Sometimes the construction of a permanent bathhouse on a suburban site is considered impractical and quite costly. In this case, a practical and cheap option for a structure that can be made with your own hands in the shortest possible time is a barrel sauna. At the same time, the finished structure can organically combine the healing properties of a classic bath, the beneficial effects of natural wood, the mobility of the structure and ease of use.
Which bathhouse should you choose for your dacha?
In order to make the right choice, you need to decide on the parameters of the bath and know what conditions it must meet. As a rule, there is not a huge area of unoccupied land in the garden that can be used for the construction of a bathhouse. Therefore, it is important that the bath:
- It was compact and didn’t take up much space (beds are important too!)
- It was fully functional (the main thing is the steam room, we add everything else as needed)
- It was mobile (in case of selling a dacha or moving, it would be desirable to be able to move it to another place)
- Didn’t take up a lot of time (we don’t need long construction), warmed up quickly
- Was inexpensive and economical to use
- Was easy to maintain
- Can be ordered assembled or disassembled
Barrel baths satisfy all these conditions. They do not require a special foundation for installation, can be delivered assembled or disassembled, at a price lower than stationary analogues (made of the same type of wood) and are great for installation in a country house, near a cottage or in a garden. If installing a high-quality log house according to a standard project will take you at least 1-2 months, then you will install a barrel sauna in a few hours.
See photos of the most popular barrel sauna models in 2018:
Cedar barrel sauna model Round MINI with veranda, total length 2.5 meters
Okta Exclusive barrel sauna, length 6 meters with side entrance
Round barrel sauna with canopy, total length 4.5 meters
Construction instructions
When the owner of the site has decided what material to build the object from, it is necessary to purchase wood in the required quantity and treat it with antiseptic compounds. After this, it is thoroughly dried, after which you can proceed to construction. First, you should study the drawings. The dimensions of the barrel bath can be different, so you should choose the specific dimensions of the object, focusing on personal needs.
Laying the foundation
First you need to lay the beams. They will act as a foundation, providing support for the structure above the surface.
To create the base, it is best to use beams with the following dimensions: thickness - 4 cm; width - 35 cm. In total you will need 2-4 pieces. Here everything largely depends on how long the structure will be. It is necessary to cut recesses into them, into which the boards of the lower part of the structure will then be laid and secured.
After this, the elements are placed on the prepared surface. They should be located at an equal distance from each other. In this case, the interval between the elements should be such that the first supports the wall with the doorway, and the last is under the rear wall of the object.
After laying all the beams, it is necessary to carry out manipulations to fasten them. Upon completion of this operation, a rigid frame should be formed. Thanks to it, it will be possible to prevent the base elements from moving to the side after installing the main structure on it.
Wall construction
The next step is to make the front and rear walls of the barrel. They should turn out smooth, and their surface should be absolutely flat, without cracks or other defects. It is necessary to apply markings on the walls for windows and doors. The bars are fixed depending on the placement option. Boards will be sewn along them, which will form the side walls of the barrel. The fixation of the bars should occur across the structure.
It is necessary to assemble the frame, and then sew the prepared lumber onto it. When finished it should be a square. You should calculate its middle, and then outline a circle along the surface, and then cut out a circle along the contour. The marking of both walls is done in the same way.
After this, in each circle you should make markings for one or more windows, and also outline a place for the doorway. Next, holes are cut out. If the need arises, the resulting openings are strengthened with bars.
Marking boards, windows and doors
Then actions are carried out aimed at preparing and marking the boards with which the side walls of the building will be built. Special grooves should be created in the places where the casing adjoins the front and rear walls. Their width should match the thickness of the boards in the walls and have a depth of 8-10 mm. It is into these recesses that the bottoms will then have to be inserted.
In this design, doors and windows must be closed hermetically to prevent heated air from escaping. But not everyone can produce such products, so the best solution would be to order the production of windows and glass doors. Proper installation of structures will ensure the tightness of the structure.
Types and models
To date, a large number of types and models of barrel baths have been developed. Main types:
- Round (circle in section)
- Square (the corners are slightly beveled, due to this the bathhouse warms up faster compared to its stationary counterparts)
- Okta (between square and round. In cross-section, it is a “plump” square with rounded corners and convex sides).
