Bath from foam blocks step by step construction. Build a bath of foam blocks with your own hands. Eco-friendly do-it-yourself bath

Nothing can resist time. Even traditional Russian baths. No, they have not gone away - they simply began to use much cheaper, but similar in performance materials, for their manufacture. Surely you have heard positive feedback from the owners of baths from foam blocks more than once: people build them themselves and note the amazing practicality and savings in invested material resources. True, in order to get a result that is truly pleasing to the eye and heart, it is necessary to take into account all the details of the layout and draw up a high-quality project. We save your time and present in this material best projects for the construction of a bath of foam blocks with their own hands.

Advantages and disadvantages

It is believed that the main advantage of foam blocks as a material for construction is their exceptional low cost. Whether this is true or everything is much more complicated, we will find out right now, when we subject this material to a rigorous analysis in order to identify obvious pros and cons.

Advantages

• high fire safety;
• fast construction;
• the simplest installation that does not require any special skills;
• very low cost;
• decent sound insulation;
• low thermal conductivity.

As you can see, foam blocks are not only available due to their low cost, but also captivate with impeccable fire safety and absolute ease of installation. Their closest competitor is expanded clay concrete blocks. It is no coincidence that it is one of the most popular projects. However, there are disadvantages to both some blocks and others. And they are very similar.

disadvantages

• very low frost resistance;
• high water absorption;
• the material is exposed to fungus and rodents;
• medium tightness.

Fortunately, these disadvantages are not critical, and the myths about the release of harmful substances into the air have long been successfully dispelled by experts.

In general, foam blocks are a very reasonable solution for a bath project if you want to get by with a minimum investment. But you still have to take into account the costs of interior and exterior decoration, including warming and waterproofing. Only in this way you can really enjoy a comfortable vapor, and not shiver from the cold and complain about the rapidly falling temperature and dampness all around.

Phased construction

You can even build a bath from foam blocks on your own, even for a person who is absolutely inexperienced in this topic. However, it is still necessary to inquire about the correct sequence of work - this will help to avoid common mistakes that people make out of ignorance. Therefore, pay attention to the phased demonstration of the construction of such a foam block bath in our detailed instructions.

Foundation construction

1. fill the prepared area with a pillow of fine gravel and sand and compact with water, the optimal depth of the foundation is 30-40 centimeters;
2. equip a removable or monolithic formwork;
3. reinforce the area with metal bars and pour the prepared concrete mixture, be sure to pierce the filled mass in several places to release the air that inevitably gets inside;
4. cover the foundation with any waterproofing material and let it dry and harden (2-3 weeks), then cover it with roofing material and proceed to the next stage of construction.

Walling

1. make sure the foundation is even and start laying the foam blocks: the first row is bonded with a traditional sand and cement-based mortar, it is very important to lay it out without deviations, so use a rubber mallet and a level to correct masonry errors;
2. the bricks are not laid flat, as you might think at first, but on the edge;
3. the second row is already fixed with special glue, which is sold in any store, but do not overdo it with its quantity - a thin layer is enough;
4. Be sure to lay a reinforcing mesh through every third row of the structure - so the walls will become much more durable and monolithic.

Roof erection

The photo below shows all the work on the construction of the roof as part of the project for the independent construction of a bath from foam blocks.

Exterior finish

In order for your foam block bath not to lose its attractive appearance, be sure to take care of the finish. Most often used in projects siding giving the building a beautiful and modern look.

However, there are many other options that may suit you much better. Take a look at what other materials are used for the exterior.

Warming from the inside

Insulation from the inside of foam block baths is a severe necessity, which is due to the very high water absorption of the material. Qualitatively carried out work in this direction will help protect the walls from moisture impregnation and fill the room with comfort. Which is very important if you are going to use the bath not only in the summer. What can be taken as a heater?

• mineral wool;
• glass wool;
• vapor barrier film;
• foil, etc.

Interior decoration

Here, as they say, everything is purely up to your taste. Just do not forget that you are still building a bath, which means that the material must withstand permanent exposure to high temperatures.

• lining;
• block house;
• tile;
• stone, etc.

The following video will tell you how to build a bath using foam blocks. This is a rather fluent, but very capacious and convincing story of a specialist competent in his field, who built more than a dozen such objects with his own hands.

Standard projects with photos and drawings

In order to choose a suitable foam block bath project, you must first decide on the site that is at your disposal, as well as what you expect from your building. Scrupulous planning is a mandatory item of the "preparatory" program, but if you do not want to deal with the distribution of key areas, then use ready-made projects. They already provide for the separation of the sink and the steam room, there is also the allocation of space for a rest room, dressing room, in some cases - verandas. Information on how many foam blocks are needed for a bath is located in each size section.

3x3

How many foam blocks do you need: 134 pcs. (4.82 cubic meters)

Project options for those who want to build a compact bath. It is allowed both a separate sink and a steam room, and the combination of two zones into one.

