No one doubts that the best finishing material for a bathhouse is wood. And almost everyone uses lining for interior decoration. But whether or not to treat the lining in a bathhouse is up to everyone to decide for themselves. Opinions here are divided: some say that without treatment with special means, wood darkens, loses its attractiveness, rots and is affected by disease. All this is true. But their opponents are definitely right: the combination of high temperature and humidity in the steam room, to which are added fumes from the treated boards, cannot be called a healing effect. But people come to the bathhouse specifically for health.
The lining looks great in a bathhouse or sauna
For the most part, lovers of baths and saunas make a compromise: in the steam room the lining is left without treatment, and for the relaxation room and washing room they use special products. Lining without treatment, of course, becomes unusable over time, but it will have to be changed no more than once every 2-5 years (depending on the type of wood and the intensity of use of the steam room). This is not such a big expense, especially since rarely does anyone have a large steam room. For those who decided to process wood in a steam room, there are several folk recipes or special (required!) compositions for baths/saunas.
Varnish for saunas and baths: varieties and selection criteria
The wooden surfaces of the bathhouse, including those in the steam room, quickly become decrepit and worn out. After all, the temperature in the room remains high for a long time and there is high humidity. Therefore, when building a bathhouse, the wood is treated and protected with various paints and varnishes.
Important! The wooden surfaces of the steam room cannot be treated with ordinary varnish. After all, the paint solution contains specific harmful substances that create a foul odor and negatively affect health.
Under the influence of high, prolonged temperatures, conventional impregnation releases several toxins that make you feel worse. As a result, when building a house for a bath or sauna, the following solutions are used:
- acrylic water-borne varnish for baths and saunas;
- water-based product;
- oil solution.
All steam room impregnations are classified into the following types:
- ceiling solutions;
- varnishes for flooring;
- wall coating liquids.
Furniture utensils, benches and bath chairs are covered with protective solutions.
Acrylic varnish for baths and saunas
When processing a steam room, the walls are covered with a heat-resistant acrylic layer. The solution repels water and dirt residues, and does not close the pores of the wood.
Due to the presence of antimicrobial protective properties, acrylic impregnation protects the steam room visitor from a variety of pathogenic microbes. The liquid dries instantly and reliably protects wooden floors, walls and other surfaces from water.
Acrylic varnish contains several bioprotective additives that prevent mold and the formation of pathogenic fungi. This solution creates a semi-matte shine, preserves the natural appearance of the wood and prevents its darkening.
There are several quality products on the market. After using them (for example, after using Eurotex sauna varnish with wax) they leave a lot of positive feedback.
Water-based sauna varnish
When constructing a steam room, its surfaces are treated with water-based varnish. The solution penetrates deeply into the wood structure.
Water-based impregnation tolerates high temperatures well over long periods. The composition does not have active chemical components and does not form components harmful to health when heated.
Aqueous paint and varnish liquids consist of antibacterial components. Solutions are produced colorless or with various dyes.
The disadvantage of water-based impregnation is its fragility. Over time, under the influence of constant moisture, the composition completely evaporates from the wood, so the bathhouse and sauna are treated with it again every 2 years.
Impregnation for steam rooms is used to cover wooden surfaces that are located in rooms with moderate and high constant humidity and high temperatures. The following rooms are treated with sauna varnish:
- steam room;
- shower;
- locker room
Impregnation is applied to the walls, doors and ceilings of a given room.
Oil bath varnishes
When processing steam rooms, oil impregnations are used. However, when a varnish film forms on the wood, it quickly heats up and burns a person. Therefore, in order to prevent such a situation, floors and benches are coated with oil-based protective compounds.
Attention! The varnish is quickly absorbed into all surfaces of the bathhouse and sauna and repels moisture, but produces a fetid odor.
Therefore, it is used in the steam room with extreme caution. A similar product is often used to cover the outside of the steam room, as well as the dressing room.
Impregnations and oils for steam rooms
Most bathhouse fans agree that there is no need to cover the lining inside the steam room with anything. But if there is such a need, then you can use natural oils and wax. Some experts advise soaking the boards in linseed oil, to which you can add natural aromatic oils of your choice. You can use hemp oil, and, the cheapest option, sunflower oil, but refined, with minimal odor.
It is better to use natural materials to decorate the steam room
This treatment will create a greasy film on the surface of the wood and will not allow dirt to penetrate deep into the wood. But you need to be prepared for the fact that for some time, parts of the body from contact with the treated shelf will be greasy. After some time, the oil will be absorbed (or wiped off), but the protective film will remain.
Similarly, you can treat the steam room with melted natural wax. Before applying wax, the surface must be thoroughly sanded and only then apply melted wax.
There is quite a large selection of impregnations for industrial shelves. For example, the same Russian company Usadba has oil for shelves, and there is a similar composition for Eurotex-sauna. Of course, Tikkuril also has them - this is Supi Laudesuoja oil.
