How to make a deck oven with your own hands: instructions for laying

Principle of operation

And the operation of these devices is no different from their analogues. The oven consists of several main parts:

• furnace body;
• separate compartment for burning wood;
• an ash pan, which is located in the lower part of the stove and serves to collect ash and as a blower to increase draft during the initial ignition of wood;
• grate. It is installed above the ash pan and serves to protect the furnace body from exposure to high temperatures and unhindered pouring of ash into a container for collecting it;
• a screen that is installed in some models and is designed to prevent the direct passage of heat into the chimney. Heat is reflected from the screen, passes through the inside of the stove and only then enters the upper compartment and passes to the chimney, heating the stones;
• exhaust gases exit into the chimney pipe and are released into the atmosphere;
• On top of the furnace body there is a grid for laying stones. When wood burns, the stones heat up. Anyone can raise the temperature in the steam room by splashing several ladlefuls of aromatic infusion or water on the heater.

Electric boilers for baths

When drawing up the layout of the premises, future bathhouse owners have to look for a way to provide heat to the entire structure. In this sense, an electric boiler for a bathhouse can be considered a “godsend” for a bathhouse attendant, since with a relatively simple boiler system design, it can operate efficiently and heat the room for decades. Most owners prefer boilers with a water circuit rather than electric convectors or infrared heaters.

They usually explain their choice with two conditions:

• High electrical and fire safety of the design of a closed water boiler in comparison with other types of heaters, which is important, given the high humidity and the presence of condensation in the bathhouse;
• The ability to install registers, radiators or heated floor pipes in almost any room of the bathhouse, for example, in the same washing department.

In addition, electric convectors and infrared radiators locally heat a small area inside the bathhouse, causing cold spots and drafts to appear. The result is a temperature difference and, as a consequence, a low level of comfort.

Advantages and disadvantages

Let us note right away that such stoves have no disadvantages. It can be emphasized that they are made of metal, but by covering such a stove with bricks or covering it with screens, you can not only protect people from burns, but also increase the productivity of the stove. The main thing when buying is to pay attention to the thickness of the metal and the quality of its processing and welding.

Among the advantages, a number of points can be highlighted:

• The furnace body is made taking into account the calculation of the geometry of the firebox surfaces. It is customary to make it round, in this case the level of heat transfer when burning wood increases and the efficiency increases;
• Manufacturers use heat-resistant steels in the manufacture of heaters;
• due to its small dimensions, the mini heater can be installed in any sauna, even a miniature one;
• industrial designs are made taking into account fire safety requirements;
• Carbon monoxide poisoning is excluded if used correctly.

Before purchasing, it is first important to choose a model that is suitable for your premises in terms of power. An approximate calculation of this value will not be difficult to perform if you have all the sizes of the bath and a calculator.

The most successful wood-burning boilers for saunas

Most experts agree that it is best to choose a cast iron boiler for a bath with a built-in water circuit. Using cast iron allows you to get something between a slowly heating brick stove and a hurricane-hot steel heater.

Using a cast iron boiler for a bath has its advantages and disadvantages:

• A cast iron firebox gains heat more slowly than a steel boiler, but after ignition and warming up, even half-baked wood can be burned in a cast iron stove;
• Cast iron is practically not susceptible to gas erosion from hot combustion products, as is the case with steel or brick structures.

A successfully installed cast-iron wood-burning boiler can serve without repair for decades. Especially if it is not Chinese or domestic locomotive cast iron, but Finnish or, even better, Swedish cast iron for stoves.

For your information! Most bathhouse connoisseurs look for and buy old Swedish cast-iron boilers in good condition for their steam rooms.

The demand for them is several times higher than for modern stainless steel boiler equipment, not to mention conventional models.

A cast iron sauna boiler has two very serious disadvantages. Firstly, cast iron does not tolerate thermal and mechanical shocks well, so it must be handled with extreme caution, especially when laying the heater basket.

Secondly, it is quite difficult to repair cracks and chips on cast iron walls; you cannot repair them with regular welding, even if you use special electrodes for cast iron. In branded models, the firebox can be disassembled into separate panels and the damaged part can be replaced. In other cases, cracks on the walls are sealed with special solders.

