as a mauerlat.
Step 8. Lay a temporary ceiling, use any boards for this, grab them only in a few places, and remove them after completing work on the roof.
Video – Bathhouse made of timber
Video - Beam connections
The main task when constructing any building made of timber is to get it under the roof as quickly as possible; all subsequent work can be done slowly. We will go this way too.
Roof
There are two options: gable or single slope. For a bathhouse measuring 3x3, you can use the simplest option - a lean-to slope.
If you choose this option, then you need to do the ceiling right away. For a bathhouse, it must be insulated; you can choose mineral wool (much more expensive and more complex) or polystyrene foam (cheaper and faster). Let's dwell on simple version– foam insulation. It is not afraid of moisture, and there is no need to use various steam and water barriers.
Prices for foam insulation
PSB foam insulation
Insulation needs to be installed in several stages:
- nail to ceiling beams edged boards at the bottom, 20 mm thick enough;
- lay foam boards on them. Place them as tightly as possible, avoid gaps. Polystyrene foam can be cut perfectly with a special carpenter's knife under a ruler. During the marking period, provide dimensions 1÷1.5 cm larger - the foam will shrink during installation, the insulation will become airtight;
- Lay any boards on top of the beams, these can be various sections, slabs, etc. The main requirement for them is to withstand the weight of people during the installation of the roof. After finishing roofing works No one will walk on the roof anymore.
If the roof is gable, then make a temporary ceiling, and insulation can be done later. Is everything ready? Great, let's build a roof.
| №№ | Illustration | Description and explanations |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1. | Check vertical position and dimensions upper crown. The dimensions are normal - excellent, there are significant horizontal deviations - no problem, we will level the horizontality with rafters. | |
| Step 2. | Determine the angle of inclination of the slope. We recommend an inclination angle of approximately 20°. More important point– in which direction will it flow? rainwater, take into account the features of the site and location entrance doors and features of existing buildings. | |
| Step 3. | Place a stop for the rafters at the calculated height. It's easy to do - install vertical supports from beams of a given height, place on them horizontal beam. The distance between the supports is approximately 1.5 meters. The structure can be assembled without cuts; it is enough to use metal corners and self-tapping screws. In order for the stop to withstand angular forces, secure it with corner boards to the floor beams. | |
| Step 4. | Measure the length of the rafters taking into account the overhang. For our case, 3.2 meters is enough. For rafters, use 50x100 mm boards; for a 3x3 meter bathhouse, 6 pieces are enough. | |
| Step 5. | Install the outer rafters, stretch a rope between them and lay all the rest along it. To secure it to the beams, it’s safer to make notches; if you don’t have the desire or skill, use metal corners. | |
| Step 6. | As roofing covering we chose ondulin - one of the cheapest and quite quality materials. You should not use various advertised hydrobarriers. Firstly, if you put it right roofing material- there will be no leaks. Secondly, if they exist, then no barriers will help: they will sag under the weight of the water and tear over time. | |
| Step 7 | Lathing. Ondulin is in many ways similar to ordinary asbestos slate, the difference is that it has less physical characteristics in terms of the perception of vertical forces. This means that the sheathing should be laid more often; each sheet of ondulin should rest on four slats. The distance between the slats is 35÷40 cm. You can use narrow slats instead unedged boards, they are almost the same in cost, but when nailing ondulin, there is less chance that the nail will “go nowhere.” | |
| Step 8 | Carefully align the first row, do not rush the sheets to arrive immediately; for beginners, it is advisable to lay out the entire row and check its position, and only then pick up a hammer and nails. Ondulin can be fastened with ordinary slate nails; fixation is carried out in the upper wave. The lower the slope angle, the greater the overlap of sheets should be. In our case, the sheets should overlap by about ten centimeters. Be careful not to overdo it with driving force, so as not to damage the wave. If you wish, install a drainage system. | |
| Step 9 | Fill up the spaces between the rafters and the wall of the bathhouse on the side of the elevation of the slope with boards, install wind boards. |
That's it, urgent work is done, the log house can be left for the winter. During this time, the bathhouse will shrink and the relative humidity will stabilize to natural values. If you want to wash faster in your own bathhouse, continue construction work.
