Brick stove for a wood-burning sauna. Brick sauna stoves: projects, photos and assembly features

Drawings of a brick sauna stove of a simple and compact design, which is used to produce steam and heat water.

The figure shows the design of a brick stove, in a cross-section along two sections.

1. Laying red stove bricks.
2. Laying refractory (fireclay) bricks.
3. Fire door.
4. Blower door.
5. Grate.
6. Metal tank for hot water.
7. Metal bunker for bath stones.
8. Smoke valve.

The firebox inside the furnace is made of refractory heat-resistant brick. The gap between red and refractory bricks is 15...20 (mm). A metal water tank is installed behind the firebox, at the level of the grate. A metal bunker is installed on top of the firebox, into which heaped stones are placed. The presented design with an open heater quickly heats up the steam room, and if the stones have cooled down, you can burn fuel while taking bath procedures.

Material Specification:

• red brick, 65 x 120 x 250 (mm) – 181 (pcs.)
• refractory refractory brick, 65 x 114 x 230 (mm) – 72 (pcs.)
• clay – 60 (kg)
• refractory clay – 35 (kg)
• sand – 32 (kg)
• smoke valve – 140 x 270 (mm)
• fire door – 250 x 205 (mm)
• blower door – 250 x 135 (mm)
• cast iron grate – 250 x 252 (mm)
• water tank – 250 x 555 x 760 (mm), stainless steel sheet 3 (mm) thick
• stone hopper – 260 x 320 x 350 (mm), stainless steel sheet 3 (mm) thick
• square metal mesh, wire diameter 2 (mm), mesh size 15...20 (mm)

Masonry of a heater stove for a bathhouse designed by E.Ya. Kolomakina.

1st row. Solid brick masonry is laid at or above the floor level.
2nd row. They install the ash door, begin laying refractory bricks, and strictly follow the rules for tying the bricks.
3rd row. According to the order.
4th row. Lay the blower door with three bricks, the edges of which are cut at an angle, as shown in the figure.

5th row. Grooves are cut out in refractory bricks and a grate is installed in them.
6th row. Place the firebox door and install a metal tank for hot water.

Reference:
Odd rows of red brick masonry are tied with a strip of welded square metal mesh.
At the corners, the mesh strip is bent at an angle of 90°.
The width of the groove for the grate should be 5...8 (mm) larger than the outer dimensions of the grate.

7th and 8th row. According to the order.
9th row. The firebox door is covered with three bricks, the edges of which are cut at an angle.
10, 11, 12th row. According to the order.

13th row. According to the order.
14th row. Lay a metal tank for hot water and install a metal bunker for stones.

Drawing of a metal bin for stones.

From time immemorial, brick has been used to lay sauna stoves. Even in our time, given the wide choice of materials for this, stoves are still made from brick. Read our article and you can make a brick stove for a bathhouse with your own hands.

And in fact, it is not only traditional, but also not so difficult. Therefore, many try to make brick sauna stoves with their own hands. It is enough to have a little understanding of construction and some skills in constructing sauna stoves. And it will be easy to install the stove yourself. Moreover, it will not require any further cladding or even plaster.

And you won’t need many tools for a brick oven. In addition to the bricks themselves, you will also need a container for the mortar, an emery tool, squares, pencils for marks, pliers and other simple things that almost everyone has on hand.

To begin with, as in almost all building structures, you will need to lay a foundation. The foundations for different furnaces will also not be the same. In this case, let's talk about a brick stove and, accordingly, about the foundation for it. And if you have decided on a place to build a stove, you can start.

Brick foundation for a sauna stove

First you need to dig a pit. Its bottom should reach a depth that will be below the layer of frozen soil. And this is approximately 0.7 meters. The width of the pit at the very bottom should be slightly larger than the main excavation. This is necessary so that any movement of the soil does not affect the overall structure of the foundation.

Then sand is poured into the bottom of the dug pit. Its quantity should be such as to cover the bottom by about 1.5 dm. The sand is poured with water, and after it is saturated with water, it is covered with broken bricks and stones, up to two inches thick. After the sand stops shrinking, the layer is sprinkled with crushed stone, and then formwork is made in the pit and a reinforced frame is installed. After this, concrete is poured with a thickness that should not reach 1.5 dm. to the ground surface. Then the formwork is dismantled by spreading several layers of tar along its sides, and the remaining space is filled with coarse sand and fine gravel.

Next, we will need roofing felt, two pieces, similar in size to the area of ​​the foundation, which are laid on concrete as the last layers of the foundation. These pieces thereby act as a spacer between them and serve as a waterproofing material. This is very important, because if moisture gets on the bricks, their strength is lost, and this leads to its early destruction. So, if the foundation is ready, you can start building the walls.

Preparing the mortar for masonry

Once the foundation is ready, you can check its horizontalness and suitability, and you can proceed to the next stage - the construction of walls. First you will need to lay out the so-called “protective wall”, that is, protective against possible fire. It will require a solution of sand and concrete and cut bricks. The first wall is laid out of them, which serves as the basis of the furnace.

Read also: Pipe sauna stove

The brickwork of a sauna stove is usually laid using sand-clay mortar. Clay is usually mined at a depth of more than half a meter. For easier use, the clay is softened with water. It is soaked in a special container for several days, and then I use it. The sand for the solution must be cleared of debris and preferably sifted.

