Bath on pedestals how to make floors. Floors in the sauna with their own hands. Video: laying tiles with the necessary slope to collect water

The floors in the bath are not at all a trifle, as it might seem initially. The way they are constructed differs from the technologies used in residential premises, primarily in that bath floors are part of sewer system. At correct styling in the bath compartments it will be dry, despite the constant humidity in these rooms. And this means the absence of mold, fungus and a long service life of this institution, which is cult for all Russians. There are different methods of flooring in the bath, so you need to choose an acceptable one and adapt it to your building. Bath floors can be made independently, you just need to have general concepts about the principles of their laying and the differences between the schemes.

Laying floors in the washroom

Washing area, perhaps, the main room of the bath. Here, between short visits to the steam room, visitors spend most of their time.

In the washing compartment, water constantly flows in large volumes, which is why maximum attention should be paid to the arrangement of this bath area. Especially when laying floors, since they are the most exposed to moisture and temperature changes, it depends on them whether the washroom will be comfortable and warm or uncomfortable and cold.

There is always a lot of water in the washing room, so the floors should be well ventilated and dry quickly.

The high humidity of this room puts forward special requirements for flooring so that they do not collapse in a fairly short time. Washroom floors should:

• resist thermal shocks and do not let in a draft;
• be breathable and dry quickly;
• provide normal ventilation, free outflow of water, acceptable temperature floor covering.

With these requirements in mind, the owner of the bath must consider all types of floors and choose the most suitable one. Moreover, it is necessary to decide on the materials for the floor even before pouring the screed.

Floor structures for washing

The surface temperature of the sauna floor rarely exceeds 30 °C, because the floor should be warm, not hot, pleasant even for bare feet, and not so that even bath slippers will melt. Therefore, you can use any material for its assembly - wood, tile, clay, concrete and others.

Do not use synthetic coatings. Chemistry has no place where high temperature and humidity are present.

Every floor covering has its pros and cons:

Consider the most common options for bath floors.

Wooden floor in the washroom

Hardwood and coniferous lumber is suitable for its arrangement: cedar, spruce, oak, ash, larch, fir. Better choose conifers, because the resin produced by them significantly increases the life of the floors. In addition, the tree has a healing effect on the body, and wet wooden flooring does not slip, and this is additional safety for visitors.

The advantages of wooden floors include:

• simplicity and ease of installation;
• naturalness, environmental friendliness and durability;
• low labor cost.

The disadvantages are the following:

If you stopped at wooden floors, then you should know that, depending on the drain device, they are of two types: leaking and non-leaking structures.

In turn, leaking floors differ in the laying pattern:

Consider the sequence of work for the installation of leaking floors.

1. A hole is dug in the middle of the basement.
2. A trench breaks from its bottom in the direction of the drain cuvette, in which a sewer (drainage) pipe is laid with an inclination towards the water collector by about 3–4 ° (approximate difference in height over the entire trench is 5 cm per linear meter).

   The sewer pipe for draining water is laid with a slope towards the water intake

3. The foundation of the bath is being erected and waterproofed.
4. After that, along the entire border of the subfloor, from the walls of the base (or pillars), the earth is again taken out with a slope of 10 ° towards the dug hole.
5. Then the slope slopes are covered with crushed stone and well compacted (for greater strength, a reinforcing mesh with cells of the order of 80x80 mm can be laid on top of the crushed stone). Everything is poured with a dense concrete mortar, which is leveled and smoothed. To reduce the cost of work, well-mixed clay can be used instead of concrete. It is laid out with a 10-centimeter layer, leveled and, as it dries, moistened with water and smoothed.
6. Further, the walls of the foundation, if this is provided for by the technology, are tied with a metal belt and beam structures treated with an antiseptic are mounted. The lower coronal rungs are attached to the harness, and if there is none, then to the walls of the base with the help of anchors or studs).

   Sexual logs in the bath do not need to be cut into the crown crown, then they can be easily replaced if necessary

7. Floor boards with gaps are laid on the floor beams. The thickness of the boards depends on the distance between the joists, but should not be less than 20 mm.

   Simple and reliable floors with slots for draining water are quickly installed and easily replaced with new ones

Often, the boards are not attached to the beam vault, but are connected to each other with a bar and ready-made shields are simply placed on top. The beam must be located among the floor beams. Such shields are very convenient to take out to dry.

The scheme of equipment for non-leaking floors is not much different from the one described above in principle, although it is more difficult to implement. The difference is that the boards are laid without gaps on the rough flooring, for which second-grade wood is quite suitable.

