How to properly lay floors in a wooden bath. Bath floor what is better to make: we understand the nuances and choose the best option

You can make the floor in the bath with your own hands, if you do everything carefully and correctly.

The long service life of your floor depends on the quality of the preparation of the base of your bath, the choice of insulating components and the final coating.

We will provide you and together we will consider the device of the bath floors, as well as the distinctive features of installation and all kinds of technical mistakes that should be taken into account and not made.

The peculiarity of the structure of the floors in the bath

If you are building a bathhouse and plan to use it for all twelve months or more, then in this case we advise you to make a capital base with pouring a concrete screed.

There is an answer to the question of how to create a wear-resistant and strong floor in the bath - the construction of the bath itself as a whole is carried out taking into account a large number of different nuances. Premises with a rather specific microclimate are capable of providing truly extraordinary conditions for the operation of the floor covering.

Excessive humidity, as well as changes in temperature thresholds and contact of the subfloor with water can significantly reduce the life of your floor.

The choice of a particular method for arranging the base in a very humid room mainly depends on the following factors:

Type of wood floors

The device of the base with the help of wooden flooring will be optimal for seasonal buildings. The tree itself has little thermal conductivity, which is why it helps to retain heat in a very humid room.

But a very high humidity threshold has the ability to provoke the process of decay of wooden components. In order to avoid this, experts advise using floor logs, and, accordingly, flooring, which is made of coniferous wood. They are less hygroscopic because they have natural resins in the wood structure.

In general, absolutely all types of wooden coatings can be divided into 2 main categories: leaking and non-leaking.

Leaking

The first category is leaky. Boards are laid at a certain interval, which is why water from the entire room is removed as quickly as possible due to various kinds of cracks formed in the coating, the dimensions of which range from three to seven millimeters.

The device of this base is very beneficial for the following reasons:

• Low price of floors;
• There is no need to install a drain system;
• Easy installation.

Non-leaking

The second category is non-leaking. So let's say, a monolithic covering, which is assembled from boards. You can use this category in buildings that are used all year round.

But in this embodiment, a drainage collector should be installed in the base, with the help of which the runoff water would disappear into the sewer pipes.

The device itself of a non-leaking coating has the following advantages:

• Excellent thermal conductivity of the room;
• Possibility of collecting heated floors;
• A very long period of use.

Preparation of inventory and tools

The construction of a bath is considered a very responsible, accurate, laborious process, however, one of the most important points is the improvement of the floors. The microclimate of the entire room generally depends on the quality indicators of the installation work, which are associated with the sewer system, as well as the laying of floor components.

In order to implement all the stages of the construction of the floor accurately and correctly, first of all, it is necessary to have the tools necessary for work at hand.

The device of a concrete base is possible only if you have the following tools:

The following tools are required to install the wood flooring:

• Jigsaw - angle grinder;
• Roulette;
• Nails;
• Plane;
• A hammer.

In order to understand how to properly install the floors in the bath, we will provide you with step-by-step instructions for laying concrete and wooden floors.

Installation of floors

Conventional floor construction

The base should be located eight to nine centimeters above the zero level, in particular, it concerns the base, which is installed in the steam room. In this case, the temperature threshold in the room will be kept at the same level for a very long time. At the same time, in the washing base should be made slightly lower than in the rest of the bath, which will make it possible to avoid the leakage of water from the sweat floor into the shower and dressing room, and so on.

Layers

The usual floor arrangement in a bath is considered a very labor-intensive process:

Features of the preparation of the base

The usual construction of a warm floor in a bath begins with simple preparatory work. This requires the following: to ensure a long service life of the final coating; for this, in the process of preparing the base, the following work should be done:

1. First of all, a mineral pillow in the form of expanded clay granules or broken brick should be laid in place of the floors. The usual thickness of such a drainage layer must in no way be less than fifteen centimeters;
2. After that, you need to fill on top of crushed stone or gravel, a layer of ten to fifteen centimeters;
3. Then the laid materials should be tamped.
4. The imposition of the so-called mineral cushion makes it possible to break the capillarity, due to which the soil moisture increases and reaches the base, as a result of which it destroys and destroys it.

Preparation of the working mixture

In order to create a high-quality screed grout, it is necessary to strictly observe the ratios, as well as the order of attaching the necessary elements.

In order to improve the thermal insulation qualities of this mixture, you can add to its composition sorbitol... The manufacturing process itself takes place in two stages.

The first step will be pouring ten liters of clean water into a concrete mixer, then pour about two buckets of swollen sand and mix everything. Then you need to add cement (about five liters), the main point is that the cement must be of the M-300 brand and not lower.

After adding cement, mix again, then add about five liters of the same pure water, and all that remains is to stir all the components until a homogeneous mixture.

If necessary, you can improve the mixture, namely, increase its technical parameters by adding perlite. In order to do this, you need to go through the following: ten kilograms of perlite and from two to two and a half liters of water should be added to the already prepared solution. Mix all this very thoroughly until the entire solution becomes free-flowing. After ten minutes, mix everything very well again.

At the very end, you will observe a free-flowing composition, in its consistency it a little resembles simple plasticine. After this stage, a screed is made.

Filling the first layer

If the area of ​​the rough surface is very small, the screed should be applied throughout the entire area. To fill the screed over a huge area, the room is divided into strips (conditionally), while everything must be processed in turn.

So, in order to lay your first layer of the mixture as accurately and correctly as possible, you need the following:

Waterproofing and thermal insulation of concrete floors

At the time of the screed hardening, it is necessary to proceed to the stage of waterproofing and thermal insulation of the coating.

Before putting all the insulating materials, the concrete itself (surface) is checked for dents, bulges, cracks. Defects should be repaired if necessary.

As a rule, you can choose as a simple waterproofing materials:

• Polyethylene film;
• Rolled roofing material;
• Bituminous mastic.

After you have already equipped the waterproofing, you need to make the floor insulation.

For these purposes, you can apply:

• Polystyrene;
• Granulated expanded clay;
• Foam concrete;
• Penoplex;
• Mineral wool.

The thickness of the insulating layer must be from ten to fifteen centimeters. As practice shows, expanded clay is considered the best insulation for concrete surfaces. It does not absorb moisture, weighs very little and is soundproof.

Pouring the final screed

Laying the final layer of the screed is technologically very little different from the previous version, but in this case, the thickness of the screed can vary from eight to ten centimeters. With all this, it is necessary to take into account that in the process of pouring the mixture, it is necessary to observe the observance of the slope towards the drainage tank.

However, the very structure of floors in small and large rooms is quite different. For example, if the base area is very large, to give the structure high strength, it is worth putting a simple reinforcing mesh before pouring the screed. In this case, even with frequent use of the bath, the rough coating will not crack.

Feature of wood floor

Wooden flooring is considered the standard type of flooring that was used for the arrangement of floors in the bath.

Despite its hygroscopicity, this type of material is still in great demand among consumers, thanks to the following features:

Making a wooden floor in a bath

How neatly and most importantly, correctly lay the wooden floor? To do this, you need to mount a wooden base, which is very easy in fact, but it is necessary to take into account a certain number of technical nuances.

Absolutely the whole process of arranging floors is divided into the following stages:

Building a bathhouse, and even with a wear-resistant floor, is a very difficult task, if, of course, you take into account the specific microclimate in the room.

