Many owners of private houses sooner or later catch themselves thinking about what is on their property. This great idea, the bathhouse itself, steam room and sink, the layout of which can be very diverse, will give a lot of pleasant emotions and many hours of relaxation. Of course, you should carefully prepare for the construction of such a structure on the territory. The bathhouse has a special atmosphere and safety requirements, so you need to think through everything down to the smallest detail.
Design and layout of a bathhouse with washing and steam room
Interior decoration and design of a relaxation room in a bathhouse 
These are just some facts that must be taken into account in the process of preparing for the construction of a place where you can steam, swim and just have a good time with intimate conversations.
You should understand what should be in the bathhouse. This:
Layout with dimensions of a bathhouse with a relaxation room
Everyone can adjust these spaces by adding something of their own. However, each of the rooms must be in a bathhouse; you can only add an additional one.
In addition, the structure should be erected taking into account safety requirements, namely fire safety.
Example of finishing and design of a washing room 
Most often found in private areas. However, depending on which one or other sizes, the choice of materials may vary. 
Bathhouse layout option 4 by 6 meters 
A selection of options for steam room layouts in a bathhouse
Most often, bets are placed on the following types raw materials for construction:
Read also
Ways to eliminate condensation in the dressing room
Each of the presented materials is worthy to serve as the basis for the construction of a bathhouse. The main thing is to follow the rules and requirements when constructing a building yourself.
The layout of a 3x5 bathhouse or other parameters must necessarily include such spaces as a sink and steam room, a bathroom, and a locker room.
Of course, if desired, each owner of a land plot can independently decide to supplement the space with non-main premises. For example, billiards, a recreation room and much more that can only come to mind.
The washing room must have:
An example of placing a sink in a steam room 
These are the attributes that you can’t do without in a washing room. The main thing is to do the layout correctly so that all the parts are located in the right places and are comfortable for use. 
Layout of a sauna with sink and terrace
It is also worth making sure that the washing room prefers coatings that are resistant to moisture and high temperatures. This can be tiles, wood coated with special solutions.
An example of tiling a bathhouse sink 
As a rule, a shower room or swimming pool is placed in such a way that it is convenient to enter after warming up in the steam room, that is, next to the steam room.
If the space of the bathhouse is three by four meters, then you won’t be able to speed up too much in the process of thinking about the layout of the room. In small baths of minimal size, the dressing room, small sink and the steam room itself are also quite compact.
In the steam room, for the comfortable use of this room, there must be niches on which you can sit. Often this design is made in the form of steps.
Drawing and layout of a compact steam room 
This makes it possible to accommodate even the smallest space, quite a lot of people. The layout of the steam room is usually standard. Typically, heating sources are located in the far left or right corner. That is, firewood or stones, onto which special mixtures are poured to achieve the desired temperature in the room. Heat sources are placed on a special heat-resistant surface, making it possible to comply with safety precautions. 
Layout and design of a steam room in a wooden bathhouse 
Niches are located under the wall, usually in a “V” shape. In the middle of the steam room, as a rule, there is a wooden stand, which provides comfort when leaving the steam room.
When building a bathhouse, many owners strictly adhere to all requirements for the configuration and size of the future structure.
Optimal sizes Baths ultimately determine the quality of health procedures.
What should be the optimal dimensions of the steam room and shelves? What ceiling height is important to observe when designing a bathhouse?
A classic Russian bath consists of a steam room, a washing room, a dressing room and other utility rooms. An electric or wood-burning heater is used as the main heating.
The minimum dimensions of a bathhouse designed for 2–3 people are 1.9 x 2.1 meters. It is equipped with one large bench for performing procedures in a sitting or lying position.
The average sauna has following parameters– 2.6x2.5 meters. For ergonomic use of free space, benches are placed in G or U-shape around the entire perimeter.
It is important to maintain the optimal ceiling height; the lower it is, the lower the fuel consumption for heating the room.
As a rule, the rest bench is placed at the level of the top of the firebox - 100 cm, therefore, for maximum comfort of vacationers, optimal height The ceiling must be at least 2.4 meters. The height of the bath is determined technological features project and the general dimensions of the future building.
The central room of the bathhouse is. Its dimensions are determined by the capacity and features of the health procedures - lying or sitting. When calculating the area of the steam room, it is worth taking into account the dimensions of the heater; it often takes up to 1 sq.m. area.
The minimum dimensions of the room are calculated based on the useful square footage intended for 1 visitor - 1.5 sq.m. Thus, for a company of 3 people, the steam room should have at least 5 sq.m. area. The optimal size of the steam room is determined taking into account the height of the tallest visitor - for example, 190 cm.
