This is a very difficult 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. Suitable options not so much, 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 changes temperatures, 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 modern material, like 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 there will 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 leaking and non-leaking 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 of construction 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 – Compacted clay layer that redirects water spilled from above into drainage hole(ditch).

The arrangement of the underground space of leaking floors can be done 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 a compacted clay castle is made, then penetration does not go all the way 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.

• More complex design underground 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(pit). 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 are organized, you can proceed to the formation of the floor itself. Its design consists of three layers:

- these are the floor beams of 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 simplicity of its 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 season or in regions with moderate 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, 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 covering.

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 solid finished floor.

Prices for drain pipes

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 of the waterproofing material must 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.
• There is the possibility of laying under a screed or under facing tiles water or electric underfloor heating system.

• 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, you have to install it on top of concrete or tiles wooden gratings.
• Concrete floor requires 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 under concrete screed It is necessary to equip sand and crushed stone (gravel) “pillows”.
— 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.
- Can be used for floor insulation 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 there are small gaps or gaps (for example, around the perimeter of the room or around the pipe 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 fill concrete mortar with leveling 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 tiles

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.

Much better quality, durable and simple nice option concrete floor finishing 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 wet and slippery from soap or shampoo. Therefore, you should not choose facing material with a smooth surface, as 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. This ceramic lining 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,

TO positive qualities such flooring can be classified as:

• 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 taken out into the fresh air for ventilation without much effort.
• 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. The special system of their locking connections makes such installation or dismantling a simple 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 bath floors.

So, possible types of bath floor designs were considered, as well as the 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

The technology for making floors in a bathhouse is very different from the design in residential premises. This is largely due to high temperature and humidity, which, even with periodic exposure, affect finishing and facing materials. Following the step-by-step guide, you can make the floor in any room of the bathhouse with your own hands.

Installation of the floor in the washing department of a Russian bath

The washroom is a room for receiving water procedures located in front of the steam room. Usually, in order to save space and for convenience, the washing room is combined with a shower room. It can also accommodate a font, barrel or small bathtub. In a Russian bath, the washing room is combined with a steam room.

The temperature in the wash room may vary. When cold air enters from the dressing room, it drops, sometimes below 30°C, and when hot steam penetrates from the steam room, it rises to 50–60°C.

This directly affects the method and technology of floor construction. It should be well ventilated and dry quickly. Moisture and water retention should not be allowed, but it is necessary that the underground space is well ventilated without creating strong drafts.

To arrange a steam room, it is best to use one of two types of flooring:

1. The leaking one is a wooden plank, located on a supporting joist structure, which, in turn, is fixed to support pillars, a lower crown or a concrete base. To ensure free flow of water, the floorboards are laid in a collapsible manner with a small gap of up to 5–6 cm.
2. A non-leaking floor is a monolithic sealed covering made of wood or concrete with a slight slope. At the lowest point on the plane, a hole is mounted, connected to a sewer system that drains dirty water into a drainage pit.

Both types have their advantages and disadvantages. A leaking floor can be installed fairly quickly, but if insulated insufficiently, it can cause the temperature in the room to be too low. washing room. This is especially noticeable when the bathhouse is small or poorly insulated.

A non-leaky floor has a more complex structure, but allows you to lay a full thermal insulation layer, which significantly increases comfort and reduces heat loss. But when carrying out repairs, you will have to completely dismantle the front layer, while for a leaking one you will need to remove only part of the floorboards.

What material can be used

To make a floor in a washing room, they are used wooden boards, concrete, insulating materials, plastic or metal pipes, galvanized fasteners, etc. The total amount of materials required directly depends on the chosen floor design and its design.

In the bathhouse, you can make a leaking poured monolithic concrete floor with tile or plank cladding. This design is suitable only if the building was constructed on a strip foundation. If piles were used, it is recommended to lay galvanized steel with sheathing.