For a small bathhouse, it is not necessary to install logs. The distance between the floor beams is within one meter, take boards of size thirty, they will not sag.
Important note: do not press the floorboards with great force; they may swell when wet.
It is highly advisable to make a small clone of the floor towards the steam room rack for water drainage. You can install a grate in this place, or you can leave it like that - the water will still find the cracks and leave. There are no special water drains required. Firstly, columnar foundations will allow water to be absorbed into the ground without problems. Secondly, small bathhouse means low water consumption. To tilt the floor, you should place wooden pads on the floor beams; make the floor tilt small, 2÷3° will suit you.
Video - How to make a floor with insulation in a bathhouse
Wiring
The main requirement is to strictly follow the provisions of the PUE (Rules for the installation of electrical equipment). Let's give some practical advice.
Video - Electrical installation of a bathhouse
Video - Lighting in the bathhouse
Making windows and doors yourself is difficult; you need not only experience, but also special equipment and machines. Much more convenient to buy finished goods, including metal-plastics. To install them, you need to perform several sequential operations.
Step 1. The existing openings should be aligned in size; during the laying of the log house, no one cut each beam. Mark on the wall the linear dimensions of the openings and gasoline or electric saw cut off the ends of the beams protruding beyond the dimensions.
Step 2. Make frames for windows and doors from 50x150 mm boards. There is no need to assemble them into a tenon; it is enough to drive ordinary nails into the ends. It is very important - leave a distance of 3-4 centimeters between the top beam and the frame for shrinkage of the log house. No more needed, the bathhouse has a low height.
Step 3. Insert the prepared boxes into the openings and secure them with nails or screws. Insulate the gap at the top of the box; you can use tow or polyurethane foam.
Video - Features of preparing openings in a timber house before installing windows/doors
Video - Casing, window openings in a wooden house
Windows and doors are inserted using the usual method. Now you can begin covering the internal and external walls.
Let's start with the internal ones. For the steam room and washing room, you should use only natural lining; for the relaxation room, you can use any other materials, from plywood or OSB to plastic lining. Let’s look at cladding technology using lining as an example; it’s easier to work with all other materials.
This is an important operation and requires great care. For the frame, use 20x50 mm slats, make preliminary markings. The wall must be level, all large bulges must be eliminated.
Step 1. Nail the outer slats at the corners to a level, stretch a rope between them and install the remaining slats along it, the distance between them is 40÷50 cm.
Step 2. Check the distance between the floor and ceiling at the corners of the bathhouse. If there is a difference, eliminate it using the first and last rows of lining. Leave small gaps (1÷2 cm) between the lining, floor and ceiling. The gaps will be covered with baseboards. Ceiling skirting boards(baguettes) nail to the lining, and not to the ceiling, otherwise, during fluctuations in the size of the walls, deformation of the cladding is possible.
Step 3. To fix the lining, use nails 1.5÷2 cm long; they need to be driven into the groove of the lining.
Fastening the lining with a clamp
For external cladding, you can use any materials; the stages of work are normal. If the sauna is small and cheap - choose inexpensive materials. Modern construction technologies allow them to be made beautiful and of good quality. Windows and doors are finished with platbands.
| Finishing direction | Illustration | Basic information |
|---|---|---|
| Vertical |
| Vertical fastening of panels has a big drawback - the boards heat up unevenly along their length, which negatively affects their service life. Vertical cladding is optimally suited for steam rooms operated primarily in conditions of high temperature and low air humidity, i.e. in sauna mode. To ensure more efficient air circulation in the space between the insulation and the lining, several holes are usually drilled in the sheathing. |
| When horizontal arrangement, temperature deformations of the lining material will be much less noticeable. Horizontally oriented finishing allows you to visually expand a small steam room. When the panels are fastened horizontally behind them, more efficient air circulation will be ensured - in this situation, the sheathing will be attached to a vertically oriented frame, as a result of which the gap will also be vertical. In addition, with this orientation of the frame it will be much more difficult for rodents to get into the space behind the skin. Horizontal lining is attached much faster and easier than vertical lining. Important! If you decide to orient the trim panels horizontally, make sure that the groove “looks” down. |
Video - Do-it-yourself sauna made of timber
Most people during construction give preference to natural materials, namely the tree. Beam has always been used in great demand among connoisseurs of baths, it is safe for health, practical to assemble and elegant. This article will help you understand the features of constructing a building from profiled timber with your own hands, and will also tell you about some options for constructing this structure.
