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What is the best way to make a floor in a bathhouse: we understand the nuances and choose the best option. Floor in a bathhouse - different options for arranging a high-quality base Do-it-yourself wooden flooring for a bathhouse

The floor in a bathhouse differs from residential premises in that, in addition to its strength, it requires the construction of a sewer drain. If you build it correctly, it will not rot, will not absorb moisture, but will ensure its constant removal and dryness in the room at a time when steaming is not carried out.

Before constructing a floor in a bathhouse, the owner must decide on the requirements that he places on it. Usually a choice has to be made between concrete structure and wooden boards:

• A concrete foundation takes a long time and is expensive to lay. It is guaranteed to last more than 50 years, and with proper updating and proper operation there is no need to replace it;
• A wooden floor is easy and cheap to construct. It looks great, but needs to be replaced regularly, about every 5-10 years.

If wood is chosen as the material for the floor, you should decide on the type of construction. There is leaking and non-leaking. The first one is easier to arrange and looks more interesting. The boards laid in the bathhouse do not need to be nailed to the joists. They are installed at a distance of at least 3 mm from each other. When you need them to dry quickly, you can simply collect them and take them outside to dry. It is not necessary to construct boards with a gap in the dressing room. In other rooms, a gap of about 2 mm is left from the perimeter walls, creating a conventional frame around the floor, indicated by a small indentation.

Advantages and disadvantages of leaking floors

Pros.

1. The structure is built very quickly.
2. Non-leakage flooring is the leader among other types in terms of cheapness.
3. A drainage hole is made in the underground for sewerage. There is no need to install any other systems.
4. Waterproofing and thermal insulation are not laid.

Minuses.

1. Intended for temporary use; you cannot take a steam bath in winter (in cold climates).
2. To be able to use a bathhouse with a leaking floor constantly, it is necessary to build it in a warm climate.
3. If you choose poorly hewn boards or place them unevenly, the floor will not be reliable.
4. Fragility.

Construction of a standard bath floor

In the steam room, the floor should rise slightly compared to the zero level. You can make it higher by only 8-10 cm, and the desired effect will already be achieved - preservation high temperature indoors provided. In the washing department the floor is made below the finishing level. This improvement will help prevent excess water from entering the remaining compartments of the bath.

The most common floor design in a bathhouse (layers from top to bottom).

1. Finish coating.
2. Wood or concrete (final row).
3. Small air space.
4. Lining (small layer).
5. Insulating layers (hydro- and thermal insulation is required, sometimes noise insulation is added separately if there are industries, clubs, or other establishments that are a source of noise near the bathhouse).
6. Lathing.
7. Insulating layers (in cold winters to protect the floor structure from cold or moisture).
8. Rough floor.
9. Wooden beams for sheathing.
10. Waterproofing (laid on the ground).

Larch is considered the best material for constructing an aesthetic and durable floor. If it is impossible to purchase it, it is allowed to use other common wood species: pine (one of the cheapest), birch (unusual color), fir or alder. Sometimes wood species are combined. The finishing coating is made from more expensive boards, and the cheapest species, for example, pine, are installed below.

Preparation of the finishing coating (carried out in advance)

The boards must be dried before laying. If this stage is canceled, there is a high probability of deformation of the floor if natural moisture leaves the trees quickly. They can decrease in volume and bend.

More susceptible to deformation solid boards. They take longer to dry, and the risk of deformation is greater. The situation is saved by the possibility of laying thin beams. They can withstand less load, but this disadvantage is compensated by installation cross beams(additional layer). The tendency for a 2.5 cm thick board to deform is practically negligible, so it is advisable to choose approximately the same (or slightly larger) boards for joists. The optimal thickness is up to 4 cm.

Composition and design features of a wooden floor

In order to correctly and quickly create the elevation required in the steam room, additional bars are used for lining. The optimal cross-section is approximately 7×10 cm. With their help, the composition of the base is strengthened, because the beams carry a significant part of the load.

How to lay a classic wood floor.

1. The base is pre-coated with several layers of roofing material.

   Massive bars are laid along the perimeter of the foundation. They pass through a certain distance, occupying the entire future floor. Each beam located in the center is supported by support from two opposite walls. It is additionally supported by specially installed two massive pillars.

2. The logs are installed on the beams. They are systematically trimmed, creating an artificial slope towards the sewer outlet. It is desirable that the total difference in slope be at least 2 cm. Before installing the logs, cranial bars are nailed down, together they form the subfloor.
3. The moisture-proof membrane is attached to the logs, while the free ends remain 20-30 cm in order to later attach them to the waterproofing layer of the walls.
4. A layer of insulation pre-cut to size is laid in the gap of the subfloor boards. It is advisable to combine protection from cold and moisture in one covering. Now there is a large selection of such materials. It is preferable to use mineral wool.
5. The finished floor is laid from tongue-and-groove boards and must be done as carefully as possible.

Video - Construction of a bathhouse. Arranging a wooden floor

Video - Do-it-yourself wooden floor in a bathhouse

Required clearances

Ventilation gap between vapor barrier membrane and the floor is at least 2-3 cm. This layer has additional outlets that need to be connected to the wall vapor barrier. This is necessary to connect free air under and above the membrane, ensuring free air circulation. The warm air flow, when circulating under the floor, will displace cool and damp air, which will ensure dry floors for the entire duration of the bath’s operation.

The backing beams are made of such a size that the gap from them to the logs is more than 1 cm. If the log house shrinks slightly, then this distance will compensate for the pressure on the floor and protect the structure from deformation.

Video - Floor in the bathhouse. Arrangement

Fastening elements

The quality and reliability of the floor depend not only on the selected materials, but primarily on compliance with the standards for their fastening. Possible ways to connect parts.

Concrete floor

To fill a floor with concrete, you need to carry out a series of sequential measures.

1. Formwork is installed on the prepared base (filled with primary waterproofing, for example, sand). Wooden boards They are fastened together with anchor bolts and, if necessary, are secured with reinforcement posts with a cross-section of 2-4 cm.
2. Concrete mortar is prepared in a ratio of cement, sand and gravel. The components are combined in a ratio of 1:3:5. Sometimes a solution is prepared without gravel, but the classic recipe is considered more durable. You need to add as much water as required for the correct consistency of a homogeneous but liquid mixture. Concrete is poured in an even layer, the optimal thickness is 5 cm and above. This is the primary covering on which a rigid frame is installed.
3. The reinforcement is evenly distributed inside the formwork. The rods are connected to each other with wire 2-5 mm thick or welded at the joining points. First, vertical pegs with the greatest thickness are driven into the ground, and then connected by one or two rows of long vertical reinforcing bars. The frame can be located at a distance from the formwork along the perimeter, but it should not exceed 5 cm.
4. The rest of the concrete solution is poured onto the reinforcement to the top. To make it more uniform, it is necessary to compact it. You can purchase a vibrator separately and use it to work all areas of the floor. If this is not possible, holes are made in the wet layer of concrete with an iron or wooden rod, through which the air formed when pouring the mixture escapes.
5. To prevent the space under the floor from filling with moisture, a gap of about 15 cm is created from the internal backfill to the wooden base thanks to large beams.
6. To make movement on the floor inaudible, you need to put fiberglass pads under it. They are located on the waterproofing layer. Sold in rolls, produced in the form of a thick tape.
7. Wooden materials are treated with an antiseptic. It is advisable to use a chemical composition that can help get rid of all microorganisms and prevent damage to the wood.
8. All boards are pre-dried or purchased already dried from a trusted company.
9. When installing ventilation, it is necessary to organize its proper drainage. From the underground it is led out along the wall into the attic; a separate pipe is constructed for this purpose. If the foundation is monolithic, then you can make holes connecting the ventilation gaps with the air outside.

Recommendations for constructing a floor in a bathhouse should be applied to your own structure, sometimes adjusting the instructions. It is advisable to leave the basic standards according to which the floor should be constructed unchanged, since they are determined by the natural properties of the materials and the specific state of the air in the bathhouse.