To make a monolithic floor in a washing room you will need:

• fine-grained sand and expanded clay;
• bitumen mastic;
• roofing felt and polyethylene film;
• extruded polystyrene foam;
• waterproofing material with a reflective layer (when using heated floors);
• steel mesh for reinforcement;
• metal profile;
• cement-sand mixture;
• porcelain tiles or planed wooden boards;
• siphon and plastic pipe.

The described design may include the installation of a heated floor system, which allows maintaining a constant temperature in the washing room. This will also affect the performance of the coating - moisture will evaporate faster without penetrating into the seams between the tiles or boards.

Video: what material to lay on the floor in the bathhouse

Calculation of the amount of materials for the washing room

The size of the washing room depends on the total area of ​​the bath, so in each specific case it will be necessary to calculate the materials according to individual parameters. In order to understand how to do this, the calculation of material for a 3x4 m room is given as an example. The floor is usually located at a height of 50 cm from the ground level.

To install the floor you will need:

1. Fine sand. It will be used as backfill on the ground. The layer thickness is 10–15 cm. The total volume of sand is: V=(3×4)x0.15
   =1.8 m3.
2. Expanded clay is used for filling in front of thermal insulation material. Layer thickness 25–40 cm. Total volume of material: V=(3×4)x0.4=4.8 m3.
3. Extruded polystyrene foam - thermal insulation material, laid on top of an expanded clay pillow. Layer thickness 50–100 mm. When purchasing expanded polystyrene from Penoplex, for thermal insulation of a floor with an area of ​​12 m2, you will need 3 packs of insulation.
4. Cement-sand mixture. It can be purchased ready-made or prepared with your own hands. The first option is recommended. The thickness of the poured layer is 7–12 cm. The mixture consumption for a layer thickness of 1 cm is indicated on the bag with the dry mixture. For example, when purchasing Polygran sand concrete, the consumption is 18 kg/m2. To fill a floor 1 cm thick you will need: V=(3×4)x18=216 kg. For a 7 cm layer: V=216×7=1512 kg, or 84 bags.
5. Reinforcing mesh is used to strengthen the cement-sand layer. The optimal cell size is 50×50 mm. The total coverage area is 12 m2.
6. Ruberoid is used to isolate expanded clay filling from the sand cushion and soil. Total quantity - 12 m2. It is better to purchase roofing felt made according to GOST with a density of 350±25g/m2.
7. Polyethylene film is used to insulate the gravel bed. Total quantity - 12 m2. The optimal density is 150 microns.
8. A metal profile will be needed to make beacons for leveling the screed. If total area washing area is 12 m2, then approximately 25 m of profile will be required.
9. Siphon and drain pipe. Usually, it is brought to the center or the far wall in the washing room. Taking this into account, 4–5 m will be required polypropylene pipe diameter 25–32 mm. To install the turn, you need an elbow made of similar material.

The flooring is selected individually, taking into account the owner’s requirements. If you plan to lay tiles, they must have anti-slip properties. For example, porcelain tiles measuring 30x30 cm are suitable for a washing room. One package is designed to cover 1.30–1.5 m2 of floor. Therefore, for a room with an area of ​​12 m2, 8–10 packages will be required.

If you plan to lay a plank floor, then it is better to use tongue and groove floorboards floorboard from larch with a thickness of 20 mm. It is advisable that the material has already been dried to natural moisture.

Necessary tools for installation of the structure

To arrange and manufacture the floor you will need:

• shovel;
• concrete mixer;
• water container;
• container for concrete mixture;
• metal rule;
• bubble level;
• construction knife;
• paint brush.

In addition to the basic tools, to lay porcelain tiles you will need:

• manual rail tile cutter;
• spatula;
• mallet;
• container for tile adhesive.

When laying tongue and groove boards, use:

• jigsaw;
• hammer;
• galvanized screws or nails.

How to properly make a concrete heated floor with tiled tiles in a sauna

Before installing the floor, you need to clean the soil inside the foundation from construction debris, branches, leaves, etc. If inner part Since the load-bearing blocks are very damp, you should wait until they are partially dry.