- Oval (everything is clear here, the section is oval)
The most popular lately are the Okta barrel saunas, because... they have a larger volume compared to square baths at the same price. The photo below shows the inside of the Okta barrel sauna:
More complete information about this model can be found on the Okta Barrel Bath page - an overview of the pros and cons
You can buy a round bathhouse, the Standard model, inexpensively for a summer house or garden plot (below you will see what it looks like) - with the same configuration, it uses less material, so it is cheaper.
Types of models
Each of the presented types is divided into models. The main models of barrel saunas, depending on the design features:
- Standard (without canopy and veranda),
- With a visor
- With a veranda (verandas can be open or closed),
- With canopy and veranda at the same time
Barrel sauna Round Standard, length 3 meters
Round barrel sauna with veranda, length 5 meters
Barrel sauna with an open veranda
Baths also differ in the type of entrance. Depending on the location of the front door, barrel baths are:
- with end entry
- with side entrance
6-meter barrel baths with a side entrance are called Exclusive. Those. you can order a square or Octa Exclusive - it will be clear that this is a 6-meter sauna with a side entrance.
As a rule, large baths 5-6 meters long are ordered with a side entrance. The entrance can be through the rest room or through the washing department.
Mobile barrel sauna
A separate type is a mobile sauna (or a barrel sauna on a trailer). Any model of bathhouse from 2 to 4 meters long can be installed on the trailer. With such a bathhouse you can go not only to the dacha, but also to fishing, hunting, friendly gatherings on the river bank, around the fire...
In exceptional cases, a mobile 5-meter sauna is ordered; it requires a trailer with a larger carrying capacity.
Mobile barrel sauna with canopy, bathhouse length 5 meters.
All information on this type of sauna can be found on the page Mobile barrel sauna on a trailer
Barrel sauna. Design whim or practical design?
The first thing that attracts the eye in this design is its unusual appearance. A huge wooden barrel laid on its side looks great on any site. A simple association will tell you about its purpose: “barrel-water-steam room”.
In addition to the original design, the barrel-shaped bathhouse has important practical advantages:
- The cylindrical shape of the surface minimizes heat loss. To fully warm up such a bath, 8-9 logs are enough.
- In terms of speed of temperature rise, a barrel sauna is superior to rectangular-shaped structures. In it you won’t have to wait long for the “first steam”. In just 30 minutes the air heats up to a comfortable Finnish sauna temperature (+90 C).
- The low weight allows this structure to be placed on any flat and solid base (concrete area, asphalt, compact soil).
- You can steam in an insulated sauna all year round. Thanks to the small volume and operation of a compact stove-heater, the temperature in the steam room does not decrease even in severe frost.
- A barrel sauna is cheaper than a regular sauna.
The main disadvantage of budget designs is relative cramped space. Two people can hardly pass each other in the central aisle.
The internal layout of the structure depends on its length. The smallest mobile barrel sauna, 2 meters long, consists of one steam room. Here you have to undress and dress under a canopy (if provided) crowning the front door.
The absence of a washing compartment inside suggests the installation of such a bath next to a swimming pool or wooden plunge pool.
In addition to the steam room, in a three-meter barrel there is a small changing room 1 meter long.
In a 4-meter bathhouse, the layout does not change. The length of the benches in the locker room increases to 2 meters.
The maximum size of wooden barrel-shaped structures is 6 meters. It is enough to accommodate a steam room, a washroom and a rest room.
The height of a standard barrel sauna is 2.2 meters. Thanks to this, even a very tall person feels comfortable inside it.
In addition to the traditional round shape, manufacturers offer oval and square designs.
In addition to the end location of the doors, there are baths with a side entrance.
This solution divides the room into two functional zones: a sauna and a relaxation room. The space behind the front door is reserved for the dressing room.
Bituminous shingles are used to cover bathhouses. This material is durable and beautiful. Its main advantage is that it fits perfectly on any curved surface.
Some manufacturers cover their structures with pitched roofs made from OSB boards. One can argue with such a decision. Rainwater drains quickly from the round surface and there is no need for an additional canopy. However, some customers consider the pitched roofing option the most attractive.
The stove-heater is the “heart” of any bathhouse. The barrel-shaped design implements one of three modifications:
- Electric heater;
- Wood stove with chimney;
- Wood burning stove with hot water tank.
The chimney is led to the roof or passed through the end wall.
The barrel sauna board is made from coniferous wood (pine, cedar, spruce, fir, larch). For interior decoration, linden, aspen, alder, oak or cedar are used. To increase water resistance, they are impregnated with linseed oil.