Main functional element The steam room is a bench, the dimensions of which depend on the area of the room and the personal preferences of the vacationers. For sitting procedures, the width of the bench is at least 45 cm, while lying down – up to 95 cm.
The optimal size of a steam room for a company of 3–4 people is 5–6 sq.m. Increase allowed usable area, but under no circumstances should it be reduced.
Experts recommend installing electric heaters in small steam rooms, and wood-burning heaters in large rooms. metal stoves. This will ensure maximum intensity of thermal radiation at minimum costs for electricity and fossil fuels.
The optimal dimensions of benches installed in steam rooms are determined by the functional features of their use:
If there are up to three benches in the steam room, then the lowest of them should have the minimum width. It is intended for children or laying out accessories and supplies for procedures.
The optimal distance between the upper bench and the ceiling does not exceed 1 meter.
Between individual wooden elements, from which the benches are made, there must be small gaps of 0.35 cm for mandatory air convection.
This arrangement promotes proper accumulation of steam under the ceiling and prevents it from mixing with cooled air above the floor level.
When designing a bath Special attention should be addressed correct lighting steam rooms Lamps should not be overly bright so as not to tire the eyes. It is recommended to select devices intended for use in areas with high humidity and temperature changes.
Thus, the most suitable dimensions of the steam room and washing room can be selected, taking into account the maximum number of visitors, their gender and age, as well as performance characteristics heating equipment.
When drawing up a plan for a future bathhouse during its construction, it is necessary to determine the optimal dimensions of the steam room, on which not only a comfortable stay depends, but also the safety of the people there.
The steam room is the main room in the bathhouse, so its length and width, ceiling height, and shelf sizes must be selected correctly. The dimensions of the steam room depend on the type of bath being built: a budget option, as a rule, combines a washing room and a steam room, and in a more comfortable one these rooms are separated. Accordingly, their standard sizes steam rooms will vary.
The optimal size of the steam room depends on several factors:
The height of the steam room is the most important parameter, which needs to be decided. The quality of steam depends on this parameter. The steam room should not be too low so that it has a sufficient volume of stable steam. In the steam room with too much high ceiling steam will be wasted irrationally, so the recommended ceiling height is from 2.2 m to 2.4 m. In this case, you should focus on the height of the tallest family member, because with a height below 2.1 m, people with above average height will find it uncomfortable to be in in the steam room, besides, there will not be enough fresh air, and the steam will quickly evaporate. But, if you make the ceiling 2.5 m high, then the fuel consumption and time for lighting the heater will increase, because the volume of the steam room will increase by about 0.5 m3. At the same time, the entire volume of useful hot steam will accumulate not where those steaming are located, but right under the ceiling. The height of the steam room door should be standard (65-70 cm by 170-180 cm), always with a high threshold to reduce the access of cold air from outside.
The size of the steam room should be determined at the planning stage, along with the size of the bath itself. At the same time, the dimensions of the steam room should not be too large, otherwise it will take a lot of fuel and time to warm up the air. To correctly calculate the optimal length and width of the steam room, you need to decide on its type:
It can be presented in two options: for one person with a seat and with a full shelf. In the first case, the steam room may not have a window; it has a single-tier small shelf and a heater. This perfect option for saunas located directly in the house, for Finnish saunas. The optimal size in this case is 1150-1200 mm along the wall with a heater, and 840-850 mm along the wall with a shelf.
Steam room for one or two people
If a bathhouse for one person includes a lying shelf, the length of the walls can be 1800 mm and the width – 1050-1100 mm. A single-tier bed should be equipped with a step to use it as a seat if necessary.
The size of a steam room for two or three people depends on how it will be arranged - square or rectangular. The length of the walls of a square steam room must be at least 1150 mm. This shape allows you to place the entrance in the corner, the heater next to it, and in the remaining two adjacent walls you can place corner shelves with accommodation for two to three people. If the steam room is rectangular in shape, the size long wall can be 1450-1500 mm, short - 1300 mm. This is a common option, especially for small baths, when a pair of sitting loungers are used, located in two tiers or in a corner manner.
A steam room for 4 or more people provides a long wall size of 1800-2000 mm, a short one - 1400-1500 mm with rectangular shape. Along the long side there are usually two-tier or three-tier shelves on which you can sit and lie. For large sauna for four, the optimal size is 2500 mm by 2000 mm, without taking into account the dimensions of the heater and the area it occupies.