The sequence of actions when installing a monolithic floor in a washing room is as follows:

1. The soil surface must be carefully leveled, compacted, and removed. large stones, if any are present. The inner surface of the strip foundation is treated with bitumen mastic in 1–2 layers.
2. At this stage, you need to consider introducing the drain pipe through the strip foundation. For example, a hole is made in a concrete block using a hammer drill into which a piece is mounted steel pipe. A polypropylene pipe will be introduced through this jumper under the floor structure.
3. The drain must be carefully installed in the place where the corresponding hole will be located. You need to put a plastic plug on the end of the pipe to prevent sand, expanded clay or concrete mixture from getting inside.
4. It is necessary to pour fine-grained sand onto the surface of the soil and compact it thoroughly. The layer thickness is 10–15 cm. If the sand is too dry, then after leveling the surface is slightly moistened. This will help compact the pillow more quickly and efficiently.
5. Now you need to lay roofing felt on inner surface foundation with an overlap of 18–20 cm. When laying rows, it is recommended to leave an overlap of 13–15 cm. For more rigid fixation, the edge of the canvas is coated with bitumen mastic. If necessary, roofing material is attached to the surface of the foundation.
6. Next, you need to lay out a layer of expanded clay up to 40 cm thick. After filling and leveling this material, there should be 6–8 cm left to the upper edge of the foundation.
7. It is recommended to lay an expanded clay pillow plastic film thickness 150–200 microns. The joints are covered with paper adhesive tape. After this, thermal insulation material up to 10 cm thick is laid on the polyethylene.
8. Now you can install beacons to distribute the concrete mixture over the surface. The pitch between the guides is 60–100 cm. A cement-sand mixture is used to install the beacons. When making guides, a reinforcing mesh is laid on cement so that it is located between the insulation and the beacons.
9. When installing beacons, you must ensure that there is a slight slope towards the drain hole. To do this, each guide is checked for level.
10. At the bottom of the wall around the perimeter of the sink you need to glue a damper tape. The processing height is 10–15 cm. After the concrete has dried, the excess tape sticking out can be cut off.
11. Now you need to fill the screed. It is recommended to prepare the mixture for this in a concrete mixer.

The concrete screed gains full strength within 25–28 days. After 3–5 days, you can carefully dismantle the guides and fill the resulting voids. During the drying process, especially in the first week, the screed should be moistened with water 2-3 times a day. The flooring can be laid no earlier than after 25 days.

Video: do-it-yourself sauna drain (step-by-step instructions)

How to treat a spilled wooden floor

The composition is applied with a paint brush to a cleaned and dry surface that has been previously sanded. Disinfection is also recommended.

The interior of the washing room can be dried (use a special substance based on vegetable oils that forms a film coating). This material perfectly protects wood from negative influence high temperature and moisture.

The room where the sink is located can simply be painted, but it is recommended to use only special water-repellent compounds.

At frequent use baths, it is necessary to carry out periodic impregnation of wooden surfaces (once every six months), since this coating tends to wash out. The average cost of semi-matte varnish for baths and saunas varies from 550 to 800 rubles per 1 liter.

Installing a floor in a steam room with your own hands: a step-by-step guide

The steam room is the central room in the bathhouse. The air temperature in it can reach 70°C with a humidity of 80%. In a Finnish sauna, the air is 10–20°C hotter, but the humidity is noticeably lower.

The requirements for the floor structure in the steam room and washroom are almost the same. Water and condensed moisture must be freely removed from the surface, while heat must be retained and the lining must have anti-slip properties.

According to the type of arrangement, the floor in the steam room is also divided into two types: leaking and non-leaking.

The best option for baths on pile foundation there will be a construction of an insulated leaky floor with plank or grating flooring. The most common layout of such a floor will consist of:

1. Floor beam.
2. Skull block.
3. Plank flooring subfloor.
4. Pit for forming a drain hole;
5. Drainage polypropylene pipe.
6. Water drain.
7. Expanded clay insulating pillow.
8. Reinforced concrete screed.
9. Wooden lattice flooring.
10. Waterproofing with an overlap onto load-bearing walls.