Some manufacturers offer customers a combined housing option. They assemble the lower part of the barrel from rot-resistant larch, and the upper part is made from pine.
Parameters and equipment
When choosing a barrel sauna for a summer residence, we are interested in the following parameters:
- Bath length
- Number of compartments (this is related to the length. It is impossible to make several compartments in a 2-meter sauna, otherwise you will have to steam while standing)
- Diameter (width-height)
- Weight (you will need this parameter when you order a manipulator in order to remove the bathhouse from the truck using slings and install it on your site)
The length of the bath can vary from 2 meters (the smallest) to 6 meters. Step 50 cm. 6 meters is the maximum length of the product, because This is the maximum length of the profile board. It is not recommended to make a barrel sauna in a composite manner, otherwise there is a possibility that there may be cracks in the joints, which may allow penetration through them. Such a bath cools down faster and has a shorter service life. Make barrel baths only from a single length of board! Below you will see a video of the material preparation and assembly process.
The standard diameter of round and square barrel baths is 2100 mm. If desired, its diameter can be increased to 2200 mm and 2300 mm. Of course, it is possible to make a product with a larger diameter, but then your bathhouse in its finished (assembled) form will not fit into the truck for subsequent transportation.
If you need to order a bathhouse of a larger diameter, delivery in disassembled form (as a kit for self-assembly) is possible. The standard diameter of the Okta barrel bath is 2200 mm.
The weight of the bath depends on its size (length) and model.
Material selection
A smart and prudent builder will make a barrel sauna from such types of wood as:
- oak is a tree that is undeniably strong and resistant to dampness, and also has a beautiful pattern when cut;
- linden, famous for its healing properties and excellent ability to retain heat, but quickly deteriorates when exposed to moisture;
- aspen, comparable in strength to linden, is impervious to dampness and does not change its shape.
A bathhouse made from quality material will last longer
Pine needles are definitely not suitable for making a barrel bath. This type of wood is enriched with resins, which scatter through the air at high temperatures. In extreme cases, only the skeleton of a non-standard bathhouse can be built from coniferous trees.
The only coniferous tree that will not make you regret building a room for water treatments is cedar. The structure of the material created from this wood is dense and therefore does not change under the influence of hot steam.
It is not entirely advisable to use metal when constructing a barrel sauna, since under the influence of heat it becomes heated and can burn the skin. But it is not prohibited to use metal parts for the construction of a non-standard bathhouse. We are talking about corners, rims and other elements responsible for the reliability of the structure.
Weight of a round bath, model Standard
| Length, m | 2 | 3 | 3,5 | 4 | 4,5 | 5 | 5,5 | 6 | 6 Exclusive |
| Weight, kg | 800 | 1000 | 1100 | 1300 | 1400 | 1500 | 1700 | 1900 | 2000 |
The table shows approximate data on the weight of a round barrel bath, Standard model, depending on the length.
- If you have a round barrel sauna model with a veranda, add 200 kg to the table values
- For Round model with visor add 100 kg
- For the Round model with a canopy and veranda, add 300 kg to the weight of the bathhouse indicated in the table
What do the owners say?
The positive emotions of those who bought a barrel sauna, as they say, “flow over the edge.” An original appearance, a beautiful interior, a pleasant aroma of wood, a hot steam room and the pleasure of bathing procedures are the main advantages of such a purchase.
However, as often happens with wooden structures, after 2-3 years, reviews from owners contain complaints about the boards drying out and cracks appearing. Additional tightening of the hoops does not always eliminate them. The reason for this lies in poor quality preparation of lumber before processing. A poorly dried board will shrink beyond the permissible limit.
Another typical problem is rotting of boards in the area of sewer drain holes. It occurs due to a violation of wood antiseptic technology. You can avoid these unpleasant moments. To do this, before purchasing, you need to pay attention not only to the manufacturers’ price tags. It is much more important to communicate with the real owners of their products. The information received from them will be objective and unbiased.
Those who want to use a bathhouse all year round are often concerned about the suitability of such a building in winter. The way out of this situation is additional internal insulation. However, reviews from some owners indicate that a well-built bathhouse copes well with its tasks in winter even without insulation.
Weight of the barrel sauna Square and Okta, model Standard
| Length, m | 2 | 3 | 3,5 | 4 | 4,5 | 5 | 5,5 | 6 | 6 Exclusive |
| Weight, kg | 1000 | 1300 | 1450 | 1600 | 1750 | 1900 | 2050 | 2200 | 2200 |
The table shows approximate data on the weight of the barrel bath, Standard model, depending on the length.