For such floors, the logs are deepened into a concrete or clay layer (possibly into the soil itself), waterproofing is laid on top, sealed with a sealant. The space between the lags is filled with insulation. The draft floor is made with a slope towards the grated drain hole, through which water from the washing room enters the sewer network or sewage pit and is covered with polyethylene, then a wooden flooring is mounted.

In the arrangement of non-leaking floors, water flows into a specially equipped hole along an inclined plane

It is impossible to disassemble such floors for drying, so you need to provide excellent ventilation so that the wooden floor of a leak-proof structure does not rot ahead of time. This is its minus, but a non-leaking assembly is more durable and durable and provides for the possibility of a heating device to ensure maximum comfort from water procedures even in severe frosts.

Under the finish coating of a non-leaking floor, heating can be arranged

The choice of materials for the drain device

Let's say right away that it is impossible to save on materials for arranging floors in a washroom. You need to choose the best, modern ones that will be effective for years. For creating waste system it is necessary to use plastic building materials that do not corrode, are resistant to getting wet, are easy to assemble and operate without losing their qualities for more than 50 years.

These can be pipes made of PVC, HDPE, PVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride), polypropylene or corrugated polyethylene products. Any of them are perfect for an internal drainage device in a bath.

The diameter of the pipes is selected according to the intensity of use of the bath:

• if a steam room, sauna, toilet (i.e., several drain points) are provided, then pipes Ø 100–110 mm will be required;
• without the use of plumbing, only pipes Ø 50 mm are enough to drain water.

Material calculation and tools

To organize an internal drain in the washing department, you need:

• pipes Ø 110 or Ø 50 - the amount is calculated depending on the length of the drainage network;
• adapters from Ø 50 to Ø 110 for connecting pipes of different diameters;
• tees 110x110x90 and elbow 90° - 3 pieces each;
• vertical pipes for water inlets (Ø 110 or Ø 50);
• cement, crushed stone and sand.

Materials are purchased according to the chosen installation method. The same applies to tools. But in any case, you will need:

• building level;
• Bulgarian;
• bayonet shovel.

Concrete floor in washroom

Concrete flooring is the most common due to its low cost and ease of installation.

After hardening, you can make flooring from cork slabs or wooden gratings and install a drain.

For safety's sake, it's best not to cover the concrete floor. tiles or lay wooden lattice shields on top.

Other types of floors in the washroom

Those who revere old bathing traditions equip an earthen floor in the washroom. The process of laying it is extremely simple - cut off the top layer of the earth by about 15 cm around the entire perimeter of the room and tamp the remaining earth.

If you really respect the customs of your ancestors, then you need to dig a foundation pit half a meter deep and fill it with a mixture of fine sand and gravel. If desired, boards can be laid on top.

Previously, the floors in the bath were arranged directly on the ground, after cutting off its top layer and ramming the base

We have already talked about the clay floor, but despite all the advantages of the clay itself, such a floor has a big drawback - the clay dries poorly, and when it dries, it forms cracks into which water seeps. As a result of this, a persistent unpleasant marsh odor appears in the washing room over time.

In a word, the best choice there will be wood, although it can be combined with other materials.

Video: do-it-yourself correct floors in a washing bath

Floor covering in the washing room

The floor is ready, it's time to think about protecting it. Everyone knows about the antiseptic, you should not neglect it and save on it. They process wooden elements even before the start of the main work, otherwise the wooden flooring can be ruined. The antiseptic does not change the texture of wood, does not contain heavy metals and harmful salts, and perfectly protects wooden components from biological damage.

It is also recommended to use a good varnish. Before applying it, you need to prepare the surface well. It must be clean, free of grease, polished to a mirror finish and dry. The varnish is applied in several layers, after it has completely dried, the bath must be heated and ventilated.

Lacquer must be applied to a previously sanded and well-cleaned surface.

Floors can be painted. Only the paint must be of the highest quality and absolutely harmless when heated.

In addition, there is folk remedies for floor covering - use of waste after processing of sunflower oil. They are applied with a roller on a thoroughly cleaned and dried surface. Repeat 2-3 times at intervals of three days. Such a coating is safe, gives the wood a beautiful shade, and besides, it will cost almost free.

If the floor in the bath is concrete, then it must be covered finishing material because by itself it looks unattractive. They cover the concrete floor with a massive floor board, porcelain stoneware or ceramic slabs, parquet, cork products.

In principle, any material is suitable, as long as it meets all safety rules. And the rest, it all depends on the intended design, on the personal preferences of the owner of the bath and on his financial capabilities.

Laying the floor in the steam room

Although the steam room is the heart of the bath, the floors in it, surprisingly, are the least significant segment of the entire bath project. The main thing here is the wall partitions and the ceiling. Remember how primitive everything was with our great-grandfathers. They threw plank blocks or split logs on the ground, and this was enough to take a bath with pleasure even in areas with severe winters. Cold feet? Splashed hot water and everything. No one complained and health was excellent.