The solution is prepared by kneading the clay and adding water to it, while the mass is thoroughly mixed. After this, sand is added to the composition, which is usually about twice as much as clay. It must be remembered that you should not immediately prepare the required amount of solution for the entire structure, since the mixture quickly loses its properties, hardens, and its use becomes difficult over time.

We are building a brick oven

The first laying of bricks is carried out on a bitumen waterproofing layer placed on the foundation. Each brick is wetted with water.

We protect the wall and lining from fire. It must be remembered that here you need to use a cement-sand mortar

After this installation, you must definitely check the angles, which should be straight, and the so-called “ordering”. The order of the sauna stove should be taken into account for any construction of stoves made of brick or other stone. It depends on the size of the heating structure: the larger it is, the more powerful its heating capacity. It is worth measuring the edges of the arrangement carefully, since any gap may allow smoke to enter the room. The thickness of the seams between the rows of bricks should not exceed three to five mm, the bricks should fit tightly to each other. To do this, it is necessary, as already mentioned, to make a high-quality solution without unnecessary debris and stones.

The second row of bricks is laid so that each brick lies at the junction of the bottom two bricks, the third row is similar to the second, and so on.

When laying the third row of bricks, a blower door is usually installed. For a more accurate calculation, you will need drawings of brick stoves for a bathhouse. Guided by them, it will be possible to calculate all stages of the structure. The door is reinforced with galvanized wire or strips of steel sheet. By the way, experts recommend using steel strips, as they are easier to attach. But if they are not there, wire will also do, the main thing is that its thickness corresponds to the standard. To do this you will need to make small indentations in the bricks.

Before laying the fourth row, it will be necessary to check again the evenness of the walls and the straightness of the corners of the future stove.

Read also: How to make a foundation for a stove in a bathhouse with your own hands

This is very important, since in the fourth row a well is laid for ash, as well as for the grate - a grate for the air duct and for cleaning the fuel compartment from ash. In order to install it, you need to hollow out recesses in the bricks, leaving gaps for the thermal expansion of the grate.

They should be approximately one cm in each direction. The back wall under the grate will need to be rounded with broken bricks so as to provide the least resistance to the passage of air into the firebox.

In the sixth row, the bricklaying ends with the installation of the ash door, and in the seventh row, with the installation of the grate and the furnace door. By the way, the furnace door is installed in the same way as the blower door. Doors for sauna stoves are usually made of cast iron. They are considered the strongest and most fire-resistant parts available today.

The eighth row of masonry is made with a partition from which the chimney will begin. Thus, the bricks are laid up to the 14th row, on which channels are already installed - metal U-shaped products, often used in construction, including in the construction of a furnace.

It is necessary to make an opening in the front wall of the sauna stove for a container where there will be hot water. This container should be positioned so that it rests vertically on the side walls of the masonry and touches the previously laid channels.

The fifteenth row is laid out with halves of bricks, which lie at an angle to each other. This will be the basis for laying out the dividing wall. The next three rows are laid out in the same way as the first ones, that is, each brick covers the joints of the bricks of the previous row.

On the 19th row, a door is installed through which steam will escape. Thin strips of metal, preferably mild steel, are then usually laid to hold the 20th and 21st rows together. This is done because already on the 21st row they close the steam door frame and place a container for hot water. After installation, it is as if it is wrapped in fragments of brick, pressing it as much as possible against the walls of the tank.

The 23rd row begins with the installation of a pipe, the length of which will depend on the height of the bath.

The pipe for the sauna stove is selected depending on the design itself. That is, if this is a massive stove, then the pipe should not be light. For a more fragile structure, you will need a smaller pipe. In this case, you must always take into account that the thickness of the walls of the pipe and furnace should not be less than half a brick, and the cross-section of the smoke passages should be the same size. The chimney is erected no less than half a meter above the roof surface. In this case, it is no longer a sand-clay mortar that is used, which is easily washed out by rain or softens under the influence of condensation formed in the pipe, but a lime mortar, or even a cement mortar.

Although metal sauna stoves were invented many years ago, most people still prefer traditional brick ones. This choice is due to the fact that it is the “living” material that is able to create the most comfortable level of heat for a person and the optimal amount of steam, as well as give the room a cozy atmosphere.

Peculiarities

The main advantage of brick stoves for baths is a certain steam generation technology, which is achieved thanks to the unique properties of brick. A person in the room breathes easily, feels “soft” warmth and enveloping steam, rich but not scalding. When the metal is heated, infrared radiation appears, burning oxygen in the steam room and burning the skin. It is not surprising that heaters made of brick are preferred by people who care about their health and choose comfort.

Brick construction comes in a variety of sizes and designs., which means it can fit into any bathhouse that demonstrates the individuality of the owner. As a rule, stoves are built with a base of 3.5 by 4 bricks (89 by 102 centimeters), or 4 by 5 bricks (102 by 129 centimeters). The height without pipe can be 168 or 210 centimeters. The most popular is the model with a tank for heating water.