- If you have a barrel bath model with a veranda, add 200 kg to the table values
- For model with visor add 100 kg
- For a model with a canopy and veranda, add 300 kg to the weight of the bathhouse indicated in the table
Bath layout options
Depending on the dimensions of the barrel bath, it can be equipped with from one to three internal compartments. The steam room itself, where the stove and beds are located, is about 2–2.5 m in length. The six-meter structure usually also provides space for a dressing room (with a changing room and a table) and a washroom. Sometimes an impromptu porch is made in front of the entrance, slightly increasing the size of the roof - so as to create a canopy.
The door to the oval bath can be located either on the front side or on the side. Internal passages are usually covered with a sheet of tempered glass. Thanks to transparent inserts, a small room seems lighter and more spacious. Windows in the steam room significantly improve air exchange, which is very important for creating a comfortable microclimate. For this reason, two small gaps are left on the end side near the stove - on either side of the chimney. An additional window can also be in the dressing room if there is a relaxation area with benches and a table there.
Installation of a barrel sauna
Installation does not require a special foundation; you can simply prepare a flat area. The barrel sauna is installed on support legs. This is, as a rule, a beam 100mm thick and 1800mm long.
The number of supports depends on the length of the barrel bath and is installed under each partition in the bath. Additional support is provided if the bathhouse has a veranda.
Material selection
The most commonly used material for a barrel sauna is wood. Buildings can be constructed from wood using:
- oak;
- larch;
- linden;
- cedar.
The usual coniferous species - spruce, pine - are not very suitable for a barrel bath (due to the possible release of resin), they can be used to make a frame structure, but deciduous trees can be safely used for interior decoration.
Each wood has its positive and negative sides. Linden is the best option for finishing a steam room. It has bactericidal, anti-inflammatory properties, while it has low thermal conductivity and will not become a source of skin burns.
A more economical option is to use steamed aspen wood, which is also useful in combating various health problems.
Alder boards are quite suitable for constructing benches. But alder, as well as birch and fir, are not suitable for building the structure itself.
The use of metal for the construction of such a bath device is undesirable due to its rapid heating for safety reasons. But the use of metal elements is not prohibited. These can be corners, rims and other elements to impart rigidity to the structure.
To protect the barrel sauna and extend its service life, you can make a roof from a metal profile.
What kind of wood is suitable for a bathhouse?
Not every wood is suitable for building a bathhouse or house. For comparison, let's consider the most popular species of coniferous trees - pine, cedar and larch. Visually they are similar to each other and seem to be no different. However, there are differences in the characteristics important for construction.
- Siberian larch is one of the most valuable wood species for construction. The wood is impregnated with resin, which has antiseptic properties. The main disadvantage of larch is its high thermal conductivity (larch baths will be 25-30% cooler than those made from pine and 45% cooler than those made from cedar) and a fairly high price. It is recommended to use this type of wood in the construction of baths - for logs, floors and the initial three crowns of walls. It is preferable to make the rest from cedar or pine.
- Cedar is the most healing tree of its fellows. Its resins are medicinal. The wood is dense and does not rot. Sauna barrels made of cedar have their unsurpassed advantage - a special aroma, light air and healthy steam that is beneficial for the body. In addition, cedar has the lowest thermal conductivity of all available options, i.e. the walls of the bathhouse will retain heat longer and you will be able to steam in a cedar bathhouse even in winter.
- Pine is easy to process and is considered a good building material. In terms of resistance and durability, it is inferior to larch and cedar. Pine is affordable and quite durable, but its thermal conductivity is too high for baths. Pine baths will cool down quickly; you won’t be able to take a steam bath in them in winter, even in light frost. In addition, pine must be treated with special antiseptic compounds, because it is susceptible to rotting. This is due to the fact that the upper layers of pine are softer; they are able to absorb moisture and, because of this, are most susceptible to blueing and rotting of the fabric.
More detailed information on the properties and characteristics of wood can be found on the page Why cedar is the best wood for a bathhouse. There you will also find a thermal conductivity table so you can compare the data yourself and choose the best option for your construction. Thus, we can conclude that the warmest and most durable barrel saunas are made from cedar.
The question is often asked: “What kind of wood and how to choose a bathhouse so that it does not “cry”?”