How to choose the right timber
Before purchasing wood for construction, you need to know certain features that you should pay attention to before purchasing the material.
- You need to carefully inspect the tree. There should be no cracks on it; the timber can quickly deteriorate.
- There is no need to purchase material with dark spots. Stains often indicate the process of decay.
- You should refuse logs with traces of bark beetles or the presence of wormholes.
- The low cost of the material may indicate its low quality.
High-quality material will allow you to build a beautiful structure and do it in a short time. When building, everything must be done step by step, without rushing, so that the result meets all expectations. 
How to prepare timber yourself
Wood is a natural and expensive material; the price in Russia for timber measuring 150/150/6000 ranges from 7,000 to 9,000 rubles. You can prepare a log house yourself, mainly in winter.
After cutting, the tree should rest for some time, one month is enough. After which you need to carefully inspect the trunks and select high-quality ones, without black spots (rot), or traces of bark beetle. 
Then we start cleaning the beams. The first step is to remove the bark, but not all of it. Leave about 15 cm of bark on both sides, this is necessary to prevent cracking. The workpieces must be stacked on a hill so that the logs do not come into contact with the ground, at a distance of at least 5 cm from each other.
Before choosing a material, you need to pay attention to both deciduous trees and conifers. It is better to lay logs from deciduous trees on the lower rows when building a bathhouse, and coniferous ones above - they have better thermal insulation.
A detailed report on the construction of a log bathhouse with your own hands. It's simple.
How to draw up a project for a future bathhouse
The technology for building a bathhouse should begin with drawing up a project. The project will allow you to calculate down to the smallest detail the characteristic nuances of a given room.
Bathhouse project example 
An accurate plan allows you to save money; thanks to the documentation, the owner will be able to accurately calculate the amount of all materials that he may need for construction.
The title photo shows a small typical bathhouse made of timber with an area of 6*4 sq. meters (turnkey price - 520 thousand rubles, log house - 300 thousand rubles)
When drawing up a project, consider the main nuances:
- The number of people who will be in the steam room at the same time must be at least 4 m 2 per person;
- The location of the structure plays an important role; if there is a lake or river nearby, then it is better to design a bathhouse near a reservoir;
- What materials, in addition to the timber itself, will you use for construction. They should be harmless (natural) to the body: stones for the steam room, moss, hemp for caulking logs.
Construction of the foundation
The foundation must have good resistance to various weather conditions (frost, snow, rain) and be durable. You can build the foundation on your own, without the help of professional builders.
The first step is to decide on the foundation material, the choice of which takes into account:
- Level groundwater Location on;
- Type of soil;
- If possible, it is necessary to calculate as accurately as possible the load that will affect the foundation. This includes the weight of the building itself, equipment inside the structure, total weight people who may be in the steam room at the same time;
- It is important to determine the depth of soil freezing in winter time of the year.
When building a bathhouse, several types of foundations are often used:
- Tape base;
- Pillars;
- Pile foundation.
Tape base
This type of foundation is classic version, it is used to build bathhouses and other structures.
Strip foundations are:
- monolithic;
- prefabricated
The first one is a strip of monolith, it is located along the entire base of the perimeter of the future bathhouse with jumpers in the middle that serve as support for load-bearing walls building. The process of this foundation itself involves digging a trench and laying a deck. Before pouring concrete, metal reinforcement must be laid.
Made strip foundation can be erected if there is an access road near the future bathhouse. Mobiles weigh quite a lot; cranes are used for this. 