4x4

How many foam blocks do you need: 196 pcs. (7.06 cubic meters)

A selection of bath projects with one of the most common sizes. The square base allows you to use every centimeter of usable space properly.

3x4

How many foam blocks do you need: 172 pcs. (6.19 cubic meters)

A very viable rectangular and quite compact solution, no doubt, will appeal to those who do not have at their disposal a margin of square meters.

6x4

How many foam blocks do you need: 245 pcs. (8.82 cubic meters)

An excellent selection of bath projects, in which literally everything is provided: a spacious dressing room, a relaxation room, and a veranda. allows you to include in some cases a game room with a billiard table.

5x5

How many foam blocks do you need: 267 pcs. (9.61 cubic meters)

A project with the placement of functional areas for a spacious square bath.

6x6

How many foam blocks do you need: 334 pcs. (12.02 cubic meters)

Conclusion

Among such an impressive number of foam block bath projects, there is definitely an option that will suit you in all respects. But even if there is no such project, then nothing prevents you from making cosmetic changes to it and decisively start building with your own hands. Moreover, the material is quite light and obedient, and therefore you can do without the help of professionals.

Photo: vk.com, forumhouse.ru, tutknow.ru, parilochka.com, 9ban.ru, postroiv.ru.

Traditionally, baths were built from natural wood, which provided warmth, comfort and environmental friendliness. The rise in prices for natural materials and the frequent deterioration of their quality provoked a search for alternatives that would not be inferior in environmental friendliness and warmth, but at the same time would be more affordable. In this regard, more and more common, foam blocks and other varieties of lightweight and cellular concrete. About the construction of a bath from a foam block with your own hands in five simple steps later in the article.

Construction of a foam block bath: the pros and cons

The low cost of foam concrete, in comparison with other building materials, and ease of use, make it the most popular when building various buildings with your own hands. But is it possible to build a bath from foam blocks? To objectively answer this question, it is necessary to take into account all the existing advantages and disadvantages of building from this material.

Foam blocks have large dimensions with low weight, which has a positive effect on the complexity of work

A foam concrete bath has pros and cons, namely:

Despite the presence of shortcomings in the construction of a foam concrete bath, all of them can be eliminated. This allows us to give an affirmative answer to the initial question - the construction of a foam concrete bath is quite advisable.

Construction of a bath from foam blocks - laying the foundation

A well-built bathhouse made of aerated concrete and other types of porous concrete is a reliable and environmentally friendly building that is guaranteed to serve its owner for many years.

For proper construction, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the basic advice of specialists:

• Laying a reinforcing mesh on every third row of masonry will ensure maximum strength of the entire structure.
• Door and window openings must be equipped with special ceilings.
• The laying of blocks should be carried out not only carefully and competently, but also quickly, which will prevent the adhesive mixture from solidifying.
• To align the blocks, you must use a special rubber mallet.
• An important point is the performance of high-quality work related to water protection and vapor barrier.

A material called foam concrete is available and easy to use. The presence of shortcomings associated with the construction of a steam room can be corrected. Therefore, the answer to the question: is it possible to build a bath from foam blocks, definitely - yes. Eco-friendly and high-quality material will ensure the comfort, reliability and safety of a do-it-yourself bath.

Despite the fact that from time immemorial the bath was built of wood, there are a huge number of modern materials and installation methods. Such a financially profitable choice as a do-it-yourself foam block bath is gaining more and more popularity. Building this building on your own will save you money.

Foam blocks are called blocks of a somewhat large size, which are made from cellular materials. The construction market provides a large selection of this material.

Advantages

• Foam blocks are distinguished by an excellent indicator of thermal insulation and frost resistance. The building erected from this product is similar in properties to wooden baths. Thanks to the breathable building product, the building is famous for its special microclimate. However, at the same time, foam concrete is able to withstand fire, and this distinguishes it favorably from wooden materials. It is important that natural and organic ingredients are used in the production.
• The foam block has a large volume and low weight, which, in comparison with a brick, is more profitable and convenient. After all, with its help, construction time is reduced and transportation is easier.
• When compared with other building materials, it becomes clear that the advantages of the foam block include its low cost.
• Since there are special components in the foam blocks, it has an increased strength index.
• To complete the stages of this construction, there is no need for specialized skills or knowledge. The bath is easily erected even by an inexperienced person.
• Due to its structure, foam concrete can be easily cut with a hacksaw.
• In a bath of this material, you can steam immediately after installation is completed, because it will not shrink.

disadvantages

• The main disadvantage of foam concrete is considered to be its susceptibility to moisture.
• Due to the structure, the material accumulates condensate inside itself, which at low temperatures can cause the destruction of the building or walls.
• The disadvantages of such baths include the impossibility of building tall buildings. After all, the material is not able to withstand high pressure.
• If a special finish has not been made inside and out, then mold and fungus may occur in the products.
• Despite the high rate of environmental friendliness, this material is inferior in this sense to wood.

