Home mini sauna in the bathroom of an apartment or house

Microclimate of an infrared sauna

In recent years, mini sauna cabins with infrared heat sources have appeared on sale and are being actively advertised.

All bodies on Earth are sources of infrared radiation of varying intensities. The higher the temperature of the source, the more energy the rays carry. The most ancient source of powerful infrared radiation that man has learned to use is the flame of a fire. Every person who has taken the “procedure” while sitting by the fire knows that your front burns and your back freezes. Infrared radiation from hot coals has long been used by people to cook food on a grill, grate or spit.

high-temperature heaters with screens that reflect infrared rays towards a person

are used as a heat source In a mini sauna cabin, infrared emitters should be directed at a person from all sides and at all parts of his body. To equip the booth you will need at least 5-6 devices - emitters installed in different places.

The intensity of exposure to infrared rays strongly depends on the distance between the emitter and the human body. The effectiveness of the procedures decreases as the number of people in the infrared sauna cabin increases. People shield each other from the effects of heat rays. The distance from a person to the emitters becomes less than optimal. Individual parts of the body heat up very unevenly. It is better to be alone in the booth.

The air temperature in the infrared mini sauna is maintained at a fairly low 35 - 45 °C. The surface of the human body is heated due to the thermal radiation of infrared emitters directed at it. Similar to how shawarma is cooked on a grill. In such conditions, it is difficult for a person to control the degree of heating of his body. You can easily overheat and even get fried.

Much has been written about the benefits and harms of various types of baths, microclimates and bath procedures among different nations. To decide what suits you, you need to try everything.

Since the infrared bath is a relatively new phenomenon in our country, I will give a review from one who likes to try everything:

“And I think the biggest disadvantage is the time of the procedure. It takes about 30 minutes, although you can endure more, but the body will receive severe stress. And repeated visits are also undesirable. To me, visiting an infrared bath reminds me of receiving a treatment procedure in a physiotherapy room in a hospital.

You cannot take procedures lying down in it! Just sitting!

In addition, in an infrared bath, the color and emotions of a regular bath are completely absent, where you can properly steam yourself with a broom, breathe in the aromas of essential oils and infusions, lie down to rest, and repeat all this as many times as your heart desires, without being limited by time.”

Panel or film cabins - saunas

There are also cabins on sale in which electric heating panels or underfloor heating film are used as heating elements. Sellers call them panel, film or thermal cabins (saunas). Or even infrared saunas.

In panel heating cabins, the temperature of the heaters is low , 60-70 °C. The main heat transfer occurs by convection rather than by infrared rays. The air temperature in the cabin is even lower, and there is no way to change the air humidity.

In real infrared saunas, high-temperature heaters , with a temperature of at least 230-290 ° C. Most of the heat from such heaters is transferred by infrared rays.

The microclimate in panel heating cabins differs significantly from both saunas with a stove and real infrared saunas. The health-improving effect on humans of procedures in such thermal cabins is minimal. Sellers, in order to attract buyers, will tell you tales about miraculous carbon heaters, about the “Rays of Life” or about “resonance absorption”.

Further, infrared saunas and heat cabins are not discussed in this article.

Beautiful examples

Small steam rooms are perfect for small bathrooms. The glass walls of the sauna make the structure visually lighter.

The compact cabin, lined with wooden slats, fits perfectly into the stylish interior of the bathroom.

External lighting with spots and decorative cladding of the front wall makes the sauna even more original and attractive.

In spacious rooms you can install larger steam rooms with a lounger. Wooden structures look quite attractive without additional painting of external walls.

You can set up an apartment balcony for a sauna. To make a steam room, you don’t have to build a frame and make lathing - just trim the walls with wooden panels, cover the surfaces of the floor and ceiling and install a stove.

A home sauna can become not only a place for taking water procedures, but also an independent piece of room decor.

Dimensions and design of a mini sauna

A sauna in the bathroom allows you to take bath and water procedures without much preparation, at any time and without leaving your home.

There are ready-made saunas on sale - cabins that are simply installed in the bathroom. Cabin sizes may vary. In the smallest single or double cabins you can only sit on a bench. It is more comfortable to take bath procedures in cabins measuring 2x1.6 m.

and 2x2
m
.
In such booths you can lie down not alone, but together. The height of the sauna cabin inside should be about 2
m. Inside the cabin there is an electric sauna heater, as well as wooden benches and shelves in two or three levels. The walls and ceiling of the cabin are a three-layer sandwich, which consists of internal wooden panels, mineral wool insulation and external cladding.