How to choose?

First you need to figure out the power of the steam room stove.

As an example, we take the dimensions of the bath:

• width – 2 m;
• height – 2.2 m;
• length 3 m.

In this case, the total area is calculated by multiplying the length and width of the room. In our case, it is equal to 6m2. But volume is important to us to calculate power. Therefore, you will need to multiply the area by the height of the walls - 6 * 2.2 = 13.2 m3.

Now it is important to calculate possible heat loss . To do this, having determined the total area of ​​windows and doors, we multiply this value by 1.2. Our steam room has one stove and a window in the dressing room. Therefore, we take heat loss equal to 2.3 m3. We add up the total volume and the volume of losses - 15.3 m3.

Next, you need to determine the power taking into account the level of heat absorption. For calculation purposes, we assume that our bathhouse is made of wooden logs. In this case, we multiply the resulting volume and the coefficient; for log walls it is equal to 1.6. 15.3*1.6=24.48. We round up and find that for our steam room made of logs with one door and window, you will need to purchase a stove with a capacity of 25 kW .

This is an approximate and rough calculation. When choosing a stove for a sauna, you need to pay attention to several more factors.

In addition to power, when choosing a mini-oven, it is important to pay attention to several more factors;

1. Type of fuel burned. Domestic and foreign manufacturers produce stoves for small baths that run on different types of fuel. The most expensive ones to operate are electric heaters. Even stoves that run on diesel fuel or coal have been developed. But for Russian lovers of steam and brooms, wood-burning stoves remain the most popular.
2. You should pay attention to the design of the combustion chamber. You can purchase a design with the ability to move the firebox to a separate room. For mini baths, this is the best option, but it will require large expenses when purchasing. But this option has one undeniable advantage - you don’t need to litter and stack firewood in the steam room.
3. Find out the type of backfill and the device of the heater. They can be closed or open. Of course, open heaters are most in demand among conservatives, but it is closed compartments with stones that are gaining popularity.

When choosing small stoves for a bath, pay attention to several models presented in our TOP on pechnoy.guru.

Wood boiler layout options

The most convenient and at the same time expensive wood-burning boilers with a built-in water circuit can be installed in the partition separating the dressing room and the steam room, or be completely removed from the steam room. In the latter case, a wood-burning boiler for a sauna is equipped with a fan and a heating tunnel, with the help of which steam and hot air are supplied inside the sauna.

Such a boiler costs 1500-1600 EUR, so such schemes are not widely used. They are used primarily in large-area steam rooms and saunas, where it is not possible to provide reliable air heating with traditional heaters.

A cheaper and more accessible version of a wood-burning boiler is made without a built-in heat exchanger; instead of a coil or registers, the water is heated in an external tank that encloses the firebox body in a semi-ring.

In the simplest models of boiler equipment, the water heating tank can be removable and installed on the back wall or on the chimney. Such designs have a significantly lower efficiency and are practically not used for heating baths.

Review of the best models

Electric heaters as boilers

It is clear that the best electric boiler is not able to heat the steam room to 95-120°C, so you cannot do without a heater. There are quite a large number of options and circuits for electric heaters that perfectly heat the steam room to the desired temperature, and some, thanks to the built-in heat exchanger, can even replace a heating boiler.

In addition, there are many drawings and proposals for converting an electric heater into a homemade boiler for a bath, which can work both in a steam room and heat the rest room. True, in this case you will have to retrofit the boiler with a water tank for a bath with a circuit breaker for the temperature of the water circuit.

The simultaneous use of an electric boiler and an electric heater in a bathhouse is usually limited by the capabilities of the electrical network. Each of the electrical appliances consumes at least 2.5 kW of electricity, so either the boiler equipment will have to be switched to a three-phase network, or a regular wood-burning stove-stove will have to be installed in the steam room of the bathhouse.

Where and how to put it correctly?

