All about steam rooms

Own bath, personal steam room - the dream of many fans of hot procedures. A steam room is not just an increased sweating, it is a pledge of emotional and physical health, free cosmetic procedures, and just a "heavenly delight".

A bathhouse with a steam room is a room for washing the body, arranged in such a way as to cause increased sweating by means of high temperature, cleansing and renewing the skin and the body. Characteristic features of the Russian bathhouse.

• Washing takes place in a hot heated log bath. Although the structure can be made of other materials, but the wooden bath is a classic.
• In the bath there is a compartment called "steam room".It is called "steam room", in which the heater is located with the stones-beaks placed in it. Thanks to the heating heater stones are heated to such an extent that the water poured on them turns into hot steam.
• It is due to the steam and high temperature the human body is strongly heatedThe pores open and the perspiration comes out with the accumulated waste products. The dead cells of the epidermis are peeled off and easily removed with a sponge and detergents - the skin becomes clean and refreshed.
• The bath and the steam bath procedure tones up and stimulates all the functions of the human body.The bathing procedure tones up and stimulates all the functions of the human body, hardens it - sharp temperature fluctuations shake it up, speeding up the metabolism and activating the immune system.

There was a time when the popularity of the Russian bath greatly decreased. The Soviet Union used to build apartment buildings and provide housing for the working people of the country. Getting a well-appointed apartment with hot water, bathroom and heating was the dream of millions, and bathhouses lost their appeal. In the last couple of decades, living in a private home and owning a log bathhouse are in demand again, with the popularity of this lifestyle only increasing every year.

Mankind has been using body hygiene for many centuries, and during this time, on the continents, different peoples have developed their own traditions and techniques in achieving cleanliness. Among the types of steam rooms are dry, wet and water, with high and medium temperature, medium and excessive heat.

Finnish sauna - its humidity is low, only 8 to 20%, while the temperature can reach 110ºC. It is almost a dry hot environment, so the Finnish type belongs to the dry-air class of steam rooms. To warm the body in the sauna increase the temperature to the maximum possible, which is a distinctive feature of the Finnish steam room. High temperature rises easily through the furnace of the metal oven.

Raw, or steam-air sauna, is a classic Russian sauna with a steam room. The temperature rises from 45ºC to 70ºC and the humidity level ranges from 40-65%. Increased humidity is achieved through the steam produced by adding water to stones heated to 400-500ºC in the sauna heater. A special microclimate is created when the steam condenses on the skin with a thin film of water.

The human body has a low thermal conductivity, and the presence of the film creates a greenhouse effect, causing intense heat and sweating. A traditional accessory of the Russian bath is a stove with a brick heater, which contains cobblestones that are heated during the heating process. The whole process takes a long time, due to which the heating is slow and of high quality, as well as the subsequent cooling - a good bath keeps warm for a long time. It should be noted that brick stoves are slowly becoming a thing of the past, they have been replaced by metal stoves-baths, equipped with a boiler, where they pour water to get boiling water, heating the room.

More commonly known as the Turkish hammam. It is famous for its mild gentle microclimate - the temperature is kept in the range of 40-45ºC, humidity level is around 60-80%. Microclimate of the hammam is favorable for relaxation, moreover, in the Turkish baths offer various recreational and cosmetic procedures. Under the walls, floors and benches there are tubes through which the hot water flows and heats the steam room to the desired temperature. Steam is obtained from a boiler with boiling water and from hot beds, turning the water poured on them into light steam.

• Wet sauna - It is a variant of the Finnish sauna with a high level of humidity, the so-called wet sauna. It differs from the usual Finnish sauna in high humidity. At 75-95ºC the level of humidity is extremely high - it is brought almost to 100%. This type of sauna is used in endurance contests among fans of steam bathing. It artificially induces extreme values for the body - every 30 seconds 0.5 liters of water are poured on the heated heater. Such a tempo increases the temperature and humidity so much that the body is not able to endure the test without damage - sometimes steamers get severe burns not only outside but also inside.