Therefore, too much attention should not be paid to laying the floors in the steam room. Some advise equipping floors with insulation, vapor barrier and rough flooring in the steam room. Of course, this is very modern, but for a steam room it will be a waste of money.

As practice shows, simple circuit arrangement of floors in the bath is the best

And why drive moisture deep into the wood. It is much better and easier to create conditions for the free passage of water, and then take care of drying and ventilation. And it is much more important to make the floors in the steam room non-slip to avoid injury.

If the steam room is combined with the washing department, then there is no structural difference between them, everything is common and the same, the floors in this case are equipped according to the methods described above.

When the steam room is a separate area and there is no need for a tap a large number water, then the floor is laid from edged board with small chamfers (deck board). The slots may be slightly narrower.

The deck board is made from larch and therefore resists moisture well.

Much easier with concrete floors- they are made in exactly the same way as in all sections of the bath. A wooden ladder is certainly laid on top, since a bare bare concrete slab is not very pleasant.

The arrangement of the floor in the steam room, as, indeed, in the entire bath, is an excellent indicator: if it is cold in the bath after laying it, then look at the ceiling, most likely, there are problems with vapor barrier there.

What to make the floor in the steam room from: choosing the best material

Of course, wood is out of competition:

And what absolutely cannot be used for floors in a steam room is linoleum, chipboard and fiberboard. wood boards ignite easily, and non-natural materials are capable of releasing hazardous substances at high temperatures.

Concrete floor equipment in the steam room

It is advisable to purchase all the necessary building materials from one manufacturer. This will add strength to the entire structure as a whole. Need to buy:

• edge tape;
• sand, cement M200 or 300 and gravel;
• primer, roofing felt and dry mix of self-leveling screed.

Tools for the job

To carry out the whole flooring process in steam room will need:

• protective equipment for eyes and hands;
• bayonet shovel and building level;
• a basin for mixing a solution or a bucket;
• concrete mixer and mixer;
• rollers (needle and primer);
• rules and construction trowel;
• gas burner for soldering roofing material.

Step-by-step instructions for laying a concrete floor in a steam room

1. Solution preparation. You will need a concrete mixer in which the components of the solution are placed - sand, cement grade 200 or 300 and gravel in a ratio of 2: 1: 3. It does not make sense to use other brands of cement (higher ones), this will only increase the cost of the work. Add water and bring to the desired consistency.

   To prepare the solution, sand, gravel, cement and water are used.

2. Subfloor fitting. The soil in the steam room is covered with roofing material cut into sheets, and gas burner the seams are soldered. It is needed as a waterproofing agent. A 10-cm concrete layer is applied over the roofing material with a construction trowel, after which the entire screed is leveled to the level using the rule. When the solution is completely dry, proceed to the next step.

   After the pouring is completed, the concrete layer must be leveled with the rule

3. Final alignment. Literally to the millimeter, the final leveling of the concrete layer is done. For this, a self-leveling compound is used. Before laying it, the surface is cleaned of debris and dust, and then primed. The primer is applied with a conventional roller.
4. Application of self-leveling screed. Along the entire length of the steam room, the bottom of the wall is glued with edge tape. This is done so that the screed does not stick to the wall and does not burst in the future. The dry self-levelling mixture is diluted with water in the proportions indicated on the package and mixed with a mixer until smooth. Following this, it is evenly poured over the entire surface and leveled with a spiked roller to remove air bubbles.
5. Finishing work. The floor filled with a self-leveling screed is left to dry and only then proceed to the finishing work.

Video: pouring the screed in the bath with your own hands

Floor covering in the steam room

Some people believe that no impregnation should be used in the steam room, arguing that the bath should give health, and not emit harmful fumes at high temperatures. It's hard to disagree with this. But there is another side of the coin - physical wear and tear and decay.

Not only the wood with which the steam room is sheathed needs protection, but even the concrete floor screed loses its properties over the years. Plus, untreated, it accumulates dust that lovers of hot steam breathe.

If this is of little concern to the owner of the bath and he is ready to change the lining of the steam room (including replacing or repairing the floor) every 5 years, then, of course, no impregnations and oils. Otherwise, it is necessary to do the treatment of the steam room and it is advisable to use natural wax and oils for this, specially designed for saunas and steam rooms.

Linseed oil emphasizes the structure of wood, creates a protective film on its surface and does not emit harmful substances when heated.

Concrete floor screed can be treated with organic and inorganic impregnations. This will increase the wear resistance of concrete, prevent excessive accumulation of dust. But it is necessary to apply impregnations in a steam room thoughtfully, carefully studying the instructions and composition.