This product has both disadvantages and advantages. For this reason, it is important to consider all the nuances before doing anything. If we consider the shortcomings of a foam block bath, then almost all of them can either be refuted or corrected with the help of additional manipulations. Taking into account that the baths are one-story buildings, there will not be a large load on the material. Also, an erected bath from any product needs waterproofing. Accordingly, when building a bath with your own hands from a foam block, in any case, a special finish is needed both from the inside and outside. For such internal and external works, there are special materials.

If the choice of material is final, then first of all it is important to make projects of baths from foam blocks. After that, you need to draw up a list of the necessary tools and materials, carry out an estimate of construction costs.

How to build?

Taking into account the fact that the installation of a bath from this material does not require specialized knowledge, this article does not need detailed description all stages of installation. In principle, regardless of the material chosen, the building installation technology is the same. There are only minor differences in the methods of laying products, however, this and how to build a bath from foam blocks will be discussed below.

Before starting the phased construction of the building, it is necessary to complete the projects of baths from foam blocks. All baths are similar to each other, so you can choose a project from existing ones. After that, you can proceed to settlement operations.

It is important to correctly calculate the required amount of building material, so that later everything is enough, but at the same time there is no excess left. For example, we perform calculations for a 6x8 bath. To perform such an operation, it is necessary to divide the calculation method into 3 types. The first type includes load-bearing walls, the width of which is approximately 2 foam concrete, installed on the edge. The volume of the product in such a situation should be 20x30x60 cm. The second type is the internal partition of the building, foam concrete is installed here in one row. In such a situation, the volume of the product used is equal to the first type. The third type includes the walls inside the bath, they are mounted in the same way as products of the second type. However, in this situation, the volume of the product is 10x30x60 cm.

When you figured out the types of species, you can study the basis of the settlement operations of such a bath. Each product has its own dimensions. After carrying out the necessary calculations, you can find out the size of all the walls of the structure. Next, you need to find out the size that various types of openings in the walls will occupy. At the end, the size of the openings must be subtracted from the total size of the walls. The resulting number must be divided by the volume of one product. As a result of settlement operations, you will find out the required amount of material for installing a 6x8 bath with your own hands. However, it is important to take into account possible errors and nuances, so the purchase of products is made with a margin of 10%. According to this calculation and stocks, it is worth purchasing construction material.

Materials and tools

For the installation of the building, other materials are also needed:

• cement;
• river sand;
• concrete mortar;
• reinforcing bars;
• wire for reinforcement;
• wood;
• sewer pipes;
• several packs of nails and screws;
• metal corners;
• corrugated board;
• stove;
• window;
• brick;
• doors;
• waterproofing products;
• insulation products;
• finishing materials;
• lighting products;
• wires;
• construction foam;
• antiseptic agent.

This is just a minimum list of necessary materials for the construction of a bath.

Foundation

It is not necessary to build too strong a foundation for such a building. This is possible due to the low weight of the material used. In connection with this property, it is permissible to erect a strip foundation. It is used in conjunction with a sand bed. On this substrate, it will be necessary to perform waterproofing with bituminous materials.

To build such a foundation, it is necessary to dig a hole in the form of ribbons around the entire perimeter of the building. Their height should be 600 mm and thickness - 300 mm. After completing the pit, it is worth marking. It is performed using the building level. Next, special rods are installed around the perimeter, at a distance of about 2 meters. In order to do everything as accurately as possible, the use of a cord is recommended. By pulling the cord, the correct installation of the rods is checked.

The next step will be the formation of a reinforcing frame and the collection of formwork from wooden boards. Next, concrete mortar is poured, but inside the base it is important to pre-lay all communications. After pouring, everything is covered with a special mesh. For a base with a height of 1 meter, you need about 1 m3 of concrete mortar. The last step is to waterproof the base with bituminous materials.

In this article, we offer step-by-step instructions for building a bath with your own hands.

What is the foam block

2. Foam block bath step by step

bath building project

Preparing the location of the building

How to make a foundation for a bath

How to build bath walls

How to install a bath roof

Interior decoration in the bath

Exterior decoration of the bath

3. Cleaning and care of the bath

4. Bath interior design

What decor items exist for a bath

5 .Aromatherapy in the bath

How to use aromatic oils in the bath

1. Foam block. Pros and cons of choosing a material

What is the foam block made of. The foam block is made from cement and sand. It is produced using a special technology, which is why the foam block is produced porous. This is done so that the material is light, despite the fact that it is bulky.

In fact, the foam block is foamed concrete.

pros use of foam blocks in the construction of a bath.