Video - Errors in building floors in a bathhouse

This is very not an easy task, since it is necessary to take into account the numerous nuances of the arrangement of all its premises. These “subtleties” are, of course, determined by the specifics of bath conditions. Specifically, markedly high temperatures and humidity, direct contact of many surfaces to be finished with water, the need to maintain a special microclimate, increased sanitary and hygienic requirements for the arrangement of premises, and some others.

And one of the most “problem” areas is traditionally the floors. Not only their own durability, but also the comfort of staying in bathhouses as a whole directly depends on how correctly their design is selected and assembled. Therefore, the question of what is the best material to make the floor in a bathhouse from is one of the most important when planning such a construction.

Main types of bath floors

First, it’s worth understanding what floor designs can, in principle, be installed in a bathhouse, and what material they are made of. There are not so many suitable options, since the specific microclimate has a very negative effect on most materials. In addition, the finishing of premises designed for constant high humidity and sudden temperature changes must be environmentally friendly and not emit toxic substances.

Therefore, today the floors in bathhouses are still made of wood or concrete. An innovation in the design is the possibility of organizing surface heating using modern systems"warm floor".

Wooden floors

Be that as it may, wooden floors are still traditional for Russian baths. They were made in this building from time immemorial - they have not lost any of their relevance today. The only thing that many bathhouse owners add to the usual wooden structure is their insulation with such modern material as extruded polystyrene foam.

It makes sense to say a few words about the material that is chosen for arranging a wooden floor. Due to Since the floor covering will be constantly exposed to moisture, it is advisable to choose hardwood for the floor of bath rooms, which absorbs less moisture, since it has a dense structural structure. These species include oak, larch or alder.

Oak boards are quite expensive, and they are not so easy to find, so the best option would be a board made of larch or alder. Both have good wear resistance and low hygroscopicity. Although we note here that this wood is also not cheap, so many bathhouse owners prefer pine boards as the most affordable material. But the durability of such coatings is not outstanding.

For a leaking floor, choose a flat board, without grooves or tenons. And for a non-leaking structure, it is better to purchase tongue-and-groove boards, since only they have a good fit in progress installation can create an almost hermetic coating.

Despite the fact that the wood will be in a room with high humidity, it must initially be well dried, otherwise the board may “lead” after laying, and the floors will begin to deform.

The recommended board thickness for making floorboards varies from 25 to 40 mm. The selected thickness parameter will determine the step at which the logs should be installed to secure the finished plank flooring. The thicker the board, the greater the distance between the lags. So, under a 25 mm board it is necessary to lay logs in increments of up to 400 mm, and if a board 40 mm thick is chosen, then the distance between the logs can be increased to 600÷700 mm.

Prices for edged boards

edged board

So, wooden floors can be of two types, which differ in their design - a leaky and non-leaky floor.

Leaking wooden floor

This type of floor is designed in such a way that it does not retain moisture on its surface. To do this, a gap is left between the boards that form the surface, through which water flows out.

A leaky floor can be arranged approximately according to this scheme:

1 - Log wall of the bathhouse.
2 – Skirting screen, protecting the lower part of the walls and corners of the room from direct water. Made from boards.
3 – Drainage backfill, consisting of crushed stone and gravel.
4 – Drainage pit for water drainage, filled crushed stone and gravel mixture or waste building materials(for example, broken bricks, pieces of concrete, etc.)
5 – Plank flooring with leaking floor.
6 – Bases for plank planks flooring This option shows laid asbestos-cement. Instead, concrete or brick pillars can be installed as supports.
7 – Cut-off waterproofing between the plinth and the lower crown of the wall.
8 – Bathhouse foundation, columnar, pile or strip.
9 – A compacted clay layer that redirects water spilled from above into the drainage pit (ditch).

Arrangement underground space leaky floors can be produced in different ways, using different materials:

• Previously, there was usually no special drainage area under the floor. The water from the bathhouse was drained directly into the ground. Therefore, the building itself was necessarily raised above ground level by at least 200 mm, usually on a columnar foundation. And the bathhouse was built, if possible, on a slope so that moisture would not linger under it.
• Another system for draining water from the underground is shown in the diagram above. Under leaking floors there is a kind of drainage made of gravel and/or crushed stone. Water flowing down through the cracks in the floor is distributed in the backfill and slowly goes into the ground. If made compacted clay castle, then penetration does not go through everything area - surplus water gradually flows into the drainage hole. Due to the fact that the underground has the ability to ventilate, some of the moisture simply evaporates. This is facilitated by internal channels and drilled holes in asbestos concrete pipes that support the wooden flooring.
• If the bathhouse is built on sandy soil, then there will be no problems with water drainage, since it drains perfectly into the sand, and it will always be dry under the building.
• If the soil on the site is difficult for water to pass through, then under the floor you can dig a pit 300–400 mm deep, which is filled with sand. This option can be called the simplest in design. But with frequent use of the bathhouse, such drainage gradually begins to become swampy, and it is better not to consider this approach as a serious measure.

• A more complex underground design for a leaking floor involves collecting and draining water into drain hole located at a certain distance from the bathhouse, or into a drainage trench (ditch). In order to organize this version of a bath floor with a drain, the first step is to dig a foundation pit whose walls are located at an angle and converge towards its central part. Then the slopes are covered with crushed stone, which is well compacted. After this, it is laid on the crushed stone reinforcement mesh. Next, the slopes are concreted (item 1). In the central part of the underground, along its entire width or length, also using concreting, a gutter is created (item 2), into which water that has leaked through the floor will flow down the inclined walls. Instead of a gutter, a concrete pit can also be installed in the center or offset to one of the edges, which is connected by a sewer pipe (item 3) to drainage system(I my). The pipe is given the required slope (usually 5 cm per linear meter length), and water flows down it in a simple overflow.

And already above the concrete inclined base there are support pillars (item 4). Through the mandatory cut-off waterproofing (item 5), beams or joists (item 6) are laid on them, along which the plank bath floor (item 7) is laid with a gap between adjacent boards of approximately 5 mm.

If there is a desire to somewhat reduce the cost and speed up the process of arranging underground drainage, then the concrete can be replaced with a well-compacted clay covering. Compacted clay does not allow moisture to pass through well, so water will flow down such walls into a pit, and then into a drainage hole. But in this case there will certainly be more dirt.

Now that the underground space and water drainage scheme have been organized, you can proceed to the formation of the floor itself. Its design consists of three layers:

- these are floor beams for the underground space (beams or logs);

- logs laid on the floor beams, perpendicular to them (sometimes the logs are not mounted, they are limited to the beams if they are located with a small step);

- plank flooring, the boards of which are fixed to logs (beams).

A gap of at least 5 mm is left between individual floorboards.

These gaps are necessary for free flow of water downwards. And the width of the gap is chosen taking into account the possible swelling of the wood when it is constantly waterlogged.

Some bathhouse owners make the leaking floor removable in order to ensure that the covering boards can be taken outside for ventilation and drying from time to time. If this option is chosen, it would be advisable to mount several boards from logs and boards, with such dimensions that carrying them to the flooring site and back to the street would not be particularly difficult. These panels are laid on top of the floor beams, but are not secured to them.

The advantages of this design include the ease of installation, as well as the relatively low costs of its arrangement.

The most obvious disadvantage of leaking floors is that the bathhouse can be fully used only during the warm period of the year or in regions with temperate temperatures. winter temperatures. In the winter cold, bathhouses will quickly become cold, and heating them requires a large amount of fuel. And catching a cold in such a bathhouse, with a possible cold draft from below, costs nothing.

Prices for timber

Leak-proof design bath wooden floor

The design of a non-leakage floor involves arranging a boardwalk underneath with a slope to allow water to drain away. At the lowest point of this slope, there is either a gutter connected to a drainage pipe, or a drain is installed in the form of an opening covered with a grate (ladder).

The flooring boards are laid directly on the beams covering the space of the bathhouse, if insulation of the floors is not planned.

If the floor is insulated (and this is very important for a bathhouse), then the structure is assembled from several layers - these are floor beams, a subfloor, insulation and a finished plank covering.

The boards in the construction of a non-leaking floor should be fitted to each other as closely as possible. Therefore, as a rule, a tongue-and-groove board is chosen for flooring, which will guarantee the “tightness” of the flooring. This is especially important if it is planned to lay insulating material under the coating.