Advantages and disadvantages

When giving preference to brick kilns, you must remember that they have both certain advantages and disadvantages. Among the advantages are the following:

• attractive appearance and the ability to fit into any interior of a bathhouse: both made of wood and brick;
• such a stove will please the owner much longer than an iron one: unlike metal, brick is a material that will not be spoiled by small defects;
• there is no need to carry out additional finishing work;
• the resulting steam has a beneficial effect on human health;
• a heated brick will not begin to release hazardous chemicals into the air;

• a brick stove better maintains high temperature throughout the entire bathhouse;
• for kindling, fuel is used, which is sold on any construction market, as well as simple raw materials that you don’t even have to buy: sticks, branches, newspapers, dry moss and others;
• In a room with a periodic heater, you can steam for 2-3 days, and it will not cool down;
• if after bath procedures you simply do not close the door in the steam room, then the stove will dry the bath itself;
• the chimney does not require monthly cleaning, unlike a metal firebox.

However, there are some disadvantages:

• the stove structure itself is quite large, you will either need to initially build a large bathhouse, or you will have to sacrifice some square meters;
• if errors are made during the assembly process, the oven will not hold the temperature well, and the room will quickly cool down;
• brick is a rather expensive material;
• the services of a professional stove maker are also highly expensive;

• due to the large weight of the stove, a solid foundation will be required, the depth of which should be below the freezing point of the soil, and also the foundation for the stove should not be tied to the foundation for the structure of the sauna house itself;
• building a heater is a long-term and labor-intensive task;
• To completely melt a sauna with a brick stove, it will take a lot of time, up to 6 hours.

Kinds

There are 4 main variations of sauna stoves:

• "in white";
• "in black";
• "in gray";
• with a stove.

Stoves that burn “black” do not have a chimney, and have been used for many decades in villages across the country. All fumes and smoke escape through the steam room itself - naturally through the cracks and gaps of the roof. Of course, this creates the best steam and aroma in them, and it becomes very pleasant to wash, but at the same time you have to wait until all the wood burns out. When choosing black stoves, it is recommended to treat the internal walls of the bathhouse with a special solution that can prevent the formation of soot residues. Black baths have a very high efficiency, and therefore, when using them, you can save on fuel.

Next in complexity are stoves that are heated “gray-style.” They have a chimney, and therefore the bathhouse warms up much faster. However, you still have to wait until all the fuel burns, as soot is deposited on the stones. The walls are not stained with soot, but when liquid is applied to the stones, a small amount of soot microparticles appears along with the steam from the furnace. This design can be direct-flow or with channels. In the first case, the stones placed above the firebox end up on fire, and the gases escape into the air through a pipe, and in the second, through two valves.

White stoves heat the room for up to 12 hours, but do not pollute stones, therefore they are considered the most environmentally friendly. The process occurs as follows: the fuel heats the overlying metal plate, and from it the stones, which will store heat for several hours. This heating method appears to be the most expensive - a large amount of firewood and other materials are consumed. Previously, the box in which the stones were placed was made of ordinary black iron, but now it is made of heat-resistant stainless steel. Traditionally, in white baths there are two separate spaces: a dressing room and the steam room itself. To warm both rooms, one side of the stove opens into the dressing room.

In the fourth case - with a stove - the stones and a tank of water, the placement of which can be changed, are heated by two cast-iron stoves. One of them is placed above the firebox, and the second - above the chimney. The slabs should be fenced on three sides with a brick screen, which will ensure high water temperatures. Such furnaces are usually built independently.

According to the type of fuel used, furnaces are distinguished:

• wood;
• heated by coal;
• natural gas;
• diesel fuel;
• wood chip briquettes;
• electricity.

Based on the type of construction, they are divided into furnaces:

• with an open heater (typical for a Finnish sauna);
• with closed heater;
• combined.

In the first case, the heater is called flow-through, and the stove itself is called periodic. In the second case, the heater is direct-flow, and the stove is continuous.

Batch stoves are usually chosen by large families, when many people go to wash, but the duration of the steaming process is short. They have thick walls that retain heat for a long time and provide the necessary service life of the bathhouse. The smoke passes through the stones before entering the chimney. The volume of stone backfill in such a heater is much larger than in continuous heaters.

Continuous sauna stoves have minimal wall thickness and the volume of stones located in an insulated metal box above the firebox. Their main advantage is the ability to use the steam room during the heating process. Stoves with a closed heater are also safer. Heating is carried out inside the housing through the wall, which is common to the heater and firebox. The stones retain heat much longer, and the air in the steam room has a stable optimal temperature. It will take about 4-5 hours to warm up the air in such a bath.

Separately, it is worth highlighting such a variety as a stone stove-fireplace for a bath. This design has an attractive design, but has low efficiency. If you install a fireproof glass valve, you can protect yourself from flames and enjoy relaxing in a warm room. This is why fireplaces are often installed in dressing rooms. Modern technologies make it possible to design mini-heaters. This design quickly warms the bathhouse, but even after the fuel has completely burned, the room remains heated. Its length and width are usually 2 bricks.

Design and style

There are various ways to design brick kilns.

