The floor in the steam room performs several important functions. First of all, it ensures the safe movement of people. The steam room is always humid. Therefore, the floor must be non-slip so that visitors do not get injured. Also under the base of the premises are sewer communications. The floor should be equipped so that the water is discharged as efficiently as possible. In this case, the coating and all finishing materials inside the steam room will last much longer.
To equip the floor in the bath room correctly, you need to read the recommendations of experienced builders. In this case, you will be able to do all the work yourself.
Materials
Considering how to make the floor in the steam room, you should start with the choice of material. There are two main options. In the first case, the floor is created from wood, and in the second from concrete. Everyone chooses the best type of material for themselves.
Concrete floor will require more time and effort. It is also a more expensive type of material. However, the service life of a concrete floor is more than 50 years. It is believed that it is easier to equip a floor made of wood. Such material is cheaper. Work in this case is donefaster and easier.
Wooden flooring is used for 7-8 years. Despite such a short duration of operation of the material, in most cases, masters prefer this particular option. It is quite possible to mount the wooden covering yourself.
Wood selection
Quality finish steam room depends on the right choice of wood. This material must be well dried. Boards should not have defects, cracks or chips. Also, no traces of decay are allowed.
Hardwood is preferable for a steam room. It is believed that such material has a different effect on the human body. For example, birch is able to energize bath visitors, and aspen, on the contrary, removes negative emotions.
Birch is considered one of the best materials for finishing a steam room. It is well treated with protective compounds. Larch is also considered one of the best options for a bath. This is a durable material. It tolerates temperature changes, high humidity well.
With proper processing, can be used for decoration and linden. Shelves in the steam room are also made from the listed materials, they create decoration for the ceiling and walls.
Leaking floor
Bath, the steam room of which is finished with wood, can be of two types. The first option involves the presence of gaps between the boards. The accumulated moisture will simply flow down. The second version of the floor in the steam room is called non-leaking. It settles down a little more complicated.
Leaking flooring is the simplest finishing option. There are gaps in the flooring through which water seeps into the soil. Sewerage in this case is not equipped. Only in the underground space is a drainage pit created. Sometimes it is replaced by a special container that communicates with sewer communications. Floor insulation in the steam room is also not done.
The presented version of the floor is only suitable for southern regions and buildings that are operated exclusively in the summer. Boards in this case are not nailed to the lags. They are periodically removed and taken out into the street. Here they are dried and returned to their original place.
Leak-proof floor
The bath, the steam room of which is created in accordance with all building codes, must be leak-proof. When creating its floor, the boards are laid in two rows. First, a rough flooring is installed on the logs. On top of it spread hardwood tongue-and-groove wood.
There are no gaps between the boards in this case. A layer of insulation is laid under the floor. The finish coating should have a slight slope to the place of drainage. A hole with a siphon is being arranged here to drain water into the sewer.
To prevent the appearance of deflections in the wooden coating over time, supports are installed in the middle of the lag system. They can be brick, concrete. It is also allowed to use wood for similar purposes.
Arrangement of the underground
The floor in the steam roomneeds proper arrangement of the space under it. If a leaky floor is created, the filtration properties of the soil are evaluated first. If there is sand under the base of the bath, it will be enough to fill it with gravel. The layer should be about 25 cm. The gravel will clean up the drains before they enter directly into the ground. There must be a distance of at least 10 cm between the backfill and the lags.
If there are loamy soils, clay under the leaking bath, you will need to install a tray to drain the water into the sewer. To do this, a clay castle is created under the floor. It should slope towards the sewers.
If the bath is not leaking, the base is covered with expanded clay. There must be a distance of at least 15 cm between it and the lags. This is necessary to create proper ventilation.
Getting Started
The device of the floor in the steam room involves the installation of a lag. They rest on a foundation. This design is typical for almost all modern baths. The creation of a foundation and a sewerage system under the floor allows you to meet the requirements of sanitary and hygienic standards. Otherwise, an unpleasant smell will appear in the room over time, and the wooden coating will be destroyed.
After arranging the foundation, it is necessary to install logs on it. If the area of the steam room is large, you will need to build additional bedside tables. They will help shorten the gaps between lags.
For the arrangement of the subfloor, hardwood is chosen. It is also allowed to use slabs or thick boards for these purposes. Using self-tapping screws orsheet piling rough flooring is attached to the beams. Next, a heat-insulating layer is necessarily equipped.
