Building a bathhouse from a sea container is an affordable and effective solution

The idea of ​​building a bathhouse from a container looks quite unusual. It would seem, why equip a bathhouse in a metal box if you can build a light frame building and arrange the bathhouse according to all the rules. Perhaps the idea is worth trying to put it into practice. Well-appointed houses and cottages are built from container structures, why not at least try to plan how to make a bathhouse from a container.

Features of choosing and installing a stove

Unlike traditional baths, where dozens of types of devices can be used, a compact steam room based on a metal frame can only function with a wood-burning or electric stove.
In conditions of cramped free space, many install a compact metal tank. The easiest way is to buy a factory boiler: on the specialized market you can find small, convenient domestic and foreign models. When choosing a place to install heating equipment, you need to take into account an important condition: heat under the influence of natural air movement must first be directed to the steam room. Therefore, it is recommended to install the stove in the area of ​​the partition separating the washing room from the steam room. A gap of 20 cm must be left between the heating apparatus and the wall in order to comply with fire safety standards

A gap of 20 cm must be left between the heating apparatus and the wall in order to comply with fire safety standards

A gap of 20 cm must be left between the heating apparatus and the wall in order to comply with fire safety standards.

Construction of a sea container

Universal large-capacity containers are designed for the transportation of goods. Their base consists of a durable and rigid metal frame. The thickness of the metal ranges from 1.5 – 2.0 mm. On the inside, the metal structure is lined with steel anti-corrosion sheets with a corrugated profile, which gives it strength and good rigidity. Such modules can withstand various external influences.

The container is equipped with sealed hinged doors with handles that open using locking mechanisms. On the outside of the doors there are symbols: weight, volume, load capacity and others. If there are no inscriptions, the container has been repainted. There may be rust underneath the paint layer.

The weight of a 20-foot container is 2.1 tons, a 40-ton container weighs 3.6 tons.

Containers are not intended for housing. Bare metal conducts heat well, so to live in such an iron box, you first need to insulate the sea container for housing, install ventilation, make windows and doors, redo the floors, and build a roof. Architects are turning ordinary iron boxes into amazing homes and office spaces. They create custom designs and constantly come up with new and improved ideas.

Shipping Container Size Chart

Which container is better to buy for building a bathhouse?

Before building a bathhouse from a sea container, it is necessary to correctly determine its location, taking into account fire safety rules that are relevant for the construction of bathhouses and saunas from any materials:

• the building must be at least 4 m away from the residential building;
• the distance between the bathhouse and the border with the neighboring plot is 5 m or more;
• distance to highways and reservoirs – no less than 20 m.

The following types of sea dry cargo containers are suitable for construction:

• 20´DC is a 20-foot standard container with dimensions 6.1x2.59x2.43 m.
• 20´HC - such modules have the same length and width as a standard 20-foot container, and an increased height of 2.9 m.
• 40´DC. Such modules, having a length of 12.2 m, allow you to build a spacious steam room.
• 40´HC blocks have an increased height of 2.9 m.

The selected area is cleared of debris, the soil is leveled and compacted. A pile foundation is usually used as a base for a bathhouse, which provides floor ventilation. The height of the piles above the ground surface is 200-300 mm, the distance between them is 0.5-1.0 m. The supports are connected to each other with a wooden or metal grillage.

We suggest you read: How to choose hydro- and vapor barrier - types and characteristics of film (with photo)

Before starting construction work, you should choose a suitable place for the bathhouse - 20 meters away from the highway and reservoir, 5 meters from the neighboring site, 4 meters from a residential building.

Next, the location of the wastewater outlet and connection to the central or autonomous water supply system is determined.

You should first build supports from wooden blocks or brick columns. Slag and concrete blocks are also used to build the base for the bathhouse.

If a bathhouse is built without a foundation, then the following measures are taken:

• marking the territory and preparing the site;
• thorough compaction;
• erection of a frame made of bars installed on a brick base;
• installation of the container on the frame.

To raise the supports to the required height, special levers are used.