There are many schemes for arranging floors in the washroom and steam room. All of them are accessible and understandable. They can be implemented independently. You can even apply several technologies at the same time, such a combination will give good drainage and a flat surface. But as practice shows, the technology that is simpler is better. Good luck and light steam.

The technology and process of arranging floors in a sauna steam room and a washing department differ significantly from the principles of constructing floors in residential and utility buildings.

To provide effective system drainage, ventilation, hydro- and thermal insulation, it is necessary to adhere to the basic rules of laying. Properly equipped floor in the bath ensures the rapid removal of effluents and maintaining the microclimate in the room.

Often the floor for the bath is made of wood or concrete. It is difficult to determine which floor is better, since each type of base has its own operational features and characteristics that should be considered when arranging a private bath.

Concrete floor

Wooden floor

The wooden floor is simpler and more affordable in the arrangement, but less durable than the concrete counterpart. Already after 10 years of active operation, individual elements of a similar design are subject to reconstruction or replacement.

Floors from boards can be made from coniferous and hardwood, resistant to moisture and temperature extremes. The wooden base is represented by two types: leaking and non-leaking.

Leaking type floor

This is a budget option structure, presented in the form of a wooden lattice, the individual elements of which are installed in compliance with the gaps for the free discharge of wastewater into the ground.

The leaking floor does not provide for complex installation drainage system and extra insulation. For this reason, a bath with a similar floor is recommended to be used in summer period or in regions with a warm climate.

Such a base is available for self-arrangement, in addition, and repair work will not cause technical difficulties. In this design, the floorboards are not attached to the logs, so if necessary, they can be dismantled for drying or replacement.

Non-leakage type floor

A non-leaking floor has a solid structure installed on, which are embedded in the ground or concrete base. For efficient drainage, it is carried out at a slight slope towards the drain hole.

For the installation of a solid floor, a tongue-and-groove board made of larch or pine, mounted on supports, is used. High-quality boards for the floor should not have deformations and defects.

The top flooring is laid on the subfloor, which is previously insulated with a moisture-resistant material.

A bath with this type of floor can be operated throughout the year at any temperature.

The choice of consumables and basic calculations

The device of the floor in the bath provides for the use of building and thermal insulation materials, waste pipes made of metal and plastic, galvanized fasteners.

What is better to make the floor in the steam room and sink? Quantity and type Supplies depends on the type of floor construction and how it is installed.

Concrete Floor Calculations

For installation work you need to prepare:

• Fine sand for backfilling a layer 12 cm thick. Material volume (O) \u003d (3 × 3) × 0.12 cm \u003d 1.08 cubic meters. m.
• Expanded clay for backfilling before thermal insulation with a layer thickness of 30 cm. Material volume (O) \u003d (3 × 3) × 0.30 \u003d 2.7 cubic meters. m.
• Expanded polystyrene sheets extruded for thermal insulation. The thickness of the insulating layer is 10 cm. The number of sheets for a room of 9 square meters. m - 2.5 packs.
• A mixture based on cement and sand (ready-made or homemade). The thickness of the screed is from 6 to 12 cm. The average dry mix consumption is 18 kg/sq. m. concrete layer in 1 cm = (3 × 3) × 18 kg/sq. m = 162 kg. For a 6 cm layer: 162 × 7 = 1134 kg or 63 bags of ready mix.
• Reinforcement mesh for fixing a concrete layer measuring 5 × 5 cm.
• Rolled roofing felt for waterproofing a sand cushion from an expanded clay layer.
• Metal profile for beacons under the screed. For a steam room of 9 sq. m. will require 18 meters of profile.
• Plastic drain pipe up to 5 meters long, with a cross section of up to 3.2 cm, siphon and swivel elbow.

Calculations for a wooden floor

As a working example, the calculation of materials for the installation of a wooden floor in a steam room of 9 square meters is given. m.

To build a simple floor of a leaky type, you will need:

• Bar for the subfloor measuring 3 × 3 or 4 × 4 cm along the length of the beam. The distance between the beams is 0.5 meters, the total amount of material is 30 meters.
• Unplaned board for a base up to 25 cm wide and 2.5 cm thick. For one section you need: (300/25) × 0.5 = 6 meters. For decoration of 5 floor sections: 5 × 6 = 30 meters.
• Guide bar for creating a drain slope with a section of 2 × 3 or 3 × 3 cm.
• Bar for fixing logs under the finishing base with a section of 6 × 6 cm.
• Rolled or sheet roofing felt for waterproofing. For a steam room, 16 meters of material are needed, taking into account allowances.
• Basalt wool roll 8 cm thick for thermal insulation.
• Galvanized steel sheets up to 0.6 mm thick - 11 sq. m. material.
• Polymer pipe, elbow and drain ladder for installation in a drain hole. To ensure proper drainage, the installation of the elbow with the connected pipe must be carried out at a right angle.