In addition, it is very important in this design to correctly calculate the slope of the floor. Water should flow well through it, but we must not forget about the comfort and safety of the people who will take bath procedures. Moreover, water and soap can make the surface slippery. Typically, a finished floor slope of 50 mm per linear meter of length is sufficient, which is, respectively, 5% or about 3 degrees in angular terms.

— To make it easier to form a slope, you can use a board or timber, cut at the desired angle and secured to the subfloor boards. These elements will become a kind of lags for laying a continuous finished floor.

Prices for drain pipes

a drain pipe

— In the designated location, a hole is cut in the subfloor to install a drain pipe with a drain. The drain hole itself should be located at the lowest point of the floor slope or in its center, if the floor slope is provided in this direction.

— The next step is to lay insulation boards between the joists on the subfloor - usually extruded polystyrene foam is used for this purpose, since it is not afraid of moisture. All gaps remaining between the joists and the insulation, as well as around the drain pipe, must be filled with foam.

— Then, on top of the insulation is laid waterproofing film, which is sewn to the joists with staples driven in with a stapler and slipped under the frame of the drain hole.

- The edges waterproofing material needs to be raised on the walls, to the height 150÷200 mm and secure with staples.

— The plank flooring is being installed, with the floorboards fitting as tightly as possible. At the same time, they are trying to use technology hidden fastening so that the fastener heads (nails or screws) were completely hidden (this is very important for a bathhouse).

— The joints of the drainage ladder parts with the finished floor boards must be treated with silicone sealant.

— Then, the walls of the room are sheathed so that the waterproofing attached to them remains under the sheathing.

— At the final stage, the floor around the entire perimeter is framed with a plinth, which should also be located at an angle so that water falling on the walls flows down them onto the floors.

Wooden bath floors are not painted or varnished; they can be impregnated with drying oil or natural oils, which are applied in two to three layers.

The advantages of a leak-proof wooden bath floor include the following qualities:

• Possibility of creating an insulated structure.
• Possibility of using the bath at any time of the year.
• Creation of the most favorable microclimate in bath rooms.
• Wood itself is a warm material, so bathhouse visitors will be comfortable in the room.

The disadvantages of a wooden floor of this design include the following:

• If the lumber is insufficiently processed, as well as in the absence or improperly organized ventilation, the floors may begin to rot or become covered at the edges with dark spots of mold.
• Wooden floors still cannot compete with concrete coverings in their durability.

Concrete floors in the bathhouse

Concrete floors in the bathhouse - also quite popular option. But their arrangement will require serious financial costs and will take a lot of time. But, having done them once, you can be sure that the structure will last 30-40 years without repair. However, in order for a concrete floor to last such a long time, it must be equipped according to all the rules, using high-quality materials.

If you decide to make the floors in the bathhouse concrete, you need to know what positive and negative qualities they have.

• As mentioned above, concrete covering is the most durable compared to all others.
• The material is not subject to rotting and is resistant to moisture.
• Once installed, a concrete floor does not require any special maintenance.
• A wide variety of concrete cladding with decorative materials is available.
• It is possible to install a water or electric “warm floor” system under the screed or under the facing tiles.

• This design will cost much more than wooden floors.
• The process of arranging the coating is more labor-intensive and time-consuming, since you will have to wait for the concrete to mature before moving on to its finishing and further operation.

• If you do not use the “warm floor” system, the floors in the bathhouse will turn out cold, even if there is insulation material. Therefore, it is necessary to install wooden gratings on top of concrete or tiles.
• Concrete floors require a decorative coating, otherwise the floors will look unattractive.

The installation of concrete floors is carried out in several stages:

— The first step is to install a sewer pipe into the bathhouse, which will drain the spent water. Its vertical pipe should rise above the other preparatory layers.
— The surface of the earthen floor is leveled and thoroughly compacted. Sometimes it is necessary to carry out additional soil removal, since it is necessary to arrange sand and crushed stone (gravel) “pillows” under the concrete screed.
— The next step is to pour a sand cushion 100÷1501 mm thick onto the earthen floor, which will serve as a good waterproofing layer. The sand must be well compacted.
A layer of crushed stone or coarse gravel of the same thickness is laid on top of the sand, which also must be thoroughly compacted.
- To insulate the floor, you can use bulk materials - the same expanded clay. It is distributed in the required layer over the sand and gravel backfill.

Cement prices

Extruded polystyrene foam is also quite suitable for insulation. From his slabs a continuous covering of the entire floor area is cut out. If small gaps or gaps remain (for example, around the perimeter of the room or around the sewer pipe), they are filled with polyurethane foam.

— Insulation material recommended from above waterproof. To do this, the thermal insulation stand is covered with thick polyethylene film, roofing felt or any modern waterproofing agent. The sheets of waterproofing material are laid overlapping and hermetically sealed between a moisture-resistant adhesive tape or bitumen mastic. The canvases should be placed on the walls 100÷150 mm higher than the future screed.

— Then a reinforcing metal mesh is laid on top of the waterproofing layer.

- After this, metal beacons are placed on the floor surface, which should not only set the thickness of the future screed, but at the same time create the necessary slope of the surface to organize water drainage. Beacons are mounted from the drainage hole in the form of rays, diverging towards the walls, or in parallel with a slope towards one of the walls, if a linear collection of water is organized in the form of a gutter.

— Both with and without insulation, before pouring the solution along the entire perimeter of the future screed, a damper tape is attached to the lower part of the walls. This material is necessary to maintain the integrity of the concrete monolith during expansion under the influence of rising temperatures.

— Now you can pour concrete mortar and level its surface along the beacons. Leveling is carried out using building regulations, taking measures to compact the concrete as much as possible so as not to leave air cavities in its thickness.

— The leveled screed will completely harden and gain brand strength no earlier than in a month. Finishing work, if planned, can begin in about two weeks.

— Further, if you plan to cover the floors with ceramic tiles, then the surface of the screed is treated with a deep penetration primer, which is applied in one or two layers.
— After the primer has dried, you can cover the floors with ceramic tiles.

— Today, many owners of bathhouses under construction additionally equip the floors with heating systems. Most often, an electric “warm floor” is chosen - cable or using infrared rod mats. It is much easier to install it, and for this it is better to choose those varieties that can be laid directly under the ceramic coating.

Prices for ceramic tiles

ceramic tile

Water heating involves connection to a heating system. That is, it can only be resorted to if the bathhouse is located either directly in the house, or in an adjacent extension, or is located in close proximity, where pipes from the heating circuit can be installed without difficulties and large heat losses. And the contour of the warm floor itself will have to be laid before the screed is poured.

“Warm floor” is extremely comfortable!

But it will take a lot of work! Before you begin such a task, you need to read the instructions to really assess your capabilities. Publications on our portal dedicated to self-creation systems - the most complex to implement, and electric "warmfloor" for ceramic tiles - here the task still looks simpler.

How to cover the concrete surface of a bath floor?

Concrete floors in bathhouses can simply become “iron.” That is, dry cement is rubbed into the wet surface of the screed and left as is. Quite primitive, short-lived, and “smacks of a public bathhouse,” whatever you say. For such a floor you will need wooden gratings, as it turns out to be cold and unpleasant for bare feet.

A much higher quality, durable and simply beautiful option for finishing a concrete floor is ceramic tiles, which have all the qualities necessary for rooms with high humidity. In order for the tile to serve for a long time without the need for repairs, it is necessary to make high-quality masonry.

Laying ceramic tiles on the floor - can you master it yourself?

Of course, it is possible if you are careful and strictly follow the recommendations of the technological instructions. You can find such instructions by following the recommended link to the article on our portal.

When choosing ceramic tiles for tiling bath floors, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of its surface. In the bathhouse, the mole can be both wet and slippery from soap or shampoo. So you shouldn't choose facing material With smooth surface, since the likelihood of falling and getting injured increases many times over.

Today on sale it is not difficult to find flooring that suits the color and pattern tiles with a relief surface, which does not have a glazed coating. Such ceramic cladding practically does not slip, even when wet.