• The cost of material for building a bath from a foam block will be much cheaper. Than, for example, the same building made of brick or wood.
• If compared with a tree, then the plus of the foam block is that insects will not start in it
• Also foam blocks do not burn. The fire safety of the bath is an important point.
• Foam blocks perfectly retain heat. This figure is three times higher than that of a brick. Therefore, heating the steam room of a foam block bath will be faster and it will stay warm in such a room for longer. This will significantly save on fuel wood costs.
• Foam blocks are a fairly light material, this will save money and time on installing the foundation. Since the load on the foundation will not be high.
• With strong temperature fluctuations, the foam block will not lose its mechanical and technical characteristics.
• The foam block is easy to cut, it will not crumble, for example, like a brick. You can easily cut the foam block with a hacksaw. You do not need to purchase any special devices for cutting the foam block.
• The structure of the foam block will not tolerate shrinkage. This is time saving.
• In a bath built from a foam block, fungus and mold will not appear. Since the foam block consists of concrete, and that does not absorb water well. And it dries very quickly, at temperatures from 18 with a plus sign.
• The durability of foam blocks is difficult to overestimate. Over time, foam blocks not only do not lose strength, but also add strength characteristics. As if they were turning to stone.
• The environmental friendliness of the material is another important point. Concrete, when heated, does not emit substances harmful to the body.
• The high speed of building a foam concrete bath is also attributed to the advantages of the material. This is due to the large size of the material, along with lightness.
• the only minus building a bath from foam blocks is its aesthetic appearance, compared with wood. But this is also easy to fix by lining the bath. How to do this is described later in the article.

2. We build a bath with our own hands. Step-by-step instruction.

First step. Bath project.

The beginning of the construction of a bath, like any object, is the preparation of a construction plan or drawing.

As the well-known proverb says, “Measure seven times, cut once.”

This is most appropriate for the beginning of any construction.

At the stage of preparation for the construction of the bath, do not rush.

Important points in the preparation of the scheme, the drawing of the bath. What we pay attention to:

• First of all, we determine the desired number of rooms and floors of the bath.
• As a rule, minimally, a bathhouse consists of a guest room or a relaxation room, a steam room, and a washing room. These are the main rooms.
• They also make baths, adding a vestibule to the three previous rooms. It is convenient for placing outerwear, shoes, storing firewood for the stove.

• They also make a toilet, it is convenient in case of visiting the bathhouse not only in summer, but also in winter.
• Sometimes they add a room - a kitchen. Or a kitchen-dining room. It will be convenient if your family and friends like to spend time with a cup of tea or coffee, have a snack, and just chat.
• Covered terraces are sometimes attached to the bathhouse so that after the steam room you can relax in the fresh air, even in the rain.
• You can easily find and download ready-made bath projects on the net. Also, you can order a bath project in organizations specializing in construction.
• Choosing and drawing up a drawing of a bath depends on your desires, preferences and the budget that you plan to use for this purpose.
• As soon as a drawing is drawn up, a scheme for the construction of a bath, an approximate estimate can be calculated. When calculating, it will be necessary to take into account that the foam blocks are placed on top of each other with an edge in two layers. These are load-bearing walls. And the partitions are folded in one row.
• Do not forget to take into account door and window openings when calculating the estimate. And we add to the estimate 10% of the cost for the calculation error.

Second step. We prepare the surface of the territory for the construction of a bath.

• It is convenient to place the bath next to the pool, pond, lake. This is ideal, of course, if there are such opportunities. Then after the steam room you can plunge into the cool water in the fresh air.
• The easiest way to build a bath will be on a flat, clean surface.
• To do this, the place for construction needs to be cleaned, garbage removed, stumps and trees uprooted.
• The soil must be dense so that the building does not sink into the ground over time.

Step three. We build the foundation for the bath.

• As previously mentioned in the article, the foam block is a lightweight material. Therefore, a very complex and expensive foundation for laying the foam block is not needed.
• Therefore, we take as an example the most suitable foundation option for a foam block building. Tape.

How to make a foundation

• To begin with, we will dig a pit for pouring the foundation. The width of the pit should be approximately thirty centimeters. Depth, about 60 centimeters.
• We mark the perimeter of our building. In the corners and the rest of the perimeter, we install stakes with an interval of 150-200 centimeters from each other .. We pull a rope and a cord on them. around the perimeter of the foundation. For the best strength into the ground, we drive in reinforced rods along the perimeter of the foundation, with a thickness of at least 1.2 cm in diameter.

• Next, we expose the formwork. For formwork, we take boards with a thickness of about 2.5 cm. We set them along the perimeter of the foundation.
• Before direct pouring of concrete, determine the places for the outlet of the drain, for this, lay a pipe, pipes in the selected place.
• For the foundation, purchase cement not lower than the M200 grade. The brand is on the packaging.
• The height of the foundation must be at least 70 centimeters. We pour the concrete not all at once, but in layers.
• For complete drying, we wait at least three to five days. Periodically, to prevent cracks in the concrete when it dries, pour it with water.
• After the concrete is completely dry, remove the formwork. When pouring concrete, do not forget to leave ventilation holes. The foundation is insulated, as it should be with layers of mineral wool. To protect against moisture, a roofing material is placed on top of the concrete, preferably two or three layers.

