Saunas and steam baths are a popular form of relaxation in many countries of the world, but, unfortunately, the rhythm of modern life does not allow them to be enjoyed often. The situation can be corrected by apartment mini-saunas. It doesn't sound very realistic, but it's common in neighboring Finland, where every third apartment has its own sauna.

Types of steam rooms for apartments

As an apartment steam room, the best option would be a dry Finnish sauna. The reason is simple - to arrange a classic Russian bathhouse in an apartment, you need to additionally equip the drainage of water and steam, and heating equipment using solid fuel is prohibited in most houses. Of course, ardent steamers claim that a home sauna is a pale copy of a Russian wood-burning bathhouse. However, this does not prevent mini-steam rooms from gaining popularity, especially since more and more new types are constantly appearing.

Apartment steam rooms have the form of small cabins such as showers, sometimes combined with them, in which an appropriate microclimate is created.

It is possible to set different microclimates in the same cabin on the health of each family member. As a rule, no more than 2-3 people can steam in a home steam room at the same time (depending on the size). Such structures are heated by electric stoves or infrared emitters.

Saunas vary in size, power, and type of heating device. In addition, they are ready-made and home-made, stationary and portable. Portable steam rooms are a great option for small spaces.

The most famous are two types of portable steam rooms.

  • Phyto-barrels- These are miniature saunas for one person, made in the shape of a barrel. They have a heating element inside. Unlike stationary structures, in a phyto-barrel only the body is exposed, while the head remains outside it. In addition, such barrels are equipped with special tanks for herbal infusions, which greatly increase the usefulness of the procedure.
  • Fabric sauna It is a wooden frame covered with a special fabric. This type is very convenient in terms of storage: after use, the sauna can be easily rolled up and hidden. It should only be used with a powerful heater, since heat loss is much higher than that of other types.

Ready-made stationary booths are the way to go for those who value quick installation and a minimum of associated work. They are found in the form of separate cabins or cabins connected to a shower by a partition, or two in one. The disadvantages of such equipment are standard sizes, which are quite difficult to choose for a specific room, especially if every meter counts. The price of a product can also make a consumer change his mind. Nevertheless, a limited budget is not a reason to give up your dream, but an opportunity to test your design abilities.

Selection and preparation of premises

The first step in building a home sauna is careful selection of the premises.

A suitable place in the apartment must meet several requirements, having the following qualities:

  • good thermal and waterproofing;
  • ventilation;
  • access to basic communications: electricity, water supply, sewerage.

The construction of a steam room in living rooms is prohibited for safety reasons, so the best place would be the bathroom.

It meets all the specified requirements. You can also use the kitchen for these purposes. Often the size of a standard kitchen and bathroom does not allow for a few extra square meters, so most likely you will need to remodel the apartment, install ventilation equipment from scratch, and install communications.

This entails the need to coordinate the project with a number of government agencies:

  • fire service;
  • epidemiological service;
  • redevelopment and approvals service;
  • housing inspection.

Additionally, it may be necessary to upgrade the apartment's electrical supply, since standard wiring most likely will not withstand the load of a powerful heater. In this case, the permit is issued by the electrical supplier and the work contract is concluded with him.

Choosing a stove with a lower power will save you from replacing the wiring, but will increase the time it takes to heat the sauna to the desired temperature. As an option, you can increase the thermal insulation of the cabin and reduce its volume.

When the electrical work is completed, the relay moves on to ventilation. If we are talking about a bathroom, then the ventilation system is provided here initially. All you need to do is check and clean it. It is necessary to make holes in the sauna cabin itself. If desired, they can be equipped with heat-resistant fans and dampers. If other rooms are used, additional ventilation ducts will be required. A flexible air duct is quite suitable for this, but you should avoid unnecessary bends and choose the shortest direct path.

There is a fundamentally incorrect opinion that this stage can be skipped, as if the sauna works without ventilation. In fact, it will not last long: under constant exposure to moisture in an unventilated room, wooden structures begin to rot, a favorable environment for the development of bacteria is formed, and there is no need to talk about the quality of bath procedures in such conditions.

In addition, there is a risk of burning without fresh air.

Among the common mistakes when installing ventilation, there are some that completely negate the advantages of your own bathhouse.

  • Post-construction planning and installation. It is more difficult to remake a finished product than to initially provide an air exchange system.
  • Completely sealed sauna. Any room, regardless of its purpose, needs a natural flow of fresh air.
  • Equipment of only one exhaust opening. If there is no air flow, then air exchange is out of the question.
  • Lack of dampers on the inlet/outlet valves, which help regulate the microclimate in the steam room.
  • The location of the holes is on the same level and opposite each other. As a result, air will be distilled from one valve to another, forming drafts and not ensuring the mixing of air masses.

As for the size of the future mini-steam room, the indicator according to which an average of 2 m2 is needed per person is taken into account, if the presence of a bed is mandatory.

Selection of material and equipment

Materials for a sauna or bath should be environmentally friendly and non-toxic. This is an urgent need, since when heated, many materials emit substances harmful to health. Therefore, number one on the list of required materials will be natural wood for the frame and cladding. It is advisable to use one type of wood, then the structure will have the same performance properties.