Concrete floor installation technology

The arrangement of the floor begins with the preparation of the soil inside the foundation - cleansing from debris and dirt.

The layout of the monolithic base is as follows:

1. The soil is carefully compacted and leveled. Internal walls the foundation is treated with bitumen in several layers.
2. On the preparatory stage a sewer pipe is laid through the foundation. To do this, it is enough to make an inlet in the base and install a metal adapter for supplying a plastic pipe.
3. The sewer pipe is brought to the place where the drain hole is provided. The end of the pipe is plugged to prevent blockage.
4. A sand cushion up to 12 cm high is poured onto the ground, moistened and rammed.
5. Next, you need to put the roofing material on internal walls bases with an overlap of 15 cm. Additionally, the joints are treated with bitumen-based mastic.
6. Expanded clay up to 35 cm thick is laid, leveled and rammed. 8 cm remains to the edge of the base.
7. Expanded clay is covered with a film 200 microns thick, and the joints are glued with construction tape. Thermal insulation is installed on top of the waterproofing.
8. After the foundation is insulated, guides for pouring concrete are installed in increments of 55 to 95 cm. Lighthouses are laid on a mixture of cement and sand.
9. When installing the guides, it is important to observe the required slope for proper water drainage. In this case, the beacons are set strictly according to the level.
10. At the bottom of the walls along the perimeter of the room, a damper tape up to 12 cm high is fixed. After pouring and drying concrete screed tape residue can be removed.
11. The concrete is poured with the prepared mixture and left to dry completely.

Important! 5 days after pouring, the beacons are dismantled, and the existing voids are filled with a mixture. The first 10 days the floor is thoroughly moistened with water up to 3 times a day.

Leaking wood flooring technology

A step-by-step guide for installing a leaking floor provides for a step-by-step work: preparing the underground, installing a log and wooden flooring.

Underground preparation

In order for the water that enters the underground to be discharged into the ground, it is necessary to properly prepare the base - for this, the top layer of the earth is cut off and the waterproofing cushion is backfilled from fine gravel up to 26 cm thick.

For soils with a low level of moisture absorption, the soil is removed at a slight angle, and the drainage is organized into a 30-cm pit through the sewer. The soil is covered with clay and leveled.

Important! Before backfilling the pillow, support is installed under wooden logs, and also build a foundation for heating equipment.

Installation of support logs

How to properly install the lag? They are mounted on concrete supports equipped with a brick stand. The height of the lag laying is determined by the height of the pillars (columnar foundation) or tapes (strip foundation).

The installation of the lag is carried out opposite the short wall of the building. To avoid deformation of the lag or their swelling, the supports are covered with a double layer of waterproofing made of roofing material treated with hot bitumen.

To ensure natural ventilation when laying the log to the walls, minimum technological gaps of 4 cm should be observed.

wood flooring

To lay the floor, use boards that are fixed perpendicular to the installed lags. In this case, it is necessary to observe the indents between the individual elements of the floor - 5 mm, between the boards and walls - 2.5 cm. The wooden shield is fixed to the logs using metal nails.

Leak-proof wooden floor laying technology

The device of the wooden floor in the bath provides for the installation of support logs similar to the previous option, with the formation of an inclined surface for efficient drainage.

Installation of the floor in the bath is carried out in the following order:

1. Organization of the water intake system. The first stage of installation of a non-leaking floor is the organization of a water inlet measuring 45 × 45 cm, located between the supports and thermally insulated with a solution of clay or cement. The depth of laying the water intake is 35 cm. At a height of 3 cm from the bottom of the receiver, a pipe is installed at a slight slope to discharge wastewater into a drainage well or pit.
2. Subfloor installation. After mounting the lag on the support poles, the subfloor is fixed - a filing made of cheap material, for example, a second-rate board. Hydro, heat and vapor barriers are laid on the boards in layers to protect against moisture.
3. Fixing the finish. On the installed logs, a finish coating of a tongue-and-groove board with a low moisture absorption coefficient is fixed. Along the perimeter of the room from the walls, a gap of 2 cm is observed for natural ventilation. Boards are fixed with nails at an angle of 50 degrees. Finally, a decorative plinth is mounted.

Important! Wall cladding is carried out over the installed plinth to prevent the collection of condensate under the plinth.

Effective protection of logs and flooring from decay

In order not to rot the floor in the bath, experts recommend treating it with a heat-resistant water-based varnish. Such a coating is able to withstand heating temperatures above 100 degrees, providing the surface with reliable protection against high humidity, hot steam and dirt.