Another material option that can be used for laying concrete floors is a wood-polymer decking board, the so-called decking. This material has numerous advantages and qualities that are perfect for bath rooms,

The positive qualities of such flooring include:

• Environmentally friendly material that does not contain formaldehyde, lead and other toxic additives.
• Absolute moisture resistance. The service life of decking boards, even in harsher outdoor conditions, is at least 30 years.
• The material has high resistance to temperatures from -60 to 80 degrees.
• The boards have a well-designed textured surface, making it very difficult to accidentally slip on them.
• There is a fairly wide range of shades on sale. The color of the coating does not change under the influence of an aggressive environment.
• The material is hygienic, as it is not a favorable environment for the growth of mold or pathogenic bacteria.
• The board can be easily cut to any size and is very easy to install. Its weight is small, and the flooring can be carried onto the ground without much effort. Fresh air for ventilation.
• The material is “warm” to the touch and can fully replace plank flooring.

Decking can be laid with boards on top of a concrete floor, or used in a leaky construction of bath floors, replacing a regular board with it.

Garden parquet - this covering option can also be used for laying on the concrete floor of a bathhouse, which has a drain. The material has all the qualities of a wood-polymer terrace boards and has a very aesthetic appearance. The convenience of this material is that, if necessary, the slabs can be very quickly dismantled, for example, for the convenience of cleaning a concrete floor, and then laid in place. Their special system lock connections makes such installation or dismantling generally the simplest task.

Due to the fact that flooring manufacturers are constantly working on new materials, and they appear on sale from time to time, it is quite possible to choose a modern, original and affordable option for bathhouse floors.

So, we have considered possible types designs of bath floors, as well as materials used Fortheir creation. Having such information, it will be easier to decide which option is most suitable for a particular room and will correspond to both the wishes and financial capabilities of the bathhouse owner

Some aspects of creating bath floors, obvious and quite controversial, are highlighted in the video presented to the reader’s attention:

Video: Options for creating high-quality floors in a bathhouse

Once a person becomes the owner country house, he has a completely predictable desire to also have a bathhouse. This structure is very easy to construct with your own hands, and you do not have to spend large financial resources. When building a bathhouse, close attention should be paid to the floor structure - a properly installed covering will ensure the outflow of water, and will not rot or stop functioning ahead of time. In addition, a pleasant appearance will always please the eye.

In order to adequately cope with the task, you need to familiarize yourself with the types of flooring and the specifics of their application.

Peculiarities

It is very important to pay attention to the design and implementation of the floor structure in the bathhouse. If you manage to do everything efficiently, you will be able to provide high comfort to everyone in the room, as well as longevity of its service and versatility.

The peculiarity of the floor in the bathhouse is that it performs several equivalent functions. Firstly, the coating ensures the safety of movement of a person located at the junction of “two elements”. Secondly, in the steam room area it is responsible for removing excess water. Thirdly, this is an important part of the integral design of the sauna house. It is worth adding that the floor also helps retain heat in the room.

Most often, the floor in a bathhouse is made of wood and concrete. Sometimes brick is used, which is expensive and has a complex installation procedure.

Floor arrangement

To design a steam room, one of two basic types of flooring is used: leaky and non-leaky. The leaky one is always represented by a wooden structure made of floorboards, which is attached to a supporting joist system. As for the logs, they are mounted at a certain height on support pillars, a lower crown or a concrete screed. To allow water to drain freely, a tiny gap is left between the floor mats.

A leak-proof floor is made of wood or concrete. He is monolithic coating with a slight slope, at the lower point of which a hole is cut, connected to the sewerage system. Through it, the used water is sent to the drainage hole.

Both varieties demonstrate certain advantages and disadvantages. A leaking floor gets put together pretty quickly, but just as quickly it breaks down. It is worth adding that if it is not insulated, the temperature in the steam room will be problematically low.

The non-leakage layer demonstrates a complex structure, which allows for high-quality waterproofing and thermal insulation. In the event of a breakdown, you will have to completely remove the final layer, while for a leak, it will be enough to remove only part of the floor mats.

Materials

According to experts, it is best to make the base of the floor from concrete, especially if you want to build a permanent building made of brick or stone, with several rooms, which will be used throughout the whole year. The concrete floor must be supplemented with a water drainage system and provided with waterproofing. This design is strong and durable; it is not afraid of water, steam, or temperature changes. Concrete floors can be used for up to 45 years without additional repairs.

However, there are certain disadvantages. Firstly, they are cold, so they have to be insulated with an additional coating, for example, tiled or self-leveling. Secondly, concrete floors require significant investments, both financial and labor. Concrete floors can be poured in three stages.

If a small bathhouse is built, operated only for summer season, that is, it makes sense to choose a wooden floor. It is quickly and easily built from environmentally friendly materials (preferably larch boards), looks very attractive and creates a unique atmosphere in the steam room of an old Russian bathhouse.

Unfortunately, such structures are not durable, because the wood will in any case lose its original characteristics when exposed to water treatment and temperature changes. It follows from this that you should be prepared to re-floor the floor after a certain period of time.

During installation wooden floors It is recommended to choose coniferous trees - fir, larch, pine and others. Since such wood contains a large amount of resin, it will be less susceptible to moisture, and the released essential oils will have a positive effect on the health of those taking water procedures. It is worth adding that the floorboards are made of coniferous species When moisturized, they will not become slippery, which means they will prevent falling.

Wooden structures are divided into leaking and non-leaking. The pouring floor does not have insulation, so it is suitable for bathhouses located in southern regions, or for options used exclusively in warm time of the year.

The leak-proof floor is constructed from two layers of boards. The upper one, which will go on top, is preferably constructed from pine or hardwood boards, and the lower, dry one can be equipped with insulation.

The logs are installed on the foundation beam in the case of a columnar foundation, or on the edge in a situation with a strip foundation. The contact points are insulated with roofing felt coated with bitumen, Eurobitumen or a similar waterproofing material.

If the bathhouse stands on screw piles, then a hanging, leak-proof plank floor would be a good option. An additional layer of insulation will help you use the bathhouse at any time of the year.

Wood floors should not be painted or treated with chemical solutions. This is unlikely to add durability, but it will deprive the boards of the ability to breathe and fill the steam room with a unique pine aroma. The most acceptable solution would be to thoroughly sand the boards before starting construction. You can also cover the floor with heat-resistant varnish water based, withstanding up to 120 degrees. The elastic coating prevents moisture, steam and dirt from penetrating the boards.

The two-layer composition is applied to the sanded and disinfected coating when used paint brush. The entire procedure is carried out in a ventilated room at a temperature of 5–30 degrees. Only after the varnish has dried after 2-3 hours is it possible to begin laying the floor covering.

Preparatory work

Having decided to create a bathhouse floor with your own hands, you need to start with high-quality preparatory work. The owner must understand the type of soil that is present on his territory. If it is sand, then this is the best option, because in order to create spaces for outgoing wastewater, you only have to fill in gravel 25 cm thick. If there is soil that does not filter well, for example, clay, then you will have to make a tray to move liquid waste outside the bathhouse .

In the case of large-scale bathhouse buildings, it is also worth considering the support pillars in advance. For each column with a cross-section of 25 cm, a small foundation is prepared or sand is compacted. An asbestos pipe with the required diameter, buried in the ground, will be a good support. The soil is compacted around it and then poured into the finished formwork. cement mortar. Before installing the logs, the columns are leveled.

Before installing the floor, you also have to remove excess debris, roots, large stones, etc. from the ground. If the inside of the load-bearing blocks is clearly damp, you will have to postpone work until they are partially dry.

Installation

A concrete floor is a regular screed made from a solution of sand, cement and special fillers such as crushed stone, gravel or natural marble chips. Ready-made mixtures are sold in all construction stores in dry form and are completely ready for use. The mixture is diluted with ordinary water, according to step by step guide, mixed with a puncher with a suitable nozzle and used for its intended purpose.

If the screed turns out to be the final covering or light boards will be attached to it, no additional ingredients need to be added to the mixture. If the concrete is to be covered with tiles, then it is recommended to add gypsum and anhydrite to the initial composition. You can do this yourself or purchase a suitable option in the store.