Important! What you definitely cannot do is use ordinary varnishes or paints for a bath or sauna. The tree must “breathe”, first absorbing excess moisture and then releasing it. When using conventional compositions, wood is completely deprived of this property; in addition, fumes from the chemical substances included in the composition are added, which are very dangerous to health at high temperatures and humidity. It's the same as covering a steam room with linoleum or siding: the materials are good, but not for these purposes.
If you use the steam room correctly, ventilate and dry it on time, then fungi and bark beetles will not grow in it. They die at high and low temperatures:
- At a temperature of 70-80°C, spores of all fungi and protozoa die within 10 minutes.
- At -15°C, young shashal larvae die, and if the temperature remains below -15°C for a week, then adult larvae also die.
- Temperature +60°C is the upper limit at which bark beetles survive.
At high and low temperatures, fungi and pests die.
If you either heat the bathhouse to high temperatures or freeze it, then it will not be afraid of any misfortunes, and you can deal with the remaining problems quite simply: clean it more often or cover the most used surfaces with natural compounds.
Bath varnish inside
The steam room and furniture in it are impregnated with one or more varnishes. The use of modern means allows you to combine water resistance with an antibacterial coating.
But the conditions that affect certain parts of the steam room are still slightly different. Therefore, the requirements for impregnation of bath places are also different.
Treatment of sunbeds and benches
When treating bath loungers and benches, they use varnishes that are deeply absorbed into the wood and do not form a film on the surface after complete drying. In addition, these products do not cause burns or irritate the skin.
Oil solutions are considered good impregnations for treating benches and loungers. Such products are applied with brushes or small sponges to a clean, non-damp surface.
Oil varnish is completely absorbed into the wood and hardens within several hours, less often 2-3 days. Then the bathhouse or sauna is properly heated.
Due to prolonged exposure to high temperatures in the room, on a lounger or bench, excess impregnation is formed. They are carefully removed using a piece of clean cloth.
Treatment of walls and ceilings in the steam room
A lot of varnish goes into covering the lining that covers the walls of the bathhouse. Then do not use solutions that release foul-smelling substances when heated strongly and quickly.
If protective liquids are used incorrectly, condensation occurs on the walls. Acrylic impregnations and various water-based products are considered the best.
How and with what to treat the floor
Today, there are virtually no domestic varnishes for covering steam room floors on sale. Therefore, many steam room owners make their floor surfaces from heat-treated durable wood.
This building material tolerates long-term high temperatures, absorbs moisture, and also deforms 20-50% less compared to ordinary boards. Bath wood does not form mold, fungi and is not damaged by insects. Ordinary boards have similar properties only after treatment with a certain varnish.
The floors of the bathhouse are covered with acrylic protective impregnations, which prevent the proliferation of various pathogens. Before application, they are mixed with water and then applied to walls, wooden joists and floor boards.
How to treat lining in the washing room and dressing room
The most popular ready-made products are special impregnations and oils. The favorites in this segment are Finnish: Sauna (Belinka company), Supi Saunasoja (Tikkurila company).
Composition for treating wood in saunas and baths
Domestic producers are also trying to lag far behind global producers.
Domestic product - "U-409" - impregnation for baths, saunas, wet and residential premises. All these compositions are made based on natural ingredients. They create a thin film on the surface, which makes removing dirt easier.
Also, the impregnation contains fungicidal and insecticidal additives that prevent the formation and proliferation of fungus in the bathhouse.
“Eurotex-sauna” is an antiseptic with wax for saunas and baths. This is a colorless coating that creates a protective film on the surface of the wood. The composition is ideal for benches and shelves (for those who decide to process them).
EUROTEX-sauna impregnation can be purchased in packaging of various sizes. A bucket with a capacity of 2.5 liters (per 35 square meters) costs about 450 rubles.
Considering the cost of lining and other wood products, the cost of impregnation does not seem very high. In addition, it should be noted that after treatment the wood looks much more attractive, is easier to clean and does not darken for a long time. However, there are also disadvantages: during 3-5 visits to the bathhouse there is a not very strong, but quite obvious specific smell.
In the rest room you can use the composition “Unica Super” from the same Tikkurila. But this composition changes the color of the wood, so for those who like “natural”, Supi Saunasoja is again suitable.
Manufacturers of bath varnishes
Many different bath varnishes are sold on the domestic market. The following compositions are considered popular:
- from foreign manufacturers - Belinka, Teknos, Tikkurila, Dulux;
- from Russian companies - Senezh, Eurotex, Rogneda.
When choosing a specific product for treating a steam room, it is necessary to study in detail the instructions for its use and chemical composition. They use Eurotex sauna and Neomid solutions more often and leave positive reviews.
Eurotex sauna
Eurotex-Sauna varnish protects wood from exposure to prolonged high temperatures and high humidity, which is found in a steam room. The composition prevents the formation of pathogenic fungi, rot and mold on the floor, ceiling and walls. Natural wax repels water and dirt well.