To increase the period of use of the floor covering, during the installation process, the following points must be taken into account:

To improve the water-repellent property of the screed, you can use dedusting agents with the same characteristics.

Conclusion

Installing the floor in the bath is a very long and laborious process; it will expect a neat approach from you.

In the process of implementing installation work, it is necessary to take into account a large number of factors:

• type of foundation;
• base area;
• type of floor materials;
• microclimate;
• etc.

Only in this situation and in observance of almost all technological rules, the floor mounted in the bathhouse will be able to serve you for an incredibly long period of time.

This is a very difficult task, since it is necessary to take into account the many nuances of the arrangement of all its premises. These "subtleties" are due, of course, to the specifics of the bathing conditions. Specifically - the pronouncedly high temperature and humidity indicators, direct contact of many surfaces to be finished with water, the need to maintain a special microclimate, increased sanitary and hygienic requirements for the arrangement of premises, and some others.

And one of the most "problematic" areas is traditionally floors. Not only their own durability, but also the comfort of being in the bath rooms as a whole depends on how correctly their design is chosen and assembled. Therefore, the question - what is the best way to make the floor in the bathhouse - is one of the most important when planning such a building.

The main types of bath floors

To begin with, it is worthwhile to figure out which floor structures, in principle, can be equipped in a bath, and what material they are made of. There are not so many suitable options, since the specific microclimate has a very negative effect on most materials. In addition, the decoration of premises designed for constant high humidity and sudden temperature changes should be environmentally friendly, not emitting toxic substances.

Therefore, today the floors in the bath rooms are still equipped with wood or concrete. An innovation in the design is the possibility of organizing surface heating using modern "warm floor" systems.

Wood floors

Be that as it may, wooden floors are still traditional for Russian baths. They were made in this building from time immemorial - they have not lost their relevance today. The only thing that many bath owners add to the usual wooden structure is their insulation with such modern material as extruded polystyrene foam.

It makes sense to say a few words about the material that is chosen for the arrangement of the wooden floor. In connection with due to the fact that the floor covering will be constantly exposed to moisture, it is advisable to choose hardwood for the flooring of bath rooms, which absorbs less moisture, since it has a dense structural structure. These species include oak, larch or alder.

Oak boards are quite expensive and not easy to find, so a board made from larch or alder would be the best option. Both have good wear resistance and low hygroscopicity. Although here we note that this wood is also not cheap, so many bath owners prefer pine boards to them, as the most affordable material in terms of price. But the durability of such coatings is not outstanding.

For a leaking floor, a flat board is chosen, without grooves and spikes. And for a non-leaking structure, it is better to purchase grooved boards, since only they, with a good fit in progress mounting are capable of creating an almost airtight coating.

Despite the fact that the wood will be in a room with high humidity, initially it must be well dried, otherwise the board can be "led" after the flooring, and the floors will begin to deform.

The recommended board thickness for the production of floorboards varies from 25 to 40 mm. The selected thickness parameter will determine the step with which the joists should be installed for fixing the finishing plank flooring. The thicker the board, the greater the distance between the lags you can make. So, under a board of 25 mm, it is necessary to lay logs with a step of up to 400 mm, and if a board with a thickness of 40 mm is chosen, then the distance between the logs can be increased to 600 ÷ 700 mm.

Edged board prices

edged board

So, wooden floors can be of two types, which differ in their design - it is a leaking floor and a non-leaking floor.

Leaking wood floor

This type of floor is designed in such a way that it does not retain moisture on its surface. To do this, a gap is left between the boards that form the surface, through which water leaves.

A leaking floor can be arranged like this:

1 - The log wall of the bath.
2 - Skirting-screen that protects the lower part of the walls and corners of the room from direct ingress of water. Crafted from a board.
3 - Drainage backfill consisting of crushed stone and gravel.
4 - Drainage pit for water drain, filled up crushed stone and gravel a mixture or waste of building materials (for example, broken bricks, pieces of concrete, etc.)
5 - Leaking floor boardwalk.
6 - Foundations for lan board flooring. In this embodiment, laid asbestos-cement is shown. Instead, concrete or brick pillars can be installed as supports.
7 - Cut-off waterproofing between the plinth and the lower rim of the wall.
8 - The foundation of the bath, columnar, pile or tape.
9 - A compacted clay layer that redirects the water that has spilled from above into a drainage pit (ditch).

The arrangement of the underfloor space of leaking floors can be done in different ways, using different materials:

• Previously, usually no special catchment was made under the floor. The water from the bath was poured directly into the ground. Therefore, the building itself was necessarily raised above ground level by at least 200 mm, usually on a columnar foundation. And a bathhouse was built, if possible, on a slope so that moisture would not linger under it.
• Another underground drainage system is shown in the diagram above. Under the flowing floors, there is a kind of drainage made of gravel and / or rubble. The water flowing down through the cracks in the floor is distributed in the backfill and slowly goes into the ground. If a rammed clay castle is made, then the penetration is not at all area - surplus water gradually flows into the drainage pit. Due to the fact that the underground has the ability to ventilate, some of the moisture simply evaporates. This is facilitated by internal channels and drilled holes in the asbestos concrete pipes that support the wooden flooring.
• If the bath is being built on sandy ground, then there will be no problems with water drainage, since it goes well into the sand, and it will always be dry under the building.
• If the soil on the site is difficult to pass water, then under the floor you can dig a pit, 300 ÷ 400 mm deep, which is covered with sand. This option can be called the simplest in design. But with frequent use of the bath, such drainage gradually starts to "swamp", and it is better not to consider such an approach as a serious measure.

• A more complex structure of the leaking floor underground involves the collection and drainage of water into a drain pit located at a certain distance from the bath, or into a drainage trench (ditch). In order to organize this version of the bath floor with a drain, the first step is to dig a pit whose walls are at an angle and converge to its central part. Then the slopes are covered with rubble, which compresses well. After that, a reinforcing mesh is laid on the crushed stone. Further, the slopes are concreted (item 1). In the central part of the underground, along its entire width or length, using concreting, a gutter (item 2) is also created, into which water that has seeped through the floor will flow down the inclined walls. Instead of a gutter, a concrete pit can also be arranged in the center or with an offset to one of the edges, which is connected by a sewer pipe (item 3) with a drainage system (pit). The pipe is given the required slope (usually 5 cm per linear meter of length), and the water flows down through it with a simple overflow.

And already above the concreted inclined base, there are support pillars (item 4). Through the obligatory shut-off waterproofing (pos. 5), beams or logs (pos. 6) are laid on them, along which the plank bath floor is laid (pos. 7) with a gap between adjacent boards of about 5 mm.

If there is a desire to somewhat reduce the cost and speed up the process of arranging the drain underground, then concrete can be replaced with a well-compacted clay coating. Compacted clay does not allow moisture to pass through well, so water will drain along such walls into the pit, and then into the drainage pit. But in this case, there will certainly be more dirt.

Now that the underground space and the water drainage scheme are organized, you can proceed to the formation of the floor itself. Its construction consists of three layers:

- these are the floor beams of the underfloor space (timber or log);

- logs laid on the floor beams, perpendicular to them (sometimes the logs are not mounted, they are limited to beams if they are located with a small step);

- a boardwalk, the boards of which are fixed on logs (beams).

A gap of at least 5 mm is left between the individual floorboards.

These gaps are necessary for the free flow of water downward. And the width of the lumen is chosen taking into account the possible swelling of the wood with its constant waterlogging.