Correct steam room size
The size of the beds should be comfortable for a person, both in length and width. The height of the shelves and the distance between them and the ceiling are also important.
Dimensions of shelves in the steam room
The width of a regular sitting shelf should be 40 cm with a length according to the size of the room. In order to sit on the shelf with your feet up, its size must be 90 cm in width. The length of the bed varies depending on whether you lie on it at full height or with bent legs: in the first case, you can make it 150 cm long, in the second - at least 180 cm, taking into account the possibility of equipping it with a headrest.
If the steam room is equipped with a three-tier bed, the bottom step should be the narrowest, and the top should be the widest. In this case, the width of the bottom one should be 40 cm, the width of the other two should be between 60 and 90 cm. Three-tier, as well as two-tier shelves, can be located in the form of a corner structure, along one wall or opposite each other. The distance between the top couch and the ceiling should be at least 1 m so that you can safely get up from it. The distance between adjacent shelves should be kept within 30-40 cm. Gaps of 3-4 mm should be left between the slats of the shelves for free air circulation, as well as quick drying after bath procedures.
If the washing room and steam room in the bathhouse are separate rooms, in relation to the locker room they should have a ratio of 1.5 x 1 x 2 m.
In order for the floor in the bath to heat up faster and maintain steam for a long time, it needs to be made 5 cm higher than the heater and 20 cm higher than the sink.
For the convenience of bathing procedures for older people, it is recommended to install a special shelf for them with a width of at least 50 cm and a length of 180-200 cm.
Each person washing in the steam room should have 1 m2 of usable area, from which 1 m2 of the area of the heater, including the small space around it, is subtracted.
If the steam room is equipped with a window, then its dimensions should not exceed 50 cm in length and width, so as not to let out a large number of hot air.
Optimal dimensions of a steam room in a bathhouse
The main rule when choosing a heater stove is one: the sauna stove must have OPTIMUM power! The heater can have any design, any size, it can be electric, wood-burning or gas, it can be cheap or expensive, simple or exclusive, it can be absolutely anything according to all criteria except one - it must be installed correctly and in terms of power it must exactly match your steam room.
The power of the heater should be optimal, no more, no less. The issue of heater power can be neglected only in one case: if you have built a hammam, where there is no sauna stove in the usual sense.
If the power of the heater is not selected correctly, this will inevitably lead to certain troubles.
Some people choose a sauna stove with a large power reserve so that the steam room heats up faster. Yes, the steam room in this case will actually heat up faster, but this is only First stage, and then the oven will operate at minimum.
As a result you will get hot air, but cold stones, on which it is useless to pour water - they will not produce steam, and if there is steam, it will be clouds of white steam, like over a kettle, and not the light transparent steam that you were counting on when building a bathhouse with your own hands or ordering its construction “under key".
Lack of power
The other extreme is to buy a minimum power sauna stove in order to simply save money. Even if such a stove can heat the steam room to the required temperature, Working at the limit, the heater will quickly fail.
Now the next question: what is optimal power? All manufacturers indicate for each model not only the power in kilowatts, but also the recommended steam room volume. We will not delve into the intricacies of calculating thermal power, but Let's take another parameter as a basis - the cubic capacity of the steam room. It’s easier and more understandable to count this way.
Determining the cubic capacity of the steam room
In principle, the cubic capacity of the steam room can be determined from the design of the bathhouse - all sizes are there.
If there is no project, then you will have to work with a tape measure.
It would seem that we have already received the same cubic capacity of the steam room by which we will choose a stove for the bath. But that's not true. There are a number of other nuances that must be taken into account.
We make the necessary adjustments
The actual cubic capacity of the steam room is not yet the data on which you should rely when choosing the power of the sauna stove. This is just a theory, but there is also individual characteristics steam room of a particular bathhouse, and these features also influence the choice of the required power of the sauna stove.
Now we know the volume for which the bathhouse stove we need should be designed.
When choosing a specific model the volume obtained should be in the middle of the limit values. For example, we got 20 cubic meters, which means we don’t need a stove for a bathhouse with a cubic capacity of 12-20, but one that says 15-25 cubic meters.
And don't forget about the stones!
So that the heater gives that one thermal power, for which it is designed, you need to load exactly as many stones into it as the manufacturer recommended.
This parameter is also indicated for each model.
When building a bathhouse, many owners strictly adhere to all requirements for the configuration and size of the future structure.
The optimal size of the bathhouse ultimately determines the quality of health procedures.
What should be the optimal dimensions of the steam room and shelves? What ceiling height is important to observe when designing a bathhouse?