Mini sauna in a new house

In a new house, it is convenient to place a mini sauna in a separate room on the floor, in the basement or in the attic.
Anyone who wants to have their own sauna - comfortable, spacious and, above all, functional, should think about it already when ordering a house project or when purchasing finished project.

In a new house, a spacious bathroom is usually provided to accommodate a mini sauna. More comfortable conditions for taking procedures can be created if the sauna is placed in a special fitness room. Exercise equipment or recreational furniture are often installed in the same room. It would be good if this room has access to the garden, terrace or balcony.

To install a mini sauna in a new house, you can provide a separate room in the basement or attic.

Mini sauna in an existing house or apartment

In an existing bathroom, instead of a bathtub, you can install two cabins - a shower and a sauna

Another option for replacing a bathtub in a city apartment with a ready-made cabin is a shower and a sauna together, the size in plan is 200x130 cm.
In an existing house, a sauna can be installed in a large bathroom or, for example, placed in the basement, or one of the rooms can be equipped for this purpose .

The interior panels of the cabin are made from certain types of wood. For example, coniferous wood of northern spruce, fir or cedar releases aromatic substances when heated. But the aroma should be light, there should not be too much of it. Therefore, pine wood, which contains a lot of resins, is not recommended. Panels made of aspen or linden create a more neutral atmosphere in the sauna.

Finished booths are sold disassembled. The booth must be assembled at the installation site. A gap of 20-50 mm is left between the stall and the bathroom wall. for ventilation.

Projects

The design of a home sauna primarily depends on the free space in the room. Now you can purchase ready-made structures of various shapes and sizes, or you can make a cabin yourself. As for the placement of the sauna, cabins are most often installed in bathrooms.

However, placement options such as a balcony or even a storage room are also acceptable.

In a three-room apartment, you can equip a separate room as a steam room. As for private houses, it is much easier to find a place to place a steam room.

Basement or attic spaces may be involved here.

The placement of a sauna in a room largely depends on the layout of the room. Among the ready-made structures you can find both corner and wall-mounted cabins. In certain cases, it will be more advisable to make a steam room yourself.

According to the regulatory documents that regulate the design of these structures, the area of the sauna should not exceed 24 m². The minimum area of the steam room is 1 m3?. The optimal cabin height is two meters. The only exceptions may be mini-barrels.

When installing a home sauna that is equipped with a steam generator or an electric stove, you must remember about ventilation. Such structures are not installed close to the wall, but with a gap of at least 20 millimeters.

In addition to ventilation, it is important to take care of high-quality thermal insulation and electrical wiring. Mineral wool is most often used as insulation. High-quality thermal insulation material will save electricity for heating the sauna and will allow you to keep the cabin warm for a long time.

A separate cable coated with a thermal protective layer must be used for electrical wiring. The cord is pulled along the floor in the steam room and led out to the electrical panel.

How to make a small sauna with your own hands

A sauna measuring 200x160 cm can be placed in a bathroom with an area of 9 m2.
It is cheaper to make a small sauna in the bathroom with your own hands, building it into the room.

The walls and ceiling of the bathroom at the location of the sauna are insulated from the inside with mineral wool on a wall frame. It is more convenient to attach the wooden cladding of the sauna to the wooden crate.

Read: Insulating walls from the inside with mineral wool.

The walls separating the sauna from the rest of the bathroom are assembled on a frame, similar to how they are done when constructing frame partitions. Thermal insulation is also placed in the walls of the cabin.

Read: DIY frame partition.

In order for the sauna to quickly warm up and consume less energy on heating, all heat-intensive surfaces inside the cabin - walls, ceilings made of bricks, blocks, concrete, as well as logs and beams - must be protected with thermal insulation. The thickness of mineral wool thermal insulation is usually 50 mm or 100 mm. for insulating an external wall. For the same purposes, the height inside the sauna should not be more than 2 m

For thermal insulation, it is better to use slabs rather than rolled material. Mineral wool boards are denser and less prone to slipping on vertical surfaces.

For a sauna measuring 200x200 cm, a bathroom with an area of 12 m2 is better suited

The insulation from the inside of the sauna is covered with a heat-resistant (with operating temperature above 110 ° C) vapor-proof film laminated with aluminum foil. The film prevents moisture from the insulation and also protects the interior of the sauna from mineral wool dust and other harmful emissions from the insulation. The film is laid on top of the thermal insulation, with aluminum inside the cabin. The joints and places where the film is nailed to the frame are sealed by gluing with aluminum tape - adhesive tape.