The most budget-friendly option for building a sauna with your own hands is to use a 5-ton container. However, its length is only 2.5 m with a width of 2.1 m, so it will not be possible to build a full-fledged bathhouse out of it. After selecting a container of a suitable design, it is determined whether measures to strengthen the module are required.

How to prevent corrosion

The metal of most container models has practically no special properties. To protect steel walls from moisture and salts, the surface is phosphated and treated with special primers. If you already have plans to build a bath complex, then it is best to equip the bathhouse with your own hands from a sea container.

Such a building will easily last a couple of decades, while ordinary container boxes can be subject to corrosion due to improper ventilation of the steam room and insulation.

Advice! The simplest way to protect a steel body from corrosion is to use zinc or magnesium anodes. The rods are buried in the ground to a depth of 50-70 cm, and the leads are soldered to the metal walls of the room.

Quality finish

The assembled iron container requires very serious work and finishing. You must carefully check every inch of the iron and remove the old coating. If you see that there are places with some metal corrosion, it should be removed immediately. All corners and crevices must be eliminated and insulated. You also need to insulate the room from the inside. If this work is not done, the bath will heat up poorly and cool down quickly.

Of course, it is advisable to insulate an additional metal frame for the structure and provide hydroprotection to the elements. The base of the frame should be protected from atmospheric influences. It is better to use sheathing and mineral wool.

If you want to improve the appearance of a mobile bathhouse made from an iron container, you can sheathe it with timber. Fortunately, our country has enough timber and its cost is very low. This is quite simple to do. On the Internet and in our article you will see most of the answers to your questions. For safety, it is better to treat the wood with an antiseptic with fire protection before installation, because we are building a bathhouse, and this means an increased temperature and a risk of fire.

We also protect it from moisture from the inside, because there is always high humidity in the steam room. The floor in the locker room should be insulated so that it does not draw cold from the ground. This is done by paving several layers of boards with mineral wool. Think in advance about the shower drain, if you have one, and about electricity.

Peculiarities

Before you start building a bathhouse from containers, you need to know what such a structure is. In short, this is a container made either from a channel or from corners. In addition, the container is very durable. Thanks to this, even a person without experience can build a bathhouse. It is worth noting the pros and cons of containers used in the construction of a bathhouse.

First of all, you need to know that you can build a bathhouse from a container very quickly, it will only take 3-4 weeks . The cost of such a preparation is low. As for loading, you can use special machines for this that can cope with such work without any problems. That is, they will be able not only to load, but also to unload the container anywhere.

However, if such a container is too large, then a special crane will be required for loading it, and a semi-trailer for transportation.

You can build such a bathhouse at any time of the year. If you connect two containers together at once, you get a more functional building.

The container also has some disadvantages.

1. To begin with, it is worth noting that the body of such a product is metal, that is, it can heat up very quickly and also cool down quickly. Therefore, to retain heat you will need high-quality thermal insulation.
2. In addition, over time it can succumb to corrosion, so it must be regularly inspected and any defects that have appeared must be eliminated.
3. The bathhouse will have the same height as the container, because it is almost impossible to change its parameters. Therefore, all this must be taken into account when planning.

Required tools and materials

Several designs of twenty-foot containers are suitable for making your own bath structure. The standard version of the Dry Cube model has a height of 259.1 cm and a width of 243.8 cm. There is also a more voluminous container model - High Cube. It has a height of 289.6 cm and a width of 605.8 cm.

For interior work you will need:

• parts of the electrical network with protective boxes and cable ducts;
• elements of pipelines for water supply and sanitation;
• thermal insulation;
• steam and waterproofing;
• anti-corrosion compounds and protective liquids;
• lining and timber for interior decoration;
• sunbed elements.

Container structures are portable and can be easily transported for installation in another location. They are hygroscopic and are also not susceptible to damage by insect pests and fungal colonies. However, a metal product may experience corrosive changes, which must be taken into account when choosing a method for processing the structure.

What is the value of a container bath

Making a bathhouse from a container box is relatively easy. All you need to do is develop and plan:

• A system of powerful insulation of metal walls, otherwise in winter the sauna from a container will turn into a glacier covered with condensation, and in summer in the sun the temperature will easily reach 70 ° C;
• Ventilation diagram of the internal space and auxiliary insulation cavities;
• Water supply for shower and steam room;
• Installation of a stove or electrical heating connection for lamps and fan drives.

