"Yes, it will fall apart in a year!" - How I built a barrel bath and won an argument with a neighbor

  • Dec 10, 2020
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My story begins from afar, namely from my neighbor Andrey. For several years in a row, he dreamed of a barrel-bath - he had seen enough pictures on the Internet, and even ordered. I didn't really want to do something with my hands, so the bathhouse was brought to him ready-made.

At first, the neighbor could not get enough of it - and the wood is good, and the barrel almost does not take up space. To be honest, the whole area was envious.

"Adventures" appeared after six months of operation. It all started innocently enough - cracks went through the wood, the linden door cracked. Well, it doesn't happen to anyone. Yes, these are all trifles, you can take a steam bath with this.

Armageddon began when the steam room flowed, all flowed. Noah warned humanity about something similar. There was resin all around, cracks, and the door frame was also broken - now you need to show miracles of resourcefulness to enter the steam room.

And the lamentations of my neighbor began. Money down the drain! Shameful wolves! (the bath suppliers got it). In a short time, Andrei turned into a full-fledged oppressor of barrel baths.

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During one of these "serenades" my inner Diogenes woke up in me - I decided to prove to Andrey that power in barrels. It’s been a long time since my hands were scratching to build a bathhouse, and this is a great reason to prove something to someone. How to resist this?

I looked at the schemes on the Internet, estimated the cost of materials, and decided to argue with my inconsolable neighbor. We agreed that if my bathhouse does not fall apart in a year, Andrey will provide me with a lifetime supply of stones for the stove. Well, on Sundays, he will crow with the first birds to fully get used to the role of a cockerel))

1. Set a block foundation in pits deep at 20 centimeters. He poured rubble under the blocks and tamped it well.

2. I assembled the body in an instant - in two days. The boards were joined with thorns in different directions. To ensure tightness, I mounted them with a groove down - so the water will not leak.

3. I attached the sheathing to the partition walls with screws. I had to suffer with the adjustment of the last board.

4. The body of the bath was pulled together in several places with cables. To ensure air circulation in the under-roof space, he stuffed wooden slats. I laid 4-mm plywood on the slats.

5. The electrical wiring was laid under the plywood to protect it from moisture. He brought out the wires at the points of future lamps and switches.

6. I covered the pipe with basalt wool from above, and installed a heat-resistant rubber pad for waterproofing at the pipe outlet. To avoid leaks like Andrei's, I “filled” the roof with sealant.

He mounted a barrel bath together with his cousin. Andreyka looked at what was happening through the fence with unhealthy shining eyes. We worked leisurely, semi-playfully - with smoke breaks and tea parties.

The whole process took less than a week, and it felt like a couple of days, no more. Chimney parts were bought ready-made, certified, so as not to get burned in the barrel inadvertently. The oven was taken with a 50% margin for drying and heat loss.

The advantages of this architectural masterpiece turned out to be even more than I expected. Firstly, in summer it is heated instantly - 30 minutes and it's done. Secondly, water is consumed sparingly and consumed slowly. 50 liters is enough for the eyes.

The steam room is, of course, cramped. But is this really a minus? Admission only with passes and for the very elite. The bathhouse will be one year old in May 2020. The doors are in place, the frames are in place, there were no fires.

For compassionate readers, in addition to the "how" question, the "how much" question is important. Therefore, I publish a short "price list":

  • timber for cladding from the plant: 1,800 rubles;
  • impregnation, varnish for the steam room, oil for the shelves: 2 500 rubles;
  • platbands and door: 5,200 rubles;
  • alder and aspen boards: 7,000 rubles;
  • steel cable for screed: 2 200 rubles;
  • soft tiles: RUB 5,800;
  • Finnish oven: 22,000 rubles;
  • chimney, pipe, tank, rubber pad: 16,000 rubles;
  • Andreika's crowing with the first rays of the sun: priceless.
What I want to say in the end. Listen to haters - they are the driving force of this planet. Listen and do the opposite. The results will not be long in coming.