Aspen, linden and abashi oak are best suited for apartment mini-baths. The latter seems to have grown specifically for such purposes: it does not conduct or absorb heat, practically does not absorb water, is resistant to mechanical stress, and does not emit resinous substances. Also, steam rooms are often decorated with Scandinavian pine and spruce, alder, and aspen. In general, for rooms with high humidity it is better to use harder types of wood, and those that are softer are suitable for external cladding.

It is necessary to prevent the leakage of precious heat through the walls of the structure. You should not rely only on the low thermal conductivity of wood; it is better to additionally stock up on environmentally friendly and non-flammable insulation, for example, felt insulation or basalt slabs. Felt has the ability to easily absorb and release water without changing its properties, and insulation made from basalt slabs completely repels moisture. You can take a closer look at other materials available on the market. The main condition is environmental friendliness and immunity to moisture.

Where there is thermal insulation, there is waterproofing. You can choose a material that performs both functions at once, or purchase glassine or foil paper.

It is likely that the internal wooden cladding will need to be treated with impregnation to protect it from the damaging effects of moisture and steam.

It is recommended to purchase ceramic tiles for finishing the floor. The covering can be wooden or any other; the main thing is to avoid synthetic materials (for example, linoleum), which emit harmful substances when heated.

Of the electric ovens, only those that are designed specifically for wet rooms are suitable. This device is the central figure of a home sauna; you should not skimp on it. The power is selected depending on the size of the steam room. When it comes to heating devices, buyers trust Scandinavian and German models, which combine the necessary power, reliability and lightness.

Main stages of installation

  • Before starting work, all wooden parts are treated with protective impregnations and left to dry.
  • Floor installation. This step is not necessary if the sauna is being built in the bathroom, as the existing tiles will do just fine. Otherwise, the floor is made from scratch, that is, a sewerage system, hydro- and thermal insulation, a heated floor (if desired), and a concrete screed are installed. Ceramic tiles are laid immediately after the screed has dried, before the frame and walls are erected.
  • Then they prepare the walls to which the sauna will be adjacent: remove the old covering, treat the surface with antifungal and antiseptic preparations, and use slats to secure 2-3 layers of glassine, which protects the main walls of the apartment from steam and moisture. For waterproofing, special polymer mastics are sometimes used.

  • Next, the vertical and ceiling frame is erected. For this, a beam of 4*6 cm or 5*5 cm is used. The height of the structure is at least 2 m. If the exhaust valve is planned on the roof of the cabin, then a gap of 5 cm is left between the ceiling of the apartment and the steam room. Frames are made of timber around the future ventilation holes. The doorway is decorated with vertical posts.
  • Insulation. A popular material is basalt wool, which is carefully placed between the frame beams.
  • A heat-insulating material is attached on top of the insulation, usually aluminum foil. Sheets of foil are laid with the mirror side inward, overlapping 10-15 cm, and glued with metallized tape.
  • Installation of horizontal sheathing before cladding. To do this, use thin beams 3*4 cm, which are mounted in increments of 40 cm.
  • Covering the walls and ceiling with clapboard. Start work from the ceiling, from the entrance to the opposite wall. At the same stage, inlet and outlet ventilation valves with dampers are installed.

The bathhouse is a whole philosophy. This is not a simple ablution, but a whole cult of cleansing. Translated from Greek, the word bath means relief from pain and boredom. As a philosophical doctrine, bathhouse ideology has a number of directions. These are Roman baths and Turkish hammams, Japanese ofuro and Russian baths and, of course, Finnish saunas. It is the legacy of the Scandinavian bath philosophy that we will consider in this article.

History of the origin of the Finnish sauna

The appearance of the Finnish sauna happened so long ago that it is unlikely that anyone will undertake to confirm the exact date. There is an opinion that this happened more than 2 thousand years ago. At that time, the Finns were a nomadic people and were in contact with other tribes that inhabited the Earth. This theory is confirmed by the fact that the sauna is a product of a symbiotic relationship with the Slavs and the Irish.


A beautiful explanation of the origin of the sauna is a legend. Drops of rain that fell on the stones of the home through an accidentally leaking roof evaporated and created a pleasant atmosphere of warmth and steam in the room. And then the person decided to turn chance into a pattern, artificially repeating the natural process. Thus, the Finnish sauna appeared.

A dry air sauna from Finland has a beneficial effect on the human body, bringing benefits to it. However, you need to remember not only the positive impact, but also the sense of proportion and contraindications of paired procedures. You can find out more about this (the benefits and harms of the Finnish sauna).

The Finnish sauna is often confused with a Russian bath. Yes, we can say that there are some similarities, but still the differences are fundamental; you can read about this on our website.

Finnish sauna lovers can build one with their own hands in a house, garage, apartment, or even on the balcony and enjoy the delights of steam treatments. Detailed recommendations are presented in this article.

Do-it-yourself Finnish sauna in the garage: step-by-step instructions

Step #1. Determining the area for the future sauna.

To set up a Finnish sauna you will need two rooms. One will serve directly as a steam room, the other as a relaxation room. In the dressing room, in addition to a table for drinking tea, there will be a small shower compartment.

After the layout of the future sauna is completed, it is necessary to translate all the ideas on paper by making a sketch of the sauna with the actual dimensions of the room.

Step #2. Wall arrangement

Let's start making wall frames.

To do this, take a board 50 mm thick and cut it into slats.

After this, we make markings and fasten the frame with self-tapping screws.

In order not to damage the strip when screwing in the screws, you must first drill a hole for the screw, then the strip will never split.