• Using plaster, you can create relief patterns, or simply create a neat, smooth surface. Paint or decorative plaster is applied over the plaster.
• Painting is the simplest option. In this case, you will only need to paint the stove with 1-2 layers of very resistant paint.
• If you need some creative and effective solution, then you should turn to lining the furnace portal with tiles or stones in a sequential or chaotic order. In the case where the fireplace is planned to be closed, a glass lining is selected, and the brick itself will serve as decoration. In general, the stove can be lined with natural stone, majolica, unglazed terracotta, clinker tiles and porcelain stoneware.

When thinking about the color for the stove, it is recommended to base it on the interior design. For example, the loft style involves artificially aged hand-molded brick. For a classic interior in calm, light colors, light yellow brick is usually used. Thanks to modern materials, it is possible to paint the stove in any light.

If you want to decorate a log bathhouse in Russian rustic style, then it is best to assemble the stove yourself. Usually it is tiled or simply plastered and painted white. It is also necessary to take care of the substrate, which can be glass-magnesite sheets or plasterboard.

Masonry schemes

If you have never built a heater before, then it is recommended not to start drawing up the drawing yourself, but to find a ready-made plan and use it. Currently, various masonry schemes are used, the most complex of which are chosen by professionals, and the simpler ones by amateurs. In both cases, the result is satisfactory and the oven operates efficiently. In addition to traditional masonry methods, the order of Kuznetsov’s bell-shaped sauna stoves is also distinguished. This design takes up significantly less space.

Initially, the oven is laid out dry in order to draw up an order plan. It must be remembered that standard schemes are not suitable for all rooms, so for each bath they need to be created individually, making the necessary changes to the existing ones. Once you have a clear understanding of how each row is performed, it's time to begin the main assembly.

The ordering always starts from the foundation of the furnace, the so-called zero row. At this level, the installation is continuous, but a half-window is usually left on the side to create additional draft and clean the chimney shaft. At the next level, dressing is carried out - this means that the row is shifted by 30-50% to make the structure stable. If you need halves or quarters of bricks, it is recommended to use a grinder with a diamond blade. It must be remembered that such elements cannot be located in chimneys, the shafts of which are always assembled from solid brick, but only inside the structure.

At the third level, a damper usually appears, and the installation of the ash door begins. The fourth row indicates the appearance of the soot sampling door. At the sixth stage, as a rule, the shaft is divided into two parts using a jumper, one of which will become the slab shaft. On the twelfth row, one of the shafts will be laid, and one main one will remain. Usually at the twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth stage the masonry of the main structure ends, and then the masonry of the chimney begins.

Drawings and projects

The design of a sauna heater differs from traditional designs: it has a special space for heating stones, which allows you to heat the steam room at high speed. There are two main designs of such a stove: grate and grateless.

In a grate stove, the firewood is placed on a small grate or grate. This device also serves as the bottom of the firebox, and primary combustion air is supplied through it. Through the holes in the grate, the ash goes down, thus creating space for a new portion of fuel. The best material for this element of stove fittings is cast iron, as it is more stable than steel. Such stoves have high efficiency, high combustion intensity, and are very easy to maintain.

There are solid grates, which cannot be disassembled, and stacked grates, consisting of several parts. In the first case, when purchasing a part, you need to focus on the available area of ​​the firebox, and in the second, you can assemble an element of the required size yourself. Steel grates are produced by chain or pipe. Steel ones come in slab, basket, beam and movable types.

A grateless oven is also called a hearth oven. The firewood is placed on a sub-solid floor, on which there is also the possibility of cooking and baking, and air is supplied through the firebox door. In such furnaces, “top combustion of fuel” occurs, when the front spreads from the upper layers of the fill to the lower ones as combustion occurs, which is considered a more environmentally friendly method. For such stoves, exclusively wood materials are used: firewood and briquettes.

Some craftsmen assemble stoves by eye, since they believe that both the assembly of a brick stove and the lining of an iron stove are so simple that preliminary calculations are not needed for them. However, it is better to make preliminary calculations. Both the thermal regime and the amount of steam in the room depend on the correct design. Otherwise, it may happen that the air will heat up very quickly, but the stones will remain cold.

The parameters are calculated based on the dimensions of the room: length, height and width. The power of the furnace is also calculated depending on the volume of the steam room: for each cubic meter, 1 kilowatt of energy is required.

How to do it yourself?

To build a standard stove yourself, the first thing you need to do is select a suitable brick. The material must be very durable, able to withstand high temperatures and have fire-resistant properties. The best option is considered to be a pale yellow brick based on refractory fireclay clay. It is worth considering that it is an expensive material, so when building a homemade stove it is supplemented with solid red brick. For example, for fragments exposed to the most intense heating, fireclay bricks are used, and to line the outer walls, smoke ducts and decorative elements, red hollow grade M with numbers from 75 to 150 is used.

When choosing a brick, you should adhere to a few simple rules:

• When you hit a high-quality brick with a pick or hammer, a clear and clear sound will be heard;
• The brick must meet standard parameters: 250 by 120 by 65 millimeters;
• High-quality material has no obvious damage or defects, with the exception of thread-like cracks and grooves;
• If the brick has a “mica-like” film, this indicates a defect.