On the construction market you can find insulation slabs made of stone wool specifically designed for baths - saunas. Such plates are already covered with aluminum foil on one side. During installation, all seams between the plates and joints are taped with aluminum tape.

In any case, you should choose mineral wool insulation boards that use materials that are harmless to humans as a binder. For example, slabs for facade insulation are usually made using various types of formaldehyde resins as a binder. Such stoves constantly emit the deadly gas formaldehyde. The intensity of gas evolution increases when the material is heated.

Read: Formaldehyde in the house is a source of OSB boards (USB), mineral wool...

The thickness of the wooden cladding inside the sauna (lining, block house) must be at least 12 mm. What type of wood to use for the cladding is written above.

To ensure that the cladding does not darken over time and its appearance remains always attractive, the wood is coated with a liquid heat-resistant compound specifically designed for this purpose. For example, oil based on natural wax “Supi Saunavaha” from Tikkurila.

Wooden elements that are located in areas of lower temperatures, for example, floor gratings, door thresholds, can be protected with ordinary varnish.

The outside of the sauna frame is sheathed with wood, plasterboard or other board material, and lined with ceramic tiles or plastic panels.

Styles and directions

If previously a bathhouse was considered strictly a place for hygiene procedures and little thought was given to its interior, now the issue of design is relevant. After all, the sauna has become a place for rest and relaxation. Therefore, it is important to think through the style of each room.

The steam room is quite limited in the number of design ideas. But there are some great options.

Maximum simplicity. Bright accents can worsen the situation. Under the influence of high temperature, the body experiences stress, and a flashy interior will only increase it. Therefore, the design should set the mood for relaxation and relieve fatigue;

If you want to get a positive charge when placing a steam room, it is recommended to add bright colors, but in moderation.

It is better to focus on originality. It’s enough to play with lighting, add details and materials of different textures and colors.

In addition to the steam room, you should consider the design of the relaxation room. There are many more options and you can realize the most attractive style. It is only recommended to organize everything so that the design of both rooms is combined.

Preferred design ideas:

Classic

Use natural materials, mainly wood. The palette is calm, without bright elements. The design is restrained, simple, but chic.

Modern

Place upholstered furniture such as a few armchairs and a sofa. Place a glass table opposite. You can hang a TV on the wall. Use more metal, mirror surfaces.

Eclecticism

You can mix several different styles. Decorative elements are suitable as an accent.

Country

Rustic style in a rough style. Use massive furniture and wide floorboards. Complete the room with appropriate decorative elements.

Ethno

It is recommended to choose a specific country and create a design that fully reflects it.

Bath cabin - saunas made of profiled timber or boards

A more expensive sauna option is to make the cabin entirely out of wood.

, without insulation. Walls made of timber do not require additional protection with any films or compounds. Outside, timber walls are decorated with vapor-permeable paints and varnishes.

The walls of the cabin are laid out from thin planed profiled dry timber or boards with a section of 35-70 x 140-180 mm. laid on edge. To seal the joints between the beams, a cord or ribbon made of jute or flax is placed in the groove. A ventilated gap of 20-50 mm is left between the bathroom wall and the timber wall.

It should be noted that the heating time of a sauna made from timber will increase slightly, since the heat capacity of timber, compared to lining, is quite high.

What kind of home sauna is allowed to be installed?

It’s still not worth making a bathhouse in an apartment with your own hands. Moreover, there are different ready-made options. You can order the design of steam rooms from scratch from a specialized company.

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For installation, you can also choose ready-made models in the form of booths. They are easy to install and connect; such solutions are equipped with everything necessary. Another significant advantage of cabins is cost. Purchasing ready-made structures is more profitable than complex arrangement of all elements. You can choose different formats, equipped with different functions and types of heating.

6 photos

Design: Karnaukhova Diana, Lukyanova Victoria, makedes-home.ru

Design: Ulyana Skaptsova, usinteriors.ru

Design: Maya Smirnova, studio-may.com

ShutterStock

Instagram @hamamnsk

Finnish

They are often compared to Russian baths; the steam room heats up to 100 degrees. The steam humidity level does not exceed 15%, so they can be installed in an apartment building and not experience problems with ventilation.

Instagram @hamamnsk

Compared to other types, Finnish sauna cabins are larger in size. Therefore, they are suitable for installation only in spacious rooms.

Instagram @antica_style

Instagram @hamamnsk

Instagram @sauna_v_kvartire

Design: VitaLine SPA, vlspa.ru

Infrared

Small cabins, heated by thermal infrared energy. Contrary to misconceptions, it is absolutely harmless. There are restrictions only for people who, at the time of the procedure, are suffering from infectious diseases or have inflammatory processes in the body.