Those. It is necessary that the wood releases less resin when heated. The place where resin is released is the knots. But you will never find wood that is completely free of knots. Knots are where the branch used to be. There are no trees without branches. But a responsible manufacturer will never make shelves and ladders from boards with a lot of knots. This is exactly what you need to pay attention to, so that, if possible, the number of knots is minimal and there are the fewest of them on the benches, floor and ladders.
In addition, you need to know that pine and spruce emit resin more strongly. If you are building a bathhouse from pine, at least make the shelves and benches from other wood.
Types of wood for a barrel-shaped sauna
The most popular material for constructing a round bathhouse is wood. For these purposes, it is better to use bath tree species: larch, oak, cedar, linden and aspen.
- Oak buildings are wear-resistant and durable. They are inert to rotting, cracking and deformation. The wood cut has an attractive texture and pleasant aroma. The disadvantages of such wood are the high cost and complexity of pre-processing.
- Linden buildings are practical and safe. Linden baths have a beneficial effect on the human body, promoting rejuvenation and cleansing. Linden lumber is easy to process and assemble; in addition, it has high heat capacity, but is short-lived and susceptible to rotting.
- Aspen buildings are affordable and cheap. In terms of its performance characteristics, aspen is not inferior to linden, but at the same time it is resistant to overheating, cracking and deformation.
You should not use coniferous wood to build a bathhouse, which contains a large amount of resins that are released when the lumber is heated.
The exception is cedar lumber, which has a powerful healing effect on the body. The cedar bath is especially useful for people suffering from diseases of the respiratory system.
Important! Coniferous wood (spruce, pine) is suitable for assembling the frame, and hardwood is suitable for interior decoration.
For the manufacture of bath equipment and furniture, cheaper materials are widely used - alder, fir and birch. But they are absolutely unsuitable for building a bathhouse.
Sections in the barrel sauna: steam room, washing room and locker room
Depending on the length of the barrel bath, it can consist of one, two or three compartments.
A two-meter barrel sauna is just a steam room. You can increase its length to 2.5 meters, but the number of compartments will not change. Only the steam room. Two-meter barrel baths are made both standard and with a canopy, and with a veranda, and both together.
Three to four meter barrel baths consist of 2 compartments. Usually this is a steam room and a locker room, but you can make a steam room and a washing area. It all depends on your desire and your preferences.
Starting from 4.5 meters and up to 6 meters, the barrel sauna easily accommodates 3 full-fledged compartments: a steam room, a washing compartment and a locker room. In the Exclusive model and models with a side entrance, instead of a locker room, they make a rest room - with a table at the end wall of the bathhouse.
Steam room
In a standard steam room, a wood-burning stove or electric heater is installed in the center, with curtains on the sides. On the end wall of the bathhouse there is a window measuring 20 cm x 40 cm and a ventilation grill. See photo:
Steam room in a barrel bath with a wood stove. View inside
In all compartments there are cedar ladders on the floor. If you order a prefabricated (finished) bathhouse, then turnkey electrical wiring is already installed, and there are lamps in each compartment.
Steam room in a barrel bath with an electric heater. View inside
You can choose from a wood-burning stove with an external or internal firebox or an electric heater. If you want to have a small home sauna, order an electric heater.
In square baths and in Okta, a two-level shelf is installed in the steam room:
Two-level shelves in the steam room
Washing department
In the washing compartment, as standard, there are two canopies on the sides, on which you can place a tub of cold water or a bowl of hot water. If the size of the compartment is at least 1.2 meters, you can attach a dousing device (hanging tub), photo below:
Spray device in the washing compartment
Some people install a shower, water heater or even a font in the washing compartment:
Cedar font in the wash compartment
There is a drain in the steam room and washing compartment - this is a hole measuring 50 mm. How best to organize a drain under a barrel sauna can be read in the article How to make a drain in a barrel sauna. There it is described in detail with photos and videos.
Locker room or rest room
In barrel baths with a side entrance you can make a rest room; in ordinary baths with an end entrance there is a locker room or dressing room. As is clear from the name, the main purpose of the locker room is to undress and go steam. In between entering the steam room, you can sit and relax; for this purpose, there are benches on both sides of the dressing room. If the length of the compartment allows, you can make a bench on one side, and on the other - a table in the middle and on the sides of the seat.
