The barrel sauna is a round structure, surprising everyone!
It is unlikely that Diogenes could have imagined that a wooden barrel, a place of solitude for philosophical reflection, would be used by his descendants for bathing procedures.
Paying tribute to Greek wisdom, Russians today are guided by the Roman principle “a healthy mind in a healthy body.” Its embodiment is a barrel-shaped bathhouse - the best place to restore strength and health. Despite its novelty, this unusual structure is gaining popularity among city dwellers and residents of the rural hinterland.
Caring for the health of our readers, we consider it our duty to talk about what barrel saunas are. This article will discuss their design, original designs, advantages and disadvantages, as well as the possibility of self-assembly.
Barrel sauna. Design whim or practical design?
The first thing that attracts the eye in this design is its unusual appearance. A huge wooden barrel laid on its side looks great on any site. A simple association will tell you about its purpose: “barrel-water-steam room”.
In addition to the original design, the barrel-shaped bathhouse has important practical advantages:
- The cylindrical shape of the surface minimizes heat loss. To fully warm up such a bath, 8-9 logs are enough.
- In terms of speed of temperature rise, a barrel sauna is superior to rectangular-shaped structures. In it you won’t have to wait long for the “first steam”. In just 30 minutes the air heats up to a comfortable Finnish sauna temperature (+90 C).
- The low weight allows this structure to be placed on any flat and solid base (concrete area, asphalt, compact soil).
- You can steam in an insulated sauna all year round. Thanks to the small volume and operation of a compact stove-heater, the temperature in the steam room does not decrease even in severe frost.
- A barrel sauna is cheaper than a regular sauna.
The main disadvantage of budget designs is relative cramped space. Two people can hardly pass each other in the central aisle.
The internal layout of the structure depends on its length. The smallest mobile barrel sauna, 2 meters long, consists of one steam room. Here you have to undress and dress under a canopy (if provided) crowning the front door.
The absence of a washing compartment inside suggests the installation of such a bath next to a swimming pool or wooden plunge pool.
In addition to the steam room, in a three-meter barrel there is a small changing room 1 meter long.
In a 4-meter bathhouse, the layout does not change. The length of the benches in the locker room increases to 2 meters.
The maximum size of wooden barrel-shaped structures is 6 meters. It is enough to accommodate a steam room, a washroom and a rest room.
The height of a standard barrel sauna is 2.2 meters. Thanks to this, even a very tall person feels comfortable inside it.
In addition to the traditional round shape, manufacturers offer oval and square designs.
In addition to the end location of the doors, there are baths with a side entrance.
This solution divides the room into two functional zones: a sauna and a relaxation room. The space behind the front door is reserved for the dressing room.
Bituminous shingles are used to cover bathhouses. This material is durable and beautiful. Its main advantage is that it fits perfectly on any curved surface.
Some manufacturers cover their structures with pitched roofs made from OSB boards. One can argue with such a decision. Rainwater drains quickly from the round surface and there is no need for an additional canopy. However, some customers consider the pitched roofing option the most attractive.
The stove-heater is the “heart” of any bathhouse. The barrel-shaped design implements one of three modifications:
- Electric heater;
- Wood stove with chimney;
- Wood burning stove with hot water tank.
The chimney is led to the roof or passed through the end wall.
The barrel sauna board is made from coniferous wood (pine, cedar, spruce, fir, larch). For interior decoration, linden, aspen, alder, oak or cedar are used. To increase water resistance, they are impregnated with linseed oil.
Some manufacturers offer customers a combined housing option. They assemble the lower part of the barrel from rot-resistant larch, and the upper part is made from pine.
What does a barrel sauna consist of?
The barrel itself is small, but despite this, it includes a fairly spacious steam room that can accommodate four adults, and it also has a small relaxation room. This version of a barrel bath is the most typical, but there are others.
A barrel bath with a shower is convenient for people who want to refresh themselves after a steam room with cold water. This design is one of the best options if the site does not have a pool or a place where you can quickly cool down.