Some bathhouse owners make the leaking floor removable in order to provide the opportunity from time to time to take the coating boards out for ventilation and drying outside. If just such an option is chosen, it will be advisable to mount several shields from logs and boards, with such dimensions that it would not be particularly difficult to carry them to the flooring site and back to the street. These shields are laid on top of the floor beams, but not fixed to them.

The advantages of this design include the simplicity of its installation, as well as the relatively low cost of its arrangement.

The most obvious drawback of leaking floors can be called the fact that the bath can be fully used only in the warm season or in regions with moderate winter temperatures. In the winter cold, the bath rooms will quickly cool down, and a large amount of fuel is required to heat them. Yes, and getting cold in such a bath, with a possible cold draft from below, costs nothing.

Timber prices

Leak-proof design sauna wooden floor

The design of a non-leaking floor involves the arrangement of a boardwalk with a slope for water drainage. At the lowest point of this slope, there is either a gutter connected to the drainage pipe, or a drain is installed in the form of a hole covered with a grate (ladder).

The floorboards are laid directly on the beams overlapping the space of the bath room, if floor insulation is not planned.

If the floor is insulated (and this is very important for a bathhouse), then the structure is assembled from several layers - these are floor beams, a subfloor, insulation and a finishing board covering.

Boards in the construction of a leak-proof floor should fit as closely as possible to each other. Therefore, for the flooring, as a rule, a tongue-and-groove board is chosen, which will guarantee the "tightness" of the flooring. This is especially important if insulation material is planned to be laid under the coating.

In addition, it is very important in this design to correctly calculate the slope of the floor. Water should drain well through it, but we must not forget about the comfort and safety of people who will take bath procedures. Moreover, the surface can be slippery from water and soap. Usually, a finished floor slope of 50 mm per linear meter of length is sufficient, which is, respectively, 5% or about 3 degrees in angular terms.

- To make it easier to form a slope, you can use a board or timber, cut at the desired angle and fixed to the subfloor boards. These elements will become a kind of lags for the flooring of a solid finished floor.

Drain pipe prices

a drain pipe

- A hole is cut out at the designated place in the subfloor for installing a drain pipe with a drain. The drain hole itself must be located at the lowest point of the floor slope, or in its center, if the floor slope is provided in this direction.

- The next step between the lags on the subfloor is laid insulation plates - usually extruded polystyrene foam is used for this purpose, since it is not afraid of moisture. All gaps left between the logs and the insulation, as well as around the drain pipe, must be filled with polyurethane foam.

- Then, on top of the insulation, a waterproofing film is laid, which is sewn to the logs with staples driven in with a stapler, and slipped under the framing of the drain hole.

- The edges of the waterproofing material must be lifted on the walls, to the height 150 ÷ ​​200 mm and secure with staples.

- Installation of plank flooring is carried out, with the most tight fit of the floorboards. At the same time, they try to use the technology of hidden fastening so that the fastener heads (nails or screws) were completely hidden (this is very important for the bathhouse).

- The joints of the drain parts with the finished floor boards must be sealed with silicone sealant.

- Then, the walls of the room are sheathed, so that the waterproofing, fixed on them, remains under the sheathing.

- At the final stage, the floor around the entire perimeter is framed by a plinth, which must also be located at an angle so that water falling on the walls flows down them onto the floors.

Wooden bath floors are not stained or varnished, they can be impregnated with linseed oil or natural oils, which are applied in two or three layers.

The advantages of a non-leaking wooden bath floor include the following qualities:

• The possibility of creating an insulated structure.
• The possibility of using the bath at any time of the year.
• Creation of the most favorable microclimate in the bath rooms.
• Wood itself is a warm material, so it will be comfortable for visitors to the bathhouse.

The disadvantages of a wooden floor of this design include the following:

• With insufficient processing of lumber, as well as in the absence or improperly organized ventilation, the floors can begin to rot, or become covered with dark spots of mold around the edges.
• However, wooden floors cannot compete with concrete floors for their durability.

Concrete floors in the bath

Concrete floors in the bath - also quite popular option. But their arrangement will require serious financial costs and will take a lot of time. But, having made them once, you can be sure that the structure will last 30 ÷ 40 years without repair. However, in order for the concrete floor to serve such a long period, it must be equipped according to all the rules, using high-quality materials.

If you decide to make the floors in the bath concrete, you need to know what positive and negative qualities they have.

• As mentioned above, concrete pavement is the most durable in comparison with all others.
• The material is not subject to decay and is resistant to moisture.
• The concrete floor after its arrangement does not require special maintenance.
• A wide variety of decorative concrete cladding is available.
• There is a possibility of laying under the screed or under the facing tiles of the water or electric system "warm floor".

• This construction is much more expensive than hardwood floors.
• The process of arranging the coating is more laborious and time-consuming, since you will have to wait for the maturation of the concrete before proceeding to its finishing and further operation.

• If you do not use the "warm floor" system, then the floors in the bath will turn out to be cold, even in the presence of insulation material. Therefore, it is necessary to install wooden gratings on top of the concrete or tile.
• Concrete floors require a decorative finish or the floors will look unattractive.

Arrangement of concrete floors is carried out in several stages:

- The first step into the bathhouse is a sewer pipe, which will divert the used water. Its vertical branch pipe should rise above the rest of the preparatory layers.
- The surface of the earthen floor is leveled, carefully compacted. Sometimes it is necessary to make additional soil removal, since it is necessary to equip sand and crushed stone (gravel) "cushions" under the concrete screed.
- The next step is to fill the earthen floor with a sand cushion with a thickness of 100 ÷ 1501 mm, which will serve as a good waterproofing layer. The sand must be well compacted.
On top of the sand, a layer of crushed stone or coarse gravel is laid with the same thickness, which must also be carefully tamped.
- For floor insulation, you can use bulk materials - the same expanded clay. It is distributed in the required layer over the made sand and gravel backfill.

Cement prices

It is quite suitable for insulation and extruded polystyrene foam. From his slabs, a continuous floor covering the entire floor area is gouged out. If small gaps or gaps remain (for example, around the perimeter of the room or around the branch pipe of the sewer pipe), they are filled with polyurethane foam.

- Insulation material recommended from above waterproof... To do this, the stand of thermal insulation is covered with a dense plastic film, roofing felt or any modern waterproofing... The sheets of waterproofing material are overlapped and tightly fastened between a moisture resistant adhesive tape or bituminous mastic. The canvases should be located on the walls above the future screed by 100 ÷ 150 mm.

- Then, on top of the waterproofing layer, a reinforcing metal mesh is laid.

- After that, metal beacons are placed on the floor surface, which should not only set the thickness of the future screed, but at the same time create the necessary surface slope for organizing the water drain. Lighthouses are mounted from the drain in the form of rays radiating to the walls, or in parallel with the slope to one of the walls, if a linear collection of water is organized in the form of a gutter.

- As with the option with insulation, and without it, before pouring the solution around the entire perimeter of the future screed, a damper tape is fixed to the lower part of the walls. This material is necessary to maintain the integrity of the concrete monolith when expanding under the influence of increased temperatures.

- Now you can pour concrete mortar with leveling its surface along the beacons. Alignment is carried out using a building rule with the adoption of measures to maximize concrete compaction so as not to leave air cavities in its thickness.

- The leveled screed will completely harden and gain brand strength not earlier than in a month. The finishing works, if they are planned, can be started in about two weeks.