A classic Russian bathhouse consists of a steam room, a washing room, a dressing room and other utility rooms. An electric or wood-burning heater is used as the main heating.
The minimum dimensions of a bathhouse designed for 2–3 people are 1.9 x 2.1 meters. It is equipped with one large bench for performing procedures in a sitting or lying position.
The average bathhouse has the following parameters - 2.6x2.5 meters. For ergonomic use of free space, benches are placed in an L or U-shape around the entire perimeter.
It is important to maintain the optimal ceiling height; the lower it is, the lower the fuel consumption for heating the room.
As a rule, the rest bench is placed at the level of the top of the firebox - 100 cm, therefore, for maximum comfort for vacationers, the optimal ceiling height should be at least 2.4 meters. The height of the bathhouse is determined by the technological features of the project and the overall dimensions of the future structure.
The central room of the bathhouse is the steam room. Its dimensions are determined by the capacity and features of the health procedures - lying or sitting. When calculating the area of the steam room, it is worth taking into account the dimensions of the heater; it often takes up to 1 sq.m. area.
The minimum dimensions of the room are calculated based on the useful square footage intended for 1 visitor - 1.5 sq.m. Thus, for a company of 3 people, the steam room should have at least 5 sq.m. area. The optimal size of the steam room is determined taking into account the height of the tallest visitor - for example, 190 cm.
The main functional element of the steam room is a bench, the dimensions of which depend on the area of the room and the personal preferences of the vacationers. For sitting procedures, the width of the bench is at least 45 cm, while lying down – up to 95 cm.
The optimal size of a steam room for a company of 3–4 people is 5–6 sq.m. It is allowed to increase the usable area, but in no case should it be reduced.
Experts recommend installing electric heaters in small steam rooms, and wood-burning metal stoves in large rooms. This will ensure maximum intensity of thermal radiation with minimal costs for electricity and fossil fuels.
The optimal dimensions of benches installed in steam rooms are determined by the functional features of their use:
If there are up to three benches in the steam room, then the lowest of them should have the minimum width. It is intended for children or laying out accessories and supplies for procedures.
The optimal distance between the upper bench and the ceiling does not exceed 1 meter.
There should be small gaps of 0.35 cm between the individual wooden elements from which the benches are made for mandatory air convection.
Washing room is a room intended for carrying out ablution procedures. There are open tanks with hot and cold water, benches for sitting, showers and a cooling font.
The dimensions of the washing room are determined as follows - 1 sq.m. per visitor.
For a company of 4 people, a room with an area of 2x2.5 meters is suitable. For two people, a washing area of 1.7x1.4 meters is sufficient.
The dressing room is a special locker room, which is located directly in front of the steam room or washing room. Some projects involve combining a dressing room with a rest room.
In the dressing room, visitors undress and prepare for basic procedures, and also rest after washing.
Most dressing rooms contain benches, chairs, mirrors and clothes hangers. Some are equipped with compact pools for thermal treatments. For massage lovers, a special trestle bed can be installed. There are also all kinds of utensils for health procedures - buckets, ladles, fuel for heaters.
In an average bathhouse, the dressing room has the following dimensions - 20 sq.m., in small buildings - up to 6 sq.m.
For a company of 4 people, a rest room of 8 sq.m. is enough. It can easily fit a compact table, chairs and even folding sofa. Additionally, you can equip a place for holding a tea ceremony. For companies for 6–10 people, it is better to provide a room up to 15 sq.m.
The size of the doors is not an unimportant parameter when arranging such a structure. The recommended dimensions of doors with one leaf are as follows: width – 75 cm, height – 175 cm.
Small and compact steam rooms do not have a window to prevent possible heat loss.
This arrangement promotes proper accumulation of steam under the ceiling and prevents it from mixing with cooled air above the floor level.
When designing a bathhouse, special attention should be paid to proper lighting of the steam room. Lamps should not be overly bright so as not to tire the eyes. It is recommended to choose devices intended for use in rooms with high humidity and temperature changes.
Thus, the most suitable dimensions of the steam room and washing room can be selected, taking into account the maximum number of visitors, their gender and age, as well as the operational characteristics of the heating equipment.
Optimal bath sizes: width and height of an ideal steam room
Calculation of the power of a sauna stove depending on the volume of the steam room
You need to choose a sauna stove of optimal power based on the volume of your steam room.
You can’t make a mistake in choosing the power of a sauna stove, because then good couple will not happen: neither in the case when the power is insufficient, nor in the case when the furnace power is more than required.