Foundation pillars
This foundation is often used in flooded areas in order to save money - since it does not require the use large quantity materials.
To build a foundation with pillars, it is necessary to dig at least 6 identical holes around the perimeter of the future structure. Afterwards, a concrete solution is poured, mainly with stone admixtures, thereby erecting pillars. The distance between supports must be at least 1.5 meters.
A columnar foundation distributes the weight of a structure evenly and can support a building with several floors. Foundation pillars prevent water from entering during flooding. 
Pile foundation
Piles are often used in areas with a sloping slope.
If there is no time and opportunity to correct the slope on the site, then they come to help screw piles. They can be installed easily by several men in just 3 days.
A screw pile is similar in appearance to a rod; it is hollow and made of durable metal. The top layer of the rod is coated with a special anti-corrosion agent so that when screwed in (when scratches form), corrosion does not occur. 
Laying the first crowns
After the foundation has been erected and completely dried, you can begin laying the first crowns; it’s not difficult, the main thing is to use a building level.
The first thing you need to do is check the first log for evenness; for this you need to use a level (not by eye, as many do). Perfect flat timber at the base is the key to the successful construction of the entire structure.
The first crown should be much thicker than all subsequent ones; all subsequent ones will be supported on it. Experienced builders claim that the first crown should have sections of 20/20 cm, and all the rest will be laid above it, with sections of 15/15 cm, no less.
The first crowns must be laid not on the foundation itself, but on pre-fixed wooden beams, 1.5 cm wide. This will prevent the occurrence of dampness and rotting and increase the service life of its use.
Before you fold the tree, you should know that you cannot do it tightly; over time, it will shrink and swell a little. No need to secure bottom beam— the pressure of all higher rows provides it with good fixation. If the bottom frame of the bathhouse needs to be replaced, then dismantling the entire structure is not required, but only the bottom row needs to be removed.
This video will tell you in more detail about the features of constructing the walls of a wooden bathhouse.
Walling
If the walls have not been pre-treated, then it is worth doing; for this, the wood is coated with a special protective agent, prevents fire and protects against harmful insects. When choosing logs, you should give preference to logs without knots, as this may require additional processing material.
Before assembling the walls, everyone should know that this can be done in two ways:
- With remainder;
- Without a trace.
Laying beams with a remainder involves protruding the ends of the logs beyond the horizontal surface. Without leaving any residue, the logs lie close together without protruding ends. Let's look at each one step by step.
A bathhouse without the remains of protruding logs requires less costs than with the remainder, the second requires logs more than half a meter long than in the masonry of the first method.
In construction practice, there are several ways to connect a log frame with the rest:
- Oblo;
- Okhlop;
- Ohryap.
First option involves cutting out a round bowl of the top log, after which the next transverse log is placed into it.
Second option similar to the first one, only the bowl is carved on the bottom of the log.
Third way has significant differences from the previous two. In this case, rectangular grooves are made on both sides for about a quarter of the length.
It is necessary to lay insulation on the first row; moss or tow is often used. After laying the second row, secure it; it can be done in two ways, using metal pins or wooden dowels.
Having laid all the crowns, you should know that the last few are not fixed, as they will eventually become stacked. Ceiling beams are laid on top. 
Caulking cracks
The construction of a bathhouse involves caulking the cracks. Experts say that this is not necessary, since wooden structures, especially the baths, swell, smoothing out the cracks. If you don’t caulk the walls, then if for a long time If you don’t use a steam room, the logs in it dry out and thereby shrink, so you still need to caulk the cracks.
The material for caulking cracks must have the following qualities:
- Good moisture absorption;
- Retain heat and allow air to pass through;
- It should not harbor mold or insects;
- The material must be able to withstand temperature fluctuations well;
- It must be environmentally friendly.
Very often, materials such as flax tow, swamp moss, tow, sphagnum or hemp hemp. All these materials absorb moisture well and protect the building from heat loss. 
