For the construction of the bath, it is necessary to choose materials that can withstand temperature extremes, high humidity. Often use aspen. Sauna and steam room from the log house of this tree meet the requirements of operation, safety. The article describes the pros and cons of an aspen bath, gives advice on how to choose the material, what nuances should be taken into account during construction.
Why aspen
In Russia, linden and aspen served as building material. Spruce rocks were rarely used: resin droplets appeared on the surface. Now pine, spruce is used for the construction of baths, but the premises are necessarily sheathed with lining.
An aspen board is easy to process. For this she was loved and loved by master carvers. A mystical image was imposed on the tree. It was believed that the breed scares away evil spirits, takes away everything bad: a bathhouse is a place where a person acquires a purity of body and spirit.
Material advantages
Aspen Wood:
- It has a homogeneous structure. The log can be processed in any direction.
- Shallow, high density. Moisture-resistant wood, timber, other products gain strength during periodic or prolonged contact with water. Therefore, aspen materials are suitable for the construction of wet rooms.
- Resistant to abrasion of surfaces after drying, hardening.
- Contains antimicrobial agents. Therefore, insects, mold do not like aspen products. In order to prevent food spoilage, a small aspen log is placed in a tub with sauerkraut, other pickles, and utensils made from this tree are used.
- Contains volatile, killing microbes, partially cleansing the human respiratory tract. The aspen sauna is filled with light, fresh air..
- No finishing required. The room even without windows in modest lighting will be bright, comfortable.
- With high-quality processing, drying does not rot when re-wetted.
- It has a relatively low price.
Using aspen as a building material will result in a bathhouse that will stand for several decades, increasing its performance over time.
Disadvantages of an aspen log house
Cons that must be considered when choosing raw materials for construction:
- High shrinkage ratio. Fresh felling from aspen after drying is reduced by 40-50%. Therefore, you should buy seasoned wood.
- Moisture resistance is relative: often mature trees have a rotten trunk. A beam cannot be made from them. If you miss the defect, the bath will rot in the first few years.
- In some regions, trunks do not meet quality standards. This makes it difficult to procure raw materials: more time is spent searching for a solid, usable tree. The top is often used up to a length of 4.5 m.
Materials from aspen go through the process of forced drying by the method of water hammer. Moisture from the raw materials leaves slowly, this contributes to uniform settling of the fibers without the formation of deformations, cracks.
- The peculiar smell of wood fumes. The problem is solved by decorating the walls with another type of material.
- With your own hands, you need to chop log grooves carefully: all wood materials are susceptible to cracking when handled ineptly. Felling “in the paw” is preferable and safer than knocking out the “bowl” in this regard.
How not to make a mistake when choosing
Construction of the bath should begin with the right choice of raw materials. Signs of a good beam:
- The length of the workpiece does not exceed 4.5 meters. For log cabins, they take the top relative to an adult tree (40-50 years). This part of the trunk keeps the whole longer, there are few knots on it.
- Pay attention to the place of cut. The core on both sides should be intact, dense, without signs of decay.
- The geography of production is within the middle latitudes of Russia, preferably in humid areas.
It is recommended to take not ready-made timber for the log house, but uncouth blanks. They are cheaper, easier to process according to your needs.
If a tree was cut down in a swampy area, it is of good quality, then the timber will gain strength faster.
How to make a log house yourself
Aspen is chopped under the root from February to April, when the buds swell on the tree. Harvesting takes place in the second half of spring, from April to May.
The felled tree is folded, left for primary drying. Leaves bloom on the branches over time.They pick up excess moisture from the base. After the branch is formed, the knots are removed. The prepared log is left in a shady place for a year. During this period, compaction occurs, uniform drying of the wood. So that the process is carried out correctly, the ends on the trunks are coated with clay. This will slow down the evaporation of moisture.
The material will be ready in a year and a half.
What to make internal structures
For the manufacture of shelves, entrance, intersection doors suitable processed board from any tree.
The material is useful for flooring, ceiling.
How to build
Before proceeding with the assembly of the bath, you need to create a project for the future structure. For this, it is not necessary to contact specialists, you can make your own schemes with designations of the sizes of structures, openings. Several rooms should be provided: a sauna, a washing room, a dressing room. If conditions do not allow, a steam room, a sink are combined into one space.
Work process:
- On a concrete or stone foundation, 2 layers of polymer waterproofing on a bitumen basis are lined.
- Assemble the prepared log house. If the beam or log was prepared without taking into account door, window openings, make the corresponding holes during the assembly of the wall.
- Cover the roof, install the stove.
- Install windows, doors. For the manufacture of the latter, a thickened board is used to better retain heat. The height of the doorways should not exceed 1.7 m, the threshold - 30 cm.
- Cover the ceiling, lay the floor on the logs with the use of moisture-resistant insulation material.
- Sauna involves the presence of shops or regiments. For the device of the latter, a frame of bars is put out, sheathed with a board.
- If necessary, make wall cladding lining. Painting and impregnation of aspen boards is not required.