Instagram @sauna_v_kvartire

During operation, no steam is released, so it can also be used in an apartment and not experience problems with ventilation. The temperature does not rise above 60 degrees, so in terms of heat level it cannot be compared with a Russian or Finnish bath.

Instagram @sauna_v_kvartire

Phytobarrel

This mini-barrel can even be placed in a one-room apartment. It takes up little space and does not require extensive ventilation or wiring. The lightweight design is convenient to transport to a new apartment when moving.

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It feels like a hammam - the air in the barrel is quite humid, and the temperature does not rise above 60 degrees. There are miniature models designed to accommodate only one person, as well as “extended” versions for two.

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Baths, saunas, swimming pools
How does a phyto-barrel work and can it be placed in an apartment: a detailed review

How to make a sauna floor

Diagram of the drain into the sewer and the floor of the sauna bath in the bathroom.
Waterproofing layer made of built-up roofing material. In a sauna, it is best to make a concrete floating floor over a layer of extruded polystyrene foam insulation. Ceramic tiles are laid on top of the concrete floor screed.

The sauna floor in the passages is covered with removable wooden gratings. This floor design is not afraid of water and allows for convenient cleaning in the sauna. It will be even more convenient if you install a drain in the floor - a receiving grid with a siphon for draining water into the sewer.

Door to the sauna

The door to the sauna is usually made of wood. Bath doors made of tempered glass are also available for sale. For safety reasons, the door to the sauna should open outward and not have locks, but only latches.

Products for construction and repair

⇆

Sliding doors are convenient - they take up little space when opened, or swing doors that open in both directions. The height of the doors is usually 180-190 cm. The width of the doors varies. The door should not be too narrow - less than 60 cm.

The handles on the door and the handrails inside the sauna are made of wood so that they do not burn your hands.

Shelves and benches in the sauna

Shelves and benches in the sauna are made from wood that does not contain resin - aspen, linden, or from various exotic species that are commercially available. Experts say that products made from these rocks in the sauna are less hot to the touch.

The width of benches and shelves is made in the range of 31 - 55 cm. Benches and shelves are usually arranged in two tiers in height. The vertical distance from the floor to the first tier and between the shelves should be about 40 cm. From the ceiling to the top shelf there should be a distance of 1.2 m. It is recommended to make the top shelf at least 50 cm wide. Shelves and benches should be made of slats, leaving There is a gap of 5-10 mm between adjacent slats. for free air circulation in the mini sauna.

The length of the shelves, for comfortable procedures while lying down, is about 2 m. For ease of cleaning in the sauna, it is better to make the benches and shelves movable - lifting or removable.

It will be more comfortable to sit and the walls of the sauna will remain clean if you install backrests along the shelves and benches on the walls.

FAQ

Do I need to choose a composition with wax to cover the sauna in the bathroom?

Wax is a very useful additive for preserving the quality of wood. It repels water and dirt, making this sauna much easier to clean.

Is it possible to install a steam generator and a heater at the same time?

You can purchase two electrical appliances for one mini-sauna. This way you can create different modes in different sessions. You cannot turn on appliances at the same time in steam rooms smaller than 20 sq.m. Overheating may occur, which is hazardous to health.

What to choose, clapboard or log?

The log takes up a lot of space. It is optimal to take clapboard or timber for your home.

How to make cleaning in an apartment sauna easier?

Make shelves on a lifting mechanism. This will make it easier to drain the water, dry the room and wash the floor. It is also recommended to install backrests on the walls near the seating areas.

How to increase the benefits and pleasure of the procedure in the apartment?

Alternate sessions in a steam room with a shower or bath. It’s good to add sea salt and pine extract to the bath; you can use salt scrubs in the shower.

A sauna in an apartment opens up the possibilities of your own SPA complex without travel costs and fear of hygiene. Organizing such a device can be technically difficult, but all efforts pay off during use.

Electric stove - sauna heater

To heat a mini sauna, the easiest way is to install an electric heater. The power of the stove depends on the size of the sauna.

The power of the electric furnace is selected at the rate of 1-1.5 kW

.
per 1 m2
of sauna area.
For a mini sauna measuring 2x2 m
.
An electric heater with a power of 4-6 kW
. Such a stove can be connected without any problems to the panel at the input of a regular single-phase electrical network of an apartment or house.

The higher the power of the stove, the faster the sauna will heat up. The power of the stove is considered sufficient if the air in the sauna heats up to a temperature of 80 ° C in 20-30 minutes.