The fourth step is to consider the construction of the walls of your bath.

• You can quickly fold the walls of the bath from the foam block. This is due to the lightness and simultaneous bulk of the material in question. As a rule, a medium-sized bath can be put together by one person in a couple of weeks. If there are several people, then even faster.
• So, the main rule - we put the foam blocks with an edge. We check the evenness of laying with a building level when laying each foam block. By level, we must check both the horizontal and vertical arrangement of the block. If necessary, level by adding or reducing a layer of cement. The first row of foam blocks is an important point. All further masonry of your structure depends on the evenness of the first layer. We level the blocks with a rubber mallet, we knock out from the right sides.

• Next, lay the second row of foam blocks. We put it with an offset of 30-50% of the block. The vertical seams of the blocks must not intersect. Every three to four layers, it is recommended to lay a building reinforced mesh to increase the strength of the structure. Do not make too thick seams, try to make them no more than 0.5 cm.
• In the process of laying foam blocks, do not forget to leave room for door and window openings. Along the perimeter of the openings, also use construction reinforced mesh for reinforcement.

• Further, to fasten the plates together, we use silicate glue, not cement. Such glue is sold in all hardware stores, as a rule, it is diluted with water in a ratio of three to one. Stir with a construction whisk using a drill.

• So, the walls are ready. We are waiting for 3-4 days, after that we begin to cover our bathhouse.

We lay the roof of the bath with our own hands. Fifth step.

Consider installing the most optimal roof for a foam block building, this is a gable truss roof. Such a roof should protrude from the walls by 50 centimeters.

• For this:
• We put a beam on long walls. The thickness of the timber is best suited at 20 centimeters.
• Next, on the ground, we construct a system of rafters. We use beams for this system, the length of which is 50 cm, the width is 15 cm.
• We determine the slope of the roof that we want to see on our bath. The recommendation for choosing the angle of inclination is 45-65 degrees.
• We make a triangle from the boards, the desired size. And across we nail the crossbar inside the “triangle”, attach the transverse rafters and also fix it with the crossbars. More details in the photo below.

• We install the truss system on the beam, which we laid along the long walls. We fix the rafter system with a notch or special brackets.
• Next, we put the same "triangle" on the other side of the roof. Align the level, fix and pull the cord. The remaining "triangles" are installed every 50 centimeters.
• Next we have the crate. We put on top of our "triangles" We take boards 10 centimeters wide and 40 centimeters long.

• We fix the boards with self-tapping screws. Choose the distance between the boards so that it is convenient to put the insulation you have chosen.
• The next step is to create the ceiling. This is the first ceiling. He is black. For such a ceiling, take boards 2-3 centimeters thick. We fasten the boards between the rafter systems and put the insulation.
• Do not forget to leave a couple of ventilation holes for air circulation.
• Next, we put corrugated board or what you have chosen for the roof of the roof of your bath. And we put the horse.

Sixth step. Bath interior.

• The main point in the bath is the waterproofing of the walls from the frequent steam effect.
• For waterproofing, we process the walls with special means (there are a lot of them on the shelves of our construction stores and markets). Next, we cover the walls with PET film. In order for the walls to be well ventilated, we leave a gap between the wall and the wall sheathing of about five, six centimeters.

• We put the crate on the film, we attach the foil for vapor barrier to the crate. Next, we cover the walls. The most famous material for cladding the walls of the bath is lining. The lining is attached with nails or self-tapping screws around the entire perimeter
• In the washing room, it would be advisable to use tiles or special paint based on polymers.

Seventh step. Bath exterior.

The appearance of a foam block bath does not look very beautiful, so often siding panels or plaster are used for exterior decoration, here whoever likes it.

3. Cleaning and care of the bath

• In order for a bathhouse built by your own hands to please you and your loved ones for a long time, you need to take something into account when caring for it.
• Do not wash the wooden trim of the steam room and other rooms where the walls are lined with clapboard with strong water pressure, do not moisten the wood once again.
• After taking the treatments, wipe the surfaces with a dry cotton cloth to speed up the drying process. Cover water containers with lids to reduce water evaporation. To clean the surfaces, use products intended for wooden surfaces.

• Leave the steam room stove running for a short time after taking the procedures, this will allow the bath to dry well. The time for which it is worth leaving the stove in operation depends on the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe bath room where water is present. For a medium-sized bath, half an hour is enough to dry the rooms.
• Indoor air can be made more pleasant with the help of essential oils. Do not drip this oil on the stones. Oil can burn, and it will only get worse. Just put a small container of water next to the stove, add aromatic oil to the water, with a pleasant smell for you.

4. Bath interior design

With the design of the bath, as well as with the design of any other room.

There are hundreds of thousands of options. And it all depends on your imagination, your desire and the means at your disposal.

There are national design options, such as the Russian bath, Japanese sauna, Turkish, etc.

Below are photos of bath design ideas.

Choose according to your taste.