The barrel sauna with a terrace is suitable for tea drinkers: after taking the procedures, you can sit outside and enjoy the fresh air, and in the barrel sauna with a veranda you can arrange a meeting with friends. In general, there are a sufficient number of options for the construction of a barrel bath; everyone will certainly be able to choose the right one for themselves. The sauna barrel contains:
- steam room;
- washing department;
- restroom.
In compact baths, the steaming process itself comes first, which attracts lovers of a healthy lifestyle. Of the entire length of the bathhouse, a significant part is allocated to the steam room - the most important room of the mini complex. Standard shelves are installed in it, so fans of the birch broom have access to absolutely the same therapeutic and health procedures that are traditional for a standard “quadrangular” bathhouse.
After the steam room, the priority is the relaxation room. The room should be small, but quite cozy and homely. This is where you spend most of your time between sauna visits. Two good-quality benches - opposite each other, small shelves that fold out into mini-tables - everything is at hand and nothing is superfluous.
The remaining space is reserved for the washing room. Hot water is contained in a container above the stove, directly next to the chimney. You should also think about the cold water tank in advance.
Approximate prices
The cost of a barrel sauna directly depends on its size and configuration. The turnkey price for a 2-meter-long structure (diameter 2.1 meters, pine material) in the basic configuration starts at an average of 130,000 rubles.
If the body is made of cedar, then the total amount will increase noticeably and add up to 25%. If you want the bathhouse to have an open mini-veranda with a canopy, be prepared to pay another 15-20 thousand rubles. The insulated version will cost 20-25% more than the standard one.
Those who like to take a steam bath in the lap of nature are offered a sauna on a trailer. The cost of such a trailer starts from 50,000 rubles.
The average price of barrel saunas 3 meters long with 2 compartments (steam room and changing room), built from spruce, is 160 thousand rubles. A six-meter pine “maxi-bath” with a washing compartment can be purchased from 300 thousand rubles.
Features of assembling a barrel sauna with your own hands
Making your own kit for self-assembling a barrel sauna is not easy. The reason is not the complexity of the design, but the need to use a milling machine. With its help, a semicircular profile is cut on the boards to be joined.
It is not profitable to buy a machine and cutters “at one time”. Better to save on assembly. Depending on the size of the bathhouse, manufacturers charge from 10,000 to 40,000 rubles for this work.
Using the factory instructions, you can make a barrel sauna with your own hands quickly and efficiently.
The first stage of work is preparing the foundation. It is made from crushed stone or a concrete screed 10 cm thick is poured over leveled ground.
The second step is to install wooden supports with semicircular cutouts on the site (supplied in the assembly kit).
Having installed the supports, the bottom of the bathhouse is laid out on them from tongue-and-groove boards. Having assembled the lower sector of the circle, install the end walls. They are inserted into grooves made in the side boards. In a vertical position, the walls are fixed with the help of temporary connections, using sidewall boards as this.
Having assembled the body, it is tightened with steel hoop strips. At their ends there are threaded adjustment connections.
The next stage is the installation of a stove-heater and the laying of utilities (electrical wiring, lighting, sewerage). The installation is completed by installing carpentry (doors, benches, ladders, tables) and laying bitumen shingles on the roof.
Using the factory instructions and a minimal set of tools (screwdriver, jigsaw, plane), you can assemble such a structure in 1-2 days.
Stove in a sauna barrel
A bathhouse of this design heats up very quickly and cools down quickly; a stove for it should be chosen with a firebox inside and a good volume of stones. Of course, it’s up to you to decide whether the firebox is inside or outside, but if the firebox is in the steam room, you will always be able to throw up some fire without going outside. Typically, manufacturers include a stove in the sauna kit; there is no point in writing about all stoves, and our article is not about them, so it is best to do the following. Find out the brand of the stove from the seller and read reviews. You should not take a sauna with a homemade stove; it is advisable that the stove come with a popular brand.
What do the owners say?
The positive emotions of those who bought a barrel sauna, as they say, “flow over the edge.” An original appearance, a beautiful interior, a pleasant aroma of wood, a hot steam room and the pleasure of bathing procedures are the main advantages of such a purchase.