- Further, if you plan to revet the floors with ceramic tiles, then the surface of the screed is treated with a deep penetration primer, which is applied in one or two layers.
- After the primer has dried, the floors can be tiled with ceramic tiles.

- Today, many owners of baths under construction are additionally equipping floors with heating systems. Most often, an electric "warm floor" is chosen - cable or with the use of rod infrared mats. It is much easier to mount it, and it is better for this to choose those varieties that can be laid directly under the ceramic coating.

Prices for ceramic tiles

ceramic tile

Water heating implies connection to a heating system. That is, it is mono to resort to it only if the bathhouse is located either directly in the house, or in the adjoining extension, or is located in the immediate vicinity, where it is possible to lead pipes from the heating circuit without difficulties and large heat losses. And the contour of the underfloor heating itself will have to be laid before the screed is poured.

Warm floor is extremely comfortable!

But a lot of work will be required! Before embarking on such a task, you need to read the instructions in order to realistically assess your capabilities. The publications of our portal dedicated to self-creation of the system - the most complex in execution - can help you with this, and electric "warmfloor "for ceramic tiles - here the task looks simpler.

How to cover the concrete surface of the bath floor?

The concrete floor in the bath rooms can simply "iron". That is, dry cement is rubbed into the wet surface of the screed, and left in this form. Quite primitive, short-lived, and "gives off a public bath," whatever you say. Such a floor will require wooden grates, as it turns out to be cold and unpleasant for bare feet.

A much better quality, durable and just a beautiful option for finishing a concrete floor is ceramic tiles, which have all the qualities necessary for rooms with high humidity. In order for the tile to serve for a long time without the need for repair, it is necessary to make its high-quality laying.

Laying ceramic tiles on the floor - can you master it yourself?

Of course, you can, if you are careful with and strictly follow the recommendations of the technological instructions. And you can find such an instruction by following the recommended link to the article of our portal.

When choosing ceramic tiles for bathroom flooring, it is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of its surface. In the bath, the mole can be both wet and slippery from soap or shampoo. Therefore, you should not choose a facing material with a smooth surface, since the likelihood of falling and getting injured increases many times over.

Today on sale it is easy to find a floor that suits the color and pattern a tile with an embossed surface that does not have a glazed finish. This ceramic cladding is practically non-slip, even when wet.

Another option for the material that can be used for flooring on concrete floors is a wood-polymer decking board, the so-called decking. This material has numerous advantages and qualities that are perfect for bath rooms,

The positive qualities of such a flooring include:

• Environmental friendliness of the material, which does not contain formaldehyde, lead and other toxic additives.
• Absolute moisture resistance. The service life of decking, even in more severe outdoor conditions, is at least 30 years.
• The material is highly resistant to temperatures from - 60 to 80 degrees.
• The boards have a well thought out relief surface, so it is very difficult to accidentally slip on them.
• There is a fairly wide range of shades on sale. The color of the coating does not change under the influence of an aggressive environment.
• The material is hygienic, as it is not a favorable environment for the appearance of mold or pathogenic bacteria.
• The board is easily cut to a tedious size, very easy to assemble. Its mass is small, and the floorings can be taken out without much effort to fresh air for ventilation.
• The material is "warm" to the touch, and is able to fully replace the boardwalk.

Decking can be installed with panels on top of a concrete floor, or it can be used in a leaky structure of bath floors, replacing it with a regular board.

Garden parquet - this type of coating can also be used for laying a bathhouse on the concrete floor, in which there is a drain. The material has all qualities of a wood-polymer terrace boards and has a very aesthetic appearance. The convenience of this material lies in the fact that, if necessary, the slabs can be very quickly dismantled, for example, for the convenience of cleaning the concrete floor, and then laid in place. The special system of their interlocking connections makes such laying or dismantling generally the simplest task.

Due to the fact that manufacturers of floor coverings are constantly working on new materials, and they appear on sale from time to time, it is quite possible to choose a modern, original and affordable option for the floors in the bath.

So, the possible types of structures for bath floors were considered, as well as the materials used forthem creation. Having such information, it will be easier to decide which of the options is most suitable for a particular room, will correspond to both the wishes and financial capabilities of the owner of the bath

Some aspects of creating bath floors, obvious and quite controversial, are highlighted in the video clip offered to the reader's attention:

Video: Options for creating high-quality floors in the bath

The bath belongs to "wet" rooms and all its structural elements should be built with this feature in mind. First of all, this applies to the floor in the steam room and the washing section, because it is he who is responsible for the drainage. Our conversation will focus on the types of floors for baths and on the technology of their construction with our own hands.

Types of floors for a bath

First of all, bath floors differ in material. As in living quarters, they can be:

The construction of a concrete floor is an expensive, lengthy and laborious process, but this option is also more durable: the service life is about 50 years. With a floor made of planks, the opposite is true: it is cheap, and you have to tinker less, but it will only last for 7–8 years. After this period, the wood will need to be replaced.

There are no outsiders among the specified types, and both are in high demand, so we will consider both options in detail.

Plank floor

Floors of this type are divided into two more types:

In the first case, the floor looks like a grate through which water flows directly onto the ground below it. This is the easiest and cheapest option. It is clear that with cracks in the floor, the bathhouse can only be operated in summer, that is, this design is most suitable for summer residents.

The non-leaking plank floor is continuous. They give it a slope towards one of the walls, along which a plastic gutter is installed to collect water. The gutter, in turn, has a slope towards the drain hole. Since the wetting of the underground space with proper installation is excluded, insulation can be placed here, due to which this type of floor can be considered acceptable for baths operated all year round.

Selection of materials and calculation of their quantity

Both the leaking and non-leaking floor is a covering of boards laid on beams called logs. Lags, in turn, rest on the foundation or grillage (if the foundation is columnar), and, if necessary, also on intermediate posts. Before starting work on arranging a plank floor, you need to determine a number of parameters.

Section lag

The dimensions of the cross-section of the lag are selected taking into account the estimated distance between the supports. With a standard floor load (up to 300 kg / sq. M), the following relationship takes place:

• with a distance between the supports of 2 m: section dimensions - 110x60 mm;
• at 3 m: 150x80 mm;
• at 4 m: 180x100 mm;
• at 5 m: 200x150 mm;
• at 6 m: 220x180 mm.

If the distance between the walls exceeds the bearing capacity of the available timber, one or more intermediate supports, the so-called chairs, must be installed in the middle of the span on the subgrade. Usually they are brick pillars with dimensions in the plan 250x250 mm, installed on a low concrete foundation with dimensions in terms of 350x350 mm.

There is also a simpler version of the "chair": an asbestos-cement pipe of sufficient diameter is driven into the ground, and then concrete or cement mortar is poured into it.

If a timber of a suitable thickness is not available, the logs can be made composite by installing several thinner boards next to it, which in total will give the required thickness. Since such a structure, unlike a solid bar, is not monolithic, its height should be taken 10–20 mm higher than indicated in the list just given.

Step between lags

Knowing the step of installing the lag, the builder will be able to calculate the amount of timber for their manufacture and the amount of materials for the support posts.

The pitch will depend on the thickness of the finishing boards. You should be guided by this dependence:

For the manufacture of the flooring, a smoothly planed board of the 1st or 2nd grade should be used. Aspen is considered the most preferred species - it is resistant to moisture and is warm to the touch. Oak also tolerates high humidity, but it is colder.