See photos of the locker room in a round barrel sauna:
Changing room in a round bath
This is what the locker room looks like in the Okta barrel sauna:
Locker room in Okta
Below is a photo of the relaxation room in a square barrel bath Exclusive:
Rest room in a square barrel sauna Exclusive
But they ordered such a relaxation room from us at Okta Exclusive. The table was made folding, and additionally it was possible to arrange the benches as a table or a sun lounger. In such a bathhouse it’s good not only to take a steam bath, but also to sleep!
Lounge room in Okta with a lounger and folding table
All prefabricated baths include turnkey electrical wiring. Lamps are installed in each department, at the entrance there is a machine for external connection to the network and a switch in the dressing room.
Advantages and disadvantages of designs
The first mentions of barrel saunas appeared on our portal back in 2012, but active discussion and exchange of experience began another year later. And these days, in three threads of the topic, a solid layer of first-hand information has been accumulated. Barrel baths are attractive for many reasons.
Aleksandr_96FORUMHOUSE Member
I never thought about building a classic bathhouse (log house) at my dacha, because I didn’t want to deal with a full-fledged construction project - approval of the building, changes in the cadastre, foundation, log house, standing for a year... etc., etc. Moreover My father has such a bathhouse on a neighboring property. In 2022, I accidentally came across a barrel sauna; in my opinion, I saw it on the Internet, became interested, and began to look and study. I went to the portal forum, and there were 250 pages of information and experience of people who had already installed a barrel sauna. Thanks to the creators of the site and to you, dear forum users! I read all 300 pages (while I was reading, the forum was still growing) and realized that the barrel sauna suits me in all respects. The design itself is an original form, ease of construction (assembly), ease of placement on the site, price (whatever one may say, cheaper than a log bathhouse), no need for registration, ease of operation. If you have the “correct” stove, you can use the Russian bath mode, and another plus, which probably won’t be useful to me personally, is its mobility – if necessary, moving around the site or beyond.
In terms of the comfort level of the bathhouses, the inside of the barrels is practically not inferior to conventional structures - a height of 2.1 m is quite enough even for people with above average height, and it is not customary to make rooms in bathhouses with high ceilings. Compact sizes are also typical for most average baths, and there is no comparison with luxury complexes in principle.
Another advantage is the already mentioned ergonomics - due to the absence of corners, barrel saunas heat up quickly enough from just a couple of linings. Moreover, the barrels are oriented to the Russian bath regime, with high humidity and medium heating, and usually no one tries to bring them up to 100˚C.
It is not without its drawbacks.
- Cost - for a mini sauna, a spruce barrel with one steam room in the base, excluding the foundation, you will have to pay about one hundred thousand rubles, which is not an affordable amount for everyone. Yes, a log house or bathhouse made of stone (brick) will be even more expensive, but if you build the frame with your own hands and spend only on materials, then for this amount you can actually get a steam room, a washing room, and a dressing room.
- Linked to the season - manufacturers position their products as year-round use and, if desired, even in frosty weather, it is quite possible to heat a barrel sauna, and reviews confirm this. Another thing is that at sub-zero temperatures overboard, even with a completely sealed circuit, a homogeneous wall, only 40-45 mm thick (log cross-section is about 300 mm), will not be able to retain heat for a long time. And the consumption of firewood for winter will be an order of magnitude greater, both for heating and for maintaining heat during the process. If you plan to use it all year round and have a washing machine, you should think about an insulated barrel.
Extr1970FORUMHOUSE Member
The length of the barrel bath is 6 m, the diameter is 2.45 m, the steam room is 2.2 m, the wash room is 2 m, the locker room is 1.5 m. The inside of the barrel is insulated with 5 mm foil insulation (like penofol), then lathing and cedar lining. The shelves are also cedar, the floor is larch. A 60 liter hot water tank hangs in the washing room on a partition, it is connected to the register on the stove pipe by a 32 mm pipe, the route is long, so I installed a circulation pump in the system, everything works well. Bach HV 90 liters is also in the washing room, screwed to the floor. I plan to raise one shelf in the steam room by 40 centimeters - lying down to steam is a bit low.
I was looking for a barrel sauna with insulation and finishing - just 40 mm boards in severe frost will cause large heat losses, the washing room will dry out quickly in the first place. I wanted to get a full bath service in a barrel - a locker room, a washing room, a steam room, and I immediately thought about insulation. But in a pure steam room you could do without it, especially with a powerful stove. The company is in Moscow, but production is in Chelyabinsk. The barrel was not cheap, but I don’t regret the money - I like it, and the design is unusual.