To build a brick oven, you will need knowledge of block laying and adherence to a uniform order. The first step is to install a waterproofing layer in the reinforced concrete base in order to cool the foundation. At the same stage, an oven for storing equipment is formed. Then the preparation of clay and sand begins to connect the elements, because cement is not suitable in this situation. The clay is first thoroughly cleaned of stones and impurities and soaked for several days. It is recommended to take samples obtained at a depth of 150 centimeters below the surface of the earth. Quarry or river sand is carefully sifted for pebbles or pieces of pebbles. After this, the clay must be stirred, diluted with clean water without a musty smell and combined with sand prepared in the same way.

When using clay with high fat content, it is recommended to dilute it with sand in proportions of 1: 2. To check whether the mixture is correct, you need to use a wooden stick. It is dipped into the solution, and if the resulting layer is 2 millimeters thick, then you can start working. Experts also recommend giving preference to the clay underlying the selected brick, that is, either red or fireclay.

At the next stage it will be necessary to lay out the brick blocks. As a rule, this will require a straightener, a square, pliers, a broom and dustpan, and an emery wheel. Each brick is first placed in water to ensure that all air bubbles are expelled from the pores and that dehydration of the mortar is prevented. It is not recommended to immerse fireclay bricks in liquid for a long time; a few seconds are enough to remove dust. Laying starts from the corner. The first row is laid on a dry foundation, without applying a sand-clay mixture.

At some point, a water tank is also installed, plates, and, if necessary, a grate, as well as securing the doors. Regardless of the masonry method, the key parts remain the same: a firebox made of refractory bricks, a chimney, a water tank and an ash pit consisting of a cast iron plate, firebox and oven. Drying the sauna stove takes 4-5 days with the windows open in the room. After this period, you can start heating it with small wood chips once a day, for a maximum of 10-15 minutes. While condensate continues to appear on the surface, the furnace is not yet ready for full operation. If desired, after this you can carry out finishing finishing, for example, tiling it with tiles.

When constructing a stone oven, you need to take into account the following rules:

• You should leave at least 50 centimeters between the stove cover and flammable structures;
• between the brick chimney and the wooden parts of the bathhouse there should be more than 1 decimeter;
• a gap will appear between the smoke duct and the roof, which must be covered with a metal plate, for example, made of galvanized steel;
• the floor in front of the base of the furnace is also covered with a metal plate about 10 millimeters thick; it will prevent sparks and coal from hitting the flammable surface;
• the weight of the stove together with the pipe, but without a foundation, should not exceed 750 kilograms;
• before laying, all bricks are carefully sorted, products of the same thickness are selected to obtain even seams - the best samples are used for smoke ducts and fireboxes;
• It is recommended to build the stove near the wall opposite the shelves in the steam room.

Beautiful examples in the interior

Decorative, spectacular finishing options for beautiful and stylish stoves.

• A massive stove-heater covering the entire wall will become a bright accent of the steam room. It can be decorated with tile inserts, finished with stone and original brickwork. The rest of the interior details, including basins with ladles, are made of light wood. Brooms are an organic accessory.

• If you want to decorate a bathhouse in a high-tech style, you need to use a laconic small heater, possibly a mini one, and shiny metal sheets in the interior. The latter can also act as protection for wooden walls.

• The correct choice of stones will not only improve the quality of steam, but also decorate the interior. Experts recommend giving preference to river pebbles, basalt, and porphyrite, which are not afraid of high temperatures.

• A barrel-shaped bathhouse with an open heater looks very original. In such a room, wooden walls are protected by metal plates.

• The firebox of a massive stove can be located in the next room - the dressing room. The large size and red brick ensure a rustic style.

• A neat compact stove can be decorated with a carved metal bucket with stones. The decorative element will also correspond to the wall protection, designed to look like stone.

Self-construction of a sauna stove is not the easiest, but it is a completely feasible undertaking that requires thorough preparation and a thoughtful approach. After reading the information below, you will learn about the important nuances of designing a sauna stove, and also consider the key stages of constructing a brick structure.

A sauna stove can have different dimensions, selected primarily in accordance with the area of ​​the room served. The most common stoves are built with a base measuring 890x1020 mm (3.5x4 bricks) or 1020x1290 mm (4x5 bricks) and a height excluding the chimney of 168 cm or 210 cm, respectively. The second option is better suited for steam rooms with increased ceiling height.

The most preferable option for a brick stove for a bath is a model with a water circuit (a tank for heating water). It makes no sense to present many projects - they are almost identical, only the location of the tank for heating water changes. The most popular options are a brick stove with a bottom-mounted tank and a brick stove for a bath with a top-mounted tank.

The following images show diagrams of a brick oven with a bottom-mounted water tank.

Schemes of a brick oven with a bottom-mounted water tank

Schemes of a brick oven with a bottom placement of the water tank (order)

The following images clearly demonstrate the design of a brick stove for a bathhouse with the tank placed at the top.

Making the project safe: basic principles

Before you begin to study further information on arranging a sauna stove, you need to consider and remember the key safety provisions, violation of which can lead to extremely adverse consequences.

Traditionally, the oven is built near the wall opposite to the shelves in the steam room. The stove design must be created in such a way that a minimum distance of 30-40 centimeters is maintained between the heating parts of the finished unit and everything that supports combustion. If special protection is installed, for example, made of asbestos cardboard, this figure can be reduced to 15-20 cm.