The protective varnish is applied to the wooden base with a brush in several layers. Works are carried out in a well-ventilated room at an air temperature of 4 to 28 degrees.

If a wooden floor is being installed in a leaky type bath, then a protective composition is applied to the finish coat and to the supporting logs.

Laying floors in a bath is a complex procedure that depends on design features building, its size and type of foundation. But, despite the technical difficulties, any owner of a private bath will be able to master the technology of laying floors with his own hands.

With good flooring, it is much nicer and more comfortable. Therefore, a double floor is made in the locker room, that is, first a rough floor, and on top - a finishing floor. Traditionally, a Russian steam room is equipped with a wooden one or. When arranging the base, do you always think about how to make it warm?

Wooden floor

Warming

How to make a floor with a gasket in the bath? As thermal insulation material expanded clay, glass wool and perlite are used. The gasket is prepared from the following components: perlite (3 buckets), cement (1/2 bucket) and water (1.5 buckets). The resulting mixture is poured onto concrete in a thin layer. Such a foundation is considered reliable and durable.

Specialists also make water heated floors. They consist of pipe systems that are in a screed. They also make electrical warm bases by mounting electrical cables.

Ventilation

Conclusion

It decorates the steam room - it becomes comfortable in it, and the body receives a charge of vivacity and health prevention for many years. If professionals take up the matter, the floor in the bath will be installed correctly.

We have already considered various options floors, including wood. If you haven't read the article yet, you can do so right now.

In this publication, let's find out how to prepare the foundation for the construction of a leaking and non-leaking wooden floor, how to properly make supports for the log, what to make the logs from, what height to make the supports and consider other issues related to the construction of the foundation of wooden floors in the bath.

How to make logs for the floor in the bath

In order for the wooden floor in the bath to withstand a sufficient load, it is laid on logs - thick beams or logs installed at a certain distance depending on the thickness of the boards from which the floor will be laid.

Larch or pine wood, which is not afraid of moisture and has sufficient strength, is best suited for lag arrangement.

As you know, the floor in the bath should have a slight slope towards the pit to collect water. Therefore, the logs are also not performed at the same level, but with a slight difference in height, so that the boards to be laid go with a slight slope.

Before laying the logs, you need to decide on the direction of water flow, so as not to redo the floor later. But this applies mainly to non-leaking floors, the water from which is completely collected and discharged into the sewer. The direction of laying the log should be perpendicular to the direction of water flow.

If the floor is planned to be made leaky, then the slope can be omitted and the floors can be laid without a slope.

What section to make logs?

In order for the logs to withstand the weight of those who are being washed, their cross section is selected depending on the distance between the supports on which they will be laid. The greater this distance, the thicker the lags will be. The ratio of the height of the log to the width is usually chosen 1.5-2 (that is, the height is 1.5-2 times the width).

The main dimensions of the log, depending on the distance between the supports, are shown in the table below:

As you can see, with a small distance between the supports, you can save on buying thick timber or logs.

You can save even more on the timber by installing columnar supports under the logs. So, with a log length of 6 meters, only one support in the middle will reduce the cross section of the log from 220 x 80 mm to 150 x 80 mm. And if the supports are placed after 1 m, then you can use a bar with a section of 80 x 50 mm. The difference is visible to the naked eye.

When choosing a lag section, do not forget to take into account the required mark of the finished floor, which will depend on the mark of the top of the supports, the thickness of the floorboard, the mark of the crown or strip foundation.

How far apart are the lags?

The distance between the lags (lag step) is selected depending on the thickness of the boards from which the floor will be laid. The thicker the board, the greater the distance between adjacent lags and vice versa.

The distance between the lags, depending on the thickness of the floor boards, is given in the table:

The device supports under the logs

Columnar supports for logs can be made from different material- made of wood, brick or monolithic concrete. In the case of brick or wood supports, a small concrete pad 200 mm thick should be made as a base, protruding at least 50 mm in each direction from under the support that will be made on this site.

In general, the columnar support will have the following structure:

• 10 cm sand bedding;
• 15 cm of crushed stone or gravel;
• 20 cm concrete base;
• The supporting structure is made of brick (wood).

Under each support, you should dig a hole 40 cm deep, make a sand bed, tamp gravel or crushed stone on top, then set the formwork 200 mm high and pour the concrete base of the support. After the concrete has hardened concrete base lay a piece of roofing material, after lubricating the top of the base with hot bitumen.

The concrete mixture for pouring the base can be prepared in the following proportion - 1 part of cement, 3 parts of sand, 5 parts of crushed stone (gravel).

