How to properly process aspen lining for a bathhouse

Every owner who decides to build a bathhouse wonders which clapboard is best to cover his steam room. And here many factors must be taken into account, such as: smell, strength, durability, as well as aesthetic beauty. Aspen lining for your bathhouse is the most suitable option, as it meets all the requirements. The choice in favor of such material is quite obvious.

Each type of wood from which the panels for sauna cladding are made has unique properties. But most owners choose aspen, and in this article we will look at why.

The undeniable advantages of aspen

This type of wood is deciduous and has a fairly high density, about 490 kg per cubic meter. Aspen is a worthy competitor to coniferous wood, has unique characteristics, and, of course, its moderate price is an undeniable advantage. Thanks to all these qualities and many others, lining made from this material is in demand among consumers and is a favorite material of craftsmen.

Everyone will agree that a bath should not only tone up, but also relieve tension and relax. And it is deciduous trees, such as aspen and linden, that will give such a result. A bathhouse lined with panels of such species will increase the relaxing effect of bathing procedures.

Aspen has unique advantages, first of all, it is the smell; the aroma of the wood of this species fills the bathhouse with a fresh, bitter spirit of health. Well, and secondly, but not least - high sensitivity to air humidity - such material remarkably absorbs moisture, which creates in the steam room the effect of moisture formation not only from the surface of the heater, which was doused with liquid, but generally from the entire area of ​​the wall.

Of course, when choosing material for cladding, quality should be the main priority. It is much better to purchase high-quality lining from inexpensive wood than to buy more expensive linden, but of lower quality. Low-quality and insufficiently dried material will lead to the fact that in a couple of years you will have to change some cladding elements, or, well, replace all the panels.

Features of aspen cladding

When aspen wood is processed correctly and technological rules are observed during drying, a stunning result is obtained. The wood acquires special strength, then the ax bounces off it, and even a nail is not easy to drive into such material.

The decoration of a bathhouse or sauna does not tolerate inattention even to the smallest details. Any element is equally important and should not be neglected, such as the stove, chimney, thermal insulation, and the structure itself.

When laying the thermal insulation material, the sheathing slats where the aspen panels will be attached are made a couple of centimeters smaller so that the panel fits more tightly between them.

Safety and comfort in the bathhouse are determined by the interior decoration, so we will pay close attention to this.

So:

• The instructions for covering ceilings and walls in the steam room recommend installing profiles either horizontally or vertically;
• Vertical installation involves the use of short materials, which are an order of magnitude cheaper than a long profile;
• The joint must be calculated so that it is not visible behind the back or shelf; we disguise the joints behind any decorative elements;
• This trick will help you save on material, as well as get rid of gaps between panels during temperature changes, from normal to high and back;
• In visible areas of the steam room, you should use a profile of a class not lower than “A”, while under the shelves, in order to save money, you can use a material of a lower grade, for example, “B”;
• When the panels are installed correctly, the finish acquires a particularly aesthetically pleasing appearance;
• Before installing the panels, it is necessary to carry out work on thermal insulation of the room; as a rule, the choice of material remains with the owner of the bathhouse, but the craftsmen recommend using basalt wool with a thickness of at least 5-10 cm;
• Thermal insulating wool is mounted between the lathing slats, in cells measuring 50x50 or 100x50 cm, installed on the wall and ceiling;
• Mineral wool is covered with foil, which reflects heat and also provides vapor barrier;
• The joints should be glued with foil self-adhesive;
• A lathing with cells of 20x40 cm is installed on the installed mineral wool with vapor barrier;
• Air movement is ensured by gaskets 10-20 mm thick, secured under the sheathing bars;
• Installation of aspen lining begins from the left corner of any wall;
• When installing panels, especially if you do it yourself, it is best to use clapboard clamps, driven in with special nails or screwed with stainless steel screws to the sheathing slats;
• The installation of the lining is considered complete only after fastening the aspen fillets in the corners, as well as at the joints of the ceiling and walls;
• In order to extend the life of the wood, as well as to ensure easy maintenance, the panels are impregnated with protective agents based on natural wax and special oils.

Briefly about the main thing

A modern finishing material is lining for steam rooms and other bathhouses. Pine, aspen, oak, linden, cedar slats and alder panels are produced with Shtil, Euro, Standard, Soft-line profiles. They differ in the presence or absence of rounded corners and the length of the spike. At the same time, manufacturers produce regular and eurolining. It is European standard lumber that is used for interior decoration of bathhouses. Its installation on the walls and ceiling is carried out after installing the sheathing, laying insulation and vapor barrier, and securing the counter-batten.

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Advantages of aspen lining

After the owner has erected a steam room on his property, the question arises of how to line the inside of the room. Every sane person decides in favor of an aspen profile. Let's consider the beneficial qualities of panels made from this type of wood.