Roof
The roof for the steam room can be single-pitched or gable. For a bathhouse made of 6x6 timber, they are often used gable roof, it is perfectly suited to the weather conditions of our country (you can place an attic or attic under it).
For a small steam room made of 6x3 timber you can use pitched roof, before installing it, you need to think about insulation in advance. Insulation can be done in two ways, namely using mineral wool or polystyrene foam. Mineral wool much more expensive and more difficult to install. Polystyrene foam is much cheaper and its installation will take much less time. 
Installation of doors and windows
Installation of doors and window frames can be done in parallel with the construction of walls or after. When building, do not forget that the bathhouse will settle over time, so installing windows in parallel with construction can be very risky.
When the building is ready, you can begin installing window frames. If the spaces previously left for windows turned out to be smaller than the frame itself, then they can be cut through with a chainsaw.
Windows for the steam room use plastic or wooden frames. As for the door, preference should be given to wood and when installing it should be remembered that even the treated surface of wood swells when there is high moisture, and shrinks when there is insufficient moisture.
There must be a small threshold under a wooden door, which will prevent heat loss. The handle on the door on the steam room side should be made of wood; metal can cause burns.
Construction of timber structures by professionals construction company. What is better to do yourself or hire professionals?
Natural shrinkage, interior work
The finishing of the timber bathhouse inside should be done as soon as the structure is settled. After laying the upper side beams, the structure should be covered with slate and left for at least six months without use, preferably in winter.
After six months, the covering is removed, then covered with a permanent roof, windows and doors are installed and interior work.
If you do not have experience in construction, then in this case preference should be given to small bathhouses, measuring 3.5/3.5 meters; it can accommodate a family of 3-4 people, and its equipment may consist of a dressing room, washing and of course a steam room.
If your private plot small, then in this case the bathhouse can be combined with utility room, very often a steam room is attached to a summer kitchen.
It is better to locate such a structure in the depths of the site, so that the neighbors do not interfere with your relaxation.
It is better for an inexperienced builder to give preference to a strip foundation, if the soil allows it.
The walls, both inside and outside, do not require special coating; in extreme cases, this can be done with varnish or an antiseptic
Many people believe that a bathhouse is an expensive pleasure, moreover, it is made of double timber, that is, a natural, expensive material. Not everyone thinks that you can make the blanks yourself on your own, and then build the steam room itself, thereby getting a full-fledged Russian bathhouse made from natural timber cheaply, which will delight you for many years.
Building a bathhouse from timber is easier and faster than from brick, rounded or chopped logs. In terms of quality characteristics, it is no worse, and when using glued or profiled material natural humidity even better. This article will become a guide for those who are just planning to build a bathhouse from timber with their own hands. Readers will get acquainted with the main stages of assembling a bathhouse, from the foundation to the roof, and will see photos and videos from specialists.
Any timber can be used to build a bathhouse. You need to rely on your wallet and the ability to carry out further finishing or not. It is also important what kind of timber the main house was built from; it is better if only one material is used in the ensemble. There are several factors to consider during installation:
- The type of wood from which the material is made.
- Grade of timber.
- Type of timber (glulam, profiled, edged).
- The degree of drying of the material (natural humidity or chamber drying).
It is easier to build a bathhouse with a square section, for example, 3x3 or 4x4. At the same time, it is important that standard length timber 4 and 6 m, the rest are considered non-standard and cost more. When building a small bathhouse near the house, a 3x3 m box is considered optimal.
You can assemble a traditional Russian or Turkish bathhouse from timber, Finnish sauna. The material is no worse than logs and has many advantages. Great option baths for home and garden, the main thing is to choose the right project and assemble the log house.
Log houses for bathhouses are sold ready-made “for assembly”; they are easier to purchase and assemble. We’ll tell you how to do it correctly below.
Wood - wood is different
To build a bathhouse, it is recommended to use linden or larch timber. Pine and spruce are cheaper, but due to more resin at high temperatures the walls will begin to “cry.” Of course, you can complete the interior decoration with linden lining, but this is an additional expense.