After all the frames are ready, we mount them in place of the walls of the future sauna and fasten them to the floor and existing walls with dowels.

You can purchase special fasteners in the form of perforated corners, or you can use mustaches for drywall. It will be much cheaper, but no less reliable.

We take the mustache, break it in half, and then with a slight movement bend the strip in the form of a corner, as shown in the photo.

Step #3. Electrical wiring device

We lay wires to the installation site of the stove and lighting fixtures. To connect the electric heater and provide lighting, it is necessary to lay cable lines in the room of the future steam room. Due to the fact that the temperature will exceed 100 °C or more, you need to choose a heat-resistant cable, and sealed lighting devices with a power of no more than 60 W.

A classic example would be two or three core cables AVRG and VRG and

fiber optic lights and

LED lights. The cost of this equipment is high, but they will provide high-quality power supply and 100% safety.

Step #4. Ventilation

Air exchange in a Finnish sauna plays an important role. Air replacement should occur at least twice within an hour.

https://youtu.be/OS2JZ07J7Cw

Therefore, in our sauna it is advisable to use a universal ventilation scheme that will give an effective result. The influx of fresh air into the steam room is carried out under the stove through the supply duct and under the door, where a gap of 2 - 3 cm is necessarily left. For exhaust, we lay a ventilation duct in the wall from a corrugated aluminum pipe and install two ventilation valves. One is under the ceiling, and the second is at 1 meter from the floor.

Let's consider three operating states of the ventilation system.

Warming up the sauna

In this case, the inflow is open, and both outlet valves are closed. Then the steam room heats up more intensely, using less energy.

Acceptance of the procedure

During the park, the inflow remains open and the air, entering the heated room, becomes hot and rises. The upper exhaust valve is closed and the lower one is open. Then streams of warm air begin to circulate in the steam room, some of them leave through the open bottom valve, and some, falling, mix with colder air masses, heat up again and rise.

Ventilation of the steam room

At the end of the procedure, both exhaust valves open and all the hot air is removed outside, we no longer need it.

Gate valves are used for installation on outlet ventilation ducts. Made from hardwood. Installed under the ceiling and above the shelf.

The corrugated pipe consists of flexible wire and aluminum foil, which acts as a shell. The length of the corrugated channel is 10 meters and Ø 100 mm. A prerequisite for installing a corrugated pipe is its stretched state. If it is insufficient, a loss of pressure occurs in the pipeline, which reduces draft. The size of the pipeline must correspond to the length of the ventilation duct. The corrugated pipe must be installed so that the direction of the air flow is in a spiral. During installation, care must be taken not to deform the corrugated pipe, otherwise it will need to be replaced due to unsuitability.

Like valves, they are made of linden or alder. The installation location is the area of ​​the heater to ensure air flow.

The material used to make the valve is alder. Serves for installation on the exhaust duct.

The components for laying the ventilation duct ensure uniform heating and drying of the steam room room, as well as saving heat coming from the stove.

We proceed to the installation of ventilation ducts from corrugated pipes, followed by the installation of exhaust valves and supply grilles. The pipes are attached to the wall, subsequently insulated and covered with clapboard.

Step #5. Wall insulation

We use mineral wool as insulation for the walls in the Finnish sauna.

After installing the slabs, they must be covered with foil or foil paper.

The ideal material that will reduce the installation time of insulation and make the steam room a kind of thermos is the innovative material Rockwool foil plates Sauna Butts.

In the rest room, instead of foil, we attach a vapor barrier.

After the foil is secured with a stapler, all corners and joints must be glued with special foil tape.

Step #6. Insulation of ceiling and floor

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

We insulate the ceiling in the same way as the walls. The garage has a concrete floor, so it is advisable to install heated floors and lay floor tiles. The simplest option, both in terms of labor intensity and cost, is a film infrared heated floor. Due to the fact that there is already a screed in the garage, laying a heated floor is simplified.

Preparation

First, we prepare a place for mounting the heating regulator and floor sensor. In our case, it is advisable to take it into the rest room and install it on the wall, at a height of 30 cm to the floor level. We make a hole in the wall for installing the regulator and a 2x2 cm groove in the floor for laying the cable lines of the heating section, temperature sensor and power cable.

Cleaning and priming

We thoroughly clean the floor surface before installing the heated floor and apply a layer of penetrating primer for better contact of the surface with the adhesive mixture.

Marking

We mark places where underfloor heating is not needed, under the flow and in the area of ​​the electric heater.

Checking the functionality and laying out the heating mats

We lay out the heating mats according to the shape of the heated area. When laying, it is important that there are no overlaps of fragments or intersections of the heating cable, and that the temperature sensor is located at the same distance between the turns of the heating cable.

Checking integrity after installation

We bring the ends of the cable to the distribution box of the heating regulator. After checking the mechanical damage, check the resistance values ​​of the mat and temperature sensor. Their performance must meet the standards; this will confirm the performance of the heated floor.

Sensor Installation

Now we install the temperature sensor and thermostat. We place the temperature sensor in the tube supplied in the kit. The sensor itself is placed at the edge on one side, and the connecting cord comes out of the other.

Place a special plug on the edge of the tube located in the floor so that when pouring the adhesive mixture, it does not get on the indicator.

We lay out the tube along the groove to the junction box. It is not advisable to bend the tube as much as possible; the minimum bend size is 5 cm.