Using a heat insulator in the construction of a furnace - an example

Prices for asbestos cardboard

asbestos cardboard

A gap must be maintained between the smoke exhaust pipe and the floor/roof elements and those in contact with it, which is subsequently filled with fireproof material. Asbestos is most often used for protection. From above, the mentioned gap with insulation is closed with a steel shaped plate.

For additional protection, the area of ​​the floor in front of the stove firebox is covered with a metal sheet about 10 mm thick. It will protect the flooring material from fire if coals fall out of the firebox.

The standard option for placing a stove in the bath space is shown in the following image. Here you can also see the order of organizing the water circuit, which can be taken as a basis if the supply of warm water will be provided by the stove unit, as well as the features of connecting and removing the chimney.

What to build a stove from?

The kit for self-construction of a brick sauna stove includes the following items:

• brick;
• clay for preparing masonry mortar (sand will also be needed);
• container for preparing the solution;
• tools for marking (pencil, rope, square, tape measure, etc.) and masonry (trowel, pick, mallet, etc.);
• materials for insulation (roofing felt, asbestos);
• elements for the manufacture of a water tank and a smoke exhaust pipe (if you plan to assemble them yourself, but it is much more profitable in terms of time and labor costs to purchase ready-made units).

The issue of choosing bricks for masonry deserves special attention. The strength of this material, first of all, should be higher than that of ordinary white or red brick. The ideal option is fireclay bricks with the highest fire-resistant properties.

In terms of key performance characteristics, bricks based on fireclay clay are noticeably superior to their closest “brothers,” but are much more expensive. In view of this, in order to keep the final costs of constructing a sauna stove within reasonable limits, fireclay bricks are used for laying areas exposed to the most intense heating.

Prices for fireclay bricks

fireclay brick

In places that heat up to more modest levels, it is advisable to use solid red brick, designed to perform the work in question.

For example, external walls, smoke vents, various decorative elements, etc. can be made from such bricks.

Important! Solid ceramic bricks can be distinguished by their markings in the form of the letter “M” and accompanying numbers indicating the value of the maximum load per 1 cm2. For laying a brick oven, you should use a material of at least M-150 grade.

You can distinguish real high-quality stove bricks by 3 key features.

Video - Choosing bricks for laying a stove

What mortar should I use for masonry?

The laying of brick sauna stoves is traditionally done using clay mortar. It is best if the type of clay used as the basis for the brick used is used for its preparation, i.e. red or fireclay. In this case, the brick and masonry will give the same thermal expansion during the heating process, which will ensure the longest possible life of the finished building.

Helpful advice! It has been established that the thinner the masonry joint is made, the higher the resulting quality of the stove. However, this issue also needs to be approached wisely: ideal masonry is obtained with a joint thickness of 0.5 cm. Reducing the value below the mentioned indicator will contribute to a noticeable reduction in the service life of the stove.

In addition to clay, sand is included in the solution. It must first be sifted so that the solution ends up with material containing grains of sand no larger than 1-1.5 mm in size. The millimeter value is the most preferred. It is also important that the sand does not have silt inclusions and is of a uniform color. For sifting, use sieves of appropriate fractions.

Separate requirements apply to water, which is also used in the process of preparing masonry mortar. First of all, it must be clean, contain the minimum possible amount of mineral inclusions, and not have a musty smell. Laying 100 bricks takes about 15-20 liters of water.

Before preparing the solution, the clay must be placed in any suitable container (for example, a large basin), crushed and filled with clean water in such an amount that the result is the most homogeneous mass, not too thick and not very liquid. Mix the solution thoroughly, dissolving any lumps that have formed. Leave the mixture of clay and water for a day, then strain and rub the resulting lumps through a sieve.

Sand is added to the prepared solution last. On average, a liter jar of sand is added to a bucket of water, but this moment must be carefully controlled, because the amount of river sand in the solution directly affects the fat content of the latter. In addition, the required amount of sand may vary depending on the initial fat content of the clay. If the masonry mixture is too greasy, the stove may simply collapse during operation. A thin (non-greasy) mortar will not allow achieving the desired quality of adhesion of bricks, as a result of which the scenario already discussed will be repeated.

There are several simple ways to determine the fat content of clay in artisanal conditions.

Take 500 g of clay and mix it with water. It is best to knead by hand until you obtain a mixture that has a uniform consistency and does not stick to your hands.

Important! For laying a sauna stove, you can only use a solution of medium fat content.

Roll the previously prepared mixture into a ball the size of a small apple. Place the molded product on any flat, hard surface and gently press it with a board. Press down slowly enough to fix the formation of cracks.

If the clay ball disintegrates without cracking, the clay is non-greasy. The appearance of a crack half the size of the diameter indicates that the fat content of the clay is too high. In the case of a solution of normal fat content, the crack will take approximately 0.2 the diameter of the clay ball.

Preparing oven mortar - tips

Video - Preparation of mortar for laying a stove

Sequence of construction of a sauna stove

Regardless of the chosen configuration of a brick sauna stove, the procedure for its construction remains identical for all situations: from the foundation to the installation of a smoke exhaust pipe and finishing. In the following table you can find important information about each stage of the event in question.