5 .Aromatherapy in the bath

• What to use aromatic oils in the bath
• Usually the same scent different people acts differently. Surely you have your own preferences for aromas, but keep in mind that the smells in the steam room are revealed differently than outside it.
• One person may like the smell of pine needles, for example, in another this smell can cause sharply opposite positive emotions.
• Most importantly, do not mix scents. Do not use more than three or four types of essential oils in the process of taking bath procedures. Mixing more odors in a hot, humid environment can make you feel bad.
• Useful bath oils:
• Grapefruit oil will remove or greatly dull the feeling of hunger.
• Peppermint, string, burdock oils have a regenerating property.
• From psoriasis - pine, aloe, chamomile, rhubarb.
• Against inflammation - nettle, elderberry, calendula.
• After visiting the fragrant bath, you should refrain from smoking and alcohol for a couple of hours. This may contribute to the loss of therapeutic effect.

You will be interested

Who among you has not dreamed of a quiet cozy place where you can sit, relax and even have a little fun in the company of friends or family?! It is by building a bathhouse on your site that you can fulfill your cherished dream. But modern world severe, and it is not always possible to use natural materials of the highest quality for construction. Therefore, many summer residents begin to think about what material to choose. Many of them come to the conclusion that a do-it-yourself foam block bath is the best solution, since the foam block as a building material is reliable, durable, environmentally friendly and easy to install.

In this article we will talk about the features, advantages and disadvantages of foam concrete. You can understand the essence of building a bath from blocks thanks to step by step instructions as well as some tips and tricks.

Advantages and disadvantages of foam concrete

To begin with, let's figure out what a foam block is. The foam block is a building material made of foam concrete, which includes: quartz sand, water, clay, cement and air-forming substances. It is due to this that air bubbles form in the cavity of the blocks.

This raw material is considered quite young and new on the Russian market, but, due to its advantages over brick, wood, cinder block and concrete, it has already won great love from architects and other specialists.

Like any other building material, foam blocks have their advantages:

• Low price. A bathhouse made of foam blocks will be two or even three times cheaper than one built according to the same project, but from a wooden frame or brick.
• Little weight. Due to the presence of pores, foam blocks, without any difficulties, can be installed at any height alone, without the help of special equipment or a construction team.
• Foam concrete does not shrink. That is, it is possible to start lining work, installing door and window frames immediately after the completion of the last stage of construction.
• High strength. From this material, you can build two-and even three-story buildings.
• Good level of sound and heat insulation.
• Fire resistance. Unlike a wooden frame, foam blocks are not subject to ignition and combustion.
• Environmental friendliness. When heated, this material does not emit toxic, radioactive or other substances into the air that could adversely affect the health and general condition of a person.
• Corrosion resistance. Foam concrete is not subject to rotting and corrosion from temperature, microorganisms, rodents and other animals.
• Foam concrete can easily withstand frequent temperature changes, which is especially good when building a bath.
• Ease of processing. Foam blocks are easy to process, saw and cut into pieces of the required shape and size.
• Laying speed. Since the foam blocks are not attached to an ordinary cement mortar, but to a special adhesive, there is no need to wait more than a month until the mortar gains strength.

However, there are also disadvantages:

• Low coefficient of moisture resistance. Perhaps the biggest and most unpleasant minus of foam blocks. Due to its porous structure, the raw material absorbs moisture well, due to which the life of the building is significantly reduced. This problem can be solved by carrying out additional work on waterproofing the walls.
• Structural inhomogeneity. Since the pores vary in size and location, the material in different places may have poorer retention of fasteners. Therefore, it is recommended to use special hardware designed for fastening porous materials.
• Construction must be carried out during a purely warm period of the year, since the adhesive solution used at low temperatures loses its properties.

Also note that for these purposes it is better to choose a high quality material from a trusted manufacturer containing a water-repellent primer. The price will certainly be higher, but the quality and durability of the building is much more important.

Preparatory work

Design

Immediately before construction work, everything must be carefully planned: choose the location and type of foundation, select material, draw up a drawing, and so on. Careful planning will help speed up construction at times, give the process coherence and orderliness.

The place under the bath should ideally be flat and dry. If defects such as sloping terrain or hills are present, they are removed. It is desirable to build a bath from foam blocks on the opposite side of the site, at a distance of at least 30 m from the reservoir and 5–6 m from other buildings.

The choice of foundation directly depends on the quality of the soil. It is easiest to build a bathhouse on dense soil. To find out what kind of soil is in your territory, you need to take a sample of the earth and conduct an analysis. This can be done in special laboratories. You can also look for information in the documentation on the purchase of the plot or ask the neighbors on what foundation their bathhouse stands.

The main indicators are the composition of the soil, the depth of freezing, the level of groundwater and the general climate in your region, as it affects the further operation of the foundation and the bath as a whole.