So:

1. Aspen wood does not warp or crack, and is also resistant to high humidity, which is what distinguishes saunas and steam rooms;
2. A product made from this rock is not subject to rotting;
3. Even with high humidity, aspen does not change its appearance and remains clean and light;
4. It withstands impacts well and is also resistant to mechanical stress;
5. Due to the fact that this type of wood is very difficult to heat up, unlike other types, touching such a profile will not cause inconvenience or discomfort to people in the steam room;
6. This wood, which is minimally resinous, does not release resin during heating, which is extremely important in a bathhouse to avoid burns;
7. A unique feature of this breed is that it kills harmful fermentation fungi. Our ancestors also used this feature by placing aspen logs in tubs in which cabbage was fermented. Such cabbage did not become acidic, did not become rotten or moldy;
8. Aspen cladding has a healing effect on the human body;
9. Joint diseases, as well as various bronchitis, go away much easier and faster with frequent interaction of the patient with this type of wood;
10. The aroma of this wood contains some bitterness, but aspen has anthelmintic and anti-inflammatory properties;
11. Like a vampire tree, lining made from this type of wood has the effect of drawing out negative energy and alleviates the condition of the sick;
12. Its healing and beneficial qualities are revealed more clearly and effectively when taking bath procedures;

Aspen lining is ideal for a light bathhouse, and this is exactly what your bathhouse will look like when using this type of wood, since aspen has an extraordinary and, at the same time, surprisingly noble property of emitting a silvery glow when covered with a ploughshare. This type of coating was widely used in architecture.

Installation

Sheathing a steam room with your own hands is quite simple if you do everything according to the rules and do not deviate from the installation instructions for this particular finishing material. You should not violate installation technology, since the profile, if installed incorrectly, will quickly become unusable.

Although the aspen profile has a high level of moisture resistance and has a considerable margin of safety, this will not save the panels, if installed poorly, from rapid wear of the material. To avoid negative consequences, a number of necessary requirements must be met:

• Mandatory gap between the profile and the wall to ensure ventilation;
• If the wall is subject to moisture or is itself damp, then it is necessary to treat such a wall with a moisture-proof solution;
• Impregnate the wooden planks of the sheathing generously with primer to prevent the appearance of rot and bark beetles. Also, the sheathing should be impregnated with a fire retardant compound;
• The profile is also treated with protective solutions, after which it must be dried in the yard or on the balcony, and then the panels are put into a steam room - a day before the start of work. During this time, the lining adapts to room temperature and, in general, to the atmosphere of the steam room. This condition must be met to avoid deformation of the panels after installation due to significant temperature differences.

The lining can be installed in three ways: horizontally, vertically and diagonally. The preparation of the walls will depend on which installation method you choose.

Another thing is important: no matter how you install your panels, the sheathing should be positioned perpendicular to your profile.

Laths for sheathing are selected based on the quality of the walls; as a rule, a lath with a cross-section of 40x20 mm or specialized metal profiles are used. If it makes sense to increase insulation by adding a layer of insulation, the slats can be thicker. A distance of at least 400-500 mm must be maintained between the guides. The length of the guide must correspond to the height or width of the walls, it depends on the installation method (horizontal or vertical). If the guide is shorter, the length is increased with an additional beam, the main thing is that the beam is in line with the butt rail.

The sheathing is fixed to the wooden wall with self-tapping screws, but if you have a brick or stone wall, then you need to use dowels. Additional bars are attached around window and door openings, to which platbands and wooden panels are mounted. Holes for sockets and other decorative inserts, as well as for various fasteners, are drilled using a drill attachment - a crown.

After installing the sheathing in your steam room, it is highly recommended to coat the decorative areas of the surface with wood varnish. This procedure will not only significantly improve the appearance of your steam room, but will also significantly increase the service life of the material you have chosen.

Some people use paint instead of varnish, but in this case the unique texture of the wood itself is hidden. The panels should be varnished every year, or at least once every three years. In this case, your profile will be in excellent condition for a long time.

It is important to understand that varnish is a flammable material, so after you have applied varnish to all panels, you need to cover the surface with a special fire retardant solution. Apply the solution to the surface with a roller or brush and then allow it to soak in.

The initial and final aspen panels are fixed at a distance of about 5 mm from the ceiling and walls. This is done to increase ventilation between the panels and the wall. After installing the initial and final panels, minor defects may be revealed, including hidden nail heads or screws; such defects are perfectly masked by baseboards or decorative inserts.

This cladding will serve you faithfully for many more decades; aspen reacts remarkably well to aggressive influences and will not crack, especially with proper use and proper care. Aspen lining for a bathhouse leaves only positive reviews from craftsmen who have dealt with this material, and this material is also widely in demand among modern consumers.

Price overview

The cost of aspen lining depends on the specific manufacturer and category of the selected board. Also, prices may vary slightly in different localities. The coating is sold in factories, construction markets and stores.

Photo - packaging

The lining is often sold in packs of 10 boards each, the sheets are insulated against each other with protective film or cardboard. Price for Extra category packaging, length 1 meter, thickness 15 mm, width 85 mm (one package is enough to cover 1 square meter):

Very well-known manufacturers of aspen lining in St. Petersburg and Krasnoyarsk are LenWood, Stremula and MagaSauna. These companies not only guarantee high quality products, but also provide free delivery of lumber for wholesale purchases.

August 24, 2015 Author: Vladimir Bakaev