The Finnish sauna is a pleasant and healthy device. Today it is not a problem to make a sauna in your own private home or even in an ordinary high-rise apartment. A convenient mini sauna for an apartment takes up so little space that it can be installed even in a modest-sized bathroom.
Some ready-made models occupy a floor area of less than one square meter. With certain construction skills, you can even set up such a sauna yourself, designing it to your own taste.
Sauna features
The ideal option is considered to be a bathroom - it already has all the communications you need, and to place a sauna you will not need to take additional permits from interested organizations. However, often closets, balconies are used for a sauna, or even attached to one of the walls of a large room. In these cases, the redevelopment of the apartment will have to be approved.
The second point that you should definitely pay attention to when installing a sauna is the electrical wiring. Since initially there was no provision for a sauna in the apartment, the electrical wires were not designed for the load from the stove. Therefore, it will have to be replaced, and possibly throughout the entire apartment at once (it is better to have this done by a professional electrician).
Dimensions of saunas for an apartment
The third point is the sauna stove itself. It must be electric and only factory-made (no homemade products, even from the best local craftsmen!). It is also not allowed to make any improvements to the factory furnace. The electric heater should turn off automatically after 8 hours of operation and have a power suitable for the volume of the room allocated for the sauna.
The fourth point is fire safety. Since a sauna is electricity, wood (a very flammable material!) and a fairly high temperature, the issues of ensuring fire safety must be approached thoroughly:
- invite specialists and install a fire alarm system in the apartment (if sensors have already been installed in the apartment, make sure that all general fire alarms are in working order);
- to decorate the sauna, use only hardwood;
- place the electric heater control panel outside the sauna in a dry room;
It should be possible to quickly and easily turn off the electrical “automatic machine” to which the sauna stove is connected when you are not using it (this is especially important if there are children in the apartment or who come to visit, who love to turn everything on and off) .
Fifth point: the door to the sauna must be specially made, preferably glass (otherwise the sauna will look like a small wooden box that can cause claustrophobia). And you need to purchase it before you start assembling the sauna frame.
Dimensions and design
The interior of a bathroom with a sauna needs to be carefully planned. To do this, you need to create a preliminary sketch and drawing according to which the reconstruction will be carried out. Please note that the size of the cabin may vary. The smallest are single-person saunas, in which you can only sit. Similar double cabins also have small dimensions.
According to experts, it is much more comfortable to take bath procedures in a sauna, the size of which is 200x160 cm or 200x200 cm. Here you can lie down on a shelf and take procedures with the whole family. The height inside the cabin should be 200 cm. In such a cabin you can install a stove and wooden shelves. They can be located in two or even three levels.
When choosing materials, it is important to listen to the advice of experts. The interior decoration is best made from natural wood. When heated, it will release substances into the air that have a healing effect on the respiratory system and heal the body.
It is best to take care of arranging a sauna at the stage of building a house. In this case, the bathroom must have significant dimensions. It is necessary to consider what plumbing fixtures should be installed in the room. Perhaps here, in addition to the sauna, you will need to install a bath or jacuzzi. They need sufficient space. If you plan to install a shower stall, you can provide a smaller area for the bathroom.
In an apartment, one of the best options would be to equip a finished sauna with a shower. For a bathroom with small dimensions, this solution allows you to use the space rationally. In this case, you do not need to select a shower cabin to match the style of the sauna. They will fit together perfectly.
Cabins that are equipped with rectangular glass doors are very popular. The walls can also be glass. But on the sauna side they must be made of heat-resistant glass. This design solution is suitable for decorating a modern interior style.
However, it is more comfortable to take procedures in a booth made of natural wood. In this case, you need to harmoniously fit it into the existing interior. The design of a bathroom with a sauna needs to be thought through to the smallest detail before renovation begins. Wood is suitable for eco-style. If you plan to install a sauna in the bathroom, you need to plan the entire interior in advance.
Advantages of the design
A sauna for an apartment has a number of advantages that should be taken into account when deciding on its arrangement:
- You can allow yourself rest and some relaxation at any time appropriate for this. Accordingly, you should not waste time going to the sauna.
- There is no need to carry out separate sewerage and water supply, as is the case when constructing a separate building with a sauna. You can connect the mini-sauna to a centralized sewerage/water supply system.
- The risk of catching colds is reduced, since you won’t have to run down the street.
- A mini-sauna for an apartment will have a beneficial effect on the entire body, removing toxins from it.
- Strengthening the cardiovascular system.
- An excellent remedy for restoring strength after a hard, stressful day, etc.
Considering these positive aspects, you may decide to purchase a mini-sauna for your apartment. However, consider the obvious disadvantage of this setup. It lies in the fact that there are not always free square meters in a residential apartment.