Linden timber is less resistant to impact environment and moisture, but in the steam room it does not heat up so quickly and is more pleasant when in tactile contact with the skin. You can cheat and buy part of the timber from pine or larch, and part from linden. The steam room is assembled from linden material, and the dressing room and washing area are made from larch. True, for such a design you need individual project. There is laminated veneer lumber, in which 1 or 2 upper lamellas are made of linden, and the inner ones are made of pine., Typical projects It's easier to assemble from this. Although baths made of larch or cedar are also not uncommon. The first option is cheaper.
A, B or C varieties, learning to choose for a bathhouse
The grade of the timber is also important. Of course, kiln-dried glued or planed wood can be purchased without fear. But if we're talking about about profiled or edged timber, you should be careful. This determines how strong and durable the bathhouse under construction will be. Grade A or Extra does not have cracks, wormholes, or irregularities, but its price is higher than the others. You can build a bathhouse with your own hands from material AB or B. The main thing is to make sure that there are no wormholes or rotten knots on the timber. Minor color irregularities are acceptable, but should not be confused with blue. Blue discoloration is a direct sign of the spread of rot and fungus, and already infected wood will not last long.
Cracks are also unacceptable; this is either a sign of improper drying or improper storage. And if the material has natural moisture, then during shrinkage the cracks will open and heat loss will increase. And this cannot be allowed in the bathhouse.
According to GOST, small companies do not sort timber, due to the lack of certain criteria by which to subdivide the grades. Therefore, it is worth looking at varieties from different manufacturers; it may turn out that one’s variety C will be better than B, etc.
How does the manufacture of material affect the construction and use of a timber bathhouse?
Disputes about which timber is suitable for building a bathhouse do not subside on forums to this day. It is impossible to say definitely that one type is better, since they all have their pros and cons:
| Type of timber for a bathhouse, various treatments | Pros when building a bathhouse | Disadvantages when building a bathhouse | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Profiled | Natural humidity | Easy to install The locking connection provides additional warmth and wind insulation. Low price. Eco-friendly. | Over time you will still have to do it additional insulation, and it is almost impossible to caulk the walls additionally Over time, you need to do external and internal finishing. |
| Chamber drying | Quick assembly No finishing required Can be used immediately after construction Eco-friendly Need a lightweight foundation | High price Needs constant care with antiseptics |
|
| Glued | Not required | A smaller cross-section is needed, so DIY construction is quick. No external and interior decoration. No additional insulation required. A lightweight foundation is needed. | High price. It is worth arguing about environmental friendliness, since the glue used to connect the lamellas can emit fumes of foilmadehyde. |
| Simple timber | Trimmed natural humidity | Cheap Quick assembly Eco-friendly Lightweight foundation suitable | Need additional insulation and caulking When shrinking, it will crack and require external and internal finishing. It can twist when drying and the bath will “lead”. |
| Chamber drying | the same as for natural humidity, except for the low cost. | High price Need insulation and caulk |
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| Planed chamber drying | Quick assembly Environmental friendliness Suitable for lightweight foundations No façade or interior finishing required | high price Over time, it will still crack and darken. |
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Chamber drying or natural humidity?
In any case, no matter what the manufacturers promise, a bathhouse made of timber will settle and will be worse than chamber drying. After some time, the walls will darken, and the cracks will widen even more as they dry. The main reason for this is improper drying of the material. Few people in Russia dry timber with a cross-section of 100 mm or more correctly. Therefore, when construction companies purchase material, they always measure the humidity in the middle of the product with a hand-held moisture meter. You can purchase timber from winter forests, when the natural humidity is almost identical to chamber drying. Yes, and construction in winter period costs less.
Purchase and calculation of materials
You can calculate the amount of timber for a bathhouse according to the project or using an online calculator, of which there are many on any website construction company. It is impossible to complete a correctly designed project on your own. You can entrust this part to specialists. When calculating, it is necessary to take into account the features of the structure, as for the timber it should be selected so that there are few joints on the walls. But when purchasing, it is better to take a small supply (2-3 timber). When building with your own hands, you can accidentally make a mistake and ruin the part. But there is no need to worry about damaged lumber; it will go to window or door openings and other small parts.
