Construction and insulation of a hammam: tips, stages of work, materials.

What is a hammam and where did this phenomenon come into our lives?

The origin of this bath is not Turkish, but ancient Roman - from the Roman thermal baths. Steam from boiling water outside the room was supplied to holes in the walls, and the stove heated the underground floor on poles. But in Turkey, baths became truly widespread because the Prophet Mohammed declared that the cleanliness of a Muslim’s body is half of his faith, and declared regular visits to the hammam obligatory. The first Russian hammam was incredibly luxuriously built in Tsarskoe Selo according to the design of Ippolit Monighetti.

Sketch by architect Ippolit Monighetti “Turkish Bath”

In Europe, hammams originated in the 19th century and were considered a panacea even for asthma and cholera. They are traditionally spacious and luxurious; marble and mosaics are used for decoration. They have certain architectural principles, in particular - a domed vault, so that water does not collect in the corners and does not drip on vacationers.

Hammam dome in mosaic

Construction of the hamam

The technology for constructing a Turkish bath requires a thorough study of the method and scheme for installing service equipment. The construction of a hammam itself is not difficult, but in order for the bathhouse to be warm, you will need to properly assemble the thermal insulation and heating system for the room.

Most often, preference is given to water heating of the floor, walls and interior furnishings of the bathhouse. You can try to use cheaper electric heating, but due to high humidity, large amounts of water and water condensation, using electricity in a hammam is considered an unjustified risk. Therefore, somewhere separately, outside the bathhouse, it will be necessary to assemble and install a 200-250 liter boiler with pump supply, a boiling water distribution manifold system through pipes and an automatic water heating system.

Design and differences from a steam bath and sauna

Hammam is a very special pleasure. Despite the fact that it, like any bathhouse, uses the influence of temperature on a person, the principles of this influence are very different.

Sauna

In the sauna, the temperature can reach up to 1200 with almost very low air humidity. This is a huge burden on the heart, sweating is difficult, but the most important thing in any bath is cleansing the body of waste and toxins through the skin through sweating. But a sauna requires the least space, it does not require a swimming pool and can be installed even in a city apartment.

Sauna in the apartment

Russian steam bath

Much better parameters for health - a combination of temperature and humidity - are maintained in a Russian bath. But even there there are extreme values. At such temperatures and humidity, the heart and blood vessels also do not feel the best. Instant cooling in the font saves. But if you do not have a very hardy heart, it is also better to avoid a steam bath.

Russian steam bath with shelf, heater and fragrant herbs

Turkish hammam

In a Turkish bath there is almost one hundred percent humidity, and the temperature of the air, stone floors and benches does not exceed the very 400 to which the human body temperature rises to the maximum in the bath. It lasts much longer and is better tolerated and is accessible even to children, heart patients and hypertensive patients. You will lose no less fluid and cleanse your body no worse than in other types of baths. You will put in less effort for this - you don’t have to wave a broom, endure the heat, run out and dive into an icy plunge pool. You can easily communicate while steaming, which is practically impossible in a sauna and steam bath. In addition, there is an advantage purely for women: the hammam is much healthier for the face, since it does not cause such a blow to the facial vessels and saturates the face with moisture.

A huge public hammam awaits visitors

But building a hammam is a rather labor-intensive undertaking. It is lined with quite expensive materials - up to marble, mosaic and smalt, it is necessary to provide heating for beds and floors, it requires complex electrical equipment and consumes a lot of electricity for heating. In order to build a hammam at a reasonable cost, you must have a number of special knowledge. In addition, many modern materials are good substitutes for traditional and expensive ones. So building a hammam with your own hands is quite possible.

Examples of private small hammams (photo gallery)

Tiny hammam with a drain in the center of the floor

Hammam illuminated in the form of a “starry sky”

Luxurious marble hammam

Hammam with one bench and a kurna

Stepped mosaic benches

Hammam of a floor structure to save space

Mosaic hammam with corner benches

Hammam with lighting and rounded lines

Oriental hammam with gilding and dome

Hammam in blue glass mosaic

Hammam in simple tiles

Review of technical and operational requirements

The high humidity of the microclimate makes ventilation in the hammam one of the extremely necessary elements. The most convenient scheme is natural aeration, that is, inflow, and forced removal of waste masses through an exhaust hood with a minimum cross-section of 120 mm.