Now fill the groove with tile adhesive mixture.

Connection and performance check

We service the ends of the heating wires and connect them to the terminals of the temperature controller. After which we briefly apply the load and check the functionality of the system.

Laying tiles and checking the functioning of the heated floor

Apply the adhesive mixture. Its layer should be 8 - 10 mm, all voids should be filled. We lay ceramic tiles on top.

After the tile adhesive has completely hardened more Let's check it once functionality systems warm floor .

In the rest room, the floor system is performed in a similar way.

Step #7. Covering wall and ceiling surfaces with clapboard

We choose hardwood paneling, preferably linden.

We start nailing from the ceiling. The lining is attached very easily.

It can be secured using clamps - special staples

or in a reliable and proven way with small nails.

After finishing the ceiling, we move on to the walls.

Here it is necessary to nail the counter batten. It will be needed to attach the shelves. It should be taken into account that the strip for attaching the sun loungers should be wider than the slats for attaching the lining. See photo.

Similarly to the steam room, we cover the ceiling and walls in the relaxation room with clapboard

Step #8. Lounger equipment

First, we measure 92 cm from the floor and attach the main beam 50x50, on which the entire shelf will be supported. We control the horizontality of the beam using a building level. It should be remembered that we screw the timber to a specially prepared wide strip behind the lining.

We screw the main beam around the perimeter to the walls to which the sunbed will be adjacent

Then we make the frames. The shelves will be angular, so we make a frame along one and the second wall. The width of the shelf depends on the available space in the sauna. If distances allow, it can be made lying down; if not, then only sitting. In our case, the shelves along the long wall of the steam room will be equipped for receiving the procedure while lying down, and along the short wall only while sitting.

Due to the fact that the length of the lounger is large and it will bend under the weight of a person, for reinforcement we install jumpers and support posts at intervals of 50 cm.

To cover the deckchair we use a board 30 mm thick and 80 mm wide. You should either buy an already sanded board with rounded edges or process it yourself.

To ensure that the distances between the deck boards are the same, use a template. In our case, this is a piece of lining.

It is necessary to take into account that the last board from the free edge should protrude from the beam by its thickness, in our case by 3 cm. This is necessary in order to subsequently cover the beam with a shelf board.

The boards need to be attached to the frame only from below, otherwise they, when heated, will cause a burn to the person receiving the procedures.

We fasten the boards with 3.5x75 wood screws, having previously drilled a hole for the screw.

After all the boards on the lounger are screwed, we make a shelf for the legs in a similar way. First we build the frame, and then we cover it with a sanded board.

Now all that remains is to close the space between the shelf and the footrest. Here we use linden trim, having previously cut it to the required size.

Fastening is carried out from the inside; during installation we use a template.

Step #9. Installation of an electric heater.

This is not a difficult stage in the construction of a Finnish sauna, but it requires some knowledge of electrical equipment.

Preparation

First, remove the mounting frame attached to the rear side by unscrewing the bolts.

Mounting the frame on the wall

Using the fasteners provided with the stove, we attach the frame to the wall. Along with the fastenings behind the paneling, there must be a mounting board to which the frame will be mounted. Installation of the stove on the wall is carried out so that the mounting hooks extend beyond its lower edge, and the groove of the upper part of the stove is installed on the stand.

Furnace installation

We install the heater on the frame.

Connecting the oven to power supply

Connect the electric heater to power. In our case, this is a single-phase connection to a 220V network. First of all, you need to remember that the connection of the electric heater must be carried out by a specialist familiar with electrical equipment:

9.4.1. Section cable lines must correspond furnace power consumption.

9.4.2. The device must be grounded.

9.4.3. All contacts are cleaned and tightened firmly and reliably.

9.4.4. When connecting the control panel, you need to remove the top cover and secure it to the wall.

9.4.5. To make the connection easier, remove the magnetic starter.

9.4.6. Connect all wires in strict accordance with the terminal designations on the magnetic starter.

9.4.7. First we connect the power wires.

9.4.8. It is necessary to install copper jumpers at the input of the magnetic starter.

9.4.9. You also need to install jumpers made of copper cable at the output of the magnetic starter.

9.4.10. We connect the wires from the heater.

9.4.11. We connect the grounding cable.

9.4.12. We install the magnetic starter in place in the control panel.

9.4.13. We connect the temperature sensor.

9.4.14. Reinstall the front cover.

9.4.15. We check the operation of the heater and control panel.

Step #10. Safety fence

Step #11. Laying stones

Fill the heater with stones.

Next, we make a reliable fence for the electric heater from wood. We use the remains of the board and limit the approach to the stove. We hide the metal fasteners inside the wood, having previously drilled blind holes Ø10 mm.

Step #12. Door installation

We install glass doors at the entrance to the steam room and relaxation room. Instructions for installing doors can be viewed.

Examples of arranging a Finnish bathhouse. Video.

Sauna in the bathroom

Thanks to electric stoves, a Finnish sauna can be organized in almost any room. For example, in an apartment, using a room for a bathroom. A prerequisite for such a bathhouse is low ceilings. If the ceiling in the apartment is high, then it is advisable to lower it to a height of 2.2 meters and add thermal insulation. Another feature is that the room is located inside heated rooms, so you can save a lot on insulating walls and floors. The only issue to pay attention to is ventilation. However, when building a sauna in an apartment, it is better to use the recommendations given above.

