In this article we will talk about an additional room no less valuable for a bathhouse than the attic - the basement. Namely, about what can be made from it and how to use it, especially since often a basement already exists only due to the fact that this building was at one time converted into a steam room. We will also talk about many technical subtleties and secrets, knowledge of which will help you make your baths an entire multimedia recreation center!
Yes, you can’t live in a basement all the time - a purely human factor comes into play here, when the lack of sunlight and awareness of being underground has a depressing effect on the psyche. But spending a weekend with friends or family enjoying pleasant bath procedures and watching excellent quality and sound of a movie is quite a pleasant experience. After all, the Russian bathhouse has long been no longer perceived only as a washing or laundry room - now it is a traditional and multifunctional source of recharging for any urban person.
- 2 How to build a bathhouse with a basement?
- 3 Waterproofing and ventilation of the bath basement
- 4 Finishing: breaking the perspective and raising the ceiling
- 5 Why does a bathhouse need a basement? Amazing solutions!
Pros and cons of having a basement in a bathhouse
Let's first understand the terminology. A cellar is a mini-cellar, which is designed for storing vegetables, and is located in a specific place. A basement is a room below ground level, below the first floor. Its purpose can be very different: from storing wine to arranging a living room. But the ground floor is only partly recessed into the ground and is most often used to house a garage.
The very word “basement” already explains that this room is under the shaft, i.e. under the arches. And look what can come of it:
Water filtration
In accordance with the filtration system used, it is customary to distinguish between two types of pools: overflow and skimmer. The choice of one type or another will depend on the shape of the constructed or assembled reservoir.
Overflow water filtration circuit.
If your home pond has a square or traditional rectangular shape, then a skimmer will do just fine. A skimmer is a special device that during operation absorbs the upper layers of water, where the main dirt accumulates. On the other hand, the same water enters the pool, but already purified and filtered. Recharge occurs through special holes in the wall.
Skimmer water filtration circuit.
It is not recommended to place an overflow pool on the ground floor, because when they are used, the water overflows into special side holes, and clean water flows through the holes at the bottom of the reservoir.
It is worth noting that the proper installation of a swimming pool on the ground floor will depend on a properly drawn up project, which should be developed by professionals. After all, it’s one thing to dig a pit, make waterproofing and put the basement in order; it’s quite another thing to think through the arrangement of communications and their connection to an artificial reservoir.
How to build a bathhouse with a basement?
Building a basement already under a finished bathhouse is quite problematic - it is much easier to plan it even before construction. But everything is possible with desire and patience, of course. Also examine the soil structure before designing such a bathhouse. Indeed, in some areas it will not be possible to build basements at all - dangerous subsoil gases will seep into them. Just order such a geological service from any construction company. After all, even monolithic walls, according to experts, do not have 100% protection from this phenomenon.
Therefore, before designing the bathhouse itself, determine the exact location of its groundwater. Experienced builders do not recommend making the basement floor directly above the water - the minimum distance should be at least 50 cm.
The most economical option for building a basement is to use blocks: quickly and efficiently. Just start laying from the corners, and do not forget about waterproofing - the blocks are afraid of dampness. But the hole needs to be dug to the depth of the walls - the sand cushion should be on the same level with them.
But to arrange a spacious rest room or bathroom under the bathhouse, consider the option of pouring a monolithic foundation, when it smoothly transitions into the base.
Here's how to do it:
- Step 1. Mark the future foundation and dig a trench along it with a depth of two meters (depending on your groundwater level - the groundwater level under the future bathhouse).
- Step 2. Install the formwork in the trench, fill it with reinforcement cage, as well as the floor of the future trench. Add any modern waterproofing component to concrete. In the formwork itself, leave holes for future utilities.
- Step 3. Select soil inside the perimeter, make a dense sand and gravel backfill and install a reinforcement cage.
- Step 4. Fill the new frame with concrete and cover it with a waterproofing layer.
- Step 5. When the basement floor is ready, lay reinforced concrete slabs on the monolithic walls.
Remember that building a basement, even in the driest area, still requires waterproofing. After all, accidental pipe breaks or prolonged rains cannot be predicted, and if you place furniture there, it will be hopelessly damaged before the weekend. There should be no dampness in such a basement at all - after all, it will also create an unpleasant odor that is difficult to remove.
Waterproofing and ventilation of a bathhouse basement
Thus, it is basements that are most susceptible to the negative effects of moisture - here it can penetrate from any direction. Therefore, even walls need waterproofing, for which a whole range of measures is carried out and for which it is necessary to allocate a lot of money and time during the construction process. But, naturally, if you are making the basement under the bathhouse residential, then first of all you need to make it dry.
So, if your bathhouse already has a basement, determine where exactly the moisture comes from:
- Through cracks in the floor and walls.
- On the surface of the walls in the form of condensation.
- From the upper room (for example, above the basement there is a washing room for a bath or steam room).
If the floors in the basement are literally flooded, it means that the groundwater under the bathhouse is too close. Test your fear: dig a small hole and watch it for 24 hours. If it receives abundant water, it is groundwater. They can be kept away from the bathhouse basement using a drainage well with a pump - effective, although costly. The disadvantage of such a system is that soil will also get into the water, which, although not harmful to modern filters, is gradually washed out from under the building itself.
Here's how to set up a drainage system around the basement: dig a small trench around the entire perimeter and lay a pipe wrapped in geotextile in it. This material allows water to pass through, but does not allow clogging dirt or fragments of branches.
And the condensation on the basement walls can be so strong that it forms puddles on the floor, which are safely perceived as moisture leaking from under the floor. But this is a common occurrence in the spring, when too damp air enters through the upper ventilation windows. And, if the basement floor turns out to be cold, streams immediately form on it. That is why high-quality insulation is needed in order to separate warm air from cold walls - this way condensation will never occur, and you don’t have to worry about dampness or mold.