You can also use conifers, but you need to be prepared for the fact that the resin protruding from them can appear in the form of ugly spots and even cause allergies in some users.

When calculating the number of boards for a leaking floor, you should take into account the width of the gap between them - 5-7 mm.

Do-it-yourself leaking plank floor for a sauna or bath: a step-by-step guide

The technology includes the following stages: preparation of the base, laying the logs and installation of the flooring.

Substrate preparation

The preparation method depends on what type of soil under the bath belongs to and how it was decided to dispose of the wastewater. There are two options:

• the soil has good drainage properties (sandy or stony);
• the soil passes water poorly (clay, loam, sandy loam).

In the first case, it is enough to arrange a filter of crushed stone or gravel under the floor, covered with a layer of 25 cm.The excavation should be carried out to such a depth that there is a distance of at least 10 cm from the top of the filter to the bottom of the log.

If the soil does not absorb water, do the following:

On the ground under the floor, they arrange a crushed stone pillow with a 10-degree slope towards the pit, and on top of it - one of two things:

• waterproof pallet made of roofing material, the sheets of which are welded or glued with bitumen mastic;
• clay castle 80–100 mm thick.

For the construction of the castle, you need to soak the clay with water and make a thick solution out of it. When laying, it must be carefully leveled, and then, when the coating dries slightly, iron it, slightly moistened with water.

Important! Before backfilling crushed stone, do not forget to install support posts for the logs, if necessary, and the foundation for the stove.

Laying lag

The logs should be laid so that the long side of the cross-section is vertical. When installing a leaking floor, they are laid parallel to the shortest wall of the room. The lags should not touch directly the foundation or support posts. It is necessary to lay them on gaskets of 2 or 3 layers of roofing material coated with dissolved in diesel fuel or molten bitumen.

Advice. Anyone who is ready to spend a little more can be advised to use a modern waterproofing agent - eurobitum, as it is more effective.

Installation of flooring

As already mentioned, the boards of the final flooring are laid with a gap of 5–7 mm. It is advisable not to nail the flooring to the joists, but to make it in the form of several removable shields, nailing several boards to two crossbars. The latter are located so that when laying the shield, they are between the lags. The removable floor can be taken outside for drying, which will significantly extend its service life.

Important! The boards should not come close to the walls - there should be a gap of 20 mm around the perimeter of the flooring.

Note! It is important to provide in the basement of the bath, if it is solid, holes (air vents) through which the underground space will be ventilated.

Leak-proof plank flooring

The flooring of a non-leaking floor is made of a grooved board, that is, one that has a groove at the edges and a corresponding ridge for a lock connection. Thanks to the lock, the coating is waterproof.

The step-by-step instructions are as follows:

1. As in the case of a non-leaking floor, a bedding 25 cm thick is arranged over the rammed soil, but since the non-leaking floor is insulated, it is better to use expanded clay instead of rubble. The soil must be removed to such a depth that a distance of at least 150 mm remains from the top of the backfill to the bottom of the wooden structures. Although the penetration of water into the underground space is excluded, in this case it must also be well ventilated, for which air vents must be arranged in the foundation. This will prevent the wood from rotting underneath.
2. We lay logs on the foundation and support posts. When installing a non-leaking floor, they should be directed across the water drain. With this design, moisture will flow along the boards along the wood fibers, that is, with minimal resistance.
3. Having exposed the lags, the so-called rough floor is nailed to them from below - a filing made of the cheapest, waste material, for example, a cut slab. In the future, a heat insulator will fit onto this structural element. It should also be pretreated with an antiseptic.
4. Further, the logs with a rough floor must be covered with a vapor barrier film. It is pressed into the gaps between the beams, as a result of which it fits both them and the hem. The edges of the foil should overlap the walls by about 100 mm.
5. Insulation is laid between the lags. In this case, it is better to use mineral wool in this capacity, since it is not of interest to rodents. If the foam is laid and the mice manage to get to it, which is very likely in a suburban area, they will gnaw out whole holes in this material.
6. From above, the insulation is covered with a film with hydro-vapor barrier properties. It also needs to be fired onto the wall.
7. On top of the log we fill a continuous flooring from a grooved board. Do not forget that a gap of 20 mm should be left around the entire perimeter. Each board is nailed to the logs with two nails, and they should be driven in at an angle of 45 degrees - then the boards will be pressed against one another as tightly as possible. At first, it is recommended to simply "grab" the boards, but the final adjustment and fixation is best done after finishing work is completed and the bathhouse is dried.

Note! Before laying the logs, you need to prepare in a special way, because it is with their help that a slope towards the gutter is formed. In the course of water movement, the wood is cut off from the beams, decreasing their height more and more, and in addition, the felling on one side is increased by 2-3 mm, so that the logs lie with some inclination. The slope should be 10 degrees. In addition, the wood must be impregnated with an antiseptic. Only an environmentally friendly antiseptic, for example, "Neomid 200", should be used to treat the boards of the bath floor.

After installing the final floor covering, you need to cut the film sticking out from under it and sew it to the walls.

Note! The wall cladding should lie on top of the plinth so that moisture flowing down them does not penetrate under it.

It remains to install an inclined gutter along one of the walls with a drain hole connected to the sewer.

Please note that a conventional odor trap is not suitable for a bath drain - it will dry out during long periods of inactivity. A so-called dry shutter should be used, the main element of which is a hollow light ball or a shutter made of floating material. Water entering the drain will cause the ball or flap to float, opening the drain hole. When the flow dries up, the shut-off element will lower under its own weight and close the hole, thus preventing the penetration of odors from the sewer.

Concrete base device

If you prefer a concrete floor, you need to do the following:

1. Thoroughly compact the soil base.
2. Top up and tamp a layer of expanded clay 150 mm thick.
3. Pour a concrete preparation with a thickness of 50 mm, having previously laid a mesh of thin reinforcement on the expanded clay.
4. Treat the corners between the walls and the floor with waterproofing mastic or lay a strip of roofing material in this place, so that 500 mm of its width falls on the wall, and 200 mm on the floor. It is recommended to apply such protection after each layer - it will not allow moisture to penetrate into the layers below, which could cause the development of mold and mildew in them.
5. Reinstall and connect the lower part of the drain to the drain.

The ladder consists of two parts, each with a flange. The part with the upper flange must be temporarily disconnected, and the lower one, which we will now install, must be closed with tape or plastic wrap so that the solution does not get into it.

Further actions depend on the place of installation of the ladder. The ruled ladder (looks like a long tray) just needs to be installed against the wall and connected to the sewer, having well lubricated the junction with sealant.

It is not worth saving sealant: the pipe joint, being filled with a screed, will be completely inaccessible, so the likelihood of leakage should be minimized. Moreover, the rubber sealing ring will dry out over time (natural aging of rubber) and will not be able to ensure tightness. We remind you that the drain must be equipped with a dry valve, and not a conventional water seal.

Similarly, you need to do with a point ladder if it is installed in a corner.

If you want to install a point ladder in the middle of the room, you need to calculate its location and installation height.

Location

This item is relevant if the concrete floor is supposed to be pasted over with ceramic tiles. From the point of view of aesthetics, it is important that the drain is in harmony with such a covering. To do this, you need to calculate its location so that it:

• for small tile sizes: installed instead of one of the tiles;
• for large tiles: installed at the junction of two or four tiles symmetrically with respect to them.