The following requirements must be taken into account when creating a project:

• in conditions of absolute humidity, complete tightness and enhanced moisture resistance of the exhaust duct are important;
• it is necessary to prevent the occurrence of leaks along the entire length of the laid route;
• system parameters must be adjustable;
• the fewer straight sections, the better;
• the best option is the autonomous release of exhaust air masses;
• To improve air exchange, it is permissible to install a fan. The equipment must be moisture-resistant, it is placed where regular maintenance is possible, the device is necessary to speed up the movement of flows through the air ducts.

The system must have a dripper to help remove settled drops of liquid from it.

The high humidity of the microclimate makes ventilation in the hammam one of the extremely necessary elements

If the hammam is part of a building, its exhaust ventilation can be combined with the general system using a separate dehumidifier. The latter and the exhaust fan are usually coordinated by a single control panel, which is responsible for the operation of the hammam.

To fully calculate the parameters of the ventilation system in a Turkish steam room, data is taken on the following indicators:

• steam generator power;
• hardness of the water used;
• air exchange intensity;
• humidity level;
• dryer performance;
• supply flow temperature;
• room volume;
• diameter of air ducts.

To make ventilation ducts, stainless steel pipes must be used with the proper slope during installation; the entire route is carefully thermally insulated. The outlet openings are equipped with a sealed check valve. If a fan is installed, priority is given to thermal and moisture-resistant variations, also equipped with a check valve. The dehumidifier and fan must operate for at least an hour after the room is no longer in use.

Preparing for construction

If you build a Turkish bath as a separate building, then the costs of its operation will be prohibitively high. To warm up a stone building, even a well-insulated one, before visiting in winter, you need to warm it up for several days. Therefore, we use one of the premises of our country house or even a large apartment to equip a Turkish bath. It will only need to be rebuilt taking into account the bathing requirements. The sequence of preparatory steps will be as follows.

Summation of requirements

This includes making a preliminary decision: what kind of benches you want and how many, what ceiling height, what kind of scent system, music accompaniment, and so on.

Choosing a room for the future hammam

The number of benches, the presence of a massage table, and the height of the ceilings depend on the room. You need to decide how many people your hammam will accommodate at the same time. The hammam must have a domed ceiling, so the top point of the ceiling should be about 2.7 meters high.

Scheme of a small hammam in 3DMax

At least one full bench for lying 0.6x2 meters is required. If it is possible to squeeze a massage table into the hammam, which is called “chebek” in Turkish, with a free area around it for the massage therapist, then it will be absolutely wonderful; but this is optional. Instead of a massage table, it is better to place another bench.

Optimal hydro- and thermal insulation materials

An excellent modern choice is elements-panels made of Wedi or Lux Element's rigid foam polystyrene made in Germany - lightweight, durable, reinforced with fiberglass mesh, with cement-based waterproofing on both sides.

Sectional view of Lux Element's panel

They are fire resistant, can withstand high temperatures, do not emit harmful substances and are extremely durable. In addition, they hold heavy finishing materials very well: stone, porcelain tiles, tiles, mosaics. No plaster or drywall can compare. The dome can be formed from ready-made dome-shaped panels.

Scheme for insulating a hammam with Lux Element's panels

From the same material you can select ready-made benches and massage tables of almost any configuration.

Choosing finishing materials

The design and price of your hammam largely depend on them. There are quite a few options, they differ in installation complexity and price.

Important! The hammam is always finished with moisture-resistant and heat-resistant material with high structural strength. The tree is inappropriate in it.

Marble is an ideal material for a hammam. But it is very expensive and difficult to install yourself.

Marble bench, marble type – CREMA VALENCIA

Onyx is a very beautiful semi-precious and translucent stone that creates an amber atmosphere. Even more expensive than marble.