Negative reviews about the inconvenience of barrel baths are associated not with the parameters of the design itself, but with inflated expectations - naturally, washing in a steam room is not entirely convenient; it is logical that four people cannot sit comfortably in two squares. But these are not hidden shortcomings, which there is no way to know in advance, but the specifics of mobile baths.
Preparing a profiled board for assembling a barrel bath
The quality of the bath itself largely depends on the quality of the material. Even the most wonderful craftsmen will not be able to make a good bathhouse from poorly processed, undried boards. When choosing a material or a finished barrel bath, be sure to pay attention to this.
The board must be processed on a special four-sided machine and the wood must be brought to a certain optimal degree of wood moisture content of 8-12%. Watch a video about how to properly prepare wood for further manufacturing of a barrel sauna:
The tongue-and-groove board processing technology allows you to assemble a bathhouse without gaps and cracks, due to which heat is retained as well as possible.
This drawing clearly shows with what technology it is possible to process boards in this way, and how such a board profile is obtained:
Assembling the base for a round bath
A frame barrel sauna does not require a foundation. It can be installed on any flat surface - concrete, asphalt, crushed stone, covered with turf or tiled.
For the base, high-quality edged boards with a thickness of 5 mm or more are used. Crossbars are mounted in increments of 150 cm, so the number is determined by the dimensions of the building.
Round grooves are made on the crossbars that correspond to the contours of the bathhouse. For this purpose, special patterns made of durable material are used. The width of the rest of the lumber is 10 cm.
The parts are connected to each other with screws, and to reinforce the finished structure, metal corners are used, which are fixed in the corners and at the joints of the longitudinal boards and crossbars.
Coating inside and outside
The inner surface of the barrel sauna is covered with natural wax or special oils for wood. This allows it not to lose its qualities for a long time and last longer. It is recommended to treat the inner surface after 30 times of use, but at least 2 times a year.
External treatment of the barrel bath is carried out as needed, but at least once every 2 years. For this purpose, protective antiseptic agents are used, which contain wax. All work is carried out at an ambient temperature not lower than +5 degrees C.
The color of the outer covering can be varied, for example: mountain ash, Oregon, walnut oak:
The color of soft tiles can also be chosen to suit your taste - brown, green, red.
Floors and interior finishing
It is better to make the internal lining of the bathhouse and the floors from hardwood boards: they do not heat up so much and make the steam in the bathhouse light and the air fragrant. The floor is made with a slope towards the water drainage, and a slope of 1 degree per meter of floor length is sufficient. To improve circulation, place a grid of boards on the floor with gaps between them of at least 1 cm. This will ensure the floor warms up. Canopies and benches are installed along the walls. Electrical wiring is carried out when assembling the bathhouse, using a cable in non-flammable insulation and hermetically sealed lighting fixtures.
The barrel sauna can be assembled in a few days, and will delight you with light steam for many years. Care and maintenance of the bathhouse is simple - it needs to be ventilated after use and coated with protective compounds inside and out once every one to two years. Of course, we advise you to read about: a do-it-yourself sauna on wheels, as well as about a do-it-yourself log sauna.
Doors in barrel baths
In standard models of a round barrel bath, the intersection doors are made of wood, in square and Okta models - of heat-resistant glass. You can also make the doors between the compartments half made of wood with glass inserts.
The front door has either a padlock or a mortise lock. Some install a metal entrance door with anti-corrosion coating:
DIY barrel-font
Making a barrel-font with your own hands is not at all difficult. The same materials should be used as for the bathhouse (high-quality and stable wood of the required width, length and thickness). Its volume is much smaller and takes little time to manufacture. The fastening is made of metal – stainless steel. Interior decoration - benches, seats, shelves are made at your discretion. They can have any shape and be located on both sides or in a circle. Experts recommend installing handrails on the sides. Thanks to them, you can climb inside the font without slipping. If desired, antiseptics, fungal and rodent repellents are also used.
Such a bathhouse will be an excellent decoration for any plot of land. It is compact, original and interesting. This is a profitable option for a small company or family of up to 5-6 people.
Which stove should I install?
A wood-burning stove with an internal or external firebox, or an electric heater, is usually installed in a barrel bath. It all depends on your preferences and capabilities. When choosing a stove, you should take into account the fact that electricity is constantly becoming more expensive, and in cold weather it is quite difficult and time-consuming to heat a sauna with an electric heater. If your region has frosty winters, and you plan to steam in both summer and winter, choose a wood stove.