Installation height

Having determined the location, the ladder must be raised to such a height that the pipe connecting it to the sewer has the correct slope. Its value depends on the diameter of this pipe:

• with a diameter of 30 mm: the slope is 1:20 (5 cm per 1 m);
• at 50 mm: 0.02–0.03 (2–3 cm per 1 m).

To set the pipe and ladder to the desired height, you need to put wooden lining or insulation under them.

Good to know: floor drains are available with adjustable height.

Next steps

The next stage is the installation of the heat insulator. In this case, a material that can withstand loads should be used as a heater. The cheapest way is to use expanded clay, but it must be taken into account that its thermal conductivity is not the lowest. A more effective option is extruded polystyrene foam, which costs a little more.

Granular polystyrene foam, which in everyday life we ​​call polystyrene, cannot be used, since it will doubt under the influence of load. Extruded, on the other hand, can withstand loads up to 50 t / sq. m. You can recognize it by its structure: it is homogeneous, while granular polystyrene foam consists of many glued granules of different sizes.

The thickness of the insulation should be such that a distance of about 35–40 mm remains from the top to the bottom of the ladder flange. If expanded polystyrene is used, then grooves for the ladder and sewer pipe must be cut out in its sheets.

1. We install a damper tape around the perimeter of the room immediately above the insulation. It will allow the screed to expand freely when heated. Such a tape should be installed both in the steam room and in the washing compartment, where the floor will be heated by the hot water pouring onto it.
2. We lay a cement-sand screed over the heat insulator. It fits under the very flange of the ladder, that is, its thickness is the same 35–40 mm. For reliability, this layer can be reinforced with wire. The solution is smoothed with a rule, and then left to ripen.
3. We lay waterproofing: a reliable waterproofing material, for example, roofing felt or Isoplast membrane, is laid over the entire screed with an outlet on the walls, while a hole is cut out in it at the place where the drain is installed, corresponding to the inner diameter of the drain device. Thus, the flange of the drain is covered with waterproofing.
4. For greater reliability, one or two more fragments of waterproofing material, approximately 1x1 m in size, can be laid on top of the ladder, cutting holes in them in the same way. Also in the waterproofing, it is necessary to make small holes above the fastening holes of the flange.
5. We screw the upper part of the drain into place: first, the O-ring supplied with the drain is placed on the flange, then the upper part is installed and screwed tightly with screws. The next step will be to fill the screed again, so the ladder again needs to be closed with a film from the solution.
6. Fill in another layer of screed, forming a slope towards the ladder.

The required slope for the floor is 1 cm per 1 m of length, that is, 1: 100. The shape of the surface will depend on the type and location of the drain:

1. If it is a long tray and is installed along the wall, the floor is given the appearance of a single inclined plane.
2. If the ladder is point-like and stands in the corner, the floor is divided diagonally into two parts and each of them is given the desired slope.
3. When installing a point ladder in the center of the room, the floor is divided by diagonals into 4 isosceles triangles with a slope towards the drain.

The slope of the screed is formed using plastic beacons - long slats, in which one of the edges is located at the desired angle. Often such beacons are even included in the ladder kit.

The thickness of the screed is selected so that near the ladder it is below its grating by the thickness of the finish coating.

Finally, we lay the topcoat. The concrete floor is quite cold to the touch, so in the bathhouse, wooden grates are usually laid out on it. But even in this case, you should not limit yourself to processing the screed with deep penetration waterproofing impregnation, but lay a waterproof coating on it, smooth, but not slippery. Thanks to it, the floor will be much easier to keep clean.

As a finish, you can use liquid glass or liquid rubber, but most often the floor is covered with waterproof ceramic tiles with an anti-slip effect. The grout should also be waterproof, and it is highly desirable to add an antifungal additive to it and to the tile adhesive.

The work on laying the tiles should start from the ladder and if its location was calculated correctly, the tiles near the walls either do not have to be cut at all, or they will be cut equally at each wall.

Seams are made with a width of no more than 3 mm, grouting should be carried out one day after laying the tiles.

Video: installation of wooden logs and insulation of the bath floor

From the masters you can often hear: "Water will always find its way." This means that the construction of the floor in the bath, even the simplest flowing one, must be approached very thoughtfully. Using our advice, you will be able to build a reliable structure that will serve you for many years.

You can equip the floor in the bath with your own hands if all the necessary work is done correctly. The service life of the floor depends on the quality of the preparation of the base, the choice of insulating materials and the topcoat. We will consider the device of floors for a bath, the features of their installation, as well as technological nuances that must be taken into account.

Features of the device floors in the bath

How to make a durable and wear-resistant floor in a bath? The construction of a bath as such is carried out taking into account many nuances. A room with a specific microclimate provides extreme conditions for the operation of the floor covering. High humidity, constant temperature fluctuations and contact of the floor base with water can significantly shorten the lifespan of the floor.

The choice of a specific method for arranging the base in a "damp" room depends on the following factors:

• method of heat and waterproofing;
• type of foundation and the presence of underground;
• seasonality of using the bath;
• type of soil under the building;
• design features of the building.

If the bath is planned to be used throughout the year, in this case it is more expedient to make a capital base with pouring a concrete screed. In a frame building, which is used only in the warm season, it is best to make a wooden floor, since its assembly will be more profitable from an economic point of view.

Types of wood floors

The device of the base with the help of wooden flooring will be the most acceptable for seasonal buildings. Wood has a low thermal conductivity, therefore it helps to conserve heat in a "damp" room. However, high humidity can cause wood to rot. To avoid this, experts recommend using floor joists and flooring made of coniferous wood. They are less hygroscopic due to the presence of natural resins in the structure of the tree.

All types of wooden coatings for baths can be roughly divided into the following categories:

1. Leaking. Boards are laid at a certain interval, therefore, water is immediately drained from the room due to the cracks formed in the coating, the size of which varies from 3 to 7 mm. The device of such a base is beneficial for several reasons:
   • easy installation;
   • low cost of floors;
   • no need to install a drain system.
2. Non-leaking. A monolithic covering, assembled from boards, can be used in buildings that are used all year round. However, in this case, it is necessary to install a water collector at the base, with the help of which the waste water would be discharged into the sewer. The device of a leak-proof coating has the following advantages:
   • long period of operation;
   • good thermal insulation of the room;
   • the possibility of assembling heated floors.

Necessary tools

The construction of a bath is a laborious and responsible process, but one of its most important stages is the arrangement of the floors. The microclimate in the room depends on the quality of the installation work associated with the installation of the sewer system and the laying of floor materials. To implement all the stages of floor construction correctly, first of all, you need to have the necessary tools at hand.

The device of a concrete base is possible with the following tools:

• concrete mixer;
• lighthouses;
• rule (for alignment);
• building level;
• container for solution;
• shovel.

To make wood flooring, you will need other tools:

• a hammer;
• jigsaw (angle grinder);
• plane;
• roulette;
• nails.

To understand how to properly install the floors in a bath, consider a step-by-step guide for laying wood and concrete floors.

Standard floor construction

The base installed in the steam room should be located 8-9 cm above the zero level. In this case, the temperature in the room will remain at the required level for a long time. At the same time, the base is made slightly lower than in other rooms of the bath. This avoids water leakage under the floor into the dressing room, shower room, etc.