Onyx with mosaic

Porcelain tile is an amazingly beautiful and durable material; it perfectly imitates marble and semi-precious onyx.

Finishing the hammam with onyx porcelain stoneware, onyx mosaic

A very interesting, but labor-intensive option is loose mosaic made of smalt. You can show your artistic talents and lay out a lot of panels on the walls and benches, but the construction time for the hammam will be very long.

Loose smalt mosaic

We chose adhesive-based mosaics - this is a quite reasonable compromise in terms of price and quality, besides, it is beautiful and allows you to create smoothly curved surfaces. such a mosaic can be made of natural stone, glass, ceramics. We liked the glass one better.

Finishing mosaic Caramelle mosaic naturelle

Which lamps are better?

This is done in advance for the same reason: it determines the design features. Lamps can be ceiling and wall, on the ceiling - low-voltage halogen or LED spotlights, on the walls - special sconces. LED strips are available. The safest fiber optic lighting is most welcome. With its help, for example, you can create a “starry sky” on the ceiling of the hammam.

Hammam lamp W-071C (brass)

Choosing a heating method for sun loungers, floors and walls. You can choose either electric or water, but the second will be more economical and safer.

Heating of the lounger, walls and floor with hot water pipes

Selecting or designing an equipment room

The technical room will contain an external steam generator, a heating device (for example, an electric or gas boiler for heating water or thermostats for “warm floors” in seats, floors and walls) and lighting system transformers. It’s good if this room is above the ceiling or under the floor of the hammam.

Layout of the steam generator for the hammam in the adjacent room

Steam generator power calculation

The power of the steam generator also depends on the size of the hammam. At your dacha, you are usually limited by the power of your electrical connection. There is a dependence: for a 2x3 meter hammam you need a steam generator with a capacity of at least 9 kilowatts, and if the hammam on the metro is longer and wider, then there are already two steam generators with a total capacity of at least 18 kilowatts. That's a lot. It is also necessary to calculate - if this particular heating method is chosen - the power of electric heating devices. For hard water, the steam generator is connected through a special filter, or a water softening unit is installed in the system before it.

Helo steam generator for hammam

Identifying and resolving power supply issues

The hammam will require higher power supply than the power supply at home; you need to take care of this in advance.

Identifying and resolving water supply issues

It is necessary to think over the water supply and sewage system of the hammam. Under no circumstances should its drain be connected to a common septic tank; it will simply choke due to burst bath discharges. You need to dig a separate drain hole.

Thinking through the ventilation system

If necessary, it must be forced, using fans, to remove excess steam so that it does not fall into condensation on the walls. If desired, you can also design an aromatization system if you do not like the smell of pure water vapor.

Fan for hammam

Drawing up a drawing

And only after all this can you begin to draw up or adjust a drawing that satisfies the room and the desired qualities of the future hammam, drawn up taking into account SNIPs and GOSTs, with visualization and specifications.

Drawing of our future hammam with visualization and specifications

Then we draw up a specification of materials and check the construction estimate. Considering that we already have the premises, there will be no costs for building a foundation, walls and roof.

Examples of drawings of small home hammams built into existing premises (photo gallery)

Scheme of a free-standing hammam with two sunbeds

Diagram of the Malsi hammam, side view

Diagram of the Malsi hammam, top view

Diagram of the Millennium hammam, side view

Diagram of the Millennium hammam, top view

Drawing of a large hammam with a relaxation room

Drawing of a small hammam with an angular outline

Detailed drawing of the hammam

Diagram of a hammam with sunbeds at an angle

Approximate estimate (based on the cost of a real triangular hammam measuring 2.81 by 2.42 m, height 2.5 m) for self-building

Thermal insulation and other materials:

Purchase of equipment:

Finishing and facing materials:

The total amount is about two hundred thousand rubles, which is not that much for such an ambitious project as a home hammam.