However, as often happens with wooden structures, after 2-3 years, reviews from owners contain complaints about the boards drying out and cracks appearing. Additional tightening of the hoops does not always eliminate them. The reason for this lies in poor quality preparation of lumber before processing. A poorly dried board will shrink beyond the permissible limit.
Another typical problem is rotting of boards in the area of sewer drain holes. It occurs due to a violation of wood antiseptic technology. You can avoid these unpleasant moments. To do this, before purchasing, you need to pay attention not only to the manufacturers’ price tags. It is much more important to communicate with the real owners of their products. The information received from them will be objective and unbiased.
Those who want to use a bathhouse all year round are often concerned about the suitability of such a building in winter. The way out of this situation is additional internal insulation. However, reviews from some owners indicate that a well-built bathhouse copes well with its tasks in winter even without insulation.
Where to buy a barrel sauna?
You can buy a barrel sauna in almost any large city in stores offering sauna equipment, as well as directly from manufacturers, who today exist in almost every region of our country. To find the nearest point of sale, just go to the Internet and enter in the search: “Buy bathhouse-barrel” to get a list of offers from which you can always choose the most suitable one, comparing them by price, material of manufacture and composition of the package. You should also pay attention to the prices for delivery of a ready-made bath.
Barrel sauna (80 photos): how to build it yourself
Having your own steam room at the dacha is the dream of many owners of country plots, but the high cost of traditionally shaped log or panel structures prevents its realization. The optimal solution in this case is a compact and mobile barrel sauna, which is quite possible to build with your own hands. To do this, you will either need to have the skills to process wood yourself, or purchase a set of blanks and assemble them using metal components. More details about how to make a barrel sauna and which layout option to choose will be discussed below.
Banya-Bochka in winter, is it worth insulating?
In a high-quality, real sauna barrel, it should be almost colder in winter than in summer. Can be heated up to 130 degrees. Baths made of solid wood maintain the temperature very well even at -25. It also cools down quickly, which does not cause debate.
However, some people strive to buy an insulated bathhouse. When insulating, you create additional space for moisture accumulation between the lining and the insulation, between the insulation and the main wall. Insulation also increases the price of a bathhouse. Why pay more and take risks when you can buy it cheaper and without risks.
Advantages and disadvantages of barrel saunas
Compared to square and rectangular steam rooms, a bathhouse in the form of a horizontally inverted cylinder has some specific features. The advantages of this design include compactness, efficiency, mobility, fast heating and long-term heat retention. The barrel sauna looks very original and attractive, while occupying a minimum of free space. Due to its light weight, the barrel sauna does not require a foundation. Models on wheels can be moved around the site or even transported using a trailer or truck.
The biggest disadvantage of spherical construction is the limited internal space. Typically, the length of the barrel ranges from 2 to 6 m, the height is 2.2–2.5 m. The resulting area is enough to accommodate 2–4 people at the same time, but this option is not suitable for numerous companies.
What is good about a barrel sauna?
It often happens that a person loves a bathhouse, but there is not enough money, time, space, or all together to build a full-fledged structure. It is in such cases that a barrel sauna is built. This design is inexpensive, compact, interesting, original and can have the same functions as a full-fledged one.
Barrel sauna on a summer cottage
It is not known exactly who invented this structure. In this regard, there is only an assumption that the roots of its origin come from Japan. There people go to a place called sento. They don't really hang out there. They rather wash themselves in a hot bath, which is kept at a strict temperature of 55°C.
They go there in groups. Visually, sento resembles a large deep basin or barrel. Before getting into this font, the Japanese wash themselves in the usual way, and then climb in, relax and talk. Those who do not always have the opportunity to visit a public sento build a smaller analogue - furo - at home.
The absence of sharp corners and compactness make it possible for the barrel sauna to warm up quickly, and the correctly selected wood from which this sauna is made allows it to retain heat for a long time. In summer, a cedar barrel sauna will heat up in 30-40 minutes; in winter, it will take you 1-1.5 hours to fully warm up.