The standard flooring is represented by a multi-layer cake:

• waterproofing layer (placed on the ground);
• bars for wooden lathing;
• rough coating;
• insulating materials (insulation, waterproofing);
• lags for assembling the lathing;
• heat and water insulators;
• lining;
• air bag;
• wood and concrete layer;
• decorative coating.

Features of the preparation of the base

The traditional construction of a warm floor begins with preparatory work. To ensure a long service life of the topcoat, the following works are performed during the preparation of the base:

1. In place of future floors, a mineral pillow is laid, represented by broken brick or expanded clay granules. The thickness of the drainage layer must be at least 15 cm;
2. Gravel or crushed stone 10-15 cm thick is poured on top;
3. Then the laid materials are well tamped.

Laying the mineral pad helps to break the capillarity, which causes the soil moisture to rise to the base and destroy it.

Preparation of working mixture for concrete floors

To make a high-quality solution for pouring a screed, you need to strictly observe the proportions and the order of adding the necessary components. To improve the thermal insulation properties of the mixture, perlite can be added to its composition. The process of preparing the solution itself is carried out in two stages.

First stage:

1. 10 liters of clean water are poured into the concrete mixer;
2. Then, about 2 buckets of expanded sand are poured;
3. The components are mixed;
4. Then add 5 liters of cement grade M-300, not lower;
5. The mixture is mixed well;
6. Then add about 5 liters of water;
7. Stir the solution until a homogeneous mixture is obtained.

If necessary, you can slightly improve the technical characteristics of the composition by adding perlite to it. To do this, perform the following actions:

1. 10 kg of perlite are poured into the previously prepared solution;
2. Add about 2-2.5 L of water;
3. The components are mixed until the concrete mass turns into free-flowing;
4. After 10 minutes, the components of the mixture are again thoroughly mixed.

Ultimately, a free-flowing composition will turn out, which in consistency will resemble plasticine. After that, a screed is made on the prepared base.

Filling the first layer

If the area of ​​the rough coating is small, the screed is made all over the site at once. To fill the screed over a large area, the room is conventionally divided into strips, processing each one in turn. How to put the first layer of concrete mix correctly?

1. The thickness of the "rough" screed must be at least 12 cm;
2. The horizontality of the laid layer is checked with a level;
3. Level the mixture using a rule;
4. So that water does not accumulate on the surface of the finished floor, the screed is made with a slight slope towards the pit;
5. The slope of the screed must be at least 1 cm per meter.

Heat and waterproofing of concrete floors

As soon as the screed hardens, you need to go to the stage of heat and waterproofing of the coating. Before laying insulating materials, the concrete surface is checked for bulges, cracks and dents. If necessary, defects on the coating are repaired.

As a rule, the following are chosen as waterproofing materials:

• bituminous mastic;
• plastic wrap;
• rolled roofing material.

After arranging the waterproofing, it is necessary to make the floor insulation. For these purposes, the following can be used:

• mineral wool;
• polystyrene;
• penoplex;
• granulated expanded clay;
• foam concrete.

The thickness of the insulating layer should be 10-15 cm. As practice shows, expanded clay is the optimal insulation for concreted surfaces. It does not absorb moisture, weighs little and also has good sound insulation.

Pouring the finishing screed

Laying the finishing layer of the screed technologically differs little from the previous version. But in this case, the thickness of the screed can vary from 8 to 10 cm. It should be borne in mind that in the process of pouring the mixture, it is necessary to observe the observance of the slope towards the sump.

Nevertheless, the flooring arrangement in large and small rooms is slightly different. If the base area is large enough, to give the structure more strength, it is worth putting a reinforcing mesh before pouring the screed. In this case, even with intensive use of the bath, the rough coating will not crack.

Features of wood floors

Wooden flooring is a traditional type of flooring that is used for furnishing floors in a bath. Despite the hygroscopicity, this type of material is still in demand among consumers, due to the following qualities:

• The wood is environmentally friendly and safe for health;
• The flooring has a low thermal conductivity, in contrast to concrete;
• The wood flooring creates a more welcoming atmosphere in the room.

In addition, a wooden base can be made in just a few days, since the stage of "wet" work can be bypassed, which cannot be done when pouring a screed.

Laying wooden floors

How to properly lay wood floors? It is quite easy to mount a wooden base, but you need to take into account a lot of technological nuances. The whole process of arranging floors is divided into the following stages:

1. Erection of support racks... To install the supports, rather thick beams with a cross section of 15 cm are used. It is the racks that will experience the greatest load during the operation of the base of the floor covering. They are placed on metal or brick pillars, secured with steel brackets. When arranging floors in a bathhouse, erected on a pile foundation, the lag is laid on a mortgage crown;
2. Installation of the underground. In the case of assembling leaking floors, a 20 cm layer of crushed stone or expanded clay is laid underground. If the soil is clayey and does not absorb moisture well, a reservoir is installed under the floor to collect waste water, which flows by gravity into the sewer through the pipeline. If you need to make a leak-proof base, it is mandatory to insulate it (expanded clay, foam). To ensure normal ventilation of the underground, ventilation holes are made in the foundation for better air circulation;
3. Laying logs and finishing flooring... For the arrangement of leaking floors, the logs are placed in random order, observing horizontality. When installing a non-leaking base, we make a slope from the log towards the pit. In the case of non-leaking floors, cranial blocks are nailed to the logs, onto which rough boards are thrown. Then a layer of hydro and heat insulator is placed on them. After that, the wooden crate is sheathed with a tongue-and-groove board. Inside the "pie", between the finishing boards and the logs, there should be a gap of 10-12 cm for ventilation of the underground.

Building a bath with a wear-resistant floor is very problematic, given the specific microclimate in the room. In order to increase the period of operation of the floor covering, such points should be taken into account during its installation.

After assembling the log house and installing doors and windows, you need to think about installing the floor covering. How to make a floor in a bath in various ways, we will tell in this article. Observing all the stages, you can complete the work without errors and with high quality.

Before installing the floor in the bath, you need to decide what it will be: wooden or screed. Several factors influence the choice:

1. The type of material from which the floor joists are made.
2. The material from which the bathhouse is built.
3. What is the planned drain system.
4. The purpose of the premises (steam room and washing room combined or separate, use dry steam or wet, etc.)
5. The material side.

Wooden floor - features and purpose

The wooden floor in saunas is used in most cases. Such popularity is associated with the availability of material and the speed of installation (no need to take technical breaks in work). You can buy floorboards or logs already treated with an antiseptic and dried. And the installation process is simple, and even a beginner, after reading the step-by-step instructions, will be able to lay the floor. Of course, mistakes are made in any work, but if you watch a thematic video and read the article to the end, you can handle it. It is difficult to carry out the flooring alone, so it is better to look for 1-2 assistants.

For a bath, there are several ways of laying floors, but the simplest:

• "Cold" flowing;
• "Warm" not leaking.

Let's consider each in more detail.

Cold floor - design features

Boards of "cold" coating are laid with a gap of 4–5 mm. It is necessary so that moisture does not accumulate in the baths, but flows into the underground. Since the floor of such a structure is always cold, it is recommended to use it only in the southern regions of the country or for a bath at a summer cottage.

The structure cannot be insulated, so it will not be comfortable to use the bath in cold weather. Of course, there is an option when the flooring is raised above the level of the cushion under the stove, and special ventilation is made. So the floor heats up during the heating and dries quickly. We will talk in more detail about how to do this with your own hands in one of the following articles.