Using lighting in a sauna
In the design of saunas, various lighting elements have begun to be actively used, highlighting shelves, steps, etc. If previously only moisture-resistant lamps were used in sauna lighting design, now entire lighting systems using LED strips are used, in various combinations and colors.
Lighting in the sauna using LED strips
Despite the fact that the sauna may have glass doors, as well as windows with natural light sources, lighting will not interfere with it at all, but on the contrary, it can give an atmosphere of comfort and will advantageously place the necessary accents on the decoration.
Lighting will help place accents in the sauna
Types of mini saunas
There are several types of saunas for installation in an apartment. They differ not only in price, but also in design, volume, heating method and other additional functions. Let's look at the most common saunas.
With electric heater
The area of such a sauna is 1.2 m2. If you have a small family, then this is a great solution. Its main advantage is the simplicity of installation work. As a rule, the factory assembly consists of a wooden frame, which is supplemented with shields. Two people are enough to assemble it.
A sauna with an electric heater already has a vapor barrier and thermal insulation in its design. Therefore, in addition to assembly, it will be necessary to connect to the water supply and sewerage system.
Phytobarrel
This sauna plan will require a minimum of space. Moreover, there is no need to further strengthen the electrical wiring. Based on the name, the design resembles the shape of a barrel. The entrance is located on the side. If you sit on a bench in it, your body is completely immersed in it, and only your head is outside.
The use of a phyto-barrel is important when steaming the body with medicinal herbs and various aromas, which has a positive effect on human health.
Portable sauna
This type of sauna is represented by a frame that is covered with fabric. Based on the principle of operation, a portable sauna is similar to a phyto-barrel. In it, the head is not subject to thermal influence. This device is relatively inexpensive, lightweight and does not take up much space. The main advantage is ease of use. It is enough to have a working outlet near the device.
IR sauna
In this case, an infrared emitter is used for heating. Although the temperature regime in it is considered gentle, in the region of 40–60°C, it warms the skin quite deeply. Therefore, it can include not only adults, but also children, as well as elderly people with heart and vascular diseases. One of the advantages of the installation is that it consumes little electricity.
Finnish
If the room in the apartment is large, then you can seriously think about purchasing a Finnish sauna. Several people can be in it at the same time. It uses dry steam to heat the temperature to 90–100°C and this is the main difference from the other saunas listed above.
Turkish
This sauna can rightfully be called exotic. It is very rarely installed in an apartment, since this requires:
- install hoods;
- make high-quality waterproofing;
- install heated floors;
- finish the floors with tiles, etc.
To produce steam in a Turkish bath, a steam generator is specially installed.
The influence of sauna design to create the desired atmosphere
True steam room connoisseurs value not only the opportunity to undergo hygienic procedures. A sauna is a place where it is customary to spend an entire Saturday or Sunday evening: chatting with friends, taking water treatments in the steam room, swimming in the pool. After such a rest, a person feels truly rested. The burden of problems that was pressing on the shoulders disappears, and the person is again ready for labor exploits.
The sauna has a healing effect on the human body, pores open, toxins and excess fluid leave the body, in addition, it is a kind of training for the cardiovascular system, prevention of acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections, hardening procedures that help strengthen the immune system.
What to do if the wiring power is not calculated
Some restrictions on the operation of a sauna in an apartment may be imposed by insufficiently powerful wiring. Moreover, if the apartment has an electric stove with a power of over 3 kW, then the wiring will definitely not withstand the load. In this case, it will be necessary to make a small reconstruction of the wiring, and purchase a sauna stove with a power of up to 2 kW. But with such power, the temperature in the sauna will rise for a very long time. This, in turn, requires the installation of high-quality thermal insulation.
To install a sauna in an apartment, it is recommended to organize an individual supply of power cable, which is connected directly to the panel.
Important requirements are also imposed for the wiring inside the sauna. For this purpose, only closed wiring method should be used. The cable, in turn, must be heat-resistant. The sauna structure should be grounded, and an RCD should be installed on the line.
If you use an electric stove with a power of up to 4 kW, then this will not create a special load on the network. But it is not recommended to turn on the heater in the sauna at the same time.
Types of bath rooms
A home sauna in the bathroom is a closed room in which a certain microclimate is artificially created. Depending on the microclimate, there are three types of mini baths:
- Finnish or dry sauna, where the air is heated to 90-110 ° C, and its humidity is about 10%, while in a regular room the humidity level is 50-60%. Thanks to the high temperature and dry air in a Finnish sauna, a person sweats intensely, getting rid of excess moisture and toxins.
- A wet sauna, in which the air is heated only to 70-90 ° C, the relative humidity is slightly higher - 30-40%. To increase the humidity level, the hot stones in the heater are watered with cold water. If you add herbal infusions to water and splash them on the heater, you can perform inhalations.