When applying impregnation, wooden surfaces are covered with a colorless protective layer. All sauna surfaces tolerate prolonged heating of the air well.
This product does not contain organic solvents, so it is used indoors. The composition is non-toxic and non-flammable.
Bath and sauna varnish Neomid
Bath surfaces are treated with Neomid Sauna acrylic varnish. The composition dries quickly, dissolves in water and does not form a foul odor. After drying, the product retains the natural aromas of wood and its original structure.
Neomid Sauna impregnation is used to decorate various wooden surfaces of the steam room, where there is a constant high temperature. After application to the walls and ceiling, you will notice that these places repel dirt and water well.
After treatment, the wood does not darken and fungus does not form on the walls. The shelves and floor in the bathhouse should not be covered with such a product.
Varnish "Eurotex Sauna": properties, instructions for application and operation
Protective and decorative varnish for wood "EUROTEX-SAUNA" produces. The product is intended to protect wood under conditions of high temperatures and cyclic humidification. Provides:
- Long-term protection of wood from wood-destroying, wood-staining and mold fungi.
- Due to the presence of wax in the composition, it has exceptionally high water- and dirt-repellent properties;
- It has low water absorption even with prolonged exposure to hot water.
- Forms a silky, colorless coating that does not interfere with the natural breathing of wood.
- Protects against pathogenic microorganisms.
Eurotex (Eurotex) sauna: aqualak with wax to protect wood
Aqualak "Eurotex-sauna" contains antiseptics for wood, which are reliably blocked in the surface of the wood, do not release from the coating even when exposed to high temperatures, which makes the use of the composition in steam rooms absolutely safe for people.
Properties
- forms a colorless silky protective coating;
- provides a healthy microclimate in baths and saunas;
- increases the service life of wood;
- contains natural wax;
- has water-repellent and dirt-repellent properties;
- safe at high temperatures;
- non-toxic;
- non-flammable;
- without smell.
Application area
Indoors, including conditions of high temperatures and cyclic humidification (baths and saunas): steam rooms (except for shelves), locker rooms, rest rooms, washing rooms.
Specifications
| Binder | Modified acrylic copolymers |
| Application methods | Brush, roller, spray, dip, pour over |
| Dilution | Allowed, but add no more than 10% of the total mass of the composition |
| Diluent | Water |
| Consumption per 1 layer | 1 kg per 11-14 m2; consumption: (1 layer) 70 – 90 g/m2 |
| Drying time at 20°C | Before applying the next layer 40 minutes, complete drying 3 days |
| Gloss coating | Silky matte |
| Indoor coating service life | At least 10 years |
| Shelf life | 2 years in an airtight, unopened container |
| Tinting | At service centers |
| Tara | 0.9 l, 2.5 l |
| Price | Capacity 0.9 l - $4.5; capacity 2.5 l - $12 |
Application
Work on applying the composition should be carried out at a temperature not lower than +5°C. Apply oil and leave to absorb. If necessary, apply another layer after 40 minutes. Leave to dry for 72 hours. Heat the sauna or bathhouse, wiping off excess with a clean soft cloth.
Surface preparation
Mix acrylic varnish EUROTEX Sauna thoroughly before use. Apply to dry wood that is free of dirt, dust and other coatings. When working, use a brush, roller or spray.
Number of layers
Apply 1 layer in a steam room (except for shelves - do not paint); in the washing machine, 2-3 layers.
Eurotex (Eurotex) sauna: aqualak with wax to protect wood
Drying time
Apply subsequent layers no earlier than 20 minutes and no later than 40 minutes after applying the previous layer. If the interlayer drying time exceeds 40 minutes, then apply the composition intensively with a brush. Operational readiness - after 3 days of drying and subsequent heating.
Precautionary measures
The composition is odorless, non-toxic, non-flammable. In case of contact with skin or eyes, rinse with water. Dispose of as household waste. Keep away from children!
Cleaning the instrument
Clean the tool with water before the composition dries.
Storage and transportation
Withstands single non-cyclic freezing for up to 30 days. Permanent storage at +5°C to +35°C.
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Reviews
Alena Ratnikova, 28 years old, Kazan.
Eurotex sauna varnish is a good composition. A year has passed since using this product and there are no complaints about it yet. I covered the wood with one layer in the steam room and two in the other rooms. When applying two layers of product without dilution, 2.5 kg was enough for the walls and ceiling of a steam room with a total area of 22 square meters. m and 2 doors. The second layer was applied 40 minutes after the first. This product is not suitable for shelves - they were covered with oil.
Alexander Pyatakov, 37 years old, St. Petersburg.
I consider Neomid acrylic varnish to be an excellent odorless composition. The composition is excellent for carrying out interior work in a bathhouse. Neomid makes the wooden surface matte. It is pleasant to work with and easy to apply to walls and ceilings. The composition is white, but after drying the wooden surface it becomes colorless. I store it in my apartment in a jar with a tightly closed lid. Good impregnation!
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