When choosing a bath project, there are no mandatory rules or patterns. Of course, in order to save money, you can find a finished project and all the detailed documentation on the Internet, but if you want to create something new, interesting and unique, it is better to seek help from special design agencies that will create an individual project, taking into account all the nuances: soil , terrain, climate, personal wishes and financial possibilities of the client. They will help determine the place and type of foundation, type of roof, as well as choose the material for the bath.

I would like to clarify that in most bath projects there are two or three main functional rooms, among them:

• steam room;
• dressing room;
• washing.

In larger baths, they also provide for the presence of:

• locker rooms;
• rest rooms.

A whole pool is often built in the washing room, but for it, as for the stove, it is important to provide a separate base.

For a small area the best option is the construction of a 4x4 m bath. It consists of three main rooms: a steam room 2.10x1.85 m, a shower room 1.8x1.85 m and a large relaxation room 4x2.15 m, where you can cool off, sit and chat in a cozy company.

Selection of quality foam blocks

In order for a foam block bath to last for many decades, it is important to choose a really high-quality material. Some of the tips below will help you with this.

• When choosing a material, consider the period after its manufacture. It must be at least 28 days. It is during this time that the solution completely solidifies, turning into a monolith.
• Pay attention to the goods of large manufacturers. It makes no sense for such companies to risk their reputation, so all their products are manufactured only according to modern standards. Also, with such raw materials, a quality certificate confirmed by laboratory tests should always be supplied.
• Storage conditions for building materials. All foam blocks should be stored in stacks in a dry, out of the sun place. Stacks must necessarily be covered with a layer of polyethylene or any other material that would protect the product from moisture. There must be no defects on the packaging.

In addition to the tips presented above, it is possible to determine whether the material is suitable for construction by appearance.

• The structure of porous formations. All air cells must be isolated from each other, since when combined, the material will absorb a large amount of excess moisture. This is best seen if you split the block into two parts and look in section.
• The size of all cells must be identical to each other. If the foam block contains a lot of air, then the strength of such a material is reduced significantly.
• Material color. Since this raw material contains quite a lot of cement, the color of the material should be gray and uniform. In the case when the foam blocks have a light white tint, this may indicate a violation of the concentration of cement and non-compliance with GOST.
• The form. All blocks must be the same size with geometrically even edges. You can check this by placing two blocks on top of each other. If a gap has formed, then when laying the walls, large seams may appear, which will negatively affect the thermal characteristics of the bath.
• The weight. The mass of each block must comply with GOST. Below is a table that will help compare the weight and brand of foam blocks.

There is a very good method for checking the quality of a block: for this, you need to try to break off a piece from the corner of the foam block or pierce it with your hand with an ordinary nail. If this was possible without much effort, then such material should in no case be used for the construction of a bath. But this method can only be used when choosing a material higher than the D600 grade.

List of required tools and materials

To build a bath from foam blocks with your own hands, you will need:

• bayonet;
• concrete mixer;
• containers for cement mortar;
• watering can;
• ladder;
• a hammer;
• trowel;
• hacksaw;
• spatulas;
• plane;
• hardware for fasteners (nails, screws, metal corners, and so on).
• screwdriver;
• wall chaser;
• roulette;
• building level;
• plumb line and some other tools;
• wooden blocks for Mauerlat with a section of 15x5 cm;
• the same bars for floor beams;
• sheets of plywood or OSB for roof lathing, as well as for foundation formwork;
• metal rods with a diameter of 1–1.5 cm for reinforcing the foundation and Mauerlat;
• hydro, heat and vapor barrier materials;
• boards for battens with a section of 10x5 cm and, if necessary, counter battens;
• cement (you can buy ready-made or knead by hand);
• finely screened sand;
• crushed stone of fine fraction or broken stone and some other materials.

Foundation

Having prepared the necessary tools and materials, you can proceed to earthworks and pouring the foundation. But first, in order to make your life easier, we recommend that you clean up the area and further mark the project.

Most often, during the construction of a bath from foam blocks, it is the strip foundation that is being built, since it is easy to install, inexpensive, convenient, reliable, and since the design of such a bath is very light, it is possible to build a light, shallow version of the base.

1. After marking the territory, they begin to dig a trench 30–60 cm deep, depending on the soil, climate, and so on, and about 30 cm wide.
2. A layer of sand and gravel, 10-15 cm each, is laid at the bottom.
3. Water with a small amount of water and pack tightly.
4. After that, formwork is mounted from wooden boards (plywood sheets) with a thickness of 10–20 mm and a height of about a meter. The part of the formwork that is above the ground should be 40–70 cm high. Since the tree can absorb some of the moisture from the solution, the formwork should first be moistened with water or wrapped with a layer of dense polyethylene.