• Water bath - A classic Japanese wooden furako barrel. The furako is designed with a metal stove to heat water directly in the barrel. The furnace is heated with wood, and it heats the water to a temperature of 40-60ºC, while the humidity is 100%. The skin immersed under the water does not "breathe", while it is heated to the point that it begins to sweat a lot, as a result of which the moisture washes out toxins, fats, impurities.

Designing baths involves a wide variety of options. Small mini-young ones in the size of 2x2, whose layout includes only a pre-bath and combined bath and steam room, and spacious multi-functional - with a pool, bathing room and shower.

Complexes are located in the village wooden bath, in the city they are sometimes built of bricks, blocks, arranged in a frame construction. The building can have an average of 2 to 5 rooms.

Its arrangement includes not only a steam room with a heater, a bathing room with a shower, but also a bathroom, a rest room and a pool. In addition to this, The scheme provides for a couple more technical rooms, which the owners can use at their discretion. The thoughtful planning has made the whole complex cozy and comfortable.

It is quite functional - the plan provides only two compartments: a sink-steam room and a pre-bath. Accurately finished with light board, they are not only cozy, but also serve their purpose well. In the steam room you can perfectly sweat and wash, in the anteroom you can change clothes, relax, and there you can also take the furnace, if you can considerably purchase a furnace of the necessary configuration.

The main element of technical filling of the bath is the furnace. It is the furnace is responsible for what people bathe in the bath, not a simple trough with water. Furnace provides heat and hot water, without it the work of the steam room is unthinkable. The sauna stove, or sauna stove, as it is also called, can be made of brick or iron, designed to be stoked with wood. The stove, built of brick, consists of an oven, an ash pan, a water tank, a separate container for the stones and a chimney with a damper. However, iron analogues have the same system.

The choice of the stove, whose main parameters - the size of the capacity for stones, the material of manufacture and its heat resistance, the power of construction, visual design, in no small measure depends on the size of the building. For the injection of heat, sufficient for all rooms with a total area of 22 square meters, the capacity of 24 kW is enough. If it is possible to make a stove yourself, you can significantly reduce the financial burden on the internal arrangement of the bath.

There are many manufacturers on the market that offer steel and iron wood-burning stoves, as well as electric sauna and bath stoves, for example:

• Steam generators from well-known foreign manufacturers - Harvia, Klafs, Helo, Dr-Kern, Kastor.
• Bath stoves from Russian manufacturers - Varvara and Sukhovey, Thermofor and Sudarushka, Ermak, Kalita, Charodeyka.

All of them are reservoirs of varying volume, filled with stones, there are with built-in heating elements or furnaces for firewood, different in design and features. Some electric steam generators are controlled by remote control, others are designed for use in small spaces, such as the bathroom of an ordinary city apartment. Which one is better will help determine the reviews, forums and market offerings in a particular area.

The traditional fuel for a sauna heater is wood, but now there are electric, gas and infrared models that eliminate the need to heat the stove. For a wood-burning design, aspen firewood should be used periodically - aspen is excellent for scrubbing soot deposits off the walls of the chimney. An electrically powered sauna heater is very easy to use. Such an electric device is compact, has sufficient power and quickly heats up the necessary temperature.

Electric heater is safe for the environment and people, as it does not emit combustion products, and its operation is very simple and automated. Despite the advantages, a significant disadvantage is the high power consumption. Gas stove is as easy to use as the electric models, but it also has a disadvantage - the size and high gas consumption.

The proper arrangement of the steam room has been tested over the centuries and has a traditional filling scheme - one or more shelves on different levels, a sauna heater for heat and steam. The layout of the shelves should meet the different needs and preferences of the users.

The stove can be stone or compact metal, the shelves and walls are finished in hardwood, the floor is wood or concrete. The latter option requires a wooden lattice floor on top. Arrangement of the steam room is carried out in several stages.

