The stove in the bath is the main attribute. It should be functional and harmoniously fit into the interior. Therefore, its decoration is responsible. There are many materials on sale that are used in this case. Options for finishing the furnace in the bath, as well as the recommendations of professional builders will be discussed in detail below.
The need for decoration
Furnishing the furnace in a bath (photo of successful work is presented below) can be made of different materials. After the brickwork is created, it needs to be given a spectacular appearance. When choosing materials, it is worth considering that they should not inhibit the spread of heat from the furnace. Therefore, their characteristics put forward certain requirements.
Correctly selected material will serve as a heat shield that will not transmit infrared rays into the steam room. Also, the material will accumulate heat, allowing the bath to stay warm for a long time.
The comfort of the people who are in the steam room depends on the quality of the arrangement of the furnace. In this case, the lining must be strong, resistant to not only high temperatures, but also steam, water. There should not be scratches or chips on the surface of the oven. At the same time, it should be beautiful, fit into the existing interior of the room. Finishing material must be safe. It is able to extend the life of the furnace.
Material Features
Furnishing the stove in the bath is most often performed using materials such as natural or artificial stone, tile or tiles (special tiles). Often for such purposes a special brick is used (red, fireclay or ceramic). The simplest and cheapest option is clay based plaster.
The choice of material depends on the operation of the furnace. Also, design must be combined with the existing interior. Facing usually does not require the help of a specialist. Each owner of a bath can cope with similar work independently.
Experts recommend choosing tiles for cladding. Everyone can lay it on a prepared foundation independently. However, other types of materials are often used during the lining of the furnace. The selection of materials is huge. It is important to consider the characteristics of each variety. In this case, the work can be done efficiently. Professionals argue that even small mistakes made during the finishing work are very striking. Therefore, you need to perform all actions slowly, carefully and verified.
Brick
To make the right choice, you need to consider the characteristic features of each material. A classic option is to finish the stove in the bath with a brick. This is a common type of facing material. Brick prevents wall overheating. It can also be laid on the floor. In this case, the space in front of the furnace will be insured against overheating.
When choosing this material, you need to consider that there are ordinary and decorative bricks. In the first case, the finish is made of the same material as the main masonry. However, special decorative varieties of this material look much more spectacular. When choosing a brick for decoration, it is necessary to observe the levels of the rows. The seams between them should be thin and even.
The portal can be stacked with offset rows or evenly. This is only possible if the cladding is performed in one layer. In the process, the master necessarily checks with the help of a plumb line and level the evenness of the masonry. If the oven is dimensional, it is better to lay out bricks with an offset or parquet pattern. So the design will be stronger and more stable.
Recommendations of specialists
Decorating a bricked stove in a bathhouse, according to reviews of professional builders, is a good option. It provides good surface protection against overheating. It can be laid directly on a wooden floor or wall. In this case, you will not need to install additional fireproof heaters.
To finish the furnace, builders recommend purchasing fire-resistant varieties of bricks. Most often, this material is used to separate structures made of steel or cast iron. Brick contributes to an even distribution of heat in the room. It takes a long time to gain temperature. But then after he evenly gives off heat to space.
The brick is resistant to moisture. When creating masonry, you need to leave holes. They are needed for the free circulation of air currents. The types of refractory bricks available for sale allow you to choose the material that will match the decorative features of the room.
A rock
Decorating a stone bath stove would also be appropriate. This material can be natural or artificial. The stone in terms of fire resistance is not inferior to brick. But the appearance of the furnace becomes more spectacular. The stone is known for its high decorative effect.
It is worth considering that the decoration is carried out with a stone that has undergone a special treatment. Raw for these purposes is not suitable. Elements are made of natural stone that resemble tiles or blocks in shape. But on the flip side they should be flat. There are different types of stone. The most popular for decoration are granite, marble. However, in the steam room they may not look appropriate.
The cost of the presented varieties of stone is quite high. Therefore, many bath owners choose other types of materials. It can be sandstone, slate. The second option is often sold in chipped form in large pieces. The cost for this reason on the material presented is low.
Builder Tips for Stone Finishing
Decorating a stove in a bath with decorative stone requires a lot of experience from the master. Laying a brick portal is much easier. When dealing with natural stone, you have to deal with the unequal thickness of each decorative element. Their configuration may vary.
Laying a portal of natural stone is often trusted by professionals. Not every bath owner can cope with this work independently.