"Warm" floor - design features

The warm version is mounted from boards that are tightly adjacent to each other, which have a slight slope. The slope is mounted to a special drain, which, in turn, is mounted in a collection tank where all moisture accumulates. From there, water flows out by gravity through inclined pipes, outside the bath. This construction resembles a "pie". The upper boards are laid on the rough bottom boards, insulation is placed between them. It is hidden from moisture and steam is made into insulation.

The main advantages of this design:

1. moisture does not accumulate near the foundation;
2. the floor is additionally insulated, which means it will warm up;
3. due to the special drainage system, the floorboards will last longer.

Concrete screed in a bath-features and purpose

Screed floors in a bath is a more laborious process that requires some skill and theoretical knowledge. Concrete screed for the bath floor can be done in several ways: pouring directly onto the ground, screed on the subfloor. It is easier to perform the first method on your own.

Screed on the ground - features

A concrete screed is performed on previously removed soil and a sand cushion (similar to that shown in the photo). After drying, the coating looks unsightly and needs a finish. Of course, you can simply paint the floor with paint, but since the bath will be constantly heated to high temperatures, the chemical compositions in the use of the bath are undesirable. The easiest way is to install ceramic tiles or natural stone. But both options are costly and time consuming.

Recently, the know-how of “warm floor” has been used in concrete screed. It comes in infrared, water and cable. But laying in damp rooms requires special knowledge, therefore it is not recommended to do it yourself.

When using a concrete screed in a bath, it is important to properly waterproof and insulate the floor. Insulation is made of polymeric material, for example PSB-S-35. Material price from 70 rubles.

Installation of flooring in baths and saunas

Any of the options under consideration is suitable for a bath in a private house or summer cottage. And how to make the coating correctly, observing the basic rules and features of the technology, we will tell you in more detail.

Installation of a "cold" leaking floor

As lags under the leaking floor, you can use metal or wooden sticks of rectangular or rounded cross-section. You need to choose depending on the material from which the log house was built. So, for a bath from a bar, it is better to use a tree with a cross section of at least 100 mm.

Before laying, the logs must be treated with antiseptics and impregnations. Used machine oil is used as an economy. Antiseptics are taken any, but it is better for direct use "for baths."

Before laying the wood, it is dried to a moisture content of less than 12–10% or it is purchased ready-made, chamber drying.

Laying the base under the floor

The installation of the lag must be carried out parallel to the wall, which has a shorter length. To give rigidity, reinforced concrete columns are poured under them, the distance between them should not be more than 1 m.They are laid out in the following stages:

• at the installation sites, the top layer of soil is removed and a cushion of crushed stone and sand (10-15 cm) and reinforced mesh is filled;
• columns of red brick are laid out or pieces of reinforced concrete slab are laid;
• the structure is waterproofed with bitumen mastic.

If the foundation for the bath was columnar, then the level of the lag should be parallel and equal in level to the embedded log. With a tape - the top of the foundation.

On top of the pillars, waterproofing is laid in 2 layers and logs are mounted. They need to be placed leaving a distance of at least 4-5 cm from the main walls, from all sides, these gaps are needed for ventilation.

Installation of a drain in the underground

It is necessary to implement a system that will quickly remove excess water, and will not allow it to accumulate near the foundation. To do this, you need to study the soil, since the design will depend on the absorption of moisture:

• With well-absorbed soil, the top layer is removed along the entire perimeter of the bath and a cushion of crushed stone with a minimum thickness of 250 mm is poured. It is used as a filter. Moisture will pass through the filter and be absorbed into the soil. This is the easiest way.
• With poorly absorbing soil, a 10 ° slope is made towards a specially prepared drain (a hole at least 30–40 cm deep, in which a PVC pipe for drainage with a diameter of 15 cm, covered with crushed stone, is laid). In order for the water to drain more evenly, the soil can be covered with clay and tamped.

Laying floorboards

Floor boards can be used even not edged, the main thing is to level and trim them. Laying begins from the wall, stepping back 2 cm. In relation to the lags, the laying is perpendicular.

You can fasten boards to the logs with self-tapping screws or nails at an angle of 45 °. To make the gaps between the boards the same, use pieces of plywood 3-5 mm thick.

Installation of a "warm" non-leaking floor

Lags under the structure are laid in the same way as in the first case. To organize the slope of the floor, you need to make cuts of 2-4 mm in each log, except for those located near the walls.

Installation of the drain system

A pit of 400x400 mm and a depth of 300 mm is used as a water intake (the design diagram is in the photo above). You need to dig it between the two supports. For waterproofing, a "clay castle" is made in the reservoir or the walls are poured with concrete and coated with bitumen.

At the bottom, retreating 2 cm, a drain pipe is mounted, which must be laid at an angle. A PVC pipe with a cross section of at least 15 cm is suitable for this.

Laying floorboards

The installation of the floor begins with a rough bottom layer. To fix it on the beams, 50x50 mm bars are attached on both sides along the entire length. Rough boards are laid on these bars; you can use any remaining after construction, even a small round timber. From the top of the beam, you need to retreat at least 60 mm, it depends on the thickness of the proposed insulation, it should not overlap the upper part of the log.

Waterproofing is spread on top of the subfloor. it must be laid with an overlap, and the joints must be fastened with bitumen mastic or adhesive tape (depending on the type of waterproofing). Insulation is placed on top of the waterproofing (mineral wool, ecowool, expanded clay, sawdust with PVA, etc.). The insulation must be protected by covering it with a layer of a vapor barrier.

The vapor barrier is laid with an overlap of 15 cm, attached to the logs with a construction stapler.

A finishing board is mounted on top. it is better to use tongue and groove with tongue and groove. This will prevent water from getting between the boards. It is better to mount the boards by putting each subsequent one on a spike, so there is less chance of spoiling the lock connection. A pipe is mounted in an inclined drain, the end of which will go into the catchment.

It is important to leave a ventilated gap of at least 10 - 15 mm between the main coating and the insulation, where an additional exhaust pipe is brought out.

It is better to use products that are resistant to water as floorboards for a bath, for example, larch, aspen. Otherwise, the floor will quickly rot, which will never happen with a concrete screed.

Installation of concrete screed - features of installation in a bath

The top layer of soil is removed along the entire inner perimeter, at least 30-40 cm. The soil is rammed. On top, 100 mm of coarse sand is laid. Then a layer of crushed stone 200 mm and two layers of roofing material. At the same time, it is important to leave a place for future acceptance before filling the sand.

The next step is to dig out a place for acceptance, its walls must be concreted to a thickness of at least 50 mm. From above it is covered with rubble and a drain pipe is removed. Only then can you start screed.

Pouring screed on the floor of the bath

The screed is installed in the following stages:

1. The first layer is poured with concrete to a height of 5 - 6 cm, it is allowed to dry out (but not completely dry);
2. A layer of PSB-S-35 thermal insulation is spread (you can take any thickness, standard 5 and 10 cm);
3. To give rigidity, a reinforced mesh is laid;
4. A 6 - 9 cm finishing layer of concrete is poured. To harden it, the finishing layer should be poured at an angle of 10 - 15 ° towards the drain where the pipe is mounted.

From above, the concrete screed is decorated with tiles, there are many of them in construction centers, the price starts from 210 rubles / m2. You can think over your own design and choose a coating for it. All depending on the size of the wallet and imagination.

All the options under consideration can be done by hand, and our specialists are always happy to advise how to avoid mistakes.