The main stages of installing a timber bath
The entire installation of a bathhouse made of timber takes place in several main stages: installation of the foundation for the bathhouse, laying the first crown, laying the walls, installing the roof (rough or finishing). Let's take a closer look at each.
Installation of a foundation for a timber bathhouse
Since the timber bathhouse is a lightweight structure, a strip or columnar foundation is suitable. In any case, markings are first made around the entire perimeter.
You can read more about installing a foundation for a bathhouse in this article.
Any of the foundations must be further strengthened with reinforcement. It is later used to attach the crown.
Installation of the first crown for a timber bath
Before laying the first crown, it is necessary to perform waterproofing between it and the foundation. It is best to use a coating based on bitumen mastic. It is easy to apply and dries quickly. After this, the top of the foundation is covered with roofing felt in 2 layers. Two rows of small stacks are laid on the strip foundation, and only after this the installation of the first crown begins.
The first crown is laid with a beam of larger cross-section and preferably made of moisture-resistant wood, for example, larch or aspen. The crown must be laid exactly level. if you miss the curvatures, the entire masonry will “crawl” in the future. It is not necessary to tie the lower crown to the foundation, since further pressure from the structure will not allow it to move. But for greater confidence, you can tie it to the reinforcement in several places with a binding wire. But if desired, dismantle bottom part Over time it will be problematic.
Before installation lower crown need to be treated with antiseptics deep penetration, for example, Senezh. The old-fashioned method of processing waste machine oil will also work. Only after laying the first crown correctly can you proceed to the walls.
Laying timber - the traditional method on dowels
The easiest way to lay profiled timber. Its locking connection is tightly connected, and the elements fold like children's designer. The beams can be connected to each other using iron or wooden dowels. It is better to use wooden ones, since when they dry out, the iron dowels become visible and the structure looks unsightly.
The dowels are attached by drilling holes in increments of 1-1.5 m. You need to drill the beam so that the first beam goes through the first beam, and the second only halfway. The dowels are driven into the lower beam, and the upper one is simply put on them. The dowels of each subsequent row should not be located on top of each other.
Jute insulation is laid between the beams. You can use any other one, but in practice, jute tape has proven to be better than the others. So the walls are assembled link by link. There is no need to fasten the two upper beams with dowels, since after assembling the box they will have to be temporarily dismantled for installation beam floors.
Door and window openings in the bathhouse do not need to be completely laid out for shrinkage; after shrinkage, they are sawed through with a saw.
The final stage of building a bathhouse will be laying a finishing or rough roof. If the bathhouse is assembled for shrinkage, then the rough roof is laid for a year and only then the finishing one is installed. For this top row The timber is covered with boards 50-60 mm wide and covered with roofing felt and slate. All Finishing work also begin to perform after complete shrinkage.
For a bathhouse, a finishing roof is installed from chamber-drying timber, and drainage system Wastewater, drainage ventilation system and interior decoration. We will talk more about all these stages in the following articles.
You can complete the construction of a bathhouse with your own hands in 1-2 months, but despite the simplicity of the timber, especially natural humidity, 4 or 6 m long, it is heavy, so it is difficult to cope with the work alone, look for an assistant.
Today, as before, for many, many people the bathhouse is an integral part of life. Many people dream of having it on their own site, but they do not dare to start construction, considering it too complicated. However, when detailed consideration Each stage of construction, you can understand that there are practically no subtleties and nuances.
So, how to build a bathhouse from timber with your own hands? For such construction it will be necessary to perform several successive stages.
All stages of construction
If the construction of a bathhouse begins from the very beginning, then the following steps will have to be completed:
- Preparation of the area and purchase of all materials;
- Terrain marking;
- Foundation construction;
- Construction of walls from timber;
- Floor laying;
- Furnace installation;
- Ceiling and roof installation;
- Interior decoration;
- Exterior finishing.
As you can see, there is a lot of work, but doing it consistently, gradually understanding all the details, it becomes clear how to build a bathhouse from timber with your own hands.