The decorative stone, which is commercially available, can be machined or not. The second option is not suitable for the bath. It will quickly become dirty and lose its attractive appearance. This becomes especially noticeable on unprocessed stones, of which the decoration is made near the floor. Although many owners like the appearance of the raw stone, it is better to give preference to the processed variety of this material. Their surface must be ground or polished.
Finishing Features
Decorating a stove in a bath with decorative or natural stone has many advantages over other materials. In addition to its high ability to accumulate heat, decorativeness and practicality, the presented material has a healing effect on the human body. The structure of stones contains various minerals. When heated, they affect the respiratory tract and other body systems. This statement is true for natural stone.
If the finish is made of a decorative variety of material, it also has a number of advantages. It is relatively inexpensive and at the same time has a spectacular appearance.
Natural and artificial stone are a durable finish. They are able to extend the life of the furnace. Often used for decorating metal furnaces. However, this option is suitable for brickwork. Stone softens the heat of the stove.
The stones are mounted on a special grid. A sheet of refractory basalt cardboard is placed under it. In the process of masonry, a fire-resistant solution is used. Before installation, natural stones are immersed in water to improve the quality of the finish.
Tile
Furnishing the walls of the furnace in the bathhouse, the furnace is possible with the help of special tiles. Its fire resistance is not inferior to brick and stone. The choice of shapes, shades and patterns of tiles is a huge amount. However, for furnishing the furnace, it is worth choosing special varieties of such a material. Porcelain tile is well suited for these purposes.
Unlike brick and stone, tiles can have any color and pattern. It is worth considering that the installation of tiles on the wall near the furnace is carried out only on a pre-mounted layer of thermal insulation. If you mount the tile immediately, it will not be able to protect the wall from overheating.
Plate Size
The size of the plates is selected in accordance with the preferences of the owners of the bath. However, experts argue that the larger the tile, the finer the trim looks. To mount it, you will need to provide a flat surface under the tile layer. For self-assembly, it is better to use a small and medium tile. Even a layman will cope with this work. If the plates are overall, a specialist will be able to mount them exactly.
Tiles
Furnishing the stove in the steam room is often done with a special kind of stove. They are called tiles. The production technology of such material is inexpensive. At the same time, the appearance of the finish is spectacular. This material may appear on the surface as a thick tile. However, this effect can be obtained by using tiles without a pattern.
However, materials of this group that have voluminous patterns on the front surface are much more popular. Such tiles are laid according to the same technology as ordinary tiles. However, the thickness of the finishing layer in this case will be greater. This material is also used to finish part of the floor and wall near the stove.
A feature of such tiles is the need for proper selection before installation. Each decoration element needs to be selected by color. Tiles are compared with each other in shape, shade of glaze. If necessary, rough edges are ground before installation. The end result should be a smooth portal. He will become a real masterpiece.
Decorative plaster
Finishing the oven in the bath with your own hands can be done using decorative plaster. This type of material has been used for similar purposes relatively recently. Decorative plaster in this case has certain features. It is not applied in order to finish the brick or metal surface of the furnace directly. This material creates a barrier between the heater and the walls. At the same time, modern types of plaster allow you to create interesting design effects.
Plaster is used to decorate walls that are adjacent to the furnace. It is worth considering that this material is used if the heater is not installed in the steam room, but, for example, in the relaxation room. The fact is that decorative plaster has a lower moisture resistance. Therefore, it can be used in relatively dry rooms.
The composition of decorative plaster may include different components. It can be clay and sand, fireclay, gypsum and asbestos, lime. There are also cement-based compounds. The composition as additives may include fiberglass, salt, crushed straw. Before installation, a fiberglass mesh is installed on the surface. The plaster is applied to it. Heat resistance and thermal conductivity of decorative plaster is high.
Steel case
Finishing around the stove in the bath can be done using another technology. Steel can be used for this. It is a fire resistant material. Finishing the walls around the furnace with this material is pointless.
Steel quickly conducts heat. It does not protect surfaces from overheating. Therefore, a refractory finish is first set. He will perform a protective function. Steel plays the role of a decorative element.
When choosing a steel case, it is worth giving preference to metal, which was processed in a special way. In this case, the material will not be susceptible to corrosion.
Coloring
Another possible option for finishing the furnace in the bath is staining. This is a simple, relatively inexpensive way to create a decorative layer. Paint is applied to almost any surface. However, preference should be given to its heat-resistant varieties. Conventional paint is not suitable for these purposes.
Moisture-resistant silicone-based formulations are suitable for such purposes. Before applying the paint, the surface is cleaned with sandpaper and degreased.
Having considered the furnish options for the furnace in the bath, you can choose the best option in accordance with your taste preferences and the features of the interior of the room.