- Steam hammam sauna (tilarium), in which the temperature does not rise above 60 ° C, and the air is saturated with water vapor, thanks to a special device - a steam generator. The most comfortable microclimate is created for everyone, including children and the elderly. A hammam sauna in an apartment in the bathroom is also called Turkish or Roman. Bathing procedures in the hammam do not put significant stress on the body, so there are practically no health restrictions for visiting it.
When choosing which parameters to set in a dry or wet sauna, experts recommend adhering to the “rule of 110”, according to which the sum of temperature and relative humidity indicators should not exceed 110. For example, at a sauna temperature of 70 °C, humidity should not exceed 40%.
Legal subtleties and recommendations
Relatively recently, the idea of installing a sauna in an apartment had to be abandoned. However, today, if a number of requirements are met, this idea can be brought to life. So, to install a mini-sauna in an apartment, a number of the following conventions should be observed:
- Heating of the air in the sauna is possible only from the stove installed by the manufacturer. It provides automatic switches when the temperature reaches +130°C, as well as in the case of continuous eight-hour operation.
- To spray water in the sauna, install a perforated pipe or deluge. Connections to sewerage and water supply should only be made outside the sauna.
- The area of the room must be at least 24 m2.
- The wood used must be specially treated to protect it from fire and rot.
- It is prohibited to install a sauna in a residential area.
In order to approve a sauna in an apartment project, it is necessary to bypass such services as the housing inspection, fire service, homeowners' association, sanitary inspection service, etc. In different regions of the country, the number of authorities passed may differ, so in each individual case everything should be clarified in advance.
Is there a need to coordinate the installation of a sauna?
The legislation of the Russian Federation requires obtaining permits before starting work on building a steam room in your apartment. It is necessary to coordinate the project with such authorities as the State Fire Service. She will check the reliability of the wiring and examine the certificates for the materials that will be used during the construction of the sauna. Permission must be obtained from the Housing Inspectorate. If your home is managed by the Homeowners Association, they should be informed that you are planning to install a steam room in your apartment.
The Sanitary and Epidemiological Service is obliged to check whether you are violating any standards in their profile by building a mini-bath. You will have to submit all project documentation and quality certificates to the Rospotrebnadzor Office. And finally, you will be visited by the State Architectural and Construction Supervision Inspectorate. She will check whether the sauna in your apartment does not violate certain requirements that must be observed when renovating your home.
To obtain a building permit you will need a list of documents
Sketch and drawing of a mini-sauna
The list of required permits can be clarified with the management of the HOA. This organization is responsible for everything that happens in the house, so every, even the smallest reconstruction in the apartment, must begin with approval from it.
Necessary equipment
The sauna consists of a cabin and a special stove. The choice of stove power depends on the area of the steam room. On average, 0.6 kW per 1 m3 is calculated. If you buy more powerful equipment, you will have to spend more money on electricity. If the stove is weak, the sauna will take longer to heat up.
As for the cabin itself, you can make it yourself or purchase a ready-made factory model. For the frame, aspen, linden or coniferous trees are mainly used. Aluminum or galvanized steel can be used to construct the floor frame, but you can also use wood to construct a slatted floor.
Sun loungers should also be installed. Their number depends on the size of the room. They can also have different shapes, for example, L or U-shaped.
Waiting room and its purpose
This room is necessary so that those eager to take a steam bath can calmly undress; it also protects the steam room from cold air and dirt. Here you can prepare for bath procedures and prepare accessories.
Waiting room in the sauna
If the size of the room is limited, then a table is placed in the dressing room, where they then chat with friends over a cup of aromatic herbal tea.
The owners, as a rule, approach the design of this room with a creative approach, especially since there is now a large selection of various accessories for saunas: these are funny wooden signs, clocks, thermometers, original wooden buckets, felt hats. All this creates a unique flavor and sets you in the right mood.
Relaxation area in the waiting room
To decorate the dressing room, you can use coniferous wood, for example, Scandinavian spruce and pine. The design of the waiting room provides a lot of room for creativity. In its decoration you can use various styles and directions:
- English style;
- Oriental;
Oriental style dressing room project
- country style;
Waiting room in a country-style sauna
- Art Nouveau style;
- eco style.
To create a room in the chosen style, accessories will help: mirrors in frames, furniture, all kinds of bedspreads, stylized towels and sheets, lamps, dishes, decorative sculptures, as well as figurines and much more.
If desired and there is a large space, you can also equip a sleeping place for guests.
Stages of work
Prefabricated sauna
After all of the above five issues related to the arrangement of the sauna have been fully and efficiently resolved, you can begin the construction process itself.