In this video you can clearly see how quickly a barrel sauna warms up in winter at a temperature of -20 degrees and how long it then retains heat.
Selection of materials
Taking into account difficult operating conditions, such as regular heating and cooling, humidity, and the influence of the external environment, only the highest quality and durable building materials should be used for the construction of a barrel bath.
Maximum attention should be paid to wood. The cylindrical body of the steam room is entirely made up of boards - edged, located one above the other with a slight overlap, or tongue-and-groove, which are fastened using a tongue-and-groove system. The most suitable species for this purpose are oak, aspen, Siberian larch, linden, cedar and spruce.
It is extremely important that the wood is well-dried, smooth and clean, without cracks, knots, wormholes or darkening. When heated, coniferous boards can exude resinous glue and form unsightly smudges in places where dark brown spots are found. Even before construction begins, the wood should be treated with an antiseptic, oily impregnation against moisture and a fire retardant.
The recommended parameters for profile boards for cladding are width 9 cm, thickness 4–4.5 cm. For edged lumber used for partitions, the optimal width is 20 cm and thickness 5 cm.
The semicircular roof in the barrel bath is laid with flexible bitumen tiles. Its color can be any - according to the preferences of the owners.
As for the metal components of the steam room, they all must be stainless. Experienced craftsmen recommend using exclusively light-colored screws during installation, and making the hoops from steel tape with increased corrosion protection.
Preparing the site for a barrel sauna
This type of bathhouse can be installed on any base, provided that the wooden parts of the barrel bathhouse do not come into contact with moisture. The best option would be a concreted area covered with crushed stone. It is good if the bathhouse is installed on a small hill.
If there is no suitable place on your personal plot, you can equip it yourself. To do this, you need to dig a hole approximately 20 cm deep and a width that will be 50 cm larger than the base of the barrel. Be sure to dig a hole nearby to drain the water. In the place where the drain will come out of the base of the bath barrel, a drain pipe is placed. One end of it will be connected to the drain of the barrel, the other it will rest against the bottom of the drain hole.
A mixture of sandstone and gravel is poured into the bottom of the pit, under the bathhouse barrel. It must be thoroughly compacted, covered with reinforcing mesh and filled with concrete. The mixture must be poured at an angle. This is necessary so that the water flows along the bottom of the bath and comes out through the drain. In order to continue further construction work, it is necessary to take a break of several weeks. It is during this time that the concrete mixture will harden well and acquire the required strength.
Bath layout options
Depending on the dimensions of the barrel bath, it can be equipped with from one to three internal compartments. The steam room itself, where the stove and beds are located, is about 2–2.5 m in length. The six-meter structure usually also provides space for a dressing room (with a changing room and a table) and a washroom. Sometimes an impromptu porch is made in front of the entrance, slightly increasing the size of the roof - so as to create a canopy.
The door to the oval bath can be located either on the front side or on the side. Internal passages are usually covered with a sheet of tempered glass. Thanks to transparent inserts, a small room seems lighter and more spacious. Windows in the steam room significantly improve air exchange, which is very important for creating a comfortable microclimate. For this reason, two small gaps are left on the end side near the stove - on either side of the chimney. An additional window can also be in the dressing room if there is a relaxation area with benches and a table there.
Interior arrangement of a barrel bath
All work on arranging the internal space of the barrel bath looks like this:
- Be sure to arrange a water drain and install a pipe between the bottom of the bathhouse and the sewer.
- Lay the grating on the floor.
- Attach sun loungers along the walls, and if the space of the bathhouse allows, install a small table.
- It is imperative to install special protection near the stove. Also don't forget about the chimney and water tank.
- Provide water and electricity.
Stages of assembling a barrel bath
Having decided on the drawing and location of the future steam room, as well as having prepared the necessary materials, you can proceed directly to assembly. The whole process must take place step by step, from preparing the base to roofing work. The construction of a barrel sauna with your own hands, if you have the materials, tools and certain skills, can be completed in a few weeks.