When installing the floor, you can use expanded clay backfill and concrete screed. This is a labor-intensive process that requires certain skills in working with cement mixture.

Expanded clay can be replaced with regular ones mineral insulation, and instead of the screed put a sheet of galvanized steel.

Selection and calculation of material

The size of the steam room directly affects the amount of material required. Therefore, as an example, a calculation is given for arranging a floor in a 3x3 m room.

To make a leaking floor you will need:

A polypropylene pipe, an elbow for drainage and a drain are purchased taking into account the installation location of the drain hole. To organize a drain in the middle of the room, you will need to lay a pipe, put on a swivel elbow at an angle of 90°C, and make an extension to drain the drain flush with the floor surface.

Floor making tool

You will need the following tool:

• jigsaw or wood saw;
• construction knife;
• metal scissors;
• screwdriver;
• electric plane;
• hammer;
• square;
• chisel.

How to lay the floor in a frame bath on a pile foundation

Before installing the floor, you will need to carefully inspect the lower crown and supporting beams. If there is any damage or signs of rotting, then this element requires partial or complete replacement.

The technology for making a pouring floor in a steam room consists of the following:

1. At the bottom load-bearing beams, embedded in the crown, rough bars are attached. To fix the elements, galvanized nails 60–70 mm long are used. The fastening step is 50 cm.
2. A rough flooring made from edged boards is laid on the support bars. To do this, it is sawn off to a size corresponding to the width of the opening between the beams. No fasteners are used during installation. A hole is cut in the rough flooring for the entry of the drain pipe.
3. After laying the flooring, the floor surface is covered with roofing felt with an overlap of 15–20 cm on the wall and an overlap of 10 cm with each other. The joining seam is coated with bitumen mastic.
4. The space between the logs is filled with thermal insulation material. Most often, basalt wool is used in rolls, but you can also make an expanded clay pillow.
5. The guides are laid from timber or thick boards. To do this, the material is laid in such a way that a slope is formed, for which you can use pads under the beam at the base.
6. The guides are attached directly to the support beams using galvanized nails or self-tapping screws 50–80 mm long. After this, the space between them is filled with basalt wool.
7. A galvanized sheet is laid on top of the guides with an overlap of 15–20 cm on the wall. For fastening, only special self-tapping screws with a flat head are used. The fastening step along the wall is 15–20 cm, along the guides – 20–30 cm. After installation, a small hole is carefully made in the center of the sheet to drain the water.
8. The support beams are being fastened under the plank poured floor. To do this, a beam with a cross-section of 70×70 mm is attached to the wall using an “L”-shaped galvanized corner with a pitch of 70–100 cm. Floorboards made of polished boards are laid on top of the beams (it is better to use larch). The distance between them should be 3–5 mm.

Galvanized sheet is not used often, but it is quite good decision, allowing you to unload load-bearing structure floor. If the bathhouse is built on a strip foundation or is located in the basement of a house, then it is better to give preference to a grate with further pouring of a concrete screed.

Video: how to make a plank floor with a slope in a larch steam room

How to prevent rotting of joists and floorboards

To treat the floor in the steam room, heat-resistant (withstands up to 120°C) varnish is used. water based. This is an elastic coating that protects wood from penetration of moisture, vapor and dirt.

The composition is applied to the prepared floor covering using a paint brush in 2 layers. Application is carried out in a ventilated area at a temperature of 5–30°C. When installing a leaking floor, treatment should begin after laying the load-bearing joists. Only after the composition has dried (2-3 hours should pass) can you proceed to laying the floor covering and impregnating it.

This composition is not suitable for treating furniture in a steam room. Benches, stools, and chairs cannot be covered with it.

The average consumption of the mixture is 18 m 2 /l.