Table. The procedure for constructing a sauna stove

Video - Construction of a sauna stove

Sauna stove project: step-by-step order

As an example, we will consider the procedure for constructing a stove equipped with a built-in water tank. The dimensions of the structure at the base are quite impressive - 1020x1290 mm (corresponding to a laying of 4x5 bricks), height - 2100 mm. If desired, the owner can change the dimensions in accordance with the conditions and characteristics of the steam room being equipped. The design image of the structure under construction is presented below.

A stove with the specified design dimensions will make it possible to provide a space of up to 10-14 m2 with temperature readings of about 45-50 degrees during washing and up to 100 degrees and higher during steaming. One firebox of such a stove will be enough for up to 10-12 visitors to comfortably take a steam bath and thoroughly wash themselves. The volume of the built-in tank (visible on the right side in the diagram above) is about 180 liters.

To improve the quality of heating and place stones above the fuel chamber of the furnace, pipes in the amount of 6 pieces (visible next to the water tank) with a diameter of 50 mm are laid. The length of the pipes to be laid specifically for this project is 1050 mm. The installed pipes become very hot during the operation of the furnace and continue to transmit thermal energy for some time even after the combustion is completed.

Above the stones there is a double door. Through the opening it closes, water flows onto the laid cobblestones, resulting in the formation of steam.

Let's proceed directly to studying the design order.

Table. Arranging a brick sauna stove

The masonry is complete. The principle of operation of such a furnace is extremely simple: when fuel burns, hot gases heat the walls of the furnace and a water boiler installed inside the structure, pass through laid pipes and a stone backfill placed on top of them, and then go into the smoke exhaust pipe.

Video – Brick sauna stoves projects

The bathhouse is a real source of health. This has been known since time immemorial. The most popular steam rooms are in the Russian bathhouse and the Finnish sauna.

General information

The sauna is characterized by the following temperature regime - +60-120 degrees, as well as dry steam and humidity, which does not exceed 25%. In a Russian bath they steam at temperatures up to 50-80 degrees. In this case, the humidity level can reach 100%. In most cases, owners of country houses and cottages decide to build their own bathhouse, and, of course, pay special attention to a brick stove.

Features of the arrangement

Laying a brick stove in a bathhouse is a very important process. The materials used, as well as their physical properties, play a big role in this matter. The design of a brick stove for a bathhouse is no less important. Different materials are used for construction. In this case, the brick is considered ideal. This is due to the fact that such material is able to warm up evenly and slowly. Thanks to this, the optimal air temperature is maintained in the steam room. It is also worth noting that there is no overheating of the room.

Necessary Requirements

A simple brick stove for a bathhouse is quite suitable. However, the structure must meet a number of specific requirements. The drawing of a brick oven is made taking into account the total area of ​​the room. The structure must be folded according to all the rules. Such a stove should behave the same at -20 and +20 degrees. Thus, during the summer, the brick oven should be heated first. Only then comes the turn of the room itself. If poorly heated stones come into contact with a heated room, heavy damp steam will form. It, in turn, does not have any healing effect, but only harms.

How to fix the situation?

It should be noted that not everyone can afford a brick stove for a Russian bath. In some cases, metal structures already exist. Their heating occurs unevenly. To correct the situation, the structure is covered with bricks. Which is undoubtedly a fairly economical option. However, this is not the best brick stove for a sauna. Nevertheless, structures of this kind are quite popular. Next, we will look at how such a simple brick stove for a bath is made.

Some nuances of the construction

• The masonry must be made in half a brick. The recommended distance from the metal structure is 15 cm.
• It is necessary to equip the structure so that it is possible to add water, as well as regulate the heating of the steam room premises. To do this, openings must be made in the brickwork.
• Doors for warming up must be located at the top and bottom (in pairs). The lower openings allow air to be drawn in, and the upper ones allow it to flow back into the steam room.

Of course, this option is not ideal. However, it is advisable to use it if there is no other option.

Do-it-yourself brick stove for a sauna: diagram

The structure consists of the following elements:

1. Firebox.
2. Kamenka.
3. Ash pits with chimney.

There are mounted (placed directly on the stove) and main (autonomous, adjacent to the overall structure) pipes.

Main settings

The pipe must rise above the roof surface. The minimum height is 0.5 m. A brick stove for a bathhouse with your own hands can be built with a pipe. The otter must be made where the structure exits through the roof. Its main task is to protect the formed gap from precipitation. The expansion of the pipe, the diameter of which is equal to a whole brick or half of it, is made where it passes directly through the ceiling. This ensures that the wooden elements of the ceiling are protected from fire. The construction of the pipe within the attic, as well as above the roof, is done using cement mortar. In the first case, among other things, the structure needs to be sanded down and whitewashed. Thanks to such manipulations, you can determine how tightly the brick stove for a bathhouse is built with your own hands. Soot on the whitewash will indicate this.

Brick stove for sauna "heater"

This is a relatively simple structure. The chimney in such heating structures is asbestos-cement or metal pipes. These building materials have their drawbacks. In case of strong cooling, condensation may appear on asbestos cement or metal. At the same time, it flows into the oven. The occurrence of such a situation is very undesirable. In order to avoid this, the pipe must be hidden in a heat-insulating fireproof case. In this case, it is also permissible to cover the structure with brick.