The concrete floor is mounted on joists or directly on the ground. If you follow the step-by-step instructions, the first step is to create a system for removing water. It is a structure consisting of a small hole dug in the ground and two pipes. The hole measures 40 x 40 x 30 centimeters, and its walls and bottom are to be covered with concrete. On one side of the hole, a pipe with a cross-section of 20 cm is inserted, which will go into a drainage ditch or into an autonomous septic tank. The second pipe will connect the pit to the bathhouse itself.

It is recommended to equip it with a valve to prevent unpleasant odors from penetrating into the steam room. In addition, it is recommended to make “vents” from asbestos pipes in the base of the bathhouse. They will help eliminate unpleasant “olfactory effects.”

At the second stage, it is necessary to prepare the site on which the screed will be placed. To create a “pit”, the top layer of soil is removed, then sand, broken bricks, gravel and crushed stone are poured into the resulting depression. The layer of the first three components should reach a thickness of 25 cm, and crushed stone - 10. Everything is thoroughly compacted and filled with a mixture of sand and cement, up to 6 centimeters thick.

It is important that the concrete layer slopes towards the prepared hole with pipes.

After the solution has dried, thermal insulation and waterproofing are laid. Used as insulation mineral wool and polystyrene foam or vapor barrier and felt insulation. Roofing material or ordinary polyethylene film can act as a waterproofing material. The last material is laid under the thermal insulation and on top of it. At the next stage, a metal grid is installed for high-quality reinforcement.

Finally, the main screed is poured from the far corner towards the exit of the steam room. You immediately need to level the mortar with a trowel and, if necessary, correct any flaws, which will require the help of another person. The floor will dry for 2-3 days, and then boards or tiles can be installed on top. The finishing is also laid at an angle of 2 cm in the direction of the drain. If concrete is chosen for the final floor, then it needs to be processed: leveled and sanded. Drain holes should be covered with wooden grates for comfort and aesthetic appeal.

Concrete floors are quite cold, so it is also recommended to prepare special wooden grates for people to walk on. These grates are dried after each visit to the bathhouse. The same designs are used in the presence of ceramic tiles. They help limit sliding on the floor and excessive heating of the tiles.

The floor in a wooden bathhouse is created by two different ways. The first allows you to make a leaky coating, and the second - a non-leaking one. In the first case, suitable for beginners, a flooring of planks is installed at intervals of approximately 3 mm to drain liquids. Through them, water moves directly into the drainage hole. The main trump card is the fact that such a floor can be removed and dried, which means that it will not rot and can be used for a longer time.

The plot of land is leveled and sprinkled with gravel. Next, a clay surface with a pit is usually formed. If the choice is given to a cement screed, then it is necessary to provide it with waterproofing. Wooden logs, which must be pre-treated, are mounted on supports at intervals of 50 cm - this way air can easily blow through the structure from all sides. Then the flooring is laid, leaving gaps of 2-3 mm between the walls, floor and boards. A slope for water drainage is arranged under a wooden flooring, for which gravel is used. The descending water will be directed into the filter well.

This design can last up to 6 years if the coating is dried periodically. It is recommended to collect it from larch or conifers, but in no case from oaks, which are very slippery when wet. The boards should be 4–5 cm thick. Typically, leaking floors are used in dachas, where the owners come periodically during the summer season.

The second type of wooden floors is non-leakage with a drain, which is chosen by the owners of year-round heated bathhouses. The floor is placed on a concrete screed with a slope, which is formed so that the water drains smoothly and is directed into a sump adapted for this purpose. These coatings can last up to 12 years, thanks to the presence of rough and thermal insulation layers.

First of all, a hole with pipes is made according to the algorithm given for concrete floors. Then the site is prepared and, if desired, a concrete screed is poured. The floor base is covered with roofing felt for waterproofing and foam with expanded clay for insulation.

The logs are mounted on solid bedside tables, which are cut out of reinforced concrete and decorated with brick or concrete stands, at intervals of 50 centimeters. Then the intermediate base is installed. The height at which the logs are planned is determined depending on the height of the embedded beam (for a columnar foundation) or concrete “strips” (for a strip foundation). The logs are placed in parallel with the narrow side of the steam room away from the walls of the bathhouse - it is recommended to consider a gap of 3-4 cm. Notches should also be made on the logs to achieve an inclined surface.

A water collector measuring 40 x 40 cm and 30 cm deep is placed between the supports and compacted concrete mortar or clay. At a height of 2 cm from the bottom, a pipe is mounted at an angle so that the liquid easily falls into the cesspool.

The “bottom” floor, made of low-grade planks, fixed at the bottom of the beams, is covered with another layer of insulation and roofing felt, as well as a vapor barrier, which will protect all previous levels from liquids. After this, a finishing layer of tongue-and-groove boards is installed with a slope of 10 degrees. The mounting groove must fit inside the structure. The slope occurs due to the fact that the cutting in the log on the side that is directed to the point of collection of wastewater increases.

It is important that the boards adjoin closely, and the covering is attached to the joists with screws and nails at 45 degrees. The boards are selected to be 3–5 cm thick. The foundation for the stove-heater is installed after installing the logs, but before laying the flooring.

Upon completion of all this work, the room is dried, the boards are finally nailed, and the floor itself is supplemented with baseboards. The baseboard should be mounted so that flowing moisture does not end up under the slats. This means that there should be no gaps, and the sheathing should lie on the baseboard itself.

Warm floor

A warm floor in a bathhouse allows you not only to achieve an optimal microclimate in the room, but also to dry it efficiently. Thus, the service life of the finishing and lower floors is extended. The heated floor system is actually expensive, but it creates additional comfort for its owners.

To construct a heated system in a bathhouse, you can use two methods: water pipes or an electric cable. The first option is quite complicated in terms of installation. Water pipes are heavy, especially under water pressure. This means that you will have to provide enhanced reinforcement of the floor screed. It is a closed pipeline system through which, thanks to the operation of the pump, the coolant liquid moves. Usually this is water, but antifreeze, ethylene glycol and other varieties are also allowed. To set up such a system, you will need a boiler, pump, plastic or copper pipes, as well as fittings.

The design is complex, so it will be difficult to identify the cause of the leak, especially if there is a concrete screed. And in case of serious damage, the entire system will have to be replaced. The disadvantages of a water floor in a steam room also include:

• installation complexity - many bends, it is difficult to maintain the required gaps between pipes;
• using a water pump is a huge waste of energy resources;
• Difficult temperature control.

There are two ways to lay a water floor: concrete and flooring. The first is similar to laying electronic cables, but differs in greater thickness. The pipe laying pitch reaches 40 cm. There should be no sharp bends or kinks that interfere with the circulation of the coolant. The second is carried out on a special base made of wood or polystyrene foam. In addition, heated floors can also be installed on a wooden surface.

To install water-heated floors, tubes made of metal-plastic, polyethylene or steel are most often used. Their installation is carried out using two methods: “snake” or “snail”. The first method is available only to professionals, as it is considered very labor-intensive. Its main disadvantage is that the floor surface experiences different temperature conditions. They are usually the highest at the entrance, and the further you go, the colder it gets. The fact is that water is supplied on one side and leaves on the other. The second installation method allows the heat to be distributed equally throughout the entire floor.

To design the electrical system, factory-made “cable floors”, infrared film models or infrared rod mats are used. Very often there are concerns about the safety of using an electric heated floor in a steam room or washing room. The owners are worried that due to a breakdown there will be a risk of electric shock. However, this option is impossible, because the possibility of liquid appearing in the system tends to zero. The structure warms up under the influence of high temperatures and dry air, and even if it breaks, moisture simply will not have time to get inside.

Electrical cables are quite simple and easy to install in every way. They are sold as ready-made “submarines”, which can only be placed on the floor surface and filled with concrete. The cable must be laid on a mesh base. This system does not have any special problems with repair and installation. In addition, it is equipped with temperature sensors.

Infrared electric underfloor heating is called the most affordable and easiest way to provide auxiliary heating. Thermal film, sold in rolls, is rolled out onto the coating, and strips with heating elements are glued to the base with primitive adhesive tape. There is no need for a cement screed or additional waterproofing and thermal insulation.

Tile adhesive is immediately poured over the film and tiles are installed, usually made of porcelain stoneware or clinker. The floor covering can be placed directly on the warm layer, but craftsmen still prefer to leave an insulating-leveling layer between the film and the floor cladding.

