Any person seeks to equip their own summer cottage with the necessary additional facilities. One of these is the bathhouse. Previously, its construction was carried out from wood. Such material gave the structure an aesthetic appearance, and also was good thermal insulation. However, to build a bath, you must have certain skills in working with wood. Therefore, cinder blocks are often used today. What are the cinder block sauna pros and cons, reviews? About this and not only - further in the article.
Characterization of cinder block
According to regulatory documentation, such is called a building material that has a rectangular shape made of cement mortar. To obtain it, a special solution is poured into a mold, after which it is given to mechanical pressing (or wait until natural shrinkage occurs). The cinder block can be solid and hollow, that is, when there are holes in a rectangular shape.
They are designed to facilitate the construction, as well as for better adhesion to the cement-sand mortar during masonry. The procedure for the
production of cinder block can be seen not only at the plant, but also directly at the construction site, using improvised means. What are the pros and cons of a cinder block sauna on wood and gas? Compare this article will help. Consider in detail these structures.
Advantages and disadvantages
What are the cinder block sauna pros and cons on gas? Among the positive aspects of the reviews are the following:
- thermal conductivity;
- bath construction speed;
- moisture resistance and fire resistance;
- environmental friendliness;
- cost.
We consider each of the properties separately.
Cinder block bath - pros and cons, photos
The plus is that in terms of the speed of construction, any other material is significantly inferior to the cinder block. Everyone can build a bathhouse.
All that is needed is to have basic knowledge and skills. If they are not, then you will have to spend money on a team of specialists. Among the shortcomings can be noted except that the appearance. Analogs from wood look much more organically.
Fire and moisture resistance
Reviews say that cinder block is not inferior to brick in this indicator, since it does not contain combustible substances and materials in its composition. As for moisture penetration, here the cinder block is again a cut above wood.
Despite the fact that it is highly hygroscopic, moisture does not cause corrosion and decay. However, the interior of the room should still be waterproofed.
Environmental friendliness
What are the pros and cons of a cinder block bath (comparison) in terms of environmental friendliness? In the manufacture of cinder block are not used materials that affect human health.
In some factories, filling out the mold occurs not with cement-sand mortar, but with environmental waste. Only in this case will there be a negative impact.
Cost
Reviews say that if we talk about profitability, then there is no better material than wood. Cinder block is in second place. Here you have to spend money not only on blocks, but also on the manufacture of cement mortar.
Thermal conductivity
Due to its heat-insulating properties, the material is due to the presence of such an element as slag having a high density. In this property, it is significantly superior to other materials. Thermal conductivity depends on the technology of the block.
In this indicator, it is superior to brick, but inferior to wood. Solid bodies have higher thermal conductivity. To increase thermal insulation properties, more slag should be used. Such a change will affect the quality of the building material. He will lose his strength.
Reviews recommend using blocks with internal voids. Such material is dense, which will ensure durability and heat retention for a long time. High-quality cinder block should weigh about 15 kilograms. Blocks that are too light or heavy are indicative of marriage.
disadvantages
What are the pros and cons of a cinder block bath? First of all, you need to pay attention to environmental friendliness. As mentioned earlier, at some plants, not a cement mortar, but various environmental wastes are used as aggregate. The use of such blocks will lead to serious consequences. Quality can only be checked in laboratory conditions. Although it costs money, health is more expensive.
What else has the pros and cons of a cinder block bath made by myself? Another significant drawback is the high water absorption.
To reduce it, it is necessary to provide high-quality hydro- and vapor barrier. Particular attention should be paid to the steam room, since there the air humidity reaches 70%. Insulation is made in several layers. Only in this case, the construction will last a long time.
It is worth noting that cinder blocks have an unattractive appearance. But this is a moot point. On the one hand, the design of the bath does not play an important role, since it all depends on the personal preferences of the owner. Therefore, you can leave everything in its place.
On the other hand, there are enterprises that produce cinder blocks of different colors. For this, special dyes are added to the cement mortar. Therefore, you can choose the right color and start building a bath. The cost of such blocks is not much different from the standard ones.
additional information
When building a bath from a hollow cinder block, it is necessary to install special fasteners if it becomes necessary to install any element.
Another important point - during the construction of the bath cinder blocks will have to be insulated. This is best done with blocks of mineral wool, as it is not exposed to moisture.
Which is better to build a bath?
To date, the construction of baths on gas and wood. Most users use the first option. First of all, due to its convenient use. It is enough to press a few buttons, and the gas burner brings the air temperature in the bath to the required.
When using firewood, there are many nuances:
- procurement and storage;
- to melt the bath you need to bring and throw firewood;
- the presence of soot, which can directly enter the steam room;
- chimney cleaning.
How to build a cinder block bath yourself?
The construction technology of the structure is divided into several stages. Let us consider each of them in detail.
- Foundation construction. To begin with, the soil is prepared, the foundation pit breaks out and the foundation is poured. Wall masonry work can only begin after two weeks. Cinder blocks have a porous structure, and therefore they are lighter than brick. For the construction of the bath, both strip and columnar foundations are used. The main requirements are that the foundation should be above the ground at a height of 0.5 meters, since the cinder block, absorbing moisture, can quickly collapse. After completion of the foundation work, waterproofing is carried out. The process is carried out using bitumen and roofing material.
- Masonry walls. The process of masonry from cinder block is no different from brick. However, there is one feature. To strengthen the design of the bath every three rows of cinder block stack reinforcement.
- The construction of the roof, floor and ceiling. First you need to fill in the concrete floor and perform its insulation with expanded clay tiles. After that, they are laying ceramic tiles. Depending on personal preferences, you can use not tiles, but wooden elements. It is worth considering that the material absorbs water well and undergoes rotting. The next stage is the installation of the ceiling. Next, you need to build a rafter and block the roof. As a roofing material, corrugated board or slate can be used. During this stage, heat and vapor barrier of the bath rooms are carried out. This is done according to this technology: a wooden beam is attached to the cinder blocks every 50 cm. Mineral wool is laid between the beams, and then sheathed with foil, which serves as a vapor barrier. All wooden structural elements are treated with a special substance against fire.
- Interior decoration. After attaching the foil, another wooden frame should be erected, providing additional ventilation. For interior decoration, you can use the lining, which will give the bath also a healing smell.
- Exterior finish. This is one of the important stages of construction. If cold air or precipitation penetrates through the walls, the properties of the bath are reduced to zero. To begin with, two layers of plaster are laid on the cinder block. After it dries, you can do masonry insulation material. To do this, you can sheathe external walls with siding or decorative stone. It all depends on the personal preference of the owner, as well as his financial condition.
Conclusion
Before building a bath of cinder blocks, it is necessary to analyze all the pros and cons.
Only after this, the owner must decide whether this material is suitable for him. It should be noted that the cinder block bath, the pros and cons of which we examined earlier, is a pleasant combination of price and quality. No big cons were noticed, and the existing ones are easy to fix.