Underfloor space arrangement

After the supports are placed, you can take up the space that will be under the floor.

If you have on the site good soils(sand), then you can make a leaking floor, and pour 250 mm of gravel under the floor onto the ground. Through the gravel, the water will go into the sand and the installation of drainage pipelines will not be needed.

If at the construction site of the bath there are soils that do not absorb water well, then a non-leaking floor should be made with the collection of water in a pit and its subsequent diversion outside the bath into a collection well or onto a relief.

If you want to make a leaking floor, and the soils are bad, then you can use the old folk way. Gravel is rammed into the soil from above, it is well compacted, and on top lay a layer of greasy clay 10-15 cm thick with a slope towards the catchment pit, from which water will subsequently be drained through the pipe outside the bath.

In the figure, the numbers indicate: 1 - gravel preparation; 2 - clay; 3 - drainage tray (pit); 4 - pit walls made of clay; 5 - drainage pipe.

Non-leaking floors can be insulated with expanded clay bedding. In this case, a layer of expanded clay should be chosen of such a thickness that it remains free space to logs laid on supports at least 10-15 cm for ventilation of the underground space. Otherwise, the floor will quickly rot.

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Now you know how to choose the section of the log and the thickness of the boards for the wooden floor in the bath, how to determine the number of columnar supports for the logs, and also equip the underground space depending on the type of bath floor.

In the following articles, we will learn how to lay logs on supports, how to make a subfloor and how to lay insulation in non-leaking floors.

The floor in the bath differs from residential premises in that, in addition to strength, it requires the construction of a sewer outlet. If you build it correctly, it will not rot, will not absorb moisture, but will ensure its constant removal and dryness in the room at a time when steaming is not carried out.

Before constructing the floor in the bath, the owner must decide on the requirements that he imposes on him. Usually the choice has to be made between a concrete structure and wooden boards:

• the foundation of concrete is laid long and expensive. It is guaranteed to last more than 50 years, and with proper updating and proper operation, there is no need to replace it;
• a wooden floor is easy and cheap to build. It looks great, but it needs to be changed regularly, about once every 5-10 years.

If wood is chosen as the material for the floor, you should decide on the type of construction. There is flowing and non-flowing. The first one is easier and looks more interesting. The boards laid in the bath do not need to be nailed to the logs. They are installed at a distance of at least 3 mm from each other. When you need them to dry quickly, you can simply collect them and take them outside to dry. It is not necessary to build boards with a gap in the dressing room. In the rest of the rooms, a gap of about 2 mm is left from the walls around the perimeter, a conditional frame around the floor is obtained, indicated by a small indent.

Advantages and disadvantages of a leaky floor

Pros.

1. The structure is built very quickly.
2. The non-leaking floor is the leader among other types in terms of cheapness.
3. A drainage pit is made for a sewer outlet in the underground. No other systems need to be installed.
4. Waterproofing and thermal insulation are not laid.

Minuses.

1. It is intended for temporary use, it is impossible to bathe in the bath in winter (in cold climates).
2. To be able to operate a bath with a leaky floor all the time, it is necessary to build it in a warm climate.
3. If you choose poorly hewn boards or place them unevenly, the floor will not be reliable.
4. fragility.

Bath floor design

In the steam room, the floor should rise slightly compared to the zero level. You can make it higher by only 8-10 cm, and the desired effect will already be achieved - the preservation of high temperature in the room is ensured. In the washing department, the floor is made below the finishing level. This improvement will help to avoid excess water from entering the rest of the bath compartments.

The most common floor construction in the bath (layers from top to bottom).

1. Finish coating.
2. Wood or concrete (final row).
3. Small airspace.
4. Lining (small layer).
5. Insulating layers (hydro and thermal insulation is mandatory, sometimes noise insulation is added separately if production facilities, clubs, and other institutions that are a source of noise are located next to the bathhouse).
6. Crate.
7. Insulating layers (during cold winters to protect the floor structure from cold or moisture).
8. Draft floor.
9. Wooden beams under the crate.
10. Waterproofing (installed on the ground).

Larch is considered the best material for the construction of an aesthetic and durable floor. If it is not possible to purchase it, it is allowed to use other common wood species: pine (one of the cheapest), birch (unusual color), fir or alder. Sometimes wood species are combined. The finish coating is made from more expensive boards, and the cheapest species, such as pine, are installed below.

Preparation of the finish coat (carried out in advance)

Before laying the boards must be dried. If this stage is canceled, there is a high probability of floor deformation if the natural moisture from the trees comes out quickly. They can decrease in volume, bend.