Installing a floor in a bathhouse is a technologically complex and time-consuming process, largely dependent on individual characteristics structure, its dimensions and type of supporting foundation. Before performing this work, it is recommended to draw up a diagram where you need to identify its main elements and components. This will allow you to more accurately think through the flooring technology specifically for the parameters of your bathhouse.

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 steam rooms, 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 disassembled 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 arrangement 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. 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 column. 6. Waterproofing. 7. Lags. 8. Floorboard

Leaking floor on the ground with filtering capacity. 1. Soil. 2. Sand cushion. 3. Gravel. 4. Foundation support pillar. 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 drain pipe into the catch basin.

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. The general floor level in the steam room and washing room is made 30 mm lower 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

A cement-sand screed 40 mm thick is laid on a layer of expanded clay concrete. 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! Sand-lime bricks, hollow stones, and silicate blocks should not be used in damp and wet rooms.

This flooring is made removable in order to be able to dry the floorboard to increase its 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 floor covering of the steam room and soap room can be made from removable wooden shields. 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. A ceramic layer is laid on a cement-sand mortar 10-15 mm thick. floor tiles. 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. It is laid over the thermal insulation layer roll waterproofing(ruberoid).

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 together 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.

The floor in a bathhouse made of boards is considered classic version arrangement of a Russian bath. Despite the tendency of wood to rot when exposed to high humidity, the other benefits of the material outweigh the negative side, and the use of wood flooring remains the most common construction technology. All the shortcomings of wood can be eliminated if you ensure the right approach to choosing the type of wood and follow the basic principles of protecting it from aggressive influences.

Features of the problem

As you know, a Russian bathhouse consists of several standard rooms: a steam room, a washing room, a dressing room, a relaxation room, which have their own specific conditions. The most aggressive environment is present in the steam room. Here, high humidity is ensured (up to 60-65%) using water vapor heated to a temperature of 55-70 degrees. Below at floor level the temperature drops slightly (to 45-50 degrees), but heated water and steam condensate appear. To this should be added mechanical loads when moving participants in the bath procedure.

In a washing room, the main impact on a wooden floor is associated with flowing water (shower or dousing from containers), often mixed with detergents(soap, shampoo, etc.). In addition, clouds of steam may escape from the steam room. In the dressing room, problems are usually associated with the firebox of the sauna stove located here, in the area of ​​which the material is heated. In addition, it is necessary to take into account temperature differences and dirt brought in with shoes. The most favorable conditions are provided in the relaxation room, where comfort and aesthetics come first.

The above analysis of bath conditions is important for developing an approach to choosing a flooring material. The point is that different breeds Wood also has different properties, and therefore the question of which board to make a floor in a bathhouse from has its own characteristics. When choosing a material, not only the dimensions are important, ensuring mechanical strength, but also the characteristics of the wood itself.

Choosing a wood species

Which board is best for a bathhouse floor?

Note! When choosing a wood type, the following basic properties are taken into account: moisture resistance or degree of hygroscopicity, which is largely determined by the density of the structure; mechanical strength; tendency to deform when drying; presence of harmful resins.

The latter characteristic is especially important in a steam room, where under the influence of superheated steam at a sufficiently high temperature, resinous substances are released from the wood and inhaled by humans. In this regard, some coniferous trees containing large amounts of resins pose a danger to the body.

Which board should I use for the floor in the bathhouse? The most commonly used tree species are:

1. Larch. Refers to coniferous and has high strength and density. Essential oils, contained in wood, can have a healing effect, especially for disorders of the cardiovascular or immune system. The structure contains a natural antiseptic that combats microorganisms that cause rotting. Resinous substances are actively released at first, but later they stop evaporating. One of the main disadvantages is the high cost of the material.

2. Oak. This rock has unique strength, resistance to high temperatures and moisture, but it is usually used in the form finishing material. Oak floor boards are not found wide application due to the increased specific gravity, difficulty in processing, and tendency to crack due to temperature changes.