If you put a small stove in a bathhouse with insufficient power for the given volume of the steam room, then it will have to be operated beyond its capabilities, which will lead to rapid wear and tear of the stove.
If you buy a stove with a reserve for the reason that there is never too much power reserve, then yes, indeed, the sauna will heat up quickly and hotly! But in order to steam in comfortable conditions, you will have to artificially reduce its capabilities when steaming and ventilate the steam room after each session. As a result, balanced steam cannot be obtained due to the fact that the stones in the heater will not be so hot. And if you support desired temperature stones (at least 500 degrees C), it will be too hot on the shelf and even in the lower zone, near the floor.
Calculation of the power of a sauna stove should be done in the following sequence:
The data for calculating the furnace power for each specific bath may differ in its characteristics due to the application various materials and the structures of the building itself, or some additional factors, for example, the presence supply ventilation and so on.
Since in a Russian bath, steam is formed as a result of splashing water on hot stones, when choosing a sauna stove, it is necessary to look not only at its rated power, but also at the volume (weight) of stones that can be placed in this stove.
Different sources recommend different numbers of stones per 1 m3 of steam room when 15 people are steaming at the same time for 5 hours. Let's take a minimum: 30kg. Therefore, for our example we will need 30 kg * 24.85 m3 = 745.5 kg If the steam room is calculated not for 15, but for 5 people, then, accordingly, you need to reduce the volume of stones by 3 times: 745.5 kg/3 = 248.5 kg . Something is too much for a stove with a power of 25 kW and a weight of no more than 200 kg (cast iron).... And what size should a metal stove be in order to fit so many stones into it?
Another “ancient” book recommends 8 kg of cobblestones for every 6 liters of supplied water and 1.5 kg for 1 m3 of steam room volume. Every hour 5 people are poured on the stones hot water no more than 4 liters, so during 5 hours of continuous vaping they will spend 20 liters (which is unlikely). Still, let’s reduce the amount of water by 30%, taking into account pauses for ventilation and rest. It turns out that you only need 18.7 kg. Let's also calculate the number of stones for the bath, taking into account the volume of the steam room: 1.5 kg * 24.85 m3 = 37.5 kg. We sum everything up and get: 37.5 kg + 18.7 kg = 53.2 kg of cobblestones. This is already an acceptable figure for an ordinary simple bath.
You can make a more complex calculation of stones for a bath, determining the required amount of heat by evaporation and heating...
But. The purpose of this article is to determine required power sauna stoves. Therefore, let’s estimate how many kW is needed to heat 53.2 kg of stones for 15 minutes (the approximate time allotted for a pause between steaming) to a temperature of 500 degrees:
Conclusion: a furnace power of 20 kW will provide heating to 500 degrees 53.2 kg of stones every 15 minutes. Let's add another 5 kW to the calculation of the power of the sauna stove to take into account heat loss through structures and cold surfaces.
So, for a steam room measuring 3x2x2.2 m, you need a 25 kW stove, based on two different calculations:
With a lower consumption of supplied water, for example, when not five people are steaming, but two, for not five hours, but only a couple or three, you can choose a stove with a lower power (20 kW).
What should be the comfortable size of a steam room?
Optimal steam room size
The size of the steam room will depend primarily on your personal preferences, and then on the size and design of the shelves. In addition, the size of the bath will be affected by the power of the stove, since sitting too close to it is not very pleasant. The size of the oven is also important. However, if there is a shortage of space, you can use a mineralite screen, which will allow you to be even at a distance of 15-20 cm from the stove and not feel discomfort. And all thanks to the fact that this material does not heat up to more than 100-150 ° C.
But before buying a stove, you should pay attention to the functions that the steam room will perform. If we talk about approximate dimensions, then the ceiling height of the room should be about 2.2-2.4 m. But the width should be calculated depending on the expected number of seats in the steam room. It is better to make it in the form of a rectangle rather than a square.
Simple rural or country baths consist of a steam bath and a dressing room. The stove is usually installed in a steam room, while the dressing room is heated by heat that passes through the adjacent wall when open doors to the steam room. Often, another stove is placed in the dressing room for heating, usually a metal one - a “potbelly stove”.
To allow you to steam while lying down, shelves are installed in the steam room. The structure of the shelf should be such that, if desired, one could sit on it. Thus, the ceiling height must ensure comfortable placement of people on the shelf.