Site preparation and procurement of materials
All construction begins, if the project is ready, with the preparation of the area. From here, everything unnecessary is removed, that is, various plantings, some foreign objects - routine cleaning of the area.
As for purchasing materials for, you should know what exactly is needed.
So, to build a bath you will need the following material:
- Profiled timber measuring 20 by 20 cm or larger for the first crown;
- Profiled timber measuring 15 by 15 for walls and partitions;
- Moss or tow for insulating a bath (laying between the beams);
- Wooden or metal dowels;
- Reinforcement brackets for securing two perpendicular logs.
Advice! A batch of timber must be prepared in advance, for example, a year before the start of construction. This is due to the fact that the products must be completely dried, since raw wood subsequently dries out, which leads to undesirable consequences.
Land marking and foundation construction
The marking consists of marking the location of the future bathhouse on the ground. Pegs and rope work well for this. In this case you need to create straight line, because this is how you get an even trench for the foundation.
And to build the foundation you will need the following materials:
- Concrete;
- Sand;
- Crushed stone;
- Boards for formwork;
- Ruberoid;
- Insulation material.
The concrete composition calculator will help you maintain all proportions.
Nowadays it is very difficult to imagine a well-maintained Vacation home without the classic Russian bathhouse, which is the favorite vacation spot for the whole family. It should be noted that wood, which is considered an environmentally friendly and easy to process material, is most often used to construct such a bathhouse.
Ground work for the arrangement of the foundation begins with marking the site. Next, in accordance with the applied markings, a trench is dug with a depth of about 70 cm and a width slightly larger (about 10 cm) than the cross-section of the timber used to assemble the frame. The bottom of the trench is covered with a layer of sand, which is then carefully compacted using a special tamping device.
Before pouring concrete mixture Formwork is constructed from boards or ready-made panels, for which you will need special spacers to securely fasten it. After pouring and complete drying of the concrete mixture, the finished foundation is covered with a layer of roofing material used as waterproofing, after which it will be possible to begin the direct assembly of the log house itself.
Preparation of the log house
- After laying the first crown (trimming), floor joists from timber are installed in it using the cutting method, onto which the subfloor will subsequently be laid.
- The beams are fastened using the method of joining them using a blind “tenon-to-groove” connection. And for reliable fastening of adjacent crowns together, they are used wooden dowels, hammered into mating beams.
- Special jute fibers are most often used as a sealing material laid between the crowns of the log house.
- Upon completion of the assembly of the log house, it will be possible to begin manufacturing internal partitions, cut into the crowns of the log house in pre-marked places.
Construction of the roof
Once the construction of the bathhouse frame is completed, it will be possible to begin arranging its roof. Note that in buildings of the type we are considering, gable roof structures are most often used, which prevent the accumulation of snow on them. Their installation includes the following operations:
- on the last crown of the log house, mortise-sockets are made for attaching rafter legs;
- Counter-lattice slats are attached to the rafters from below, along which the attic ceiling is subsequently sewn;
- in the niches formed by the rafters, it is first laid polyethylene film, performing the function of a vapor barrier, and then the plates of the insulating material you have chosen are laid;
- a special under-roofing film is laid on top of the insulation with a small gap, used as waterproofing;
- on final stage formation " roofing pie» a sheathing is sewn onto the rafters, serving as the basis for laying the covering.
The attic ceiling is most often covered with clapboard or plasterboard.
The interior decoration of a bathhouse boils down, as a rule, to insulation and decoration of the walls and ceilings of its premises, ensuring comfortable conditions for taking bath procedures.
As decorative material for finishing steam rooms washing room It is best to use larch, which is characterized by the presence of resin secretions and high resistance to humidity. In addition, larch retains heat well, but does not heat up to a point that can cause skin burns.
Stacked floor in washing department and in the steam room can be made from edged boards, laid with small gaps through which waste water will be removed from the room. An additional convenience of such a floor is the ability to disassemble it and dry the floorboards after completing the bath procedures.