If moisture in the basement appears due to condensation on the walls and floors, it means the ventilation is not organized correctly. To completely waterproof the basement floor from dampness, follow these instructions:
- Step 1. Remove the soil in the basement to a depth of 30 cm, and fill the bottom with a sand cushion up to 15 cm high. Compact the sand well, level it and check that there are no differences in height.
- Step 2. Pour concrete onto the compacted sand in a layer of 10 cm. Level it thoroughly.
- Step 3. Once the concrete is dry, apply hot bitumen to the surface in three layers. Each previous layer must dry well before applying the next one. Bitumen should also go onto the walls.
And then it is important to protect the basement from external dampness:
Of course, the sooner you start waterproofing problem areas, the better, because dampness can destroy walls. So, if these are cracks, then find every single one, fill them, fix the fiberglass reinforcement mesh and fill the entire floor with a layer of concrete. Hide the most problematic areas under hot bitumen - this will be a good barrier. And for problem walls, use coating waterproofing.
In addition to bitumen, today more expensive special compounds are also used, which are quickly absorbed into the surface being treated and immediately crystallize, thereby creating an excellent barrier to moisture. And the most popular today is the method of injection with a water-repellent liquid that saturates the entire thickness of the walls.
You can finally dry the basement after all the work using slaked lime: just leave the filled bucket overnight and pick it up in the morning.
You will be surprised, but it is easier to store vegetables in the cellar than to store furniture in the basement. The fact is that in the cellar there are always some open areas with soil, and the microclimate somehow self-regulates. But the basement is a closed system, and without normal ventilation it disappears. But the norms of SNiP 31-02-2001 are responsible for this. They say that in addition to ventilation exhaust ducts, the underground section must also have a window, at least the size of a small window. The influx of fresh air can be provided by ventilation ducts: for every 10 square meters their area should be at least 0.5 square meters, and they should be in each of the corners.
There should be two pipes in the ventilation system: exhaust and supply. The first one goes from the ceiling to the roof, and the supply one is on the opposite wall and goes from the floor. The first will remove air and cigarette smoke through the roof to the street, and the second will deliver fresh oxygen. Also, a constant optimal temperature is important for a residential basement. To control it, place a thermometer.
Which heating method should I choose?
Heating a basement or cellar is a rather complicated issue. Here it is necessary to approach the issue of choosing the type of heating of the room as responsibly as possible, based on the wishes and requirements of the owner. For example, if you need to heat the basement in a seasonal home (that is, during the cold spring and autumn months), then installing a simple heater will be enough.
On the other hand, if you plan to turn the basement of a country house into a full-fledged living space, then it is necessary to arrange more efficient heating. The best option in this case seems to be installing a furnace or boiler. It is worth noting that for the installation of a gas boiler it is necessary to allocate a separate room, and its operation must be coordinated with the relevant services.
Manager of a chain of garden and garden supply stores. Author of reviews of ready-made solutions for building cellars and basements.
Heating a basement is a labor-intensive process that allows you to make this area livable. When you decide to implement such an idea, the question immediately arises: turn to a professional or do it yourself. If you don’t understand anything about heating, insulation and have never held a screwdriver in your hands, then your verdict is clear - you need help. But if you understand a little about all these issues, know how to handle the tool and want to realize your idea, then you can safely get to work.
Finishing: breaking perspective and raising the ceiling
As a fairly budget option, compacted clay for walls and floors may be suitable if you can lay it out. Basement walls are most often finished with ceramic tiles, multi-layer plywood or stone. But ideally, for cladding the basement walls, use moisture-resistant plasterboard, which can be mounted on a metal frame. And then - what do you like best: stone or ceramic tiles, plastic panels, special moisture-resistant paints with a rich range or mineral plasters.
If serious mistakes were made in the construction of the basement, you will notice them immediately - damp spots will appear on the plaster. There is one more point: the basement is always the coldest place in the bathhouse. Therefore, its thermal insulation is as important as waterproofing.
Vertical lines on the walls and furniture, which also look stylish, will help to visually raise the ceiling that is usually low in the basement. Also purchase glossy or mirrored stretch ceilings, which also optically expand the volume of the room. Reference: the standard basement height is 1.92-2 meters.
It is convenient to zone the basement with the help of screens and a regular bar counter, but give up podiums and steps - these are traditional attributes of the attic, which has much more under-ceiling space.
The staircase to the basement of the bathhouse itself can also be a wonderful attribute of the interior - today there are so many options available! The main thing is to purchase or build one that does not slip (under bare feet after a steam room), is not steep and has comfortable handrails.
Because There is no natural light in the basement, so in the interior they give preference to light tones of decoration. Even if they don’t harmonize well with the bathhouse style. But it is better not to use green color at all, except in the form of upholstery on a billiard table.
Modern lighting design will also help get rid of the feeling of being in a cave and being enclosed - you can work wonders with it!
Steam room installation
The most common material for equipping Finnish saunas is a sandwich panel; you can also make a frame from wooden elements - this option is easier to implement, the main thing is to choose the right dimensions and join the corners.
The main type of work when assembling the steam room will be fitting the elements one by one. Installation is carried out at the construction site, the load-bearing ones will be risers located vertically, and the sheathing and insulating layers are attached to the crossbars horizontally.
The outer part of the steam room is finished with clapboard, plywood or other materials, the lower part of which has mineral insulation. If you compare finishing with such materials with buying a ready-made sauna from panels made in production, you will notice obvious savings, up to 30%.