Infrared floors are completely sealed and electrically safe and can even be used on floors with wooden components. The maximum heating temperature is 45 degrees and is very comfortable for visitors.

Elements of rod infrared heated floors are also called mats. The heating elements in them are rods that are connected to power wires. The rod “joints” are made in parallel, so the failure of one rod will not disrupt the operation of the entire system, which is very thoughtful. The core floor is mounted in tile adhesive or cement screed.

Conventional heated floors are placed on thermal insulation, then leveled with a screed, on top of which the final coating is placed. Professionals also recommend not skimping on waterproofing, which can prevent condensation from occurring during the work process. Simple polyethylene film is used as waterproofing, and mineral wool, expanded clay, expanded polystyrene and penofol are used as insulation.

Do not forget that when choosing a heated floor, it is extremely important to correctly approach the purchase of the final floor covering. If it is a tile that heats up quickly, you will have to put wooden grates on top.

Design

There are a huge number of options for finishing bath rooms: steam rooms, washing rooms, relaxation rooms. However, the design of the flooring is not particularly original - as a rule, it is laconic and functional, and other decorative elements are responsible for the aesthetic component. Usually the choice depends on personal preferences and financial capabilities. The main criteria are still the use of natural materials, minimalism and convenience.

The following materials are suitable for the floor:

• tree– looks natural, creates the right atmosphere, is accessible and environmentally friendly;
• concrete– durable, but aesthetically unattractive, and the problem of cold is also acute;

• tile- a bunch of color solutions, it is possible to choose non-slip models;
• porcelain stoneware- looks aesthetically pleasing, but slippery, so if used, it is better for a rest room, matte or polished.

Traditional finishing of a steam room involves the use of hardwood paneling as a wall covering. Such walls quickly warm up, but their temperature is considered comfortable for accidental touches. Under no circumstances should you use pine clapboard to decorate a steam room, as this base, when heated, produces toxic substances. For the ceiling, class A or B linden lining is suitable. If you want to decorate a traditional Russian bathhouse, then linden slab with bast will be the best finishing option.

The floor in the steam room can be made of wood or concrete, and a block of tiles can be placed near the stove. If you decide to cover the entire surface with tiles, you will have to take care of wooden grates that will not heat up.

Most often, preference is given to wooden coverings. The interior should be lively, natural and without the presence of synthetic materials.

If preference is given to a steam room - sauna, then you can use a variety of design solutions. For example, combine lining with stone, and brick with granite slabs and a block house. However, exclusively wooden coverings are again recommended for the floor.

For the washing room, as a rule, combinations of wood and ceramic tiles are chosen. For example, it could be coniferous wood, which has high water-repellent characteristics and an attractive appearance.

The tile should be anti-slip and maintain a comfortable temperature. Otherwise, a special mat is required.

In the vestibule or rest room, aesthetic combinations of porcelain stoneware, natural stone, wallpaper and plaster are used. Design is carried out through a harmonious combination of furniture, accessories and finishing materials. There are no special requirements, the only thing is that the relaxation room should set you in the right mood and allow you to spend time comfortably.

So that the process of installing the floor in the bathhouse goes “without a hitch”, Experts recommend following a number of instructions.

• For insulation, you should choose materials that are least responsive to elevated temperatures and humidity. That is, it is better to simultaneously organize not only heat, but also hydro and vapor barrier.
• The bars should be laid correctly so that the liquid can flow down along the joint line.
• If there is a possibility that the space under the floor will fill with moisture, it is necessary to create a gap from the internal backfill on top of the soil to the wooden base. Its size reaches 15 centimeters.
• Fiberglass underlays on the waterproofing floor will make movement on the floor inaudible. They are produced in the form of a thick tape, which is extremely convenient.

• Wooden materials must be treated with an antiseptic. It is advisable to use a composition that can destroy all microorganisms and prevent damage to boards and beams. Besides, everything wooden parts pre-dried or purchased already in this form. If this is not done, the material will curl during use, cracks will appear and the shelf life of the floor will be significantly reduced.
• If it is necessary to install ventilation, it is important to organize its correct output. Typically, a separate pipe follows the path along the wall into the attic. If the foundation is monolithic, then it is recommended to make holes that will connect the ventilation gaps with the air outside.
• If the steam room area is large, then one drain will not cope with all the water. It will be necessary to think about several so that the material does not rot too quickly.
• Dry floors not only eliminate moisture, but also lead to heat loss. In this situation, it is necessary to insulate the foundation and base of the log house, and place the sauna stove below the floor level.

• The floor in the steam room rises relative to ground level. And in a separate washing room, on the contrary, it should be lower than in other rooms.
• It is necessary to leave a ventilation gap under the floor. It can be installed at a height of 10–15 cm.
• It is worth installing the finished floor so that there is an angle of inclination in the direction that is directed along the length of the boards, and not in width. This will help extend the service life of the products, since the direction of water is also one of the reasons in the rotting process.

• To prevent the board from bursting when screwing in the screw, you need to work at an angle of 45 degrees.
• Under no circumstances should you use linoleum, laminate and other synthetic coatings in bathhouses, even in the rest room. In any case, such materials will begin to heat up and release substances that can poison the body. In the dressing room, such a covering should be placed on top of a special flooring that allows the floors to dry.
• The selected boards must be edged or tongue-and-groove. Their thickness varies from 25 to 30 mm.

Beautiful examples

Highly processed concrete screed on the floor will go perfectly with wooden walls and ceiling. The materials for the latter can be boards and lining, forming an original combination. Large window, laconic stove and simple wooden shelves ideally complement the interior.

The tiled platform under the heater can become bright accent steam room and, echoing the washing room, combine two interiors into one. You can add brutality to the room if you replace it with natural or artificial natural stone. He, in turn, will require inserts on the walls of the steam room itself.

Bath floors have several significant functions that justify their differences from “residential” standards. In addition to guaranteeing safe movement in conditions of constant moisture, they play the role of a component of the sewer system. A properly constructed floor in a bathhouse will ensure proper drainage of water and will not rot or wear out ahead of time. To do this, you need to familiarize yourself with the specifics of different technologies for constructing bath floors and choose the most acceptable scheme. For the floor of a fundamental bath structure, we are developing separate project with mathematically accurate calculations. But the majority of compatriots who bought for a bathhouse finished log house and those involved in arranging a bathhouse personally, it is enough to receive general concepts about the difference in construction principles. Any of the proposed schemes House master will be able to independently modernize it to the needs and requirements of its own construction.

Guidelines for choosing a future design

The owner of a country bathhouse must initially decide on the type of drainage of water constantly pouring onto the floor and the material for constructing the floor. Basically, in buildings recognized as a mandatory component of suburban areas, the floor is poured with concrete or boards are laid on logs.

• A concrete foundation will require more labor effort, money and time, but it will serve without any complaints for more than half a century.
• It is easiest and cheapest to build a floor in a bathhouse with your own hands using lumber, but after 7-8 years its wooden elements will need to be replaced.

Wood structures, based on the type of drainage and the associated complexity of the structure, are divided into leaking and “non-leaking” subcategories.

Pros and cons of leaking floors

A leaky floor is the simplest and extremely cheap. It is a boardwalk, between the elements of which gaps are left for the direct discharge of wastewater into the ground. No additional sewer "delights" except for the one located underground drainage pit It doesn't have any insulation either. Therefore, leaky floors are suitable for bathhouses in the southern regions and for temporary summer cottage use.

Building such a floor for a bathhouse with your own hands is as easy as shelling pears. It will not be difficult to replace damaged elements and complete repairs. The boards are not nailed to the joists at all; they can and should be removed and taken outside for ventilation and drying. If desired, instead of a drainage pit, you can install a pan, the drainage from which will be discharged into a sewerage facility.

Specifics of leak-proof design

A non-leaking system is much more complex. It is constructed from two rows of boards. The top flooring, going on top of the logs, is made of tongue-and-groove pine or larch boards without the slightest gaps. A subfloor is installed underneath. A non-leaking floor is classified as “dry” and can be equipped with insulation.