More comfortable baths are built in such a way that several people can use them at the same time. Baths for the whole family usually consist of a steam room, a dressing room, that is, a dressing room, and a hallway. The dimensions of the steam room should be such that the room has shelves, retractable benches, a water tank, and a stove. It is necessary that the width of the shelves be at least a meter. The distance from the shelf to the stove is also at least a meter. From the stove to the wall - about 50 cm. There should be free space in the room so that a person feels comfortable being here. In addition, it is necessary to allocate space for basins and buckets. Several shelves should be placed on the wall to place shampoos, washcloths and other accessories.
Advice from the master!
The optimal calculation is not difficult to carry out. In order to better imagine what dimensions the steam room should have, you can make a drawing on a sheet of paper using a scale. Place the necessary items on the steam room drawing and see how comfortable the room is.
If we look at history, we can see that the optimal size of a bathhouse in Ancient Rus' was big enough. After all, back then it was customary to steam for 4 and more people. Old Russian families were very numerous, so the baths were built so that everyone would be comfortable. Sometimes it was necessary to light the stove several times. Of course the sizes modern apartments impose significant restrictions on installation large baths. If the company consists of more than 4 people, you can use the steam room at the health complex, where there is plenty of space. For arrangement personal bath It’s better to limit yourself to small dimensions.
The steam room must be maintained heat. Therefore, the distance of the shelf from the stove must be calculated. In a Russian bath, minimal heating is most often sufficient, such that the temperature is comfortable for the body. Staying in a sauna for a person is usually associated with stronger heating.
If you take the minimum size of the steam room, then you need to remember the possible dangers. IN small room the visitor may overheat. The human body heats up not only from the heat of a red-hot stove, but also from hot air. Therefore, if the bath is too small, a person may even get burns. Excessively large sizes can cause the oven to overheat, causing the air to be too hot. And this cannot be beneficial for human health. The dimensions of the bathhouse must be calculated so that everything is balanced. 4 visitors or 6 are steaming - there should be no excessive overheating or unnecessary heat dissipation.
As for the height of the ceiling, if you raise it by at least ten centimeters, the total volume of the premises immediately increases significantly. And this comes with the cost of an additional portion of fuel. In addition, it will take longer to heat up. Therefore, based on 4 steamers, the most comfortable ceiling height is given.
Advice from the master!
The steam room usually has three curtains. The width of the top shelf is the largest. The height of each canopy should be 30-35 centimeters. Then the dimensions of the shelf for each of the 4 steamers will be ideal.
Of course, each owner calculates the optimal size of the bathhouse individually. But you need to take into account that there should be at least one square meter per person soaring. If the area is 4 square meters, then it’s easy to estimate how many people can use such a steam room. Russian bathhouse is an excellent way to improve health. With regular visits, a person becomes more seasoned and gets sick less.
Modern country houses in terms of comfort they are practically not inferior to city apartments, and many are superior, including in terms of plumbing equipment. However, just as before, when hygiene procedures were problematic, today, the bathhouse remains one of the attributes country life. And if experienced people know everything about baths, and even more, then beginners who are just starting to master the country lifestyle have a lot of questions.
Mayak1747 Member FORUMHOUSE
Experienced people, tell me, what size bathhouse do you think is comfortable? I started to raise a bathhouse, and then stumbled over this stupidity. Personally, my soul is asking for something big, I think, at least 6x6 m and two-story, with a guest room with a balcony, a veranda, a spacious steam room, and a separate bathroom. My wife is against it, she says, the plot is small (8 acres), the house is large, a barn, a playground and other “stray things”, everything is jam-packed. And the maximum he wants is 3x4 m and one floor. But I don’t think there’s enough – no sitting, no proper washing. What do you think?
Everything is individual.
ZYBY FORUMHOUSE Member
Let's just say that the problem has many unknowns! They didn't say anything in their question! Because they didn’t even think about it! How many people will be steaming, what procedures will be carried out, will the bathhouse operate in winter, etc. It’s stupid to make it the size of a barn and then spend half a day heating it!
However, there are general rules, which are worth adhering to, we will consider them.
There are quite a large number of projects and layouts of bathhouses of all sizes available on the Internet, ranging from mini-houses to full-fledged complexes with a swimming pool.
There is plenty to choose from, but it’s not so problematic to independently develop a layout to suit your “wants”, rather than deal with adjustments.
unforgiven FORUMHOUSE Member
It is much wiser to take a pencil and paper (or the appropriate program) and, having thought it through, draw a PLAN of the bathhouse than to cram all the necessary premises into the general dimensions taken from the ceiling.
The starting point when designing a bathhouse is the dimensions of the main room - the steam room, the calculation of which takes into account several factors.