Installation installation
The wooden floor in the steam room requires the presence of thermal insulation. In this case, the heating of the room will occur faster. Heat loss is significantly reduced. This allows you to save on energy resources.
The modern insulation market offers many varieties of materials. They differ in cost and technical characteristics. Mineral wool is best suited for arranging the floor in the bath. This is an environmentally friendly material. It is able to reliably isolate the room without letting heat out.
In order for the thermal insulation and the entire structure of the wooden floor to last for a long time, it is necessary to lay a layer of waterproofing on top of the insulation. To do this, you can purchase glassine, roofing material or a polymer membrane.
Laying the final floor
The floor in the steam room is arranged immediately after the installation of the rough base, mineral wool and waterproofing. To do this, prepare grooved boards. Their thickness should not be less than 3 cm.
Boards should not be stacked too tightly. If moisture gets on them, the material will swell. If there is not enough room for linear expansion, the wood will lead. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to leave small gaps between the boards on the finish surface.
It is also important to consider the direction of the growth rings. At adjacent boards, they should look in different directions. With this mounting technique, it is possibleto achieve a high level of evenness of the coating.
All trim pieces must be installed with the convex side up. In this case, the floor will be strong and reliable.
Final stage
At the final stage, wood is treated with special solutions. There are many such options available for sale. How to process the floors in the steam room, the master decides on his own. It should be an antiseptic that will prevent the appearance of fungus and decay on the floor surface. Two side and bottom side of the boards are also treated with this solution.
When laying the finish coat, it is important to slope towards the drain hole. After that, you can carry out scraping and installation of skirting boards. You can remove irregularities on the surface of the coating manually. However, it is more expedient to use an electric planer for these purposes. Before starting such work, it is necessary to check whether nails stick out on the surface of the floor.
Next, in the foundation, you need to make a few vents. This will prevent dampness from developing under the floor covering.
Wall and ceiling decoration
After the arrangement of the floor, the walls and ceiling are finished, the door to the steam room and shelves are installed. In this case, it is also allowed to use wood, lining. She finishes the ceiling and walls. A layer of insulation and waterproofing is also installed under the front cover. You should not purchase polystyrene foam or polystyrene foam for such purposes. In a steam room, such heaters will emit unsafe for the human bodysubstances.
It should be remembered that it is impossible to finish the ceiling and walls in the steam room with plastic, wood panels, chipboard, plywood, etc. Coniferous woods are also not suitable for these purposes. They will release resin when heated. This will cause burns.
It is not recommended to cover the lining in the bath with special means. Varnish, stain or other similar coatings, when heated, will emit harmful substances, an unpleasant odor will appear. It will be simply unbearable to be in such a room.
Interior design
After finishing the ceiling and walls, it is necessary to install a door to the steam room. It can be made of special heat-resistant glass or wood. The first option is preferable. Glass allows you to create a stylish look inside the steam room.
Shelves in the steam room should be arranged in several rows. To create them, hardwoods are used. The surface of the material must be well polished. It should not have defects, chips. It is also unacceptable that metal caps of carnations protrude on the surface of the shelves. At elevated temperatures, this may cause burns.
An important element of the interior of the bath is the oven. There are many different models on the market. The stove can be wood-burning or have an electric heating element. Each owner chooses the best option for himself. Some owners prefer to build it from bricks right on the spot. It is easier for others to purchase ready-made furnaces made of steel or cast iron. Electric heating element does not implyPossibility of pouring water over hot stones. If the owners like a bath with high humidity, they should give preference to a traditional stone oven.
Finishing Options
Experts recommend not to use too much wood when decorating the interior of the bath. The steam room looks original, in which the lining is combined with tiles, plexiglass, natural stone. If you wish, you can seek the help of a professional designer. He will develop an original interior design. It will be pleasant for all visitors to be in such a room.
Finishing the steam room should be done with taste. You should also pay attention to the choice of fixtures. There should be enough light in the steam room. Shades can be made of natural wood or other heat-resistant materials.
It is very important to provide a ventilation hole inside the bath. Airing will avoid the appearance of dampness, pathogens. However, making a ventilation window inside the steam room is useless. It is best to equip it in a dressing room or washing room. The steam room is ventilated when the door is opened.
After considering the technology, how the floor in the steam room is arranged, the interior decoration and decoration takes place, each owner of a country house will be able to independently equip the bath correctly.