3. Cedar. It has a peculiar fibrous structure, which provides an important property: very low deformation and no cracking. There is practically no rotting of such wood, and the appearance is admirable. The advantages include increased heat capacity, which ensures long-term heat retention. The use of cedar boards is limited only by the high cost.

4. Pine. Main positive properties: low cost, ease of processing. Proper drying of wood eliminates the risk of cracking and deformation. Main disadvantage: low resistance to rotting. Fungi and various microorganisms actively develop in pine products. When deciding which board to lay the floor in a bathhouse, pine floorboards are most often rejected. At the same time, pine is widely used as joists, intermediate and supporting elements of wooden floors.

5. Linden. The classic Russian bathhouse was always based on this type of wood. She has medicinal properties, and the texture creates a unique decor. As a floor board, its use is limited by such negative aspects as low heat capacity (a fairly cold surface) and a high tendency to rot, which requires careful processing.

6. Aspen. It is in many ways similar to linden. It has a relatively low cost and is easy to process. The main disadvantage: it begins to darken when exposed to high temperatures.

Summarizing the arguments presented in favor of a particular type of wood, it should be noted that the question of what boards are needed for the floor in a bathhouse is decided by financial capabilities and the type of bathhouse flooring in which the flooring is being built.

Note! Larch looks the most attractive, but when saving money, pine boards are still more often used.

What is taken into account when preparing material

In addition to the choice of wood species, other characteristics also play an important role. First of all, it is necessary to take into account quality indicators:

1. Grooved board. For the floor in the bathhouse, a regular or tongue-and-groove board can be used. The difference lies in the formation of the end. In the tongue-and-groove version, a longitudinal tenon is formed on one side, and a corresponding groove is formed on the other. As a result of the use of such products, a locking connection is provided, which makes it possible to tightly fit and create a leak-proof floor covering. Naturally, profiled boards have a higher cost, but the quality of the floor also increases significantly.
2. Humidity. Very important parameter For any wood, the presence of residual moisture in the structure of the material is considered. For the floor it is necessary to use only well-dried products, i.e. with minimal humidity. Wet wood will warp as it dries, causing an uneven surface. The optimal humidity value is considered to be within 7-9%, at least not more than 12-13%.
3. Dimensions. The thickness of the board for the bath floor ensures its mechanical strength. In principle, it significantly depends on the properties of the wood, i.e. depending on the type of tree. So, when using an oak board, a thickness of 20-25 mm is sufficient; to ensure the same strength you will need pine board thickness 40-45 mm. Typical tongue and groove boards are offered in thicknesses ranging from 27-37 mm. The choice of this parameter is determined by real loads taking into account the area of ​​the room.

Note! The width of the board also affects the reliability of the flooring and the likelihood of deformation. The narrower it is, the lower the risk of its curvature in cross section.

The most commonly used board is 10 cm wide. If you use well-dried material, you can safely choose a width of about 17-20 cm.

Specific Features

The quality of plank flooring in a bathhouse and its reliability depend on the following nuances:

1. Carrying out acclimatization. If we make a floor in a bathhouse from boards, regardless of the type of wood, it is recommended to give the material the opportunity to acclimatize to the conditions where it will be located. To do this, the boards should be brought into the bathhouse at normal humidity and temperature and left for 3-5 days.
2. Method of fastening the plank covering. It is customary to attach ordinary boards to the joists with nails or self-tapping screws at right angles. The caps of fasteners must be recessed into the wood. A tongue and groove board can be fastened along a tenon, which makes it possible to remove the head from the surface. Wide boards(more than 14-15 cm) will additionally have to be secured in the middle.
3. Processing. Any wood, even larch or oak, requires impregnation with a special antiseptic to prevent the activity of fungi and other microorganisms that cause rotting. Everyone is impregnated wooden parts– both internal (joists, supports, sheathing) and finished floor boards. At the same time, modern compositions may include additives that change the tinting of wood for decorative purposes.