We are building the frame of the sauna. To do this, we will need wood (timber), a drill, dowels and screws for attaching the timber to the wall, glassine (it will act as an external thermal insulation layer), a tool for working with wood, a building level, a tape measure, and a pencil.
Sauna for a city apartment
The simplest option is to attach the frame beam horizontally directly to the walls of the room allocated for the sauna. In cases where this is not possible (the room is larger than the sauna planned in it), it is necessary to install sufficiently thick wooden spacers between the floor and the ceiling (it is to them that the horizontal timber frame will be attached in the future).
The distance between the timber horizontally fixed to the wall should be as follows:
- 1 row - 3 cm from the floor,
- 2nd row – 60 cm from the floor,
- 3rd row – 1 meter from the floor,
- 4th row - stepping back 5 cm from the ceiling,
- Row 5 – exactly between the 3rd and 4th rows of timber.
The entire beam is aligned in one plane along the side that “looks” into the future sauna.
The ceiling frame is made of wide boards in increments of 60-70 cm. And do not forget about the vertical posts around the opening to which the door frame will be attached.
Be sure to make “frames” of timber around the supply and exhaust ventilation openings.
Wiring. In addition to the electric stove, the sauna must have at least one lamp (the switch for it must be located outside the sauna). Engage an electrician to install electrical wiring, who must place it in a metal hose.
Advantages of a sauna in an apartment
Sauna finishing. First, the ceiling is covered with clapboard, moving from the entrance to the sauna to the opposite wall. The cladding technology is as follows:
- stretch and secure the foil using buttons (one sheet),
- we fix 3-4 rows of lining (using nails driven into the groove),
- We install insulation into the resulting space,
- then we continue everything in the same way - foil (overlapping), lining, insulation.
The insulation should only be non-flammable - mineral wool. You cannot use polystyrene foam to insulate a sauna - it melts at high temperatures.
Stalls. The support for the benches in the sauna is made of timber. If you are making a bench above the bathtub, it is better to make it folding or removable. The support for the bench is fixed on three walls, and if necessary, a vertical stand with emphasis on the floor is also installed.
The flooring of the bench is assembled from boards with a width of at least 80 cm and a thickness of at least 20 mm in two rows (longitudinal and transverse). The width of the bench on which they will lie should not be less than 70 cm.
Sauna stove
The next stage is installing the heater (sauna stove) in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and securing the lamps. Using screws, you should attach a thermometer, ventilation valves and, of course, an hourglass to the lining.
And the last thing is to prepare the sauna for use: on the first day it is heated with the ventilation valves and doors open to 50-60 degrees, on the second day it is kept at the same temperature (but the door and valves are closed) for 3-4 hours, on the third day it is heated up to 90 degrees and maintain it for 3 hours, on the fourth day the sauna can be heated to 100 degrees for 3 hours, and then at maximum heating for half an hour you should periodically pour water onto the stones.
If no deficiencies are identified during these four days, the sauna can be used as usual.
Floor arrangement
When considering how to make a sauna in the bathroom, you need to pay attention to the floor technology. It will also need to be insulated (like the walls and ceiling). Mineral wool is not suitable for flooring. This material will compress under load. Therefore, it is necessary to use polystyrene foam for these purposes. It is covered with a 3 cm layer of screed, and then finished with tiles. In this case, the material will not be exposed to high temperatures.
First you need to completely remove the old flooring, right down to the ceiling. Sheets of expanded polystyrene are laid out on a surface cleared of construction debris. They are placed close to each other. Gaps and joints are filled with polyurethane foam. If you are installing a sauna in the bathroom of an apartment, you need to cover the floor with waterproofing before pouring the screed. Otherwise, you can ruin the decoration of your neighbors’ bathroom.
Next, a cement-sand mortar is prepared, to which it is advisable to add a plasticizer. The concrete must cure properly. To do this, cover it with film and periodically water the surface. This way the screed layer will not crack.
The drying process of the screed takes approximately 3-4 weeks. You cannot start finishing earlier. A few days after pouring the concrete, it will be possible to walk on it, as the top layer will become strong enough. Relief ceramic tiles should be laid on the floor. You can also use decking boards for these purposes.
When arranging the floor, it is necessary to provide for a drain. A slight slope of the floor is made in its direction. A drain is installed on the drain hole. Wooden gratings should be laid on the floor. This will protect you from injuries while using the sauna.
Prices
As for the prices for a sauna for an apartment, they are different. It all depends on its type and configuration. Below are estimated prices for some types of saunas:
- Finnish sauna SR1D003 LUXURY CHROMOTHERAPY from 215 thousand rubles.
- Finnish sauna SR1T4026 LUXURY CHROMOTHERAPY TWIN from 400 thousand rubles.
- Infrared mini-saunas in the range of 120–260 thousand rubles.
- Turkish hammam saunas from 200 to 700 thousand rubles.