1. A reinforcing belt of rods with a diameter of 1.2–1.5 cm is installed inside the formwork. Horizontal and vertical rows are connected to each other by welding or a special rigid wire.
2. The space inside the structure is filled with cement-concrete mortar grade M200 or higher. The entire foundation must be done at one time without temporary interruptions. The mixture must be poured so that its level does not reach 10–15 cm to the upper edge of the formwork.
3. In order for the foundation to have a homogeneous composition without air, it must be treated with a special construction vibrator.
4. After that, the base is covered with polyethylene so that debris and precipitation do not get into the cement. During the first few days, the foundation must be watered to prevent cracks and chips from appearing.
5. The formwork can be removed after 3-7 days, depending on the average daily temperature.

Also, do not forget to leave holes with a diameter of 5-10 cm in the thickness of the base for ventilation. At this stage, it is important to provide for the wiring of water supply and electricity, having previously dug a separate trench at a slight angle for the drain and sewerage system.

Important! It is possible to start further work on the construction of walls in no less than three weeks. It is after this period that the solution completely solidifies, turning into a monolith.

A separate foundation is required for the stove and pool. It is built in the same way as the main one.

Walling

Once the foundation has gained strength, you can proceed directly to the construction of walls. But before that, it is worth carrying out work on waterproofing the foundation. For this purpose, roofing material is used, which is laid in two layers and attached to the base with liquid bitumen. You can also use ordinary resin or special water-repellent mastics for the foundation.

The first row of blocks, like the rest, is laid on the edge with the only difference - the blocks of the first row are connected to each other using a conventional cement-sand mortar with the same ratio as when laying the foundation. The optimal thickness of the walls of foam blocks is 25 cm.

The durability and reliability of the entire structure depends on the quality of the laying of the first row, so be careful and take this stage seriously. Check each block with a building level and pound with a rubber mallet to make the masonry tight.

Starting from the second row, the process will go faster and easier, since building glue is used instead of cement mortar. To prepare it, it is enough to mix the dry adhesive powder with water in the proportions indicated on the package. This will take you 5-10 minutes. It is better to lay subsequent rows, focusing on the fishing line, which for convenience can be pulled along the wall.

The adhesive solution must be applied in a thin layer, 5-6 mm will be enough. If the seams between the blocks are larger, this will lead to more heat loss.

In order for the structure to be extremely stable and reliable, reinforcement is carried out every 3-4 rows. For this purpose, exactly the same rods are used as for reinforcing the foundation. A wall chaser will help you with this, with which small trenches are cut in the thickness of the blocks. For a small bathhouse, instead of fittings, you can use a metal mesh.

In the process of laying the walls, leave openings for the further installation of door and window frames. As soon as the walls are fully erected, they are left for 3-4 days, and only after that they begin to build the truss system.

Roof installation

The basis of the truss system is Mauerlat. But before attaching the Mauerlat, it is necessary to prepare a base that will help to evenly distribute the load of the roof on the walls. To do this, the uppermost row of walls is laid from U-shaped blocks, inside which a reinforcement belt is installed from thin metal rods with a diameter of 10 mm. Inside the structure with a step of 1 m, it is necessary to install studs with a diameter of 14 mm. The resulting structure should be poured with concrete grade not lower than M200.

After the solution has completely solidified, the upper row of blocks is isolated from moisture. For this purpose, the same roofing material or polymer-based bituminous mastics are used.

Next, the Mauerlat itself is installed from a bar with a section of 15x5 cm. Holes for the studs are drilled in it. This design will serve as the basis for the truss system and the roof as a whole. All wooden elements of the roof must first be treated with an antiseptic and an antifungal primer. After impregnation, the wood is dried, and only after that it can be used for roof mounting.

There are a huge number of different variations of the roof device - these are single-pitched, and gable, and more complex shapes. Let's consider the gable roof in the article, as it has the best price-to-quality ratio.

It is most convenient to assemble the rafter legs on the ground, and only then lift it up and attach it to the Mauerlat. The rafters are assembled from boards with a section of 10x5 cm. First, the fronts of the building, and then the intermediate rafters. The structure must be reinforced with temporary supports. To do this, you can use small boards that are nailed vertically.

The constructed rafters are lifted and attached to the Mauerlat using metal corners and plates. After that, a crate is mounted between the rafter legs, on top of which, with the help of a construction stapler, a hydro- and vapor barrier is nailed. A counter-lattice of small slats is installed on top, leaving a small gap of 12 cm for ventilation, on top of which the main roofing material is mounted. For a bath, it is recommended to use corrugated board - it is light in weight and protects well from precipitation.

At this stage, do not forget to provide a hole for the chimney. It needs to be further insulated.

After the installation of the truss system, work is to be done on the installation of the floor, the stove-heater, the insulation of the walls inside and the cladding of the facade of the bath. Installation of doors and window panes, furniture, electrical wiring, arrangement of a bathroom. You can read more about each stage in separate articles, since to describe everything possible options, tips, rules and recommendations can be very long.

Let's summarize

Now that you are familiar with the main stages of building a bath from foam blocks with your own hands, have learned the features of this material, its advantages and disadvantages, you are able to independently build a bath that your loved ones can use, with proper care, for many decades.