Sauna in the bathroom

Another example of a sauna in an apartment. The bathroom is used as a room. An electric heater with a steam generator is used here, which allows you to get the effect of both a Finnish sauna and a Russian bath. The issue of installing a shower in a steam room is unclear, but in this video it has the right to life.

Sauna in the pantry

Another location of the sauna, a storage room. However, in this case, the owner trusted the professionals, so there are no questions, everything is very clear.

Sauna on the balcony

Several examples of placing a sauna directly on the loggia. These are quite creative solutions, and whether or not to implement them on your balcony is up to you.


“From the master class presented by the author, you will learn how you can make a sauna in a city apartment yourself and at the same time comply with all the rules and regulations. Today, this phenomenon, like a sauna on a balcony, in a bathroom or in a closet, will not surprise anyone, it’s just that little by little it is already becoming commonplace for people who love the heat of a bath and sitting in a steam room. Agree, it’s very convenient to have your own small sauna in the apartment, you just won’t have to go out of town to the dacha and heat the sauna, especially in winter, when the road is not close and even slippery. You also don’t have to rent a sauna cabin somewhere in the city for a few hours and pay money for it. And at any convenient time, warm up your sauna and steam, relax your soul and body)

Mainly, you need to make a new and separate electrical wiring with its own circuit breaker and direct connection directly to the panel, and the wires must run in a corrugated casing. Electrical wiring and compliance with safety rules should be given special attention!

So, let's look at what exactly the author will need to assemble a sauna cabin? We’ll also look at and sort everything out piece by piece) Well, let’s take a look...

Materials
1. mineral wool
2. beam
3. lining (hardwood)
4. screws
5. foil
6. vapor barrier
7. dowel
8. aluminum tape
9. electric sauna stove
10. stones for sauna stove
11. electrical cable
12. corrugated casing
13. metal corner
14. ceramic floor tiles
15. nails

Tools
1. hacksaw
2. trowel
3. spatula
4. trowel
5. mallet
6. stationery knife
7. drill
8. hammer drill
9. screwdriver
10. hammer
11. screwdriver
12. roulette
13. pencil
14. ruler
15. corner
16. level

The process of building a sauna in an apartment with your own hands.

And so, the first step is to decide where you will place the steam room, the main and proven experience of pioneers in this direction 1 is, of course, the bathroom, it naturally fits best. because it is designed for high humidity and temperature changes, and the floor has a waterproofing layer, and there will be no problems with redevelopment. 2-location on the balcony, unusual of course, but very fashionable today, especially among young people. 3-it’s possible to convert a storage room into a sauna; if you don’t need a storage room, you can safely turn it into a sauna)
The author also presented to our attention the layout of the saunas and the dimensions accordingly.

The master still chose a bathroom to create a steam room, because it was more appropriate. First of all, the old tile covering and plaster are removed from the walls and cleaned.


Next, the master lays ceramic tiles on the floor, and many fans of this type of sauna recommend laying a heated floor, this way there will be uniform heating in the room and air circulation, and your feet will feel comfortable on the heated floor.

The walls are finished according to a standard scheme that everyone has already learned by heart. First, it is sheathed with timber with a certain distance depending on the size of the insulation, and first a vapor barrier material.

Another important point! Under no circumstances should you place handles with locks or latches on the door; only a magnetic latch is allowed.

Lathing made of timber.

Insulation is placed in the resulting openings between the bars, mainly mineral wool.

Note! The distance between the bars should be 1.5-2 cm less than the size of the insulation - this is necessary in order for the wool to be laid tightly so that it holds well even when spaced.


The junction of two sheets of foil is glued together using foil or aluminum tape so that there is no heat loss and everything is as airtight as possible.

Another lathing is also made from timber, this time on top of the foil, it will be necessary for attaching the lining. The master installed a purchased wooden door with glass inserts; it can also be installed from tinted glass.

It is better to fasten the lining with metal clamps, rather than hammering a nail directly into the board.

And thus throughout the room.

One corner should be provided for the installation of an electric heater.

The most important thing both in the sauna and in the bathhouse is, of course, the shelves. The first shelf is installed at a height of 60-70 cm from the floor level, the second is at least a meter from the same level.

Then he screws the boards, it is advisable to screw the screws in from the back side (flush) so that there are no holes in the boards and there are no metal elements of course.

Lighting fixtures are being installed.

City residents, with a busy pace of life and an eternal lack of time, simply have no time to go to a sauna or bathhouse. But if you have a sauna at home, you can always find time to use it. Why do apartments have saunas and not baths? It’s much easier to make a sauna: you don’t need to think about draining water, which spills out a considerable amount during bath procedures, and about steam, which is more than enough in a Russian bath. In addition, sauna connoisseurs say that it is possible to achieve real light steam, which has a beneficial effect on the body, only with the help of. In apartments, any heating devices using wood or solid fuel are prohibited: the risk of fire is too great. Therefore, if you want to steam in your apartment, build a mini-sauna.