An electric sauna stove is usually equipped with a thermostat, which automatically maintains the set temperature in the sauna.

The sauna stove is placed on the floor or on the wall, always near the door

. This arrangement of the oven ensures that the cold air entering through the door is captured by the flow of hot air from the oven, quickly mixed and warmed up. It is convenient to clean the sauna if the stove is mounted on the wall, at a small height from the floor.

It is recommended that the level of the stones in the stove be at the level of the feet of the person sitting on the top shelf. To place the stove at the required height, sometimes it is necessary to build a pit in the floor.

Some furnace designs require guards to be installed around them to protect people from accidentally touching hot parts. It is also necessary to comply with the requirements of the factory fire safety instructions.

The sauna heater stove has a compartment where stones are loaded. The heated stones are watered with water, which turns into steam, increasing the humidity in the sauna.

For laying in the oven, stones with a fraction of 40-80 mm are used. certain minerals, for example, diabase, jadeite, soapstone, etc. Using random stones is dangerous.

Hot stones can crack and fly apart when watered on them. There should not be too many stones, because then the inertia of the furnace increases and, as a result, energy consumption increases.

Experts have calculated that a medium-sized home sauna (200x160 cm

) for one session of bath procedures,
kW*hour
of electricity
for heating . Moreover, most of this energy remains in the house, heating it. For comparison, it takes 1.5 kWh

kWh
to bathe in the bathroom . Most of the energy spent on heating water flows along with the water into the sewer.

For example, one of the domestic manufacturers produces wall-mounted electric heaters under the SteamSib brand. The electric heater is designed to heat and maintain a set temperature in a steam room and generate steam from the stones.

The wall-mounted electric heater “SteamSib” is commercially available in three modifications: with a power of 3.4 kW, 4.4 kW, and 5.4 kW. Dimensions of the electric heater (HxWxD) 506x446x290 mm.

Heating is controlled using a remote control panel. The control panel consists of a control unit and a temperature sensor. The control unit is mounted outside the steam room and connected to the electric heater and temperature sensor mounted inside. The control unit sets the heating level of the steam room and the operating time of the electric heater, and also turns the electric heater on and off.

Tips and tricks

Home saunas are easy to use. However, before using the steam room for the first time, you must perform a number of important steps:

The cabin needs to be warmed up well. There is no need to do this at maximum temperatures, it is best to set it to the average value. When warming up the sauna for the first time, the doors must be open.
After warming up the cabin with the door open for about an hour, close the door tightly without changing the temperature in the steam room.
After an hour, the temperature in the steam room is increased by 1.5 times. After another hour, warming up can be completed.
It is advisable to repeat this procedure for several days in a row. In this case, the temperature must be increased each time. On about the fourth day, you can warm up the cabin at maximum temperature.
If after all the manipulations there are no malfunctions in the operation of the sauna, then you can safely operate the structure.

In order for the sauna to serve for many years, the structure needs proper care. If the steam room is made of wood, it is especially important to dry the cabin thoroughly after each use of water procedures.

It is necessary to remove excess moisture from the surface of the walls, floor and shelves with a dry cloth and leave the door to the steam room open for some time for ventilation purposes.

Electric steam generator instead of a heater

With a heater stove in the sauna, you can create two microclimate options - a dry or wet sauna.

To create a steam sauna microclimate

It is necessary to additionally purchase a steam generator for the sauna. The steam generator is installed outside and requires connection to a water supply. In the steam generator, water is heated, boils and turns into hot steam, which is supplied through a pipe into the sauna. The tip of the pipe is located in the sauna under the shelves.

heater stoves with a built-in steam generator on sale

For a mini-sauna in the bathroom, a universal device is more suitable - an electric steam generator, with which you can create any type of microclimate in the steam room.

SteamCity (SteamCity) is an electrical device for creating a bathhouse microclimate. Just 3-5 minutes after switching on, the temperature in the steam generation chambers reaches 650 °C and the water coming from the dispenser begins to turn into light, comfortable steam.

An electric steam generator can independently heat small steam rooms (4-8 cubic meters depending on the modification). In addition, it can be used as an addition to the main electric heater in large steam rooms - up to 20 cubic meters.

SteamCity can be used for spa treatments and aromatherapy.

Electric steam generator with a power of 2.6 kW. may be the only heating device for a steam room with a volume of 4 m3 and a power of 5.3 kW. enough to heat a steam room with a volume of 8 m3.

Dimensions of the electric steam generator (HxWxD) 700x400x150 mm.