Depending on the material of the walls, ceiling, and floor in the bathhouse, it is recommended to maintain certain minimum distances from them to the stove. These numbers are the same for all types and sizes of sauna stoves:

• if the floor in the bathhouse is made of wood, you need to make a simple foundation of bricks, laying them out in 1 row, with dimensions larger than the dimensions of the heater by at least 500 mm;
• distance from the floor to the bottom of the stove – 140 mm;
• the distance to the wooden ceiling from the top of the heater is at least 1 m;
• to an unprotected wooden wall, the gap should be 1 m;
• walls protected by panels made of non-combustible thermal insulation materials - a gap of at least 380 mm;
• the walls in the bathhouse are lined with bricks around the stove or if the stove is lined with bricks and the walls are covered with protective screens - a distance of 130 mm.

Before installing the stove, be sure to do a test run of the heater outdoors. In this case, the first stack of firewood in the bathhouse will not cause a lot of smoke from burnt-out residues of oil and other materials.

After this, you can install a mini-oven and connect a ventilation system to it. If you want to maintain the performance of the stove while reducing the amount of firewood, you can select a segment in the damper and almost completely block the access of air to the firebox. Now the firewood will gradually smolder, and the savings in firewood will become evident after the first use.

The chimney is discharged through the roof or wall and covered with a protective screen. The pipes must be secured with clamps, and the passages through the ceilings and roof must be reliably insulated from heat loss and water penetration.

Installation of electric boilers for baths

To heat the bath room, two types of boilers are used:

• Automatic heaters with heating of water in the circuit using a heating element;
• Electrode boilers in which heat is released in the interelectrode space filled with water.

For your information! It is believed that the latter option is more economical than heating with a spiral, but its operation, like the induction boiler rarely used in a bathhouse, requires specially purified and prepared water.

The bulb with a heating element and automation is mounted inside a protected and grounded housing. In the most modern models, the operation of a boiler with heating elements can be controlled and the heating of rooms can be programmed with an accuracy of one degree. Electrode boilers are a little more complicated in this regard; usually in the bathhouse the air temperature “floats” slightly within the range of 2-3°C. Therefore, such a heater should always be installed with a boiler or hot water storage tank.

Features of operation

The operation of such ovens is simple. Having laid the firewood, place some thin wood chips near the door for kindling. Now open the slide valve completely and open the ash pan slightly and light the wood. The firebox door must always be kept closed. After the firewood has ignited, the ash pan drawer is completely closed and the air damper is closed.

All that remains is to wait for the steam room to warm up and enjoy the fragrant steam. Do not use damp firewood; the humidity level is at least 20-30%.

You should not burn resinous fuel; in this case, the chimney will have to be cleaned more often than once a month. At the first symptoms of deterioration in draft, immediately repair the breakdown or clean the ventilation pipes.

Homemade boiler equipment

A fairly large number of steam room owners prefer to make sauna boilers with their own hands, using drawings and photos of the most successful models of heating equipment. The simplest option is to weld the body from sheet steel and pipe blanks. Of course, the design and appearance of a home-made sauna boiler is far from branded models, but they work quite steadily, and most importantly, the cost of the product is an order of magnitude lower.

Design

The design features of metal stoves are directly related to the type of fuel. However, there are always common elements:

• frame;
• firebox (or burner, fuel combustion chamber);

• chimney;
• heater;
• container for water.

There are stoves that do not require some structural elements. For example, electric stoves do not require chimneys and do not have a firebox (combustion chamber). Gas stoves are equipped with burners, but they do not have a firebox as such.

The most difficult design is for wood-burning stoves, which in addition to the firebox have an ash pit (a small compartment under the firebox where ash and soot accumulate). In addition, wood-burning stoves require a high-quality chimney and a passage through the ceiling (these are elements of the smoke removal system, which are purchased separately).

Chimneys are also used on gas and liquid fuel stoves, but the combustion products of these fuels are not as abundant and do not contain as much tar and water vapor.

At the same time, due to traditional preferences, wood-burning stoves are most often found in bathhouses. Users are attracted by the romantic component of the process - the crackling of firewood, a specific smell and other attributes.

All alternative designs, although more effective and convenient to use, have not become so widespread.