Many people prefer a wood-burning stove with a firebox on the outside, because no matter how careful you are, you will have to clean out the ash from the firebox and you will inevitably end up with a mess.
The following brands of wood-burning stoves have proven themselves well: Rus 9, HARVIA M2 and GRILL'D Aurora 160. Their characteristics are well suited for heating this particular volume of barrel baths and are relatively inexpensive.
Types of structures
In our country, it is proposed to purchase or build barrel saunas of two types: Finnish and Russian. Finnish barrel saunas are slightly different from Russian ones. In Russian baths, the steam is more humid than in Finnish ones, so the temperature inside can warm up to 120 degrees, but this is not always good.
The Russian barrel sauna has an identical shape to the Finnish one, but the humidity inside the steam room is higher, which is healthier for most people. In our baths they use fragrant brooms and various attributes, which already resembles some kind of sacrament.
The oval barrel sauna can be either Finnish or Russian. It has its own privileges among others because it warms up very quickly. Such barrel baths are simply necessary on the site in winter!
Barrel sauna
Pine barrel sauna
Pine barrel sauna
Characteristics of the wood-burning stove GRILL'D Aurora 160
| 1 | Power | 16 kW |
| 2 | Estimated volume of heated room | 6-16 m3 |
| 3 | Dimensions (D x W x H) | 615 x 460 x 782 mm |
| 4 | Weight | 44 kg |
| 5 | Mass of stones for laying | 58 kg |
| 6 | Chimney diameter | 115 mm |
| 7 | Heat exchanger | No |
| 8 | Door | steel with glass |
| 9 | Kamenka | open |
| 10 | Frame | casing-convector |
| 11 | Firebox material | structural steel |
A chimney with a 50-liter hot water tank is installed on the wood-burning stove. The tank has a tap for draining water. In half an hour, the steam room warms up to +90 degrees Celsius, while the water in the tank heats up to +70 degrees.
The oven is installed on a heat-resistant stainless steel screen. A thermal screen is also provided on the wall side to protect it from overheating.
The chimney is usually brought out through the roof, but in some cases it is also made through the side wall. More detailed information on barrel sauna stoves and step-by-step instructions for assembling a chimney can be found in the article.
Factory assembly kits
Manufacturers offer not only turnkey barrel saunas, but also kits that are easy to assemble yourself. This is a more budget-friendly option, and the assembly procedure is simple.
The kit consists of fitted parts with a groove connection. The step-by-step instructions included with the kit will help you cope with installation.
On average, it will take about 8 hours to assemble a kit from the manufacturer. Any dacha owner who has no experience in such work can cope with the task.
The kit for assembling a barrel bath includes:
- Parts for assembling all parts of the structure;
- Stainless steel ties with adjustment mechanism;
- Fittings, glass, decorative elements;
- Shelves, benches, floor panels;
- Fire protection parts for furnace equipment.
Additional options that will need to be ordered separately include a stove, water tank, electrics, and factory painting of parts.
Foundation or platform?
In order to install a barrel sauna on your site, you do not need a special foundation. It is enough to prepare a well-leveled area. How to prepare it is up to you. Some fill it with crushed stone, others line it with paving slabs, others decide to put the bathhouse on small concrete piles, or even make a real podium for their bathhouse complex, see photo:
Base
Base for a barrel sauna
There is, as a rule, no need for a foundation. It is enough to prepare a flat area and place a special base on it, which will serve as a reliable support for the structure of a round shape.
The following can be used as such a platform:
- completely concreted or asphalted area;
- concreted area with paving slabs laid on the screed;
- an ordinary well-compacted soil surface with a wooden board laid on it;
In addition, an old reinforced concrete slab of suitable size can be used to prepare a level area.
Reinforced concrete slab as a platform
When assembling the support base, try to adhere to the following recommendations:
- To equip it, a high-quality edged board with a thickness of at least 5 cm must be used, pre-treated with a special impregnation or any other composition that protects the wood from rotting.
- The distance between the transverse support boards should be no more than 1.5 meters, and their total number should be selected based on the size of the bathhouse.
- During the assembly process, a rounded recess is made on the crossbar boards, exactly repeating the contours of the structure installed on them (when preparing the recess, be sure to ensure that the unselected part of the board is at least 10 cm on each side).
- To give the structure additional rigidity when assembling the structure, you should use metal blanks installed in corner joints and at the joints of individual base elements.