Technological features

Bath floor: which boards to use is only the first question. The next task is to choose its design. In practice, 2 options are used:

1. Leaking variety. In it, the boards are laid with a gap through which free flow of water from the floor surface is ensured. This lattice system is considered traditional for a Russian bath. The drainage in such a design is produced directly into the ground under the bathhouse or collected underground by a drainage system and then discharged into special collectors outside the building.
2. Leak-proof design. In this case, the boards fit tightly to each other, and additional waterproofing is provided to prevent water from seeping through the flooring. For such a system, tongue and groove boards are most suitable. The water flows through special drain holes, and the floor itself is made with a slope in the direction of these holes.

Thus, the question of how to lay the floor in a bathhouse from boards is decided taking into account the choice of design. In other words, the boards can be installed with a gap of 2-5 mm or fitted closely, sealing the joints.

Structurally, both options differ precisely in the way the boards are placed. The structure of the wooden floor itself is similar. Its installation is carried out in the following order:

1. Leveling and compacting the soil. Backfill the cushion with sand and crushed stone with a compaction 10-12 cm thick.
2. Laying roofing felt waterproofing.
3. Installation of logs from wooden beam size of at least 40x40 cm. The installation step is 40-65 cm depending on the size of the room. Installation is carried out with the formation of a slope towards the drain holes.
4. Laying or backfilling thermal insulation between joists. Expanded clay is usually used for this purpose, but mineral wool also works well. Do not use foam that can release harmful substances when heated. Then another layer of waterproofing and a vapor barrier with a foil layer are laid (for the steam room).
5. After completing the formation of the base of the floor, rough flooring from boards can be applied, which increases the strength of the structure. However, this element is optional. In principle, the finishing board covering can also be attached directly to the joists.

The floor in a bathhouse made of boards has long been considered a traditional design. If all work is carried out correctly and accepted protective measures it can last for a long time even in extreme steam room conditions. It is important to choose the right type of wood and carry out the necessary preparatory work.

The construction of a wooden floor in a bathhouse should begin with the installation of floor joists, which should be pine or made of larch. Boards made of the same type of wood are attached to these logs. When laying the floor, you should do it with a certain slope so that liquid can drain easily. However, if you are installing a leaky floor, this condition is not necessary. The laying of logs should be carried out at a minimum distance from the selected wall to another, but if the walls in the bathhouse are equilateral, this condition can also be ignored.

Having determined the path of the flowing liquid, we install the logs in diameter relative to this vector. To achieve the required rigidity, support chairs are mounted in the central area of ​​each of them, which can easily be made of brick or a pliable material such as wood. Under them, a support platform reinforced with a chain-link mesh is made from a durable concrete mixture, at least a quarter of a meter wide.

We dig forty centimeter holes for the platform base, followed by compacting the edges and bottom. A ten-centimeter layer of sand is poured onto the bottom of such pits and compacted with water. A fifteen-centimeter crushed stone layer is laid above this layer and also compacted. Instead of ordinary crushed stone, you can take broken brick.

Formwork that protrudes more than 5 cm above the ground surface is made from edged boards. The edges should be insulated from water with roofing felt or use roofing felt. After completing the installation of the formwork, a debut concrete layer is placed there, with an approximate thickness of about 15 cm. It is compacted and covered with a chain-link mesh, and then exactly the same second layer is placed on top. Before installing a wooden or brick support on the site under construction, a waterproofing layer is made of bitumen brought to the melting temperature, covered with roofing felt. The degree of elevation of the supports should be selected taking into account the degree of elevation of the supports for the ends of the floor joists.

A strip-type foundation requires the same height of the support and the top of the foundation being constructed.

But the columnar type of foundation being constructed now being considered requires the same height of the supporting top and the rising part of the embedded beam, since we will rest the end parts of the lags on the bars of the embedded crown. After completing work with the supports, we begin preparing the soil located underground.

Leaking floors in a bathhouse with sandy soil need crushed stone backfill, the thickness of which can be a quarter of a meter. This material here will play the role of a filter, ensuring the optimal level of humidity in the underground in question. Soil that does not absorb water well needs to create a tray where water flowing outside the bathhouse will be accumulated.

