From time immemorial, a log bathhouse in Russia was not just a “washing place”, but primarily a means for rest, relaxation and spiritual cleansing. And really, what could be better after a long and difficult day than a bathhouse with its burning steam, and with a birch broom spreading a unique aroma around? And from the steam room - straight to the icy ice hole or to the pool, or at least a cold shower! The body immediately becomes light, breathing deep, and a sense of cleanliness is such that it can not be compared to any spa bath. After that, sit down in the waiting room for a samovar and drink tea for a long, long time in the company of loved ones.
Baths are built from various materials - this is brick, concrete, stone, and blocks of various kinds. But the best is still a traditional log sauna. The price of this material, by the way, is lower than any other. Firstly, wood is an environmentally friendly material, and secondly, it retains heat perfectly, at the same time, the walls from it “breathe”, thereby providing
natural ventilation of the room. During operation, wood releases phytoncides and essential oils, which perfectly affects the body.
In turn, a wooden building can be made of timber or logs. Building a building from a log is more difficult, but a bath from a log will last for more than a dozen years, since the so-called sapwood, the outer layer of wood with an increased density, is preserved during processing. The log wall mates win in front of the beam in terms of water drainage. And, of course, a log sauna looks much more attractive than any other.
After deciding on the construction of the bath, first of all, it is necessary to determine its location. It is believed that the entrance should be from the south, since there are always fewer snowdrifts on this side, but the windows should look west, because they often hover in the bathhouse in the evening, and sunset rays will create additional lighting. The distance from the nearest buildings should not be less than 10 meters, and, of course, the bath should be “within walking distance” from the reservoir or well.
The foundation for the bath is no different from conventional foundations - it is also laid to the depth of freezing of the soil. It can be made of blocks or be monolithic, tape, pile.
After the foundation is installed, it is necessary to carry out waterproofing between the foundation surface and the embedded (i.e. lower) log. It is made of 2-3 layers of roofing material glued to bitumen. The mortgage log is also additionally protected at the point where it adjoins the foundation.
Logs for a bath are preferable to coniferous species (pine, spruce, larch). The latter under the influence of moisture becomes much stronger, even a nail to hammer a problem into it. The trunks of these trees, as a rule, are long and even, which allows you to do without joints.
The construction of the walls of the bath begins with a “crown”. The first two logs opposite each other are laid on the foundation. First, in the logs, it is necessary to cut out the longitudinal semicircular grooves. The groove can be turned both down and up. It is believed that the lower location of the groove contributes to a better drainage of atmospheric water. The next pair of logs fit into the finished grooves perpendicular to the first. The top logs should rise above the bottom by 50% of the diameter. The second and subsequent crowns are stacked according to the same principle.
After completing the construction of walls, you can proceed to caulking. There are many materials for hemp. Traditionally, this is tow, jute, flax. Caulk is necessary along the perimeter of the entire building because of the possibility of distortions when processing each wall separately.
After installing the log house and erecting the roof, you need to wait a certain time before starting the finishing work - the bath should shrink.
In general, the process of building a bath from a log with an attic is quite complicated and not very fast. But it's worth it - for the next few decades, your log sauna will delight you and your loved ones with a light steam.