All this is not difficult to do, if not for one “but”. On the one hand, it is possible to sheathe or cover a metal box with bricks, SIP panels, aerated concrete slabs, and problems with room insulation and corrosion protection would be solved. But why then fence a garden with a heavy metal body? Offhand it turns out that it is cheaper to build a bathhouse without a container insert.

Most owners choose to build a bathhouse from a container, photo, if they require:

• Build a bathhouse with a strong frame for installation on heaving loams or sandy quicksand. Buying and building a full-fledged bathhouse from a 20 English foot container will cost less than the hassle of rearranging timber or log crowns;
• Make a small-sized steam room on wheels, which can be taken for a season to a vacation spot, to a country house, or to a full-scale construction site. A bathhouse made from a 5-ton container can easily fit in the back of a Bull or a Ford truck.

Important! A container bathhouse does not require a full foundation, regardless of whether it is a bathhouse made from a 20-foot container, or whether it is planned to use several 5-ton boxes. A fairly flat area filled with sand and gravel is sufficient.

Several container boxes, one of which is allocated for a dacha, after finishing and connecting communications, can easily serve as a full-fledged country house.

If the five-ton truck is used as an extension to an ordinary country house, the task can be simplified. For example, make only a steam room out of a container, and use the premises of a country house for relaxation and washing.

After trimming the side walls, the container body can become a frame for arranging an ordinary stationary bathhouse, built in accordance with all the rules and laws of heating engineering.

• Pour the foundation;
• Spend half a cube of high-quality timber on the arrangement of racks and the upper and lower frame of the frame of the future bathhouse.

It will only be necessary to insulate the bathhouse on a container frame and veneer it both on the inside and on the outside of the building.

Design and zoning options

Below is a diagram of a typical solution:

Scheme of a bathhouse from a container

This bathhouse project from a 20-foot container is formed by three rooms, the total usable area is 10-12 square meters. m. The first right block is a steam room with an installed electric stove, the second is a washing room with a shower, and the third is both a locker room and a resting place.

What does a container bath look like?

The entire interior in this example is finished with clapboard; a block house or siding can be used to cover the facade.

Step-by-step instruction

Converting a twenty-foot container into a country bathhouse begins with the preparation stage and includes the following steps:

1. If the construction option without a foundation is used, then it is necessary to clean and mark the area and thoroughly compact the area. It is also necessary to equip a timber frame on a brick foundation.
2. A waterproofing sand and gravel layer 150–200 mm high is poured onto the prepared area according to the markings, which is carefully compacted and moistened with water.
3. For the installation of a sea container, a columnar foundation made of concrete or brick is built. The monolithic type of foundation is erected using formwork and reinforcement cage.
4. After checking, the entire foundation is leveled using special pads. The container can be mounted using professional equipment and special equipment.
5. Wall, ceiling and floor surfaces require insulation; they must first be cleaned and leveled as thoroughly as possible. Reliable thermal insulation is basalt wool, polyurethane foam or foam sheets, which are laid on top of the waterproofing layer. Thermal insulation work is not carried out on surfaces where heating equipment is supposed to be installed.
6. The final stage of construction and installation activities is the internal arrangement of the bath structure. Installation of an electrical network involves the installation of lighting fixtures and sockets, a machine in the box, as well as fixing the corrugation to bring power out. For this purpose, cables with double insulation and a copper core, which has waterproof protection, are used.
7. The issue of organizing a reliable ventilation system in the form of supply and exhaust openings in all rooms is being resolved.

For the interior lining of the bathhouse, it is recommended to use only natural wood (except coniferous trees). This finishing material is not capable of releasing toxic substances and unpleasant odors during heating. It has an aesthetic appearance and can also retain heat perfectly.

To give the wood sufficient fire resistance and to minimize the risk of fungus appearing under the influence of high moisture, the material must be treated with special protective compounds. The floor covering in the steam room is tilted towards the drain flange.