Varieties

Furnace equipment is classified depending on various factors. According to the material:

1. Brick structures. Durable, reliable, durable. Slowly heat up and cool down. Difficulties may arise during laying if you do not have practical skills in working with bricks.
2. Metal constructions. They are light in weight, durable and strong. The main disadvantage is that metal surfaces can rust when exposed to moisture. You can buy ready-made designs in specialized stores.

Depending on the type of fuel, the following types of equipment are distinguished:

• electrical;
• gas;
• solid fuel.

You can also select stoves that have a built-in water tank.

7th place: “Vesuvius Legend Standard 16” (DT-4) cast iron

-3%

Wood stoves

Cast iron sauna stove “Vesuvius Legend Standard 16” (DT-4)

24 990 ₽ 24 240 ₽

+ 1212 bonuses?

When purchasing this product, bonus rubles will be credited to your Bonus account Bonuses are activated after 24 hours

In installments from RUR 2,080/month.

Add to cart Found cheaper?

This product is rightfully included in the top ten best sauna stoves for Russian baths in our rating. Its main advantage is its modular design, consisting of three parts. To connect them, reliable bolted connections are used, and the joints are laid with ceramic cord. This seal can withstand temperatures of 1200 °C and ensures complete tightness of the combustion chamber, which makes the operation of the Vesuvius Legend Standard 16 model absolutely safe.

The product is an improved version of the Russian sauna stove, which was supplemented with a ventilation-convection casing to increase efficiency. The structure is welded from 6 mm steel rod with a heat-resistant coating, which provides this sample with exceptionally high technical characteristics:

• Steam room volume: minimum – 8 m2; maximum – 18 m2.
• Weight of stones: up to 120 kg; ovens – 95 kg.
• Material: cast iron of special grades.
• Thermal power: up to 16 kW.

The stove is a convection-type device that provides quick heating of rooms. Main advantages:

• Increased flow of penetrating infrared radiation, creating special conditions in the steam room.
• Large volume and rational placement of the heater, which allows you to get soft, fine steam.
• Remote fuel receiver. The stove is heated from the dressing room, which is also heated by a massive metal structure.

Yandex Market has two user reviews without text. Taking into account the absence of complaints, they can be considered conditionally positive. On Otzovik the responses are more informative. Users note affordable prices, excellent quality and beautiful design, but at the same time complain about high fuel consumption and some technical shortcomings.

Reviews of the wood-burning stove "Vesuvius Legend Standard 16" (DT-4) on Yandex Market Reviews of the wood-burning stove "Vesuvius Legend Standard 16" (DT-4) on Otzovik

Possible difficulties

Matching seams is a difficult task for a beginner. Solution: make guides from metal rods. Diameter - 3 or 5 mm. Before laying the stove row, place them on the edges of the brick and press the next block down. Get the rods. The remaining notches will disappear on their own after completing the row.

If the laying mortar does not “grab” the bricks, wet them with water. This way the coupling will become reliable.

During construction, the errors are invisible, but in the end you can see them all. Solution: check each row of the stove horizontally and vertically with a building level.

If you do not follow safety precautions when laying a stove, you can injure your hands. Wear rubber-lined gloves and wrap duct tape around your knuckles.

Top 1. Tylo Sense Elite 10

Rating (2021): 4.95

The most reliable oven A powerful electric oven designed for continuous operation even under maximum loads.

• Characteristics

  Average price: RUB 152,300.

• Country: Sweden
• Heated volume (cub.m): 18
• Power consumption (kW): 10.5
• Construction: wall
• Dimensions (W/D/H): 43/60/37 cm
• Weight (kg): 35

Many will probably be shocked by the price tag of this heater, but it should be understood that the equipment is designed for the highest loads. The manufacturer specializes in professional equipment for baths, saunas and spas. Here is the best assembly and only the most reliable materials. The device is controlled from your own tablet, in which you can set different modes and even combine them in your own order. The device is not afraid of moisture and is equipped with its own steam generator. There is also a container for aromatic liquids. The programmed modes include Russian and Finnish baths, as well as a sauna with aromatherapy and a spa. In general, maximum equipment and top performance.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Reliable device
• Many programmable and custom modes
• Maximum optional equipment
• Convenient control

• Very high price
• A rare guest in retail stores

See also:

• 10 best stoves for Russian baths in 2022

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