The floorboards of the finishing flooring are placed with a slope towards the place where wastewater is collected and subsequently discharged into a sewer ditch or septic tank. A hole is made at the bottom point of the plank surface, to which a siphon is connected to drain the waste. The hole can be replaced with a full-length tray. The tray is installed with a slope towards the collection point of contaminated water.

What should the concrete floor pie be like?

Concrete floors in bathhouses are poured in three technological stages. The exaggerated “sandwich” of the design consists of six components, these are:

• compacted and strengthened soil base prepared for pouring;
• first layer of concrete 5 cm;
• insulation, most often expanded clay or felt;
• reinforcing concrete layer with chain-link mesh;
• leveling layer;
• coating.

Tamping the soil and the reinforcing gravel-crushed stone mixture of 15 cm laid on top of it, as well as pouring each of the “sandwich” layers, is carried out with a slope towards the drainage pit. As a result, the design should turn out normal . The slope is standard, like wooden structures, 10º.

We decided on a scheme according to which the installation of floors in the bathhouse would be carried out. Do not forget that if the floor has to support the weight of a permanent rather than portable sauna stove, you need to take care of creating a foundation for it in advance.

Features of the construction of wood floors

The main structural element of wooden floors for a bathhouse are logs resting on the embedded beam of a column-type foundation or on the edge of a strip foundation.

All points of contact between the logs and the foundation elements must be insulated with two or three layers of roofing material coated with heated bitumen or dissolved in the solarium. Instead of this budget option, you can use eurobitumen or other effective waterproofing material.

Boards are laid on the joists. In the case of leaking floors, the boards are laid with equal empty spaces of 3-4 mm between them; a technological two-centimeter gap should remain along the perimeter between the flooring and the walls of the bathhouse. Owners of small buildings who want to know “how to make a floor in a bathhouse” can lay logs on the frame beam without erecting additional devices, if the log between the support points is less than 3 meters.

The direction of the joists during the construction of a leaking floor determines the shortest distance between the walls. When constructing a non-leakage structure, the direction of installation of the joists should be perpendicular to the direction of drainage.

Construction of support chairs-pillars

The construction of floors in large bath buildings will require the preliminary installation of support posts-chairs with a cross-section of 25 cm. Craftsmen planning to lay boards 19 mm thick will need to build support posts every 70 cm. For boards marked 22 - after 80 cm, for boards with size 29 - every 90 cm.

Under the pillars, small foundations of 20 cm in thickness are made or compacted sandy soil. A foundation poured into formwork made from low-grade boards is more reliable. Craftsmen studying the construction of a floor in a bathhouse should know that the edge of the base for the supports should “protrude” at least 5 cm on each side of the column.

The supports above the foundation can be made of brick, made of logs, or cast monolithic from cement. You can cheaply and quickly make a support column from an asbestos pipe with suitable diameter. A section of pipe is buried in the ground, the soil around it is compacted, then cement mortar is poured into the finished formwork.

Before laying the logs, the support pillars must be leveled. The level of their upper plane should coincide with the level of the upper plane of the elements on which the edges of the logs will rest.

Arrangement of the underground bathhouse

The owner constructing a leaking wooden floor needs to find out what filtration properties the soil on his site has. If there is an excellent natural filter under the bathhouse - sand, to arrange the underground you will only need to fill in a 25-centimeter layer of gravel. It will serve as a purifier for wastewater passing through it before transiting into the ground. There should be a distance of min 10 cm between the logs and the upper plane of the backfill.

If there is soil under the bathhouse with low filtration properties (loam, clay, sandy loam), you will have to work hard. You will need to make a tray to transport wastewater into a pit, from which dirty water will be discharged outside the building. For this purpose, a clay castle is installed in the underground of the leaking structure with a slope towards the drainage pit. Clay can be replaced with concrete, but it is too expensive.

An underground floor that does not leak can be filled with expanded clay insulation. There should be a 15-centimeter ventilation gap between the expanded clay and the logs. In the washing compartment, a pit is made near the wall. The walls and bottom of this water intake are compacted and coated with clay. From the pit, the waste collected in it must be discharged outside, for which a pipe with a cross-section of at least 15 cm in size is laid.

Installation of the log system

Constructing leaky floors in wooden bath, the logs are laid horizontally on prepared places protected by waterproofing. For floors that do not leak, it is necessary to form a slope, for the purpose of which the cutting in the joist on the side directed to the place of waste collection is increased by 2-3mm. The result is the required slope of 10º.

The level of the foundation under the sauna stove is brought to the level of the future floor after installing the logs before laying the flooring.

The boards of the leaking floor are laid on the installed joists without nailing them. Floorboards of a non-leaking design are nailed with two nails at an angle of 45º, but first a subfloor is laid from low-grade boards and equipped with insulation. The groove of the tongue-and-groove flooring board is directed inside the bathhouse.

Initially, it is better not to nail the floorboards of a non-leaking floor to the joists, but only to “bait” them. After finishing all the work on finishing the bathhouse, you need to dry it, and then adjust and finally nail the boards.

Along the perimeter, the bath floor is finished with a plinth. It must be installed so that moisture flowing from the walls does not get under the slats. That is, the wall cladding should “lie” on the baseboard and rest tightly against it without gaps.

The nuances of installing concrete floors

According to tradition, before pouring, you need to make a pit and equip it with a pipe communicating with the drain. Then the concrete floor in the bathhouse is arranged according to the above scheme, in the description of which some specific features of the construction of floors in a concrete bathhouse were not mentioned:

• If sewer system monolithic floor drains wastewater into the ground under the bathhouse, it is necessary to make vents from asbestos pipes in the base of the bathhouse. These holes are necessary to remove the negative odor that will inevitably appear over time.
• If wastewater will be discharged through a pipe to a sewerage facility, the receiving edge of the pipe must be equipped with a shutter. An ingenious folk shutter is a rubber ball that floats up and falls onto a pipe; factory-made devices are also suitable.

In the brief description of the construction of the monolithic floor, waterproofing was not mentioned. You need to protect it from moisture with an insulating layer on all sides. Bitumen, polyethylene film, roofing felt, etc. can be used as an insulator.

Concrete floors belong to the category of “cold” structures. To prevent the feet of bathing lovers from freezing, portable wooden gratings are knocked together. They are taken outside to dry and brought in before the next visit.

The described common schemes generally introduce how to make floors in a bathhouse. This is not a strict guide, but just a design principle - general recommendations that the owner of the building must refine and improve in relation to his property. Even if you don’t want to build the floor yourself, design differences and each owner needs to know the specifics so that the bathhouse brings only spiritual pleasure, and does not “strain” with endless problems.

The floor in the bathhouse differs in its design only in the steam room and washing room. The remaining rooms of the bathhouse are operated under normal humidity conditions.

In this article we will look in detail at the construction of floors in a steam room and tell you how to lay them with your own hands.

Choosing a steam room and washing room floor design

The usual solution would be wooden floors. Their main advantage is the healthy properties of wood, environmental friendliness and practicality. Despite the relatively low service life of wooden floors in a steam room, they are not so difficult to replace, and the total costs will still be lower than installing a concrete floor.

In the steam room and washing room, a fair amount of water constantly falls on the floor, which should be drained into a pit, drainage system, or simply into the ground under the bathhouse. In constructive terms, to solve this problem, wooden floors are divided into leaking and non-leaking.

A leaking floor requires a gap between the boards. Water seeps freely into the underground space. Then it is absorbed into the soil, if its filtering capacity allows it, or it is discharged into a pit, for which a clay castle is formed or concrete base with a slope to one side.

The second option is a non-leakage floor wet areas baths This type of flooring is made with a non-removable coating and is replaced only after its service life has expired. A slope for collecting and draining water is provided here along the surface of the floor covering towards a tray or funnel.

A floor with a removable covering can and even needs to be dismantled and dried regularly while the bathhouse is not in use. Fixed floors, due to their susceptibility to rotting under high humidity, are completely replaced approximately once every 7–8 years.

A concrete base under a leaking wooden floor in a bathhouse significantly increases the durability of the structure and also affects comfort - even after many years there will be no musty smell from under the floor. However, the installation of a concrete base significantly increases the cost of arranging a bathhouse, so if the mother soil under the building has a high drainage capacity, then it is easier to get by with preparing a filter layer.