Bathhouses made from twenty-foot containers are today the simplest and most economical way to arrange a full-fledged structure for water procedures in a suburban area. This design is not only an excellent option to significantly save on building materials and attract workers, but also an opportunity to obtain a safe and all-weather building.

The idea of ​​building a bathhouse from a container looks quite unusual. It would seem, why equip a bathhouse in a metal box if you can build a light frame building and arrange the bathhouse according to all the rules. Perhaps the idea is worth trying to put it into practice. Well-appointed houses and cottages are built from container structures, why not at least try to plan how to make a bathhouse from a container.

Subtleties of finishing work

When deciding how to build a bathhouse from a container, you need to rely on the essence of the base material. The metal base requires a special approach when selecting and assembling the skin.

Interior decoration

Wood is considered the most suitable solution for decorating a bathhouse from a container with your own hands; there are no special requirements for the species, you just need to avoid coniferous materials. Construction using wooden lining allows you to avoid the release of toxic substances and unpleasant odors during heating; the surface retains heat and has an aesthetic appearance.

To increase the resistance of the material to moisture, fire, and damage by microorganisms, it is advisable to impregnate the skin with protective compounds. Please note: you cannot paint the inside of the bathhouse.

Facade cladding

Exterior cladding can be made using a wide range of materials. Bathhouses built from containers and decorated with clapboard look neat and presentable. It is customary to use aspen here, since as a result of drying it acquires special strength and the ability to serve for a long time. Also in demand are oak and pine variations, glassine and heat-resistant plastic.

Selection and installation of the stove

For traditional baths, it is expected to use different types of stove devices, but a small room on a metal frame is best equipped with an electric or wood-burning stove. If there is not much space, then a simple metal tank will be enough. You can purchase a ready-made boiler: the market for domestic and foreign heating equipment offers many options for such cases.

When choosing a place to install a heating unit, keep in mind that heat from the natural flow of air should flow primarily into the steam room. Most often, the stove is installed near the partition between the steam room and shower

It is important to maintain a distance of at least 20 cm between the device and the wall, otherwise a fire may occur

By following simple instructions for converting a sea container, you can quickly become the owner of a personal sauna, made by yourself. It will be a place for improving health and psychological relaxation.

Layout

Everything is standard here. If a 20-foot container is chosen as the basis, then the bathhouse is usually divided into two sections: a dressing room and a shower room (often combined with a steam room). The 40-foot configurations are more like the usual options - a waiting room, separate shower and steam room. It is clear that with a compact footage, each section will hardly accommodate more than one person.

For compact compartments, it is recommended to use electric ovens, which take up little space but use stones to generate heat. In 40-foot baths, you can use a regular “wood stove” with a small boiler.

Container finishing and insulation work

The assembled iron container requires very serious work and finishing. You must carefully check every inch of the iron and remove the old coating. If you see that there are places with some metal corrosion, it should be removed immediately. All corners and crevices must be eliminated and insulated.

Of course, it is advisable to insulate an additional metal frame for the structure and provide hydroprotection to the elements. The base of the frame should be protected from atmospheric influences. It is better to use sheathing and mineral wool.

If you want to improve the appearance of a mobile bathhouse made from an iron container, you can sheathe it with timber. Fortunately, our country has enough timber and its cost is very low. This is quite simple to do. On the Internet and in our article you will see most of the answers to your questions. For safety, it is better to treat the wood with an antiseptic with fire protection before installation, because we are building a bathhouse, and this means an increased temperature and a risk of fire.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with: Sauna in the bathroom: mini-saunas for apartments and houses

After installing and securing the container on the supports, work is carried out to bring the module into proper form:

• Clean surfaces from rust and treat them with anti-corrosion compounds. All existing cracks are filled with putty.
• The inside of the walls is sheathed with thermal insulation, then with foil material.
• A bathhouse made from a 20-foot sea container is usually lined with wooden beams on the outside; examples are shown in the photo. Modern options are profiled or laminated timber. It is treated with compounds to increase moisture and fire resistance.
• Installation of flooring. It is usually made from boards laid on joists. Thermal insulation material is laid between the metal bottom and the boards.
• Installation of double-glazed windows. For this purpose, double-glazed windows are recommended, providing good heat-saving characteristics.
• Installation of partitions. To make the frame, timber is usually used, which is then sheathed with boards. Finishing material – lining. Aspen is traditionally used for finishing interior surfaces. The use of coniferous wood in the steam room is not recommended, since at high temperatures resinous substances are released from it.
• Furnace installation. A modern option for heating a bathhouse is an electric stove. All surfaces adjacent to the heating unit are covered with non-flammable materials. If there is no hot water supply from a centralized pipeline, then a large storage tank is installed in the bathhouse.

Electrical equipment

If a mobile sauna is installed, for example, in a summer cottage, then it makes sense to connect it to a fixed network. This requires special permission from the electrical network. They will give it. The input switching unit is usually placed in the vestibule and locked with a key. Internal wiring is carried out by a specialist. Since a metal bath container is an excellent conductor of current, the wiring must be laid using insulators that lift the wire away from the metal and from the finishing material.

This is required by safety regulations

Most often people like to travel with a mobile sauna. There is a different approach to electrical engineering here. The installation of internal wiring is the same, but designed for the voltage of a mobile portable power station. The panel input must have separate busbars for connecting an external generator.

Important: In both the first case and the second, high-quality grounding of the mobile bathhouse is necessary. This issue is not discussed

Technology for constructing a bathhouse from an iron container

You can make such a bathhouse without problems and on your own, with only minimal skills. All work is carried out in several stages.

Preparatory stage

1. The building site is thoroughly cleared of vegetation and debris.
2. The perimeter is marked with the location of the functional areas of the building and the placement of the drainage system.
3. Using pegs and string, the perimeter is indicated, as well as the axis lines for each zone.
4. The top part of the soil is removed at the locations of the pegs for the columnar foundation.

Construction of a bathhouse

1. Filling with a waterproofing sand and gravel layer 15 cm high. Careful compaction and moistening with water.
2. Installation of a columnar foundation using concrete and brick blocks, sand-cement mixture. In the case of installing a monolithic strip base - performing formwork, installing a frame of reinforcing bars and pouring a concrete mixture.
3. Waterproofing the finished base with rolled roofing felt, treating joints with bitumen mastic.
4. Installation of a wooden frame on a foundation made of 150 × 150 mm beams. Corners made of metal profiles are used as clamps.

1. Checking the base with a building level, leveling it with special pads for the installed frame.
2. Installation of the selected container on the finished base. It is recommended to use specialized equipment and machinery for lifting.

Interior arrangement of a bathhouse from a container

After completion of construction and installation work, you can begin the internal arrangement of the building.

1. Electricity supply to the bathhouse, wiring to all functional rooms.
2. Thermal insulation of the building with safe and durable materials. All surfaces require insulation - walls, floors and ceilings. Surfaces are thoroughly cleaned of dirt, existing defects and irregularities are repaired. Next, waterproofing is laid, and then thermal insulation. An outlet hole is made in the steam room for the drain pipe.

Important! Basalt wool, polyurethane foam and polystyrene are used as insulation. Installation of thermal insulation is carried out on all surfaces, except those where heating equipment will be located

1. Decorative finishing of premises. If the bathhouse is built from a sea container or a wooden cabin, siding or wooden beams pre-treated with antiseptic preparations are used for the outer cladding. For interior decoration, it is advisable to use wooden lining or ceramic tiles.
2. Selection and installation of a sauna stove. Installation of the outlet for the chimney pipe is carried out before decorative finishing of the ceiling. For a mobile sauna, it is recommended to use a wood-burning or electric heater. When installing equipment, all surfaces located nearby are provided with additional fire protection. A hot water supply system for the washing department is being installed by installing heating equipment equipped with a water tank.
3. Installation of windows and doors. To maintain optimal temperature indoors, it is recommended to install double-glazed windows. They not only have high heat-saving characteristics, but also provide additional ventilation of the premises.
4. Installation of internal partitions. To separate the functional zones from each other, it is planned to use special partitions - a wooden frame made of blocks covered with boards or clapboard made of pine, aspen and exotic wood. Such materials are resistant to temperature changes and high humidity.
5. Installation of bath furniture and household items, arrangement of a drainage system.