The area for an oval bath must be level and, if possible, as dry as possible. In swampy areas and where there is close groundwater, a wooden building should be protected from moisture by installing it on galvanized screw piles. Under favorable conditions, a base made of concrete, crushed stone, paving slabs or stone would be more appropriate. Wide wooden stands in the amount of 2–4 pieces are fixed on top of the selected base (depending on the length of the structure), on the outer part of which recesses are made around the circumference of the barrel. For stability, the slats should be 30 cm smaller than the diameter of the cylinder. For example, with a trailer width of 2.5 m, the length of each stand will be 2.2 m, the width will be 30–40 cm, and the thickness will be 4–5 cm.
The body of the barrel bath begins to be mounted from the bottom up. First, the floor is attached to the bases, then the end elements (including internal partitions), side lintels and the cladding itself. The profile boards are fitted one to the other at the seams, while the shaped protrusion (tenon, ridge) is tightly placed into the recess (groove). Edged ones are mounted overlapping - so that each subsequent one covers the previous one by 3 cm. After completion of the work, the cylindrical frame is additionally strengthened with metal hoop ties.
The installation of the roof begins with attaching narrow slats to both sides of the barrel - they slightly change the angle of inclination of the flexible tiles and divert the drains further from the wooden walls. The bitumen elements are nailed to the top of the barrel, positioned one on top of the other with an overlap. In the center of the roof, using a hair dryer, a “ridge” made of the same flexible material is glued.
Stove, chimney, ventilation
Installation of a stove and chimney requires special attention to fire safety. To protect the wood from high temperatures and fire, the stove is placed on a mineralite backing. The same slabs must be used to cover the back wall, along which the chimney runs, and the side parts of the benches adjacent close to the heating device. To safely remove combustion products, you cannot do without a durable and high-quality pipe, complemented by fire-resistant sandwich panels and a chimney with a wind canopy.
Water supply and drainage
It is worth taking care of the water supply and sewage system even before construction begins. It is best to design a standard pipeline rather than drain the used water under the base, because high humidity is very harmful to the wood and reduces the service life of the steam room.
Electrical installation
Supplying light to a bathhouse requires special care and compliance with all fire safety standards. Also, we should not forget that steam has the same high conductive properties as water, so any mistake in installing electricity can be fatal. All switches and sockets must be located in the dressing room, cables must be insulated in a corrugated plastic pipe, and holes in the wood must be protected with steel sleeves.
One of the safest options for self-installation is a 12-volt LED strip powered by a battery. If you do install a 220-volt network, you should entrust this matter to a professional electrician who understands the specifics of its functioning in conditions of high humidity, critical temperatures and the environment of such an easily flammable material as wood.
Interior furnishings
For a comfortable stay inside the barrel bath after completion of construction work, you need to take care of the interior. Beds, headrests, a folding table, upper shelves for accessories, hooks for brooms and towels - this is the main list of items that you cannot do without during bath procedures. You can choose them according to your taste, but it is recommended to pay special attention to the quality of workmanship, that is, the careful processing of the wood, its species, evenness of surfaces, etc.
A nice addition to your garden plot
We can talk for a long time about the obvious benefits of a modern barrel bath, but special attention should also be paid to their design. Many people are familiar with the problem of not having enough space on their own plots. Standard designs usually have a length of 3-4 meters with a diameter of no more than three meters, while the capacity of the steam room reaches 4 or even 6 people. Thus, with minimal waste of usable space, you can get maximum functionality. It is worth recalling that there is no need for complex construction work during installation. There are no foundations leading to soil changes; compact models are installed on special stands or standard screw piles.
Wood is a classic material for decorating any area. Boards coated with special weather-resistant varnishes practically do not lose their natural color. This makes it possible to perfectly combine such structures both next to monolithic concrete or brick structures, and near iron elements. It will be a successful addition to any garden landscape, either in an ensemble with other buildings or individually, surrounded by trees and flowers.
Barrel saunas - photos and examples
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