More susceptible to deformation massive boards. They need to dry longer, and the risk of deformation is greater. The situation is saved by the possibility of laying thin bars. They withstand less load, but this disadvantage is compensated by laying transverse logs (an additional layer). The tendency to deformation in a board with a thickness of 2.5 cm is almost negligible, so it is advisable to choose approximately the same (or a little more) boards for a log. Optimum thickness up to 4 cm.

The composition and design features of the wooden floor

In order to correctly and quickly make the elevation necessary in the steam room, use additional bars for lining. The optimal cross section is approximately 7 × 10 cm. With their help, the composition of the base is strengthened, because the bars carry a significant part of the load.

The procedure for laying a classic wooden floor.

1. The base is pre-coated with several layers of roofing material.

   Massive bars are laid out along the perimeter of the foundation. They pass through a certain distance, occupying the entire future floor. Each beam located in the center is supported by two opposite walls. It is additionally supported by specially installed two massive pillars.

2. Logs are installed on the bars. They are systematically cut, an artificial slope is created towards the sewer outlet. It is desirable that the total slope difference be at least 2 cm. Before installation, the log is nailed cranial bars, together they form a draft floor.
3. The moisture-proof membrane is attached to the logs, while the free ends remain 20-30 cm in order to later attach them to the waterproofing layer of the walls.
4. A layer of insulation pre-cut to size is laid in the clearance of the subfloor boards. It is desirable to combine protection from cold and moisture in one coating. Now there is a large selection of such materials. It is preferable to use mineral wool.
5. The finished floor is laid from tongue-and-groove boards, should be done as carefully as possible.

Video - Construction of a bath. Arrangement of a wooden floor

Video - Do-it-yourself wooden floor in the bath

Required clearances

The ventilation gap between the vapor barrier membrane and the floor is at least 2-3 cm. This layer has additional outlets that must be connected to the wall vapor barrier. This is necessary to connect the free air under the membrane and above it, ensuring free air circulation. The warm air flow, when circulating under the floor, will displace the cooled and damp, which will ensure the dryness of the floors for the entire duration of the bath.

The backing bars are made in such a size that the gap from them to the lag is more than 1 cm. If the log house shrinks a little, then this distance compensates for the pressure on the floor and protects the structure from deformation.

Video - Paul in the bath. Arrangement

Fastening elements

The quality and reliability of the floor depend not only on the selected materials, but primarily on compliance with the standards for their fastening. Possible ways of connecting parts.

Concrete floor

To fill the floor with concrete, you need to carry out a number of successive measures.

1. Formwork is installed on the prepared (filled with primary waterproofing, for example, sand) base. wooden boards fastened together with anchor bolts, if necessary, insured with reinforcing columns with a cross section of 2-4 cm.
2. Concrete mortar is prepared in the ratio of cement, sand and gravel. The components are connected in a ratio of 1:3:5. Sometimes a solution is prepared without gravel, but it is considered more durable classic recipe. It is necessary to add as much water as necessary for the correct consistency of a homogeneous, but liquid mixture. Concrete is poured in a uniform layer, the optimal thickness is 5 cm and above. This is the primary coating on which a rigid frame is installed.
3. Reinforcement is evenly distributed inside the formwork. The rods are interconnected with a wire with a thickness of 2-5 mm or welded at the joints. First, vertical pegs with the greatest thickness are driven into the ground, and then connected by one or two rows of vertical long reinforcing bars. The frame can be located at a distance from the formwork along the perimeter, but it should not exceed 5 cm.
4. The rest of the concrete solution is poured onto the reinforcement to the top. To make it more homogeneous, it is necessary to compact it. You can separately purchase a vibrator and work it through all parts of the floor. If this is not possible, holes are made in the wet layer of concrete with an iron or wooden bar, through which the air formed during the pouring of the mixture escapes.
5. So that the space under the floor is not filled with moisture, from internal backfill to wooden base thanks to the large bars, a gap of about 15 cm is created.
6. To make movement on the floor inaudible, you need to put fiberglass pads under it. They are located on the waterproofing layer. Sold in rolls, produced in the form of a thick tape.
7. Wooden materials are treated with an antiseptic. It is advisable to use such chemical composition, with which you can get rid of all microorganisms and prevent damage to the tree.
8. All boards are pre-dried or purchased already dried in a trusted company.
9. When installing ventilation, it is necessary to organize its competent removal. From the underground, it is led along the wall to the attic; for this, a separate pipe is being built. If the foundation is monolithic, then holes can be made connecting the ventilation gaps with the air outside.

Recommendations for the construction of the floor in the bath should be applied to your own building, sometimes adjusting the instructions. It is advisable to leave the basic norms according to which the floor should be built unchanged, since they are due to the natural properties of the materials and the specific state of the air in the bath.

Video - Errors in the construction of floors in the bath