Materials and tools

To cover the floor in the steam room and washing room, wooden elements made of deciduous (linden, aspen) and coniferous (pine, larch, cedar) woods are used. All wooden structures floors must be treated with antiseptics.

To install the floor you will need:

• wooden beam for logs 50(100)x100 mm;
• floorboard 35 mm thick;
• cement M300, M400;
• medium sand;
• expanded clay for the thermal insulation layer;
• ordinary clay brick for posts under logs;
• waterproofing (roofing felt).

It is important to choose the right wood protective impregnation. It should be suitable specifically for baths due to the high temperature and humidity. The easiest way to process wood is to impregnate it with sunflower oil in two steps.

Tool

The floors in the steam room are installed using a tool for laying a concrete base on the ground and a wooden floor covering for the bathhouse.

Tools for working with concrete. 1. Rake-stroker. 2. Cement grater. 3. Trowel. 4. Ironer. 5. Corner ironer. 6. Rule. 7. Bubble level. 8. Pendulum profile

Tools for woodworking. 1. Construction corner. 2. Bracket. 3. Hammer. 4. Electric planer. 5. Clamps. 6. Wood saw. 7. Bubble level. 8. Screwdriver. 9. Drill. 10. A circular saw machine

Leaky floor made of individual boards with chamfers

To prepare the soil foundation for the floor structure, it is necessary to remove the fertile layer, no matter how thick it is.

Leaking floor over concrete base. 1. Soil. 2. Expanded clay concrete. 3. Cement screed. 4. Gutter. 5. Brick pillar ik. 6. Waterproofing. 7. Lags. 8. Floorboard

Leaking floor on the ground with filtering capacity. 1. Soil. 2. Sand cushion. 3. Gravel. 4. Support pillar foundation. 5. Brick pillar. 6. Waterproofing. 7. Lags. 8. Floorboard

It is important at this stage to decide how and where the water will be drained outside the building. For this purpose, a tray (200x150h mm) is provided in the concrete base into which water flows. The bottom of the tray is made with a slope towards the drainage pit (30x30x25h). It is better to locate the pit closer to the location of the external water collector. From the pit, water flows through the drain pipe into the reservoir.

The slope of the surface for water drainage is 2–3 cm per meter in the direction of the tray. It is created either by leveling the ground under the floor or by using bedding (sand and gravel) under the concrete base. General level the floor in the steam room and washing room is made lower by 30 mm than in adjacent rooms with normal humidity.

A sand and gravel cushion 10–15 cm thick is laid on the compacted soil. It is necessary to fill and compact the sand in layers of no more than 5 cm, wetting it with water. Next, a heat-insulating layer of expanded clay concrete is laid. The approximate consumption of raw materials per 1 m 3 of concrete is:

1. without sand:
   • cement M300, 400 – 250 kg;
   • expanded clay – 720 kg;
   • water - 100-150 l.
2. with sand:
   • cement M300, 400 – 230 kg;
   • expanded clay – 440 kg;
   • sand – 195 kg;
   • water – 100-130 l.

It is best to prepare a concrete solution in a concrete mixer or order

It is also acceptable to use other lightweight filler (schungizite, perlite, expanded vermiculite, crushed porous rocks, etc.). The thickness of the expanded clay concrete layer can be taken as 150 mm. Concrete is laid in strips no more than 2.5 m wide on a base moistened with water. To limit the stripes, slats are installed, they also serve as beacons for determining the thickness of the layer. The greater the thickness of the thermal insulation layer, the warmer the floor.

Be sure to maintain a slope towards the gutter or funnel for collecting and draining water

Placed on a layer of expanded clay concrete cement-sand screed 40 mm thick. Mortar composition (M100) cement/sand: one to three. Before the solution sets, it is necessary to iron the surface with cement laitance. Cement is mixed with water to form liquid sour cream. The surface is covered with an even thin layer of the mixture. This is done to increase the water resistance of the concrete base.

Brick columns made of solid clay ordinary bricks (250x250 mm) in cement-sand mortar are installed under the logs. The distance between the posts is 0.8–1.0 m in the center. 2 layers of roofing material are laid on their surface. Next, the logs are laid. The floorboards of the leaking floor have chamfers at the edges to allow water to drain away. The gap between the boards is 5–6 mm.

Important! Cannot be used in damp or wet areas sand-lime brick, hollow stones, silicate blocks.

This type of flooring is removable to allow drying. floorboard to increase service life. Boards can move when walking on them, they are often grabbed with nails, landing nests up to 5 mm deep are prepared for them in the logs, or spacers are placed on the boards along the edges.

Leaking floor made of removable panels

The flooring of the steam room and soap room can be made from removable wooden panels. The boards are laid with a gap on transverse bars of 50x50 mm. The size of the shields is taken for reasons of ease of removal and drying.

The floor construction is the same: compacted soil, compacted sand and gravel mixture, insulation - expanded clay concrete 150 mm thick. Ceramic floor tiles are laid on a cement-sand mortar 10–15 mm thick. The floor has a slope that is directed towards the drain tray. Removable panels are installed on the tiles so that the lower bars are located along the water drain.

Sequence of work on a non-leaking floor

A leak-proof wooden floor involves a continuous flooring of tongue-and-groove boards along joists. First, determine the location of the support posts. They are placed at a distance of 0.8–1.0 m from each other, measuring distances along the centers. A concrete pad 100 mm thick and 70 mm wider than the size of the column is prepared for each column.

Solid non-leaking floor on top of the ground. 1. Soil. 2. Sand cushion. 3. Expanded clay or other bulk thermal insulation material. 4. Support pillar foundation. 5. Brick column. 6. Waterproofing. 7. Lags. 8. Floorboard

A continuous, non-leaking floor must be laid with a slope. The gutter can be placed in one of the joists located close to the wall. 1. Soil. 2. Sand cushion. 3. Expanded clay or other bulk thermal insulation material. 4. Brick column on a concrete base. 5. Gutter. 6. Floorboard

Supports for the logs are made of concrete or ordinary clay brick with cement-sand mortar. The size of the posts is 250x250 mm. The height of the supports must correspond to the upper edge of the embedded beam ( columnar foundation), or the top of the strip foundation.

The direction of laying the logs should be perpendicular to the direction of water flow. Wooden elements must be insulated from concrete or brick with two layers of waterproofing (roofing felt). An expanded clay bedding 15 cm thick is made over the compacted soil.

A version of a non-insulated floor is shown in the figure. In this case, the boards rest on the wall joist on one side, and on the gutter joist on the other. The top of the tray is covered with a wooden ladder.

An insulated floor involves joists with cranial bars to which the subfloor is attached. Next, a vapor barrier is laid (membrane, polyethylene, polypropylene films), and a layer of heat insulator (mineral wool board, polystyrene foam) is placed on it. Rolled waterproofing (roofing material) is laid over the thermal insulation layer.

Insulated non-leaking floor. 1. Soil, sand cushion and bulk insulation. 2. Brick pillar. 3. Joists and rough wooden floor. 4. Insulation. 5. Joists and finished floor laid with a slope towards the gutter. 6. Gutter. 7. A vapor-permeable membrane is laid on top of the subfloor, and waterproofing is laid on top of the thermal insulation layer.

There must be a gap of at least 3 cm between the clean floor and the waterproofing. The size of the log in this case is 100x170 mm. Skull block - 40x40 mm. For lags it is necessary to use only solid timber.

Tongue and groove boards are laid over the joists. The boards are sewn with nails or self-tapping screws to the joists through the tongue and groove. This method of joining boards is called “parquet”. Its advantage is the absence of caps on the surface of the board.

Each board is attached to all the joists. They should fit snugly against each other. The gap between the boards should not exceed 1 mm. Staples or clamps are used to hold the boards together. Nails for fastening are used 2–2.5 times longer than the thickness of the boards. The end of the plank floor does not reach the wall by 10–20 mm. Subsequently, the gap is covered with a plinth.

Water drains from the floor surface due to the slope of the floor in two directions. A hole is made at the drain site and a siphon is installed. The slope of the floor can be adjusted by adjusting the height of the joists.