Banya from sleepers own hands

Bath is the perfect addition to every country house. The construction of a bath takes a lot of time, effort and money. Traditionally, baths are erected from a log, but the cost of this material does not please the economical owners at all. In search of alternative building materials, many found a way out in the construction of a bath of sleepers. How to build a durable, reliable and, most importantly, inexpensive bath of sleepers?

Pros and cons of baths from sleepers

First of all it is necessary to understand thatthe same sleepers. Sleepers are inexpensive lumber treated with creosote - a special compound that protects the tree from corrosion. Creosote is a poisonous antiseptic that prolongs the life of sleepers and prevents damage to the material by fungi, mold and parasites. Sleepers are used for laying railway tracks. Often, they are written off from production for various reasons, ranging from minor manufacturing defects to expiration of the expiration date. Usually such decommissioned sleepers erect summer cottages, including baths.

What are the advantages of sleepers:

• low cost of sawn timber;
• simple installation;
• short installation time.

But, as often happens, you have to pay for the cheapness. Creosote has a specific smell, which is enhanced by heating, so it is very difficult to stay in a bath for a long time. But the majority of summer residents have been putting up with this discomfort for several decades and continue to build bathhouses from sleepers.

Construction stages

Choosing sleepers for bath

At first glance, it might seem that the sleepers are all the same, and you do not have to choose especially, but if you know some of the subtleties, you can get better material. First of all, determine which sleepers you will buy - new or decommissioned. Of course, "overdue" sleepers will cost much less. In addition, old sleepers have one weighty superiority - for 10-13 years of them almost completely erodes the pungent smell of creosol.

Determine the number of sleepers, based on the squares and design of the future bath. For a small bathhouse with a therma and a sink, you need to buy at least 100 sleepers.

Inspect the sleepers carefully before buying. Very often sleepers write off because of old age and wear, so if you do not inspect everything in person, there is a risk of buying rotten material that has rotted from within. Tap the tie with a hammer, and if you hear a deaf sound, then the material will serve you for at least 20 more years.

Before making the final decision on the construction of the sleepers bath, once again weigh all the pros and cons. Even high-quality insulation of walls, floor and ceiling will not relieve the specific smell of creosol, so think about whether you are ready to make such sacrifices.

Foundation

So, the right amount of sleepers is prepared, now it's time to lay the foundation. The foundation for the bath of sleepers is selected based on the characteristics of the soil, the features of the building box design and financial possibilities. About what types of foundations are and how much they cost you can read in the article "How to save while building a foundation"

It is worth noting that most experts are inclined to advise columnar foundations for baths, but the ribbon foundation will behave no worse, and will serve muchlonger.

When the foundation is frozen, it is necessary to take care of the waterproofing. The bath is a rather humid place, and if the ground waters run close to the surface, good waterproofing is needed. For this, the concrete surface of the foundation must be coated with liquid bituminous mastic, and the roofing material should be spread over it in two or three layers.

Assembling baths from sleepers

Assembling the bath of sleepers is similar to the assembly of a log house. Lay the first crown on the slats, which separate it from direct contact with the foundation. Between the sleepers must be tied with a stud joint. The very first crown is not necessarily attached to the foundation. After installation, blow out the gap between the lower crown and the foundation foam.

On the first crown of sleepers, lay a heater from jute, moss, or any other material for caulking. On top of the heater, lay the rest of the bath rims, not forgetting to fasten them with a stud method. It is recommended to use an additional connection, cutting out the sleepers under nagels at opposite ends of the sleepers. Note that all holes for fastenings need to be cut to within a few millimeters. Otherwise, the bath will be uneven.

During installation of the sauna, it is necessary to make sure that the interior walls of the building are as level as possible, because if the external errors can be masked by siding or any other external finish, the internal irregularities can not be hidden so easily.

Exterior finishing of the

sleepers. Windows and doors "cut" into the box of the building after laying and fixing all the rims in the height of the bath. The creation of window and door openings is a very laborious process, which will require certain skills in working with cutting equipment and a lot of patience. Calculate the size of the openings and cut them into markings using a chainsaw.

As even sleepers impregnated with creosol are not protected against external factors by 100%, it is better to carry out additional treatment with an antiseptic. It is recommended to coat the sleepers with varnish or linseed oil to prevent swelling from moisture.

After overlapping the roof and the primary warming of the walls, floor and ceiling, a re-shovel of sleepers, interior decoration, installation of furniture and equipment is made. If you want to save on buying special furniture for a bath, we recommend you read the article "Furniture for a bath with your own hands"

Interior trim of a bath from sleepers

Traditionally, various types of wood are used for interior decoration of baths. If you are using boards, you need to accurately calculate the length of each element, adjust it to the desired dimensions, and make sure that the fasteners are completely hidden. A sticking nail or a screw can not only scratch the skin severely, but also burn it. In addition, in view of the constant humidity in the bath, all the "open" metal fasteners will very quickly start to rust.

The most economical and rational solution is the lining of the lining. Elements are fastened to each other by grooves and joints without the use of metal fasteners. If you decide to finish the interior with a lining, first install the crate along the entire length of the walls in steps of no more than 0.5 m. Please note that the lining "eats" a lot of space, so for a small bathhouse this will not be the best solution. Begin the installation of the lining is recommended from the corners of the wall in front of the entrance to the bath.