Which one to choose

Thanks to the experience of Finland, the choice of apartment saunas is quite wide.

You can buy a factory-made prefabricated model. The user is invited to start making a “constructor” from lining or wood panels according to the finished drawing. The device will have a technical passport, a warranty and can be connected by an official service department.

There are also companies that manufacture frame steam rooms to meet specific requests for size, design features and design. There you can even choose a stove and the number of places to relax. The sketch is drawn up independently or with a company employee. Depending on the project, warranty service is selected.

Expert opinion

Lovkachev Boris Petrovich

Bath master who knows everything about steaming

In addition, it is permissible to make a sauna in an apartment with your own hands according to a personal project. However, in this option it is extremely difficult to obtain all permits, and responsibility for problems falls entirely on the shoulders of the apartment owner.

Any incident, such as a fire or leak, can easily lead to criminal charges. Therefore, this option without your own license to operate is extremely undesirable.

As for the design, there are several types of saunas for apartments:

cabin with electric stove

Its shape resembles a shower stall and can easily be placed in a corner or along a wall (both forms are available). Requires changes in communications. Often the procedure is simplified with flexible hoses instead of reinstalling pipes;

hamam

Suitable only if you have high ceilings. The design includes a dome at a height of 2.5-3 m. You will also need a heated floor system, a good exhaust hood, sewage system, water supply inside and a steam generator.

barrel

The most compact option. It is especially good for combined bathrooms, since it has a volume of no more than 1 cubic meter at a human height. The most energy-intensive type is about 2 kW. The appearance resembles a barrel. Made from cedar or other wood. Built-in steam generator. Modern models include a control panel. The walls from the inside can be sprayed with various health-improving compounds;

infrared

It is considered the optimal solution for a bath. Installation requires less manipulation, the beams are as safe as possible for non-professional use. Such heat does not burden the heart or blood vessels, and is safe for keeping animals in the house (animals cannot be placed in the chamber itself). The effect is as close as possible to steam;

Regardless of the type chosen, it is recommended to install temperature and humidity sensors on the case to monitor the correct operation of the device.

Lighting in a mini-sauna

In the sauna bath it is necessary to install special waterproof sealed lamps with incandescent lamps. Lights are usually placed high up on the wall in the corners or on the ceiling of the booth.

Sometimes the lamps are installed under the shelves or behind the backrests at a safe distance from the wooden flammable parts of the cabin. It should be borne in mind that this option requires the installation of lamps that are more resistant to water.

Modern energy-saving and LED lamps are not suitable for installation inside a sauna cabin. They are not designed to operate in high ambient temperatures. Such lamps can be installed outside, directing the light inside the booth through the glazing.

Which saunas are not suitable for apartments

In an apartment building, you cannot build a heated steam room in the form of a real wood-burning stove. This option is available only to owners of private houses and subject to the installation of a chimney.

Also, types of saunas with very humid hot air are not suitable for apartments. For example, Turkish hammam. The ventilation of typical multi-storey buildings cannot cope with this level of moisture. In addition, for normal air circulation and heat exchange in Turkish baths, the ceiling height must be at least three meters, which is not relevant for most apartments.

Ventilation in the sauna

The oven should be located next to the door. The inlet hole is at the bottom, near the floor under the stove. The air outlet is at the top, in the wall or ceiling of the sauna.

Be sure to arrange ventilation

home sauna.
A hole for air flow is made in the wall of the sauna, below the floor. The inlet opening should be located under the stove or next to it. The hole area is approximately 125 cm2
.

To allow air to escape, another hole is made at the top, in the wall or ceiling of the sauna. The exhaust vent is located as far as possible from the supply vent and from the sauna door. The area of the exhaust opening is twice as large as the supply opening, about 250 cm2

The supply and exhaust openings and the sauna door should open into the same bathroom area.

Air circulation from the sauna to the bathroom and back reduces heat loss and helps warm the air in the bathroom.

While the steam room is heating, the ventilation exhaust hole is covered - the sauna will heat up faster. At the end of the procedures, the hole is opened completely to dry the cabin.

The bathroom in which the sauna is located must have an exhaust ventilation duct with access to the street. An electric fan is installed in the exhaust duct .

Read how to properly ventilate your home.

Economy - ventilation channel in the sauna

In order to use the heat of the sauna to heat the house, prudent owners install an economy channel for forced air supply from the bathroom to an adjacent room, for example, to a corridor or hall. Warm air is sucked by a fan into the economy duct from the top of the bathroom and flows down through the pipe, and then exits at floor level in the adjacent room.