Selection of building materials for the hammam

The construction of a Turkish bath is not something exceptional or complex in its design. The design of the hammam differs from the more familiar sauna or Russian steam room in only three factors:

• The use of ceramic wall cladding for the bathhouse, which is determined by high air humidity;
• Double layer of thermal insulation and waterproofing;
• Using a special device - a steam generator.

The hammam box is made of red brick or foam blocks. If the walls and ceiling are made of cast cinder block or concrete, you will need to additionally make vents to remove condensation that forms on the outside of the bathhouse box.

In rooms with concrete ceilings and walls, it is necessary to use mats with an applied layer of waterproofing

Furniture for hammam is almost always built inside the bathhouse from brick, plastered, covered with mastic waterproofing and lined with mosaic tiles.

The most important point in the construction of a hammam is the choice of waterproofing and insulation. Most often, insulation of the Ecover - Standard type is used; MopeLastik waterproofing, laid on aquapanels or waterproof plasterboard, is used as a water barrier.

Lux Elevations blocks

Advice! The construction of a hammam can be significantly simplified if you use ready-made panels to insulate the walls of a bathhouse with a high level of humidity. For example, polystyrene panels “Lux Elevments”.

The material has established itself as one of the best heat insulators for wet rooms. In addition to zero vapor permeability, the slabs perfectly hold heavy ceramic tiles, mosaics and even marble panels.

Preliminary estimate for construction

Optimal temperature indicators

The human body temperature in any environment is no more than 400. This is achieved by the fact that when the ambient temperature rises, a person sweats and releases excess heat with moisture into the surrounding air. This is the basis for the effect of any bath; they differ in the ratio of temperature and air humidity.

The best state of health at a certain combination of humidity and temperature is graphically expressed by homeothermal curves: below the first curve is the optimal combination of temperature up to 900 and humidity up to 80%. It is the combination of temperature of about 40% and almost one hundred percent humidity that gives hammams.

Homeothermal curves - theoretical dependences of relative humidity on temperature

Features of using the hammam

• After completing all the work, you need to let your hammam stand for a couple of weeks, slightly maintaining the heating of the surfaces. This is done to ensure that all solutions and adhesives dry completely.
• The first start-up should be long and gradual, with a slow increase in heating temperature. This is done to prevent thermal expansion from causing the surfaces to crack. This is especially dangerous for all-stone and all-marble surfaces.
• During short breaks in the hammam operation, all heating should not be turned off. If the break is expected to be long, you need to leave the heating on the benches and massage table.
• It is necessary to keep the hammam clean and frequently clean it with special detergents for marble, tiles, and glass.
• If the water is hard, you need to remove scale from the steam generator tank on heating elements using a solvent according to the instructions, depending on the hardness at certain intervals: the harder the water, the more often. In addition, the steam generator must self-clean every few hours: drain water from the tank and add new water.
• During steaming, the ventilation hole should be kept slightly open, since the air exchange you need is equal to 4-6 volumes of your hammam per hour.

If you follow these simple rules, your hammam will serve you for a long time and will not cause any problems.

Finishing works and interior furnishings

Previously, only natural marble was used to make such premises. It was used as finishing elements. Loungers and benches were made from a single piece of this material. Nowadays, natural stone is rarely used. This is due to the fact that its cost is quite high. Therefore, marble is replaced with specially designed ceramics. In terms of its performance, it is in no way inferior to it and has a long service life. Benches and loungers in the hammam are also heated. Systems are built into them, which are often used to create heated floors. As a result, these products can be used in just a few minutes. It is also necessary to install a bowl of water in the hammam. In the original baths there are two of them, since the liquid must be hot and cold. Nowadays, only one bowl is installed, but with two taps for supplying water. They are made specifically for these purposes, stylizing them as antique and oriental design. If you decide that you will make a hammam with your own hands, then you simply need to master the skills of cladding with natural stone. In this case, you will need a special tool, the cost of which is sometimes very high. This stage of work may require the involvement of a designer. The fact is that another feature of the hammam is its original appearance. Oriental style and unique architecture should captivate attention, allowing a person to relax and receive not only physical, but also aesthetic pleasure.