The standards for the area of the steam room, as well as private bath, in general, not regulated, exclusively common sense and your own capabilities. But it is believed that comfortable bath procedures are possible if at least 1 m² is allocated for each person in the steam room. Again, if the household is large, the square footage is clearly not enough for them, and it is better to allocate 1.5 or 2 m² per visitor.
In addition to the number of steamers, the dimensions of the furnace equipment are also taken into account. Modern sauna stoves are mostly compact, but there must be a safety zone around, the size of which depends on the type of structure. This is 500 mm on each side for a brick stove (metal in a brick frame) and 1 m for a metal stove.
The operating mode refers not only to the intensity of use of the bath, although this factor is also important, but also to the preferences of the steamers. If sitting three people can take a steam bath in a 2x1.5 m room, then lying down, and even with a broom, you won’t fit in a three-meter steam room, and it will be at least 2.4x2 m. As for the ceiling height, it varies in within 2-2.5 m, the optimal height is considered to be 2.1 m. This value is enough for the majority of visitors, with the expectation of swinging a broom, if there is no “Uncle Styopa” among the household members or friends who may come to the bathhouse.
If there are opportunities, a bathhouse complex can include a couple of floors, guest rooms with balconies, and billiard rooms with a swimming pool, and in the absence of these, they manage to enjoy the bathhouse in one room “for everything.” A typical bathhouse layout includes the following rooms:
Initially, in Rus' they made do with one room in which they both steamed and washed, but in today’s baths the steam room and washing room are separated. This is due both to the possibility of using various modes in the steam room, as well as to convenience and safety. Modern detergents are far from being so harmless as to risk using them at elevated temperatures.
The dimensions of a typical washing room with shelves and basins are also tied to the number of visitors - from 1.5 m² per person, that is, the washing room is half the size of the steam room. But given that today many people prefer to rinse under a shower head or install shower stalls, this room can be made smaller by adjusting it to the dimensions of the equipment. In this case, 1.8 × 1.8 m will be sufficient. However, possible does not mean necessary.
ZYBY FORUMHOUSE Member
Wet procedures are done in a soap bar. It is optimal to have the same number of beds in the soap room as in the steam room, according to the number of people steaming! Better yet, have a table in the middle where you can do massages and walk around! This is why you need a large soapy bowl, and keeping it warm during the procedures won’t hurt! Anyone who does not take this into account loses a lot! This is the main part of the sauna process, just like steaming! It's a shame that people have lost everything!
Not everyone can afford a full-fledged relaxation room in a bathhouse - for some, finances do not allow them to “go wild”, while for others, due to the size of the site, they only have room for the basic minimum. In these cases, the functions of the rest room are performed by the dressing room, which is also a locker room and vestibule. Naturally, the larger the room, the more comfortable you can stay in it, arranging a place for gatherings over a glass of whatever you like best. If you plan to relax after the bath in the house, and the dressing room has only direct functionality, a width of 1.2 m is enough to make it convenient to undress.
Everyone selects the optimal size of the bathhouse based on their preferences and capabilities, but the acceptable minimum (we are not talking about comfort, but about strict necessity) can be taken from the table.
|
Premises |
Number of bathers with simultaneous sitting and lying position |
||||
|
Steam room: dimensions (cm), area (m²) |
|||||
|
Washing room: dimensions (cm), area (m²) |
|||||
|
Dressing room: dimensions (cm), area (m²) |
|||||
|
Bathhouse as a whole: dimensions (cm), area (m²) |
|||||
For a seasonal bath this is quite enough.
Siberian grandfather Member of FORUMHOUSE
We have been using the sauna measuring 2.20 x 6 m for more than five years at our dacha, mainly during the warm season (April-December). The stove is heated from the outside, which is convenient - no rubbish is dragged into the dressing room with firewood, and no ash spills onto the floor when cleaning the ash pit. During the harvest season we use the shower almost every day. The dressing room is relatively small, but it is quite enough to change clothes and sit and relax after the steam room. I agree with those who consider a relaxation room in a bathhouse to be an excess - it is much more pleasant to sit after a bath in a gazebo or simply under a canopy. Dimensions are given approximately along the internal perimeter without taking into account the thickness of the walls.
If we talk about comfort in a bathhouse for year-round use, it’s worth adding a few squares to the minimum.
Evgeny-M FORUMHOUSE Member
Life experience is the minimum for a bathhouse, this is 5x4 m, you can fit any desire, and anything smaller is a search for compromises.