Sauna for an apartment: types

You can install a ready-made sauna in your apartment or make one yourself. There are many ready-made options today. Different sizes, power and location options, different heating devices (based on heating elements or infrared emitters). There are saunas for apartments with a built-in shower cabin, and there are shower cabins with built-in electric heaters or IR emitters. There are really a lot of options, but high-quality saunas for an apartment cost a lot. Even very solid. And you can’t adjust them to the available space: either the dimensions fit or they don’t. Even if the area allows, according to the law, saunas no larger than 2x2 meters can be installed in apartments. So it turns out that with all the many options, the choice turns out to be not so great: either the size doesn’t fit, then you don’t like the equipment or design, or the price turns out to be prohibitive. All these problems are absent when you independently build a sauna in an apartment. But this also has its drawbacks: you will need to work hard. But the design, the stove, and the sizes are up to your taste and choice.

Ready-made saunas have one undeniable advantage - you can install a ready-made sauna in an apartment in a few hours.

There are several compact, portable sauna options for apartments:

Regardless of whether you will use a ready-made sauna in an apartment or make it yourself, in the room in which it will be located, it is necessary to carry out heat and vapor barrier work, as well as take care of high-quality ventilation (except for barrel saunas and portable options). Although there is not as much steam in the sauna as in a Russian bath, it is still enough for condensation to settle on the windows and walls. To effectively remove it, a set of measures is required to quickly remove excess moisture from the apartment.

If there is not enough space for a sauna, for example only one meter per meter, then you need to opt for an infrared sauna.

How to build a sauna in an apartment: preparatory work

The most important thing is to decide on the place where the sauna will be located in the apartment. The choice is actually not that wide - it could be a kitchen or a bathroom. In some options, you can install a sauna in place of the pantry, in the hallway or on the balcony. If you decide to make a sauna in the bathroom, no problems are foreseen, since approval in this case is not necessary and almost all communications are connected.


To set up a sauna in any other place, you will need to remodel the apartment, supply/discharge water, electricity, and organize a ventilation system. To install a sauna in an apartment, you will need approval from the following organizations:

  • Fire Service;
  • Sanitary and Epidemiological Service;
  • Architectural supervision service (during redevelopment);
  • Housing inspection.

All this is a serious investment of time and nerves, and sometimes money, but the pleasure is worth it. When choosing a location for installing a sauna in an apartment, remember that it should not be adjacent to the outer walls (due to the large temperature difference, the outer wall will get wet and bloom), at least one wall must be load-bearing.

After determining the location of the sauna, you need to solve the problem with electricity. No complications will arise in houses where there are electric stoves: the apartment electrical wiring in them is designed for 5-6 kW. The power of an electric furnace for a mini-sauna is rarely more than 3-4 kW. So - no problem, but it’s not advisable to use the stove with the electric heater on.


Finnish electric stove for mini-sauna Harvia Delta D23 Steel. Power - 2.3 kW. Designed for steam room volume up to 2.5 cubic meters

In homes with gas stoves, there are two options. First: take a low-power sauna stove. The maximum load in such houses is 3-4 kW, taking into account the fact that at least a refrigerator, TV and some other electrical appliances are included, the power of the stove should not exceed 2 kW. But with such power, the sauna will reach the required temperature no sooner than in two hours. You can speed up the process by carefully performing it. In this case, the estimated readiness time is reduced by three times! A small sauna of 2-3 cubic meters will heat up faster: at this power it will heat up within an hour.

In the second option, you will have to create a separate input to supply electricity to the heater or infrared emitter. In this case, they use large cross-section wires - 4-8 mm and a special circuit breaker, which turns off the power at the slightest failure or problem. If you are not strong in electrical engineering, you will need, at a minimum, the advice of a specialist who understands connecting electrical equipment in conditions of high humidity.


In any case, all electrical sockets and switches should be located in the sauna cabin, and next to it.

The next step in building a sauna in an apartment will be installing a ventilation system. Most apartments have such a system, but you will need to check its functionality and, if necessary, clean the ventilation ducts. In the sauna cabin itself, for effective ventilation, there must be two ventilation holes. Fans can be built into them (must withstand temperatures up to 130 o C) for forced ventilation, or these openings can be closed with wooden dampers. In the simplest version, the dampers consist of two disks made of wood, in which sectors of approximately 90 degrees are cut out. The disks are movably fixed in the center, turning one relative to the other closes/opens the ventilation gap.

Next: decide on the size of the sauna, draw a plan indicating the exact dimensions, think about where and how the stove will be installed, where the electrical wiring will go, where the lamps will be, and the ventilation duct. Please note that regardless of location, the sauna cabin must have its own ceiling. The minimum distance to the ceiling of the apartment is 5-10 cm. Draw on the plan at what height and what size the shelves will be and where they will be located. To install the shelf at the required height, provide a cross beam - the shelves will be attached to it, think over a system to support it. In general, it is advisable to make five transverse straps: one at the bottom, one at the top (the ceiling of the cabin), another one at the level of the future shelf (this beam should be wider), and two more between them. This design will ensure sufficient rigidity and reliability of the cabin.


Also decide what size door you need, and what type it will be - wooden with a glass insert (glass is required according to safety regulations) or. After a detailed plan with all the details has been drawn up, you can begin installing the sauna in the apartment with your own hands.

How to make a sauna in an apartment: stages of construction

Before installation begins, you will need to treat all the walls of the room in which the sauna will be installed with antifungal impregnations (we have already written). When choosing disinfectants, pay attention to their area of ​​application: they should be suitable for baths and saunas. All wood that will be used must also undergo a similar treatment, but the compositions here are usually different, although they should also be suitable for rooms with elevated temperature conditions.

