PROJECTS OF BATHS AND SAUNAS MADE OF WOOD

Bastu is a Finnish sauna known for its dry steam and high temperature. Proper ventilation in such a room is extremely important to ensure a comfortable microclimate, structural durability and user safety.

Basic principles of bast ventilation

• Natural ventilation: Usually, natural ventilation is sufficient for a bast, which is provided by the difference in temperature and pressure between the inside and outside of the room.
• Two holes: For effective ventilation, two openings must be provided in the basta: a supply (lower) and an exhaust (upper).
• The location of the holes: The air inlet is located closer to the floor, and the exhaust is located under the ceiling. This ensures natural air circulation.
• Ventilation control: You can use dampers or valves on the openings to control the ventilation rate.

The nuances of planning ventilation in the bast

• The size of the holes: The size of the openings depends on the volume of the steam room and the desired air exchange rate.
• The material of the openings: Wood is the best material to use for the openings, as it is an environmentally friendly material and fits well into the interior of the sauna.
• Insulation of openings: Holes must be well insulated to avoid heat loss.
• Protection against insects: The openings should be protected from insect entry with nets.

Important points

• Drying: After each use of the sauna, it is necessary to ensure that the sauna is dried by means of more intensive ventilation. This prevents mold and rotting of the wood.
• Humidity control: Ventilation helps maintain optimal humidity levels in the room, which has a positive effect on the health of visitors.
• Comfort: Properly organized ventilation creates a comfortable environment for relaxing in the sauna.

The design of a bathhouse can have a different area, including not only a steam room and a shower room, but also additional rooms for functionality and comfort. This includes:

• second floor (full or attic) with a loggia or balcony,
• recreation rooms used as bedrooms, a gym or a billiards room,
• swimming pool, terraces for summer tea parties, and even a built-in garage.

In addition to the main entrance, the sauna can be equipped with an exit to a nearby pond. At the same time, the sauna itself can be built either as a mansion or as an extension to a residential building to save on the installation of communications for the steam room and other rooms.

Any modern bathhouse consists of more than just the foundation, walls, and roof. It should include a set of tools and solutions that ensure durability, safety and comfort. An essential element of every bathhouse is its engineering systems.

For your bathhouse to provide you with the proper level of comfort, you need modern utilities:

• water supply
• drainage
• power supply
• heating
• ventilation

Planning a steam room is a crucial stage in the construction of a bathhouse, on which the comfort and effectiveness of the procedures depend. A properly designed steam room will provide optimal temperature, humidity and convenience for relaxation.

Dimensions and shape

• Minimum dimensions: For a comfortable stay of several people, the steam room area should be at least 4-6 m².
• Shape: A square or rectangle is considered the optimal shape. This ensures even heat distribution.
• Ceiling height: The ceiling height of the steam room is usually 2.2-2.5 meters. This allows you to sit and stand freely in the steam room.

It is usually made in the form of a square. To prevent heat from escaping from it at the entrance, a high threshold is built and small and low doors are installed. You can also raise the height of the floor in the steam room by ten centimeters. But in the shower or font, on the contrary, it should be lowered so that water does not leak into other rooms. A wood-burning stove is placed near the door in the corner. And in front of it, shelves are made for washing.

Placement of shelves

• Number of shelves: Usually 2-3 shelves are made at different levels. The lower shelf is for the legs, the middle shelf is for the seat, and the upper shelf is for more intense heating.
• Material: Linden, aspen or abash are used for shelves. These types of wood have low thermal conductivity and do not emit resin at high temperatures.

Heating

• Stove: The choice of stove depends on the size of the steam room and the type of steam desired. Wood, electric or gas stoves can be used.
• Placement of the stove: The stove is installed in a corner of the steam room, usually near the door.
• Stones: Special stones that accumulate heat well are used to create steam.

Ventilation

• Natural ventilation: Provided by two openings: supply (below) and exhaust (under the ceiling).
• Mechanical ventilation: Can be used as an option to quickly ventilate the steam room.

Lighting

• Soft light: Use lamps with a low color temperature to create a relaxing atmosphere.
• Waterproof luminaires: Luminaires must be designed for wet areas.

Finishing

• Wood: Linden, aspen, or abash are used for wall and ceiling cladding.
• Insulation: To keep the heat in, the walls and ceiling are insulated with mineral wool or other insulating materials.
• Vapor barrier: Prevents moisture from penetrating the insulation material.

Door

• Low doors: The door to the steam room is made low to keep the heat inside.
• Sealing: The door must fit snugly against the frame to avoid heat loss.

Other nuances

• Threshold: A small threshold is made in front of the door to keep the steam inside.
• Compartment for things: A small storage compartment near the door can be provided for convenience.
• Safety: Install a thermometer and clock, and ensure that the electrical wiring is reliably grounded.

Important to remember: Each bath is individual, and the layout of the steam room may differ depending on your needs and wishes. It is recommended to consult a specialist.

Before purchasing project documentation, you need to consider different options for the layout of the sauna. Carefully consider the location of all the buildings on the site (cottage, pool, garage, gazebos, barbecue, etc.) in order to correctly determine the shape and area of each room and the sauna in particular. Each room needs to have a convenient approach or entrance, and some of them will need to have utilities (water supply, sewerage). Therefore, the closer they are located to the house, the easier it will be to do this, and the estimate will include lower costs for materials and work.

• Saving time. You immediately receive an architectural project that takes into account all the nuances: comfortable layout, location of utilities, exact dimensions of the premises, etc. In accordance with this plan, the construction team will build the bathhouse quickly and efficiently, as the project is the basis of the basics, the foundation of any construction. On the other hand, the development of an individual project can take quite a long time.
• Cost savings. As a rule, prices for standard bath designs are lower than for those built according to individual projects. Firstly, since the plan was developed in advance, the designers took into account all possible costs of the developer. Secondly, if the project has already been used before, good specialists will definitely take into account and eliminate their possible shortcomings. That is, the design of your bath will be devoid of construction risks and will be inexpensive.

At your request, we can make changes to any complexity of the bathhouse project you like. We can adapt it to a different building material (timber, log, carriage), reduce or increase the floor space, and the design and layout can also be changed. The design of the bathhouse, in turn, can be made in the style of your residential building.