The thermostat turns on the fan in the economy channel when the air temperature in the bathroom exceeds the set value. Warm air from the bathroom enters the corridor, hall and then naturally spreads throughout other rooms of the house.

In summer, excess heat from the sauna is utilized by removing warm air to the street through the forced ventilation exhaust duct.

Registration of permission

You will have to obtain permission to install a sauna from the BTI. You will need a whole package of documents:

copies of documents for the apartment - an extract from the register, a deed of gift, a purchase and sale agreement, a floor plan, an extract from the house register, and so on;
a redevelopment plan, which indicates exactly what will be changed - it must be carried out by a construction company that has the appropriate license.

It is unlikely that permission will be issued the first time. Most likely, you will also have to visit the fire service, SES, and the architectural and construction supervision inspection. All these administrative services will testify that the sauna was built according to all the rules.

Fire safety requirements for saunas

SP 54.13330.2016 Residential multi-apartment buildings

7.3.14 When designing saunas in apartments of multi-apartment buildings (except for blocked ones), the following should be provided:

steam room volume - ranging from 8 to 24 m3;
a special factory-made oven for heating with automatic shutdown when the temperature reaches 130 °C, as well as after 8 hours of continuous operation;
placing this stove at a distance of at least 0.2 m from the walls of the steam room;
installation of a fireproof heat-insulating shield over the stove;
equipping the ventilation duct with a fire damper in accordance with SP 60.13330, SP 7.13130;
equipment with a deluge or dry pipe connected outside the steam room to the internal water supply.

The diameter of the dry pipe is determined based on the irrigation intensity of at least 0.06 l/s per 1 m2 of wall surface, the angle of inclination of the water jet to the surface of the partitions of 20°-30° and the presence in the dry pipe of holes with a diameter of 3-5 mm, located in increments of 150- 200 mm.

It is recommended that the fire safety requirements outlined above also be followed for saunas located in a private home.

Materials

Home saunas are most often made of wood. To ensure reliable sealing of the cabin, glass is used to produce cabin doors. Shower cabins with steam room function are made from high-strength plastic and glass.

Barrel-shaped structures are mainly made from cedar.

You can easily make a home steam room with your own hands. An important step in the manufacture of a sauna is the correct selection of materials. For finishing the floor, tiles are perfect, which are laid on a pre-equipped infrared warm coating.

Wooden floors are not recommended.

The frame, sheathing, external and internal cladding, as well as shelves must be made of high-quality wood. Don't forget about vapor barrier. You can use special parchment as a vapor barrier layer.

Mineral wool is well suited for thermal insulation of the walls of the structure.

As for wood, the material must be treated with a special antiseptic and fire-resistant compound. Not all tree species are suitable for making a sauna. The most suitable option is linden, valuable African wood species abash and aspen.

Each type of wood that can be used to make a home sauna has its own characteristics:

Abash is practically non-heat-conducting wood, which is why it is so often used for finishing baths and saunas. The material has high strength, which indicates resistance to mechanical stress and deformation. The surface of the wood is smooth and does not emit any resins.
Aspen is highly resistant to rotting. Resinous discharge does not form on the surface of the material.
Linden retains heat well, so it is ideal for interior decoration of a sauna. The surface of such wood is quite smooth, with no knots.

Canadian hemlock (hemlock) has a long service life and beautiful natural texture. This wood contains no resins.
Canadian red cedar is distinguished by a large number of natural shades from light to dark tones. The material is practically non-flammable, resistant to temperature changes and moisture.
Black alder (sticky) practically does not absorb water and can withstand very high temperatures. The material is resistant to deformation and has a low level of thermal conductivity.

Sauna care

Untreated wood deteriorates when constantly exposed to moisture, so when caring for a sauna it is very important that it dry thoroughly after each use.

To keep the sauna clean, after finishing the procedures, while the sauna is still warm, you must:

wipe the benches and shelves of the sauna with a damp cloth or sponge;
lift the grate or rug from the floor, lean it against the wall and let it dry;
remove the remaining water, wipe the floor dry, pick up wet towels;
open the door and vent.

Under such conditions, a heated sauna will easily dry out, since fresh air, quickly heating up, will take away moisture. This way we will prevent the appearance of mold and mildew, which quickly develop in a warm and humid environment.

Periodically, as the wooden parts of the sauna become dirty, it is necessary to carry out general cleaning. Wash wooden elements with a brush and detergent. Wash off any remaining detergent, wipe with a damp cloth and wipe dry. Then turn on the heater and dry the sauna.