At the next stage, you need to build a wooden frame that corresponds to the dimensions of the selected room or part of it allocated for the sauna (its dimensions are indicated in your plan).

Do not forget that the ceiling of the sauna cannot be the ceiling of the apartment, therefore the upper trim of the cabin is at least 10-20 cm below the ceiling. In this gap, ventilation ducts from the cabin will be located; in some cases, power supply wires may be laid in a special corrugated heat-resistant sleeve. For better thermal insulation, it is advisable to cover the ceiling of the apartment above the sauna with thermal insulation mats and cover them on the side of the room with foil material.

The distance between the frame guides is usually 50-60 cm. You can determine exactly after purchasing heat-insulating material: the thermal insulation mats should be 2 cm wider than the distance between the guides. In this case, the thermal insulation becomes dense and does not require special efforts to secure. At this stage, they also lay wiring in a heat-resistant corrugated hose to the places where the stove and fans are supposed to be installed. The wire must also be in a heat-resistant sheath. If necessary, ventilation ducts are removed at the same time.

After completing the construction of the wooden frame, in order to maintain the temperature in the sauna as long as possible, we insulate the walls and ceiling of the cabin with heat-insulating materials. Most often, basalt wool is used, but due to recent research in saunas and baths, it is better to use quilted mats, in the production of which synthetic binders are either not used at all, or their quantity is minimal. The thickness of the insulation depends on the characteristics of the chosen material, but in apartment conditions a layer of 10 centimeters is usually sufficient. Such mats are installed between the frame beams with little effort (they should be slightly wider than the distance between the frame beams) and hold tightly, but for additional reliable fixation they can be secured with special nails (sold in the same stores where thermal insulation is sold). When fixing thermal insulation, avoid the slightest gaps and cracks - heat will escape through them. And although this is not as important for saunas in apartments as, say, for detached buildings, it is still necessary to heat the air in the cabin, and not in the apartment. So be careful about thermal insulation.

The next step in building a home sauna in an apartment is vapor barrier (what is it for?). In this case, it is advisable to use one of the foil materials - it will simultaneously solve the problem of vapor barrier and also increase the degree of thermal insulation. The foil material is attached from bottom to top (shiny side into the room), the panels are applied with an overlap of 10-15 cm, the joints are carefully taped with foil tape. The panels themselves are attached to the frame using thin wooden planks, which are nailed either with thin nails or staples from a construction stapler. A counter lathing is made on top of the foil (minimum 2 cm), which provides the gap necessary for thermal energy to be reflected from the foil, and the lining is attached to this lathing.


It is better to use deciduous trees for lining the sauna cabin - they do not emit resins, which can cause burns under high temperatures in the sauna. Usually it is alder or linden. You can also use coniferous lining, but it must be deresined, and there is almost no such material on sale. If deresined material can be found, it is expensive. You can remove the resin yourself, but the process is labor-intensive and time-consuming. So hardwood is the best option.

When securing the lining, try to ensure that the metal parts are recessed or closed (heads of nails or other fasteners), otherwise they will cause burns.

Since a sauna in an apartment is usually small in size, the lining is filled horizontally - this way the room is optically enlarged, but this is not important. At the same stage, fans or ventilation dampers are installed and the door is hung. To ensure air flow, the door to the sauna should not reach the threshold or floor by 2-3 cm. This gap must be left, otherwise, due to the lack of sufficient oxygen in the steam room, after the procedures you will experience lethargy or even a headache (at worst option – loss of consciousness).

The floor for an apartment sauna is usually made of tiles, so if the bathroom is chosen as the installation location, there is usually no need to change anything. In other options, you can make the floor wooden from hardwood boards, or on a subfloor.


The very last stage of building a sauna in an apartment is installing a stove and installing lamps. Electric heaters are simply placed in the chosen location. The only thing that is recommended is to make a protective wooden one at a distance of 5-10 centimeters around it, which will protect against accidental burns in confined spaces. It is also advisable to cover the wall behind the stove and/or in the immediate vicinity of it with heat-resistant material - tiles, bricks or asbestos sheets (not the best option from a health safety point of view).

These are all the main stages of building a sauna in an apartment. But before starting operation, the entire structure must be dried: on the first day, turn on the heater for an hour with the door open, on the second day - for two hours, then for a few more hours. And the final test will be to bring the temperature in the home mini-sauna to 85-90 o C. Only the next day can you steam “for real”.

Many will say that it is impossible to organize a sauna in an apartment. However, in the homeland of the Finnish sauna, most of the population uses it at home. This is possible due to the fact that a mini-sauna does not require much space and is quite simple to build.

You can do this yourself, the main thing is to know the technology and follow simple rules. It is much easier to do it in an apartment, which is due to lower humidity than in a Russian bath, so there will be no difficulties with waterproofing and ventilation. Let's figure out how to build a sauna in an apartment with your own hands.

Selection of premises and project

First you should choose a place and draw up a project for a sauna in the apartment. You can combine a bathroom and a small corridor leading to the kitchen. In the resulting room, you can already think about how to build a sauna in the bathroom with your own hands. To save space, you can install a shower cabin with a sauna for the apartment. You can also install a sauna in a pantry or on a balcony using infrared heaters. It is worth noting that a bathhouse on the balcony will avoid reducing the living space in the apartment.