To implement this technology, it is advisable to install a clay castle under the leaky type floor, sloping towards the drainage tray. The castle can also be made of concrete mixture, but this will be more expensive. To make such a castle, you need to compact a ten-centimeter layer of crushed stone poured onto the surface of the soil and pour a fifteen-centimeter layer of a pliable material such as clay on top of it. It must be level and have a two-sided slope in relation to the equipped pit relative to the horizon line.

If you are installing a non-leakage floor, you should insulate the surface of the bathhouse underground with such multifunctional and inexpensive material, like expanded clay. In this case, there should be about 15 cm between it and the logs for optimal air circulation. The flushing compartment near the wall here will serve as a place for pit equipment, from where a pipe will lead outside, leading water out. Its diameter should exceed 150 mm so as not to slow down the process of emptying the drainage tray.

Installation of logs

Laying of logs for a non-leaking type of floor should be carried out from the walls to the drainage tray, while the front logs should be mounted higher in level than the rest, and not cut into them. In the following lags, inclined cuts are made at an angle of approximately 10 degrees, and their depth depends on the number of lags used - the fewer there are, the deeper the cuts.

The sawing of the beams here is carried out taking into account the dimensions of the space of the bathhouse, so that on both sides there remains about 4 cm between the joists and wall surfaces for successful air circulation.

Installation of logs is carried out on embedded beams and pillars of the support type. The process necessarily uses waterproofing materials, such as roofing felt and glassine. All installed logs are treated with an antiseptic solution.

You can check the correct installation building level. To bring the logs into a more horizontal position, you need to trim the places on them that rest on the embedded beam or the support used.

You can also check the uniformity of laying with a level. This can be done by placing a level on a board lying on the joists with a leveled surface. You can trim the joists either using pads or hems.

Near the base being installed, the logs must certainly lie along the perimeter at a distance of about 15 cm from the edges. The stove foundation is brought to the level of the flooring only after the installation work is completed.

Photo - stove foundation

To do this, you will need to lay the base under the stove on a pre-arranged area. Here you can use fire bricks or concrete.

Installation of a leaky floor

Here, unedged boards are used, pre-planed and leveled at the ends.

The boards are cut to fit the dimensions of the bathhouse, taking into account that there is a two-centimeter gap between the surface of the walls and the floor. Flooring can be laid from any wall surface, as long as it is located parallel to the course of the boards.

The cut boards are laid at a distance of 2 cm from the wall surface and nailed. Moreover, if the thickness of the board is 40 mm, the length of the fastening element used must exceed 80 mm.

Fasteners should be used along the edges of the boards, at a distance of about 1.5 cm from their edges. It is best to drive the nails in at an angle of 40 degrees from the center of the board. You should use at least a couple of nails to secure one board.

The gap between the nailed boards should exceed 3 mm. A piece of regular fiberboard sheet inserted between them will help to meet this condition.

Installation of a non-leaking floor

Here, tongue and groove boards are optimally suited, which, as a rule, are laid with a groove inside the bathhouse.

Before starting work, the so-called black floor covering is installed. To implement this, special bars are attached to the front parts of the logs, with a cross-section represented by a value of 50x50 mm. On them, between the logs, there are boards belonging to the second or third grade.

A layer of materials that provide protection from moisture, such as glassine or the common and inexpensive roofing felt, is laid on top of the finished “black” floor covering.

The insulation here can be expanded clay, poured into the space between the joists. After backfilling is completed, a waterproofing layer is also laid.

Having finished installing the “black” floor covering, we begin work on laying the finished floor. Here tongue-and-groove boards are taken. So that they can be removed from their places for subsequent drying, the boards used in the work do not even need to be fastened with fasteners such as nails, using instead bars with a cross-section of 20x30 mm, mounted to the joists with special “capercaillie” screws. Thus, you can easily make the floor in the bathhouse with your own hands.