A do-it-yourself container bathhouse is a simple and quick way to organize your own steam room, which can be used in the summer at your summer cottage. By using spacious metal and wooden containers, you can build a functional bathhouse, the cost of which will be much lower than that of a permanent structure.

conclusions

Thus, using a change house, you can get an excellent bathhouse, the price of which will be significantly lower than that of any capital option, and which at the same time will allow you to enjoy washing no worse than any other.

This sauna is suitable for several people; it is perfect for a personal plot, and that is why this type of bathhouse is often made specifically for dachas.

Original solutions are acceptable!

This technology has proven itself so well that similar bathhouses began to be produced at enterprises, literally on an industrial scale. But you can do it without problems and on your own, with only minimal skills. To do this, it will be enough to follow the instructions and do not forget about safety precautions.

Decoration of the facade of a container bath

The rectangular shape of the steel box simplifies the task somewhat. In the most budget-friendly option, the body of the bathhouse can simply be painted in a pleasant color, white or red.

Light colors are very popular among developers in the southern regions, where it is important to combat the heat of the sun, which heats any metal in the summer. White paint reduces heat by 30-35%

If we add foil thermal insulation to this, then the problem of overheating can be considered solved.

The second most popular finishing method is wall cladding with a block house, wall paneling or regular siding.

If you add a roof and a wooden porch to the wooden cladding, you can successfully hide the very fact of using a container in the construction of a bathhouse under the outer cladding.

If the bathhouse is attached to the house, then it would be quite logical to line it with the same material as the main building. For country and mobile bathhouse options, it is best to limit yourself to painting the external walls. If the container is new, with factory paint, then such a three-layer coating will last much longer than a semi-handicraft repainting with automotive enamel.

Is it difficult to make a sauna from a sea container with your own hands?

• The strength of the metal structure, the basis of which is a frame made of steel profile, and the casing is made of profiled steel sheet 3 mm thick.
• Long service life subject to effective anti-corrosion treatment.
• Possibility of connecting two or more modules in horizontal or vertical planes.
• Construction can be carried out at any time of the year.
• The ability to dismantle the structure and transport it to a new location.
• Cost-effective compared to traditional capital construction.
• Resistance to damage by fungus and rodents.

Some people think that creating your own sauna from a container is difficult. In fact, everything is much simpler than you think. Any work like this one should be divided into 3-4 main stages. Let's look at the main ones.

At this stage it is worth developing a project and plan for the future premises. You need to understand where they will be located and what rooms will be in your bathhouse that you build with your own hands. Determine which container you can buy, because there are quite a lot of them, namely: 40 feet, 20, and 5 tons. Based on the frame, the size of the room and all rooms will be designed.

It doesn’t matter that you are building a bathhouse or sauna, planning is an important step. Materials calculation and storage. When you have at least a primitive building project ready, you will know what container or how many containers you will need

If you want to make a really large bathhouse, you can even build it from two containers. So you calculate and transport absolutely all the necessary materials. It is important to bring them at once, because if you miss something, you will be forced to overpay for transportation costs. Construction of a bathhouse. Some are constantly trying to speed up this process, but in vain. Everything must be done on time and according to technology. You must prepare a concrete or wooden base in advance and, if necessary, allow it to gain strength. Then perform each step slowly and very carefully. There is nothing complicated here and almost anyone can do it with their own hands if they follow the instructions in this article. Building a container bathhouse is a relatively quick process. Everyone can make it with their own hands from start to finish in a few months.

Where to place it?

If we talk about generally accepted norms and rules, then the bathhouse from the container must be positioned as follows:

• the distance to the neighboring area must be at least 5 meters:
• the distance between the bathhouse and residential buildings should be within 4 meters;
• The container should be located at a distance of 20 meters from the coastline.

In addition, the place where the bathhouse will be located must be level and not swampy.