When calculating the size of the sauna depending on the number of people, you should remember that at least 2 m 3 of space is required per person. The ceiling height in the sauna must be at least 2 m.


If you create a mini sauna in your apartment with your own hands, rather than purchasing a ready-made one, you can leave the floor the same - tiles will do. You will need a room measuring at least 1.8 x 2 m to accommodate the bed. This mini sauna for an apartment is a very practical and convenient solution.

Officially, building saunas in apartments is not prohibited, but only in newly built houses. It is not allowed to place steam rooms in basements and living rooms, this is due to fire safety. If an apartment is being redeveloped for a sauna, it should be formalized legally.

Frame construction

To build a home sauna in an apartment with your own hands, it is best to use panels. They are connected without glue using a tongue-and-groove system, which makes it easy to assemble and, if necessary, disassemble the sauna.

The sauna room is being measured. Then a frame is made from ordinary timber. A height of 2 m will be sufficient. The frame is covered with clapboard and foil insulation is laid with the reflective side facing out. The frame bars should first be pressed tightly against the wall and strapped at 5 levels.


For this purpose, markings are made on the foil in the form of horizontal lines. The first three lines are drawn from the floor at a distance of 3 cm, 60 cm, 1 m. Another one will be 5 cm from the ceiling and the last line is drawn exactly halfway between it and the third. The result should be 5 horizontal lines.

Holes are made through the insulation and exactly along the lines at a distance of 50-70 cm from each other, into which wooden plugs or plastic dowels are inserted. The sauna frame is attached through the drilled holes.

The next step is preparing the shield. It should be sanded thoroughly with sandpaper. It is then installed on three sides of the frame. A strip of rubber is laid between the panels, and they are connected using furniture corners, which are then covered with baseboards.


Now you can install the face shield in which the doorway will be located. Then you should fix the ceiling. After this, a cable is laid for lighting the sauna. The joints between the shield and the wall along the perimeter of the front shield are covered with platband

For insulation, it is better to choose mineral wool. The foil should be secured by overlapping the edges of the strips on top of each other; the joints should be sealed with aluminized tape. The insulation is laid on the ceiling in several layers.

The lining should be placed horizontally. This technique will visually expand the steam room for the apartment. Another important point: the sauna should only have its own ceiling.

Choosing wood for a sauna

Linden, aspen and abashi are best suited for making a sauna in an apartment. You can only use one type of wood; you should not mix them. The owners of the future sauna independently decide which wood to choose, and its characteristics should be taken into account.


The following types of wood are suitable for saunas:

  • Scandinavian pine. It has a pink tint, almost no knots, and has an interesting pattern of annual rings. Over time, such wood darkens and signs of aging appear on it.
  • Alder It has plenty of density, a light pinkish-brown hue and a gorgeous ring pattern. It can be used for exterior decoration of the sauna (read also: " ").
  • Hemlock- wood that does not have resin or knots, its color is pinkish brown, the pattern is in the form of parallel lines.
  • Scandinavian spruce is the most accessible among conifers. It has a large number of small knots, the color is light yellow.
  • Linden- This is wood that does not have knots and resins.
  • Aspen- does not emit resin and is not subject to rotting. Has a light beige tint.
  • Abashi- This is an African oak. The wood is dense, has an even structure and low thermal conductivity, the color is light brown with dark spots. Read also: "".

Selection of oven

A wood or coal stove is not used in the apartment, this is due to fire safety measures. You can install an electric one, since making a bathhouse in an apartment will be a little easier in this case: you don’t need to build a chimney and you don’t need to stock up on fuel. In addition, it will warm up the room quickly.


You should purchase a stove not just for heating a house, but one that is intended for a bathhouse, that is, for rooms with high humidity. The spiral in such ovens must have a special coating. The power of the electric stove should be enough to heat a steam room measuring 6x2, the voltage will be 220 V. You need to make a frame for the stove from slats, it is necessary to eliminate the possibility of getting burned on it.

You can also organize an infrared sauna with your own hands in your apartment. In this case, the heaters do not heat the air, but the heat rays act directly on the person. How to install them correctly is indicated in the instructions. It is important that there is an air gap in the walls of the sauna for ventilation.

Sauna equipment

In any store that sells materials and items for the sauna, you can purchase everything you need, for example, beds or control panels. Here you can also find a fully assembled apartment sauna. In this case, the problem arises of how to install the finished structure in the available space. While you can make a sauna in an apartment with your own hands according to your own design.


The cable laid inside the steam room must be passed through a thermostatic hose, which will protect the wiring from high temperatures. The power cable must be routed separately from the panel. No other electrical appliances should be connected here. Electricity consumption will be approximately the same as when operating a washing machine.

A very important aspect: all switches should be located only outside the steam room. To ensure safety, in addition to all of the above, it is necessary to install lamps with moisture- and heat-resistant glass. You can buy them in almost any store.

Door installation

It is recommended to install a modern design glass door in an infrared sauna. And in a steam room in a do-it-yourself apartment with stove heating, a wooden door is needed. The inside should be insulated with foil. The edges of the door should be three-stepped, this will allow it to be pressed tightly against the jamb. The glass door uses a silicone seal that will not be noticeable.

Conclusion

It is possible to create a sauna in your own apartment and, if you follow the recommendations given, there will be no problems with its use. All monetary and labor costs will be paid off by taking relaxing and healthy steam treatments without leaving your home.