Block baths are ubiquitous in my suburban village. It was they who inspired me to create the same project, but my own. I learned from the neighbors that they were extremely satisfied with their steam rooms, and soon I got to work.
Walling
Building block walls is a simple task that even a beginner like me could do. The principle of wall construction includes 3 stages:
- Determination of the highest corner of the foundation by the building level - it is from this point that the blocks are laid out.
- Laying of the first row of blocks and their fastening using a cement-sand composition. I laid the blocks on the edge, leaving almost invisible interblock seams. For the first level, I took the building blocks of the highest density so that the structure stood firmly.
- Laying subsequent rows using special glue. I bought the composition for such a glue ready-made, and prepared the substance directly at my "construction site", mixing it with water. For good mixing, I used a regular drill.
I laid the blocks in two rows, between which there was a fine-mesh reinforcing mesh.
Bath decoration
The moisture protection system of the bath, which I resorted to, included two methods. The blocks were treated with water-repellent compounds, and the outside was covered with ordinary polyethylene.
I attached the vapor barrier to the inner surfaces of the bath, choosing a membrane as the material. It promotes air exchange and prevents material damage.
The external cladding was carried out with the participation of ventilated siding. The cladding was fastened so that there was a 5 cm gap between the siding and the vertical surface.
A classic crate helped me to cope with this condition. For interior decoration, I chose the most common and time-tested option - lining. The floors are covered with ceramic tiles.
Why am I not happy with the bath
Before building the bath, I chose from two materials - wood and concrete blocks. In the end, I settled on the second option for two reasons: the reduction in the cost of work and the immunity of the material to the fungus. But in fact, several disappointments awaited me at once:
- after a year of operation of the bath, I found that the blocks began to become covered with fungus. This surprised me a lot, because I have heard more than once that fungus does not appear on this material at all;
- despite its "young" age of the bath, some parts of its block walls are beginning to collapse. The reason for this result (as I later found out) was the accumulation of condensation inside the walls themselves. It also seemed strange to me, because I did not miss the stage with vapor barrier;
- blocks begin to crumble even from the smallest blows. During the construction process, I was careless a couple of times and touched the walls, after which they literally crumbled before my eyes. I did not expect such "behavior" from concrete.
Now it is difficult for me to look at my project without tears. It is quite clear that the bathhouse is slowly dying, and the best thing that can be done with it is to demolish it and build a new one. But this time, I will approach the choice of materials properly.