The most popular material for internal finishing of walls remains linings. With its help, it is easy to achieve excellent insulation, a smooth surface and an attractive appearance. Wooden board not bad "breathes" and is sufficiently breathable, which prevents the formation of mold. For walls in the rest room, pre-bathroom can be used conifers - their resinous aroma has a tonic effect on the body.

But for the steam room and the washing room use only deciduous varieties that do not release resin at high temperatures. Before cladding the walls cladding pre-existing in the steam room, stimulating adaptation of the material to a special microclimate. Assembly is performed using a profile or bar as a frame and self-tapping screws.

For the manufacture of shelves the ideal wood is considered a healing and fragrant lime. In second place are oak or aspen, birch or poplar - a choice. Coniferous varieties are unacceptable because in the strong heat they begin to release tar, in addition, this kind of wood is heated, which threatens to burn the skin. Lime always remains pleasantly warm to the touch and retains an attractive appearance for many years.

Do not use materials such as chipboard, linoleum and similar options. They have a high fire class and emit toxic substances when heated strongly. The size of the backrest and shelves, their number is calculated based on the number of future users, their dimensions. Average figures - 65 cm in width, 180 cm in length.

Here the preference is given to floorboard, natural stone tiles, ceramic granite, concrete. Cold stone floors require wooden flooring. Obligatory organization of the drain and a slight slope of the surface for water drainage.

Its optimal height calculated by the formula: Height of the tallest member of the family with a raised hand plus 10 cm. This will be enough for free swing of the hand with a broom. Also in calculation take physical properties of steam - concentrated at too high a height, it leaves a cool space below.which negates its healing effect. Excessively low ceilings make it difficult to move freely.

Windows in the steam room are not necessary. Doors are required to be airtight, the ability to keep the heat inside. The material of manufacture can be wood or glass. If the door made of wood is a tribute to tradition, then the glass is ergonomic.

Rest room, pre-bath can be painted inside if you want, to be decorated with other modern finishing materials. Design decoration depends largely on the capabilities and tastes of the owners - it can be unusual, avant-garde, traditional.

Benches-stairs, niches will be required for resting and storing the necessary accessories. The most obligatory accessories:

• Shafts, buckets, buckets;
• Bath and massage brooms;
• hats and mittens for hardened steamers;
• as well as slippers, towels, cosmetic and hygienic compositions.

The peculiarity of the bath, or rather the steam room space, imposes some requirements for the nuances of the organization of the lighting system:

• light sources are placed on the ceiling and above the door;
• The lamps must be made of heat-resistant and water-resistant material;
• the maximum power of light bulbs for lamps must be 60 W;
• To avoid glare from the bright light, lighting must be diffused - for this purpose, use frosted or latticed shades.

Soft, muted light in the steam room helps to relax the nervous system, to create a comfortable emotional background. The most convenient arrangement of lights is one large one in the center of the door with lighting in the ceiling corners.

• An interesting steam room - the shelves and walls are made of lime boards. In the center there is a heater, finished with sandstone tiles. As accessories, the designer used accompanying devices - a copper wok and washer, an iron hook with which to pick up the heated wok, and a chain with large links. The wall behind the heater is also finished with tiles, which makes it completely fireproof.

• Cozy steam room with benches and shelves on several levelsThis allows you to use the room even those who can not stand high temperatures. The temperature below is lower than on the upper shelves, designed for hardened steamers. All surfaces are covered with hardwood planks that stay pleasantly warm at any temperature, exuding the scent of living wood. The heater is located in the corner, at the entrance to the room, the wall behind it is covered with stone tiles, protecting against fire. The bright light of the wall lamps is diffused by the lattice wooden plafonds.

• In decorating this steam room, the designer used a palette in milky coffee tones. The light fixtures, mounted under the ceiling surface, are covered by lattice plafonds and provide a soft, diffused light. The stove, painted gray, as well as the wall behind it, serve as color accents in the overall design. The accompanying accessories - the headrests, washer, and bucket - are light lime-colored.

The following video shows you all the steps of finishing the steam room.