Bath of clay blocks with their own hands

For centuries, the only material for the construction of the bath was a tree. But with the development of technologies for the production of building materials, an excellent alternative to wooden log houses appeared - expanded clay concrete. It, like a tree, well removes water vapor, does not contain harmful and toxic inclusions, while it is not susceptible to putrefaction and insect damage, is capable of withstanding significant loads and does not break down during freezing.

What is expanded clay?

Claydite concrete is a block of expanded clay - sintered clay granules, with the addition of sand and cement. They are obtained as a result of molding and further vibrocompression. Blocks are larger in size than bricks, which simplifies and speeds up the masonry process. The density of claydite-concrete blocks depends on the size of the claydite fraction - the larger it is, the lighter the block. More dense blocks are usually used for the construction of foundations, light and hollow - for walls and partitions.

Ceramsite concrete has gained popularity among developers due to undeniable advantages:

• Low price;
• Ease of erection and low consumption of masonry mortar;
• Material strength, ability to withstand significant loads;
• Claydite concrete does not accumulate moisture, thanks to the porous structure of natural granules of expanded clay, it withdraws it from within the structure, without causing a rise in humidity inside the bath;
• Has low thermal conductivity, does not require high costs for insulation;
• Refractory material, which is very important for the installation of furnaces and furnace equipment;
• The material is absolutely environmentally friendly, unlike slag blocks;
• Ceramsite is highly frost-resistant and does not crack even when wet;
• Baths made of expanded clay are easy to trim both inside and outside.

All these qualities of building material allow it to be successfully used in the construction of baths and saunas in any area, especially popular with claydite-concrete where wood is a rare and expensive material.

Construction of a foundation for a bath

The base for a claydite-concrete block is usually a shallow, ribbon or columnar foundation. As a material for self-construction it is convenient to use blocks with a fine fraction of expanded clay - they have an increased density and strength. The foundation is laid on a sandy-gravel base, its thickness depends on the type of soil on the construction site. For a small bath it is enough to install pillars from the foundation blocks at the corners and 2 meters below the walls. On top of the posts fix the strap from the channel or corner, and on it erect walls. When erecting a bath with a swimming pool, a bathroom and rest rooms, it is more expedient to make a continuous, low-buried foundation.

1. Remove the top layer of soil from the site intended for the bath. Mark the corners of the future structure and the wall line with the help of pegs driven into the ground, and the rope stretched between them. The foundation is necessary not only under external walls, but also under capital partitions.
2. Dig a trench under a tape foundation with a depth of 0.4 m and fill it with a layer of crushed stone, and then sand. The thickness of the layers is 0.2 m. The filling is rammed, spilling with water.
3. Put a double layer of rolled waterproofing - roofing material on the backfill. It is necessary to exclude capillary rise of moisture from the ground.
4. Lay the foundation out of expanded-clay concrete blocks. The number of rows depends on the required height of the basement, a three or four rows usually suffice for a small bath.
5. The laying is conducted with a ligation to a cement-sand mortar, the thickness of the seam is from 0.7 to 1 cm. To increase the tensile strength between the rows, a reinforcing mesh is laid. When making a brickwork, it is necessary to use a level, as mistakes in the laying of the foundation will affect the quality of the walls of the entire structure.
6. After completion of the laying of the foundation, wait 1-2 days until the mortar is fully set and waterproof the foundation with bitumen mastic on all sides, and the upper horizontal plane is additionally waterproofed with a ruberoid.

Wall masonry

The masonry of the walls of the bath differs little from the laying of the foundation, the only difference is that hollow claydite-concrete blocks are usually used to save money and ease the weight of the bath.

1. Install the beacons at the corners of the building, pull the string and lay the blocks with ordinary masonry with a bandage. Cement-sand mortar with a trowel is applied to the bottom row, leveling it and placing it on top of the block, tapping it with a rubber mallet or a trowel handle to remove air from the seam. The excess solution is removed immediately.
2. Every two or three rows are additionally reinforced with reinforcing mesh, pre-cut it in the width of the block. The net is rolled up and rolled out as the masonry is laid, drowning it in the solution by about half.
3. Over the door and window openings, lay a ceiling made of concrete slab or channel. If necessary, use half-size blocks.
4. In the lower and upper rows of the masonry pockets are placed under the joists of the floor and ceiling, into which beams are laid from a bar 100x150.The ends of the beams are treated with an antiseptic, dried, then a layer of lubricating waterproofing is applied. Beams are fixed in pockets with the help of a metal corner. Gaps in the pockets are filled with a mineral heater.
5. The last row is laid out of solid blocks in which anchor bolts are fixed at a distance of 1.5-2 meters. These bolts will be attached to the Mauerlat when the roof is erected.
6. After the external walls are erected, internal partitions of hollow blocks are installed.

Roof construction of the sauna

The roof on the bath is usually made of a single-pitched or gable roof, some bath projects involve the erection of a mansard floor and a rest room. In regions with significant snow load, the most rational is the usual gable roof.