Also, when choosing the dimensions of the bath, take into account the type wall material– while brick/block buildings can be almost anything, frame and wood are “tied” to the size of the lumber and sheathing.
If the convenience of bath procedures is largely determined by the dimensions of the premises, then temperature regime and the quality of the steam depends on the oven. Manufacturers offer big choice furnace equipment, the power of which is selected based on the volume of the steam room. But, in addition to the volume, it is also necessary to take into account the design of the bathhouse, since the efficiency of the stove directly depends on the quality of insulation and other factors.
To find out optimal power sauna stove, calculate:
Let's consider a steam room with an area of 2.4 × 2 m, with a ceiling height of 2.1 m, with insulation, without brick partition, with a window and a wooden door.
That is, the power of the stove for such a steam room should be no less than 12.84 kW, but if the bathhouse is used year-round, it is worth taking a model with a small margin. At first glance, it seems that it is enough to add 20% to the actual volume of the steam room to get the calculated volume without calculations, but this will only work with a high-quality insulated bathhouse. When it comes to an uninsulated log house, a steam room with a volume of 10.08 m³ will need a stove with a capacity of 19.26 kW. If the furnace power exceeds the optimal one by more than 20%, the steam will be too “heavy”, which will not add pleasure to the procedure, although the steam room will warm up faster.
In addition to free-standing full-fledged bathhouses, combined ones are also popular today - one of the portal participants converted an old sea container. And another took his half-timbered laminated timber frame for bathing procedures. The video is about a guest house with a bath complex on picturesque coast lakes.
The owners build bathhouses on their property based on the number of family members, their own tastes and preferences, but also taking into account their own financial capabilities. The desire to make the process of bathing procedures, which is important for the body, as comfortable as possible, inevitably faces the issue of money, ultimately forcing one to seek a compromise between comfort and the lack of extra funds.
The most budget sauna includes at least two rooms - a locker room or relaxation room, and a steam room (also known as a washing room). And if the locker room is usually the largest room in area, then the steam room is the most important, this is where the main process takes place.
What is the optimal size of the steam room, at which you will get the maximum benefit with a sufficient level of comfort, and will not overpay extra money for the construction of an unreasonably large room? It depends on:
We can immediately make a reservation that centuries-old experience shows that making the ceiling height below 2.4 m is irrational and incorrect. If the ceiling height in the steam room is low, the layer of steam from the stones on which water is poured during steaming will be insufficiently voluminous and very unstable, which will make bath procedure uncomfortable.
The height of your steam room is determined according to the height of the tallest family member, who should touch the ceiling with his arm extended upward. It is not worth making the ceiling of the steam room higher than this - useful hot steam, which rises through convection, will be unavailable during steaming, which means that the heat of the stove will be spent uneconomically.
The optimal size of the steam room for your family is determined by the size of the bathhouse, therefore, its length and width need to be calculated at the construction planning stage - already erected main walls will not allow you to change one of the values, and you can increase the second only at the expense of the rest room, which is also not always acceptable.
Next, we assume that your steam room will be calculated for 3 people. Moreover, in the worst case (from the point of view occupied space) all three will be on the shelf. With an average height of 180 cm, you will need three shelves up to 2 m long, this means that the overall dimensions of the steam room must be at least 2 x 2 m. In this case, the shelves will be located along two walls in an L-shape, and one of them should be stepped in two tiers.
The heater should be located in the opposite corner so that the steam evenly heats those lying on the shelves. However, the stove occupies at least 1 sq.m., shelves (provided minimum width 0.5 m) will take up to 3 sq.m., i.e. there is no space left for passage - you need to remove one of the shelves (1 sq.m. is freed up) or increase the steam room by 1 - 1.5 sq.m., which will be enough for people to pass through. Thus, we can say that the optimal area of a steam room for 3 people will be 5-6 sq.m., while one of the sides should be at least 2 m.
Of course, the given methodology for determining the size of a steam room is just one of many and is quite simplified, but takes into account all the main factors. Using similar calculations, you can easily calculate the required steam room area for any number of people.
In conclusion, I would like to touch upon the location of windows and doors in the steam room. In general, it is better not to make a window in the steam room, especially if the steam room small area– through it there will be additional losses of heat and steam. But, if you really can’t do without it, the window, as well as the upper crossbar of the door, should be as far from the ceiling as possible. As we understand, hot steam collects in the space under the ceiling and its thickness will be greater, the better the stove is heated and the more intensely the water is poured onto the stones. This arrangement will allow you to avoid unnecessary losses of steam and the effect of mixing steam in the upper part of the steam room with cool air in its lower part.