There are also special products on sale for cleaning the internal parts of the sauna, which are also used for disinfection, making it easier to maintain the room.

It is better to cover all wooden surfaces of the sauna with a protective compound (for example, “Supi Saunavaha” from Tikkurila). The composition containing natural wax creates a water- and dirt-repellent surface. Thanks to this coating, wooden surfaces will become less dirty and easier to clean.

The container for stove stones must be cleaned at least once a year. To do this, stones are removed from it, and then fine sand and sediment from water.

Advantages and disadvantages

The decision to set up your own steam room has many positive aspects, but we must not forget about the disadvantages. It is necessary to weigh all the pros and cons before starting work.

Design: Ekaterina Meschanova, Anatoly Tyutin, meschanova.ru

Advantages

Real relaxation at home. You don't need to go to public baths to have a good rest.
The cabins come in different formats, some are very miniature and do not take up much space.
Low cost of ready-made solutions and comprehensive equipment with everything you need.

8 photos

Design: Olga Kulekina Design and Architecture Bureau, new-in.ru

Design: VitaLine SPA, vlspa.ru

Design: Ekaterina Meschanova, Anatoly Tyutin, meschanova.ru

Instagram @vlspa

Instagram @eospremium

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Instagram @hamamnsk

There are also disadvantages and possible problems that installation may entail.

Flaws

The structures cannot be installed in living rooms or kitchens.
Before installation, approval is required from the relevant authorities.
It is not possible to build from scratch or install a ready-made cabin in all types of apartment buildings.
Walls and floors must be decorated with special materials suitable for temperature extremes.
With poor ventilation, humidity and hot steam can cause dampness and mold.
If there is not enough space, it will not be possible to gather in a large group.

Advantages of the design

A sauna for an apartment has a number of advantages that should be taken into account when deciding on its arrangement:

You can allow yourself rest and some relaxation at any time appropriate for this. Accordingly, you should not waste time going to the sauna.
There is no need to carry out separate sewerage and water supply, as is the case when constructing a separate building with a sauna. You can connect the mini-sauna to a centralized sewerage/water supply system.
The risk of catching colds is reduced, since you won’t have to run down the street.
A mini-sauna for an apartment will have a beneficial effect on the entire body, removing toxins from it.
Strengthening the cardiovascular system.
An excellent remedy for restoring strength after a hard, stressful day, etc.

Considering these positive aspects, you may decide to purchase a mini-sauna for your apartment. However, consider the obvious disadvantage of this setup. It lies in the fact that there are not always free square meters in a residential apartment.

Brief overview of the best models and manufacturers

The leading positions in shower cabin ratings are occupied by the following brands:

AM.PM;
Atlantis;
Aquapol;
Eger;
Niagara;
AquaStream;
Luxus;
Ravak;
GM;
Keramac;
Apollo;
Radaway;
Sansa;
Koller Pool.

These are reliable manufacturing companies whose products rarely have serious complaints. At the same time, there are no universal models that would appeal to all customers without exception. We offer an overview of shower stalls that are in greatest demand:

Image gallery

Photo from

AM.PM. Bourgeois - a comfortable model

Equipment of the Niagara NG 908S model

Functions of the shower cabin Luxus 532

Aquapol AKL-900 L – smooth lines and versatility

The lists of the most popular shower stalls include Chinese models. Don't be afraid of the country of origin.

The listed brands do not disappoint customers, and their production facilities monitor the quality of their products. It is among the Chinese models that it is easiest to find a multifunctional cabin at an affordable price.

Other articles on this topic:

Microclimate of an infrared sauna

Panel or film cabins - saunas

Beautiful examples

Dimensions and design of a mini sauna

Mini sauna in a new house

Mini sauna in an existing house or apartment

Projects

How to make a small sauna with your own hands

Styles and directions

Classic

Modern

Eclecticism

Country

Ethno

Bath cabin - saunas made of profiled timber or boards

What kind of home sauna is allowed to be installed?

Finnish

Infrared

Phytobarrel

How to make a sauna floor

Door to the sauna

Products for construction and repair

Shelves and benches in the sauna

FAQ

Electric stove - sauna heater

Tips and tricks

Electric steam generator instead of a heater

Which one to choose

Lighting in a mini-sauna

Which saunas are not suitable for apartments

Ventilation in the sauna

Economy - ventilation channel in the sauna

Registration of permission

Fire safety requirements for saunas

SP 54.13330.2016 Residential multi-apartment buildings

Materials

Sauna care

More articles on this topic:

More articles on this topic

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

Flaws

Advantages of the design

Brief overview of the best models and manufacturers