Main advantages

A brick stove for a sauna "heater" has many advantages:

• The inner walls of the pipe are smooth. In addition, they are smoke-proof. The pipe itself has a circular cross-section.
• Cheap bricks can be used, the quality of which is relatively low.
• Construction is relatively easy. The fact is that the asbestos-cement pipe is a kind of guide.

Features of the structure

A brick stove for a bath, assembled with your own hands according to this principle, has the ability to perfectly accumulate heat. There is a chamber located directly above the firebox. Stones are placed in it. In order to generate steam, not only cobblestones can be used. Cast iron ingots are also widely used. They are located on the cracked arch of the firebox. Flue gases travel quite a long way. First they pass through the cracks of the vault, and then through cobblestones and ingots. After this, the gases end up in separate side smoke channels. Only then do they come out through the pipe. A special window is used to allow water to be poured onto the stones. Through it, the generated steam enters the steam room.

Calculations

Laying the furnace involves observing the following proportions: 80% stones and 20% ingots (60 kg per 1 m 3). For large families, a project with a water tank is best suited. It is located on the side. For periodic structures, the calculation of the required mass of stones is different - up to 40 kg per 1 m 3. As a result, their number even in a small area turns out to be very large. Continuous ovens do not require as much. For them, the average is 80-200 kg. This is due to the fact that in this case the additional use of firewood ensures constant heat maintenance.

Features of the construction process

Next, we’ll take a closer look at how to assemble a brick stove for a sauna with your own hands. Its design includes a piece of metal pipe. It will be used as a vault. Recommended parameters: diameter - up to 400 mm, length - up to 600 mm. According to the diagram, the water heating tank is located on the side. The steel support leaves must be welded to the arch. With their help, the pipe is laid into the structure itself. The vault needs tightness. To do this, the ends of the tube must be additionally scalded using a special sheet. In this case, the masonry is adjacent to the metal. There should also be a small barrier to prevent hot air from escaping into the chimney. To do this, you need to weld a metal sheet to the arch. This design is also called a "screen". The water heating tank, which corresponds to this scheme, has the following parameters: capacity - up to 45 liters. It must be built into the side wall. The material from which such a tank is made is sheet steel. Its thickness can reach 10 mm. It should be in the place where the tank is adjacent directly to the firebox. A section of chimney pipe must be installed on the inside of the side wall of the structure. It must be equipped with a damper. The chimney is secured to the brickwork using wire clamps. In this case, its lower end should rest against the metal tank.

Basis of the structure

The upper part of the brick oven is covered with stones. In total, up to 200 kg may be required. The top of the heater is closed with a lid. It is made of galvanized sheet. The lid is removed only to allow steam to escape. There is a hole on the side that is designed to supply water to the stones. Recommended parameters: 200x250 mm. This design is suitable for continuous operation. It can also be used periodically. Stoves heated during bathing procedures must be loaded with stones (up to 150 kg).

Materials

The following building materials will be required:

1. Sheet of steel.
2. Grate.
3. Galvanized sheet.
4. Water pipe.
5. Firebox doors.
6. Asbestos cement pipe.
7. Blower doors.
8. Metal pipe.
9. Reinforcing bar.
10. Clay.
11. Sand.
12. Ordinary brick.

Important information

To lay a brick kiln, a good foundation must be provided. This is due to the fact that the weight of this structure is enormous. It can reach 1250 kg. The foundation is laid before the floor is laid. As for the location of the future structure, it should be no closer than 50 cm to the walls of the room. The required size of the foundation is approximately 5 cm larger than the stove itself. Its edge must be located below the floor level.

additional information

It is necessary to follow a certain sequence when building a brick stove for a bathhouse with your own hands. In this case, order is necessary. This is done so as not to get confused later during the assembly process. Each level has its own specific parameters. Only in this way will an effective and reliable structure be erected. The number of rows depends on the height of the room. The countdown must begin from the lowest. It is continuous. This series should be given special attention. The diagonal of the foundation is measured very carefully. You should also pay attention to the outer bricks. They must be of high quality and have smooth edges. Depending on the design of the furnace, the required number of continuous rows is calculated. In some cases, only one is enough, and in others, two or more. The laying of the furnace body is verified with a plumb line along the first row. It is recommended to choose the same bricks. There is no need to mix regular red with fireproof. Depending on the heating rate, their degree of expansion varies. If the combination is unsuccessful, then cracks may appear in the structure.

Brick kilns are considered traditional. Firewood and coal can serve as fuel for them. Birch is best suited for heaters. Such firewood does not “shoot” or spark. At the same time, they provide a sufficient amount of heat. If coniferous wood is used, it produces smoke and smoke during combustion. However, this can be avoided. You need to add some potato peelings or aspen cones to the oven. This is done at the end of the firebox.

What to fill the chamber with?

In this case, you should remember that there are special bath stones. They undergo special processing. It is also necessary to take precautions to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. It is necessary to separate the backfill from the chimney and combustion chamber. It is best to choose heavy, dense and intact stones. In addition, you should give preference to natural options. In this case, the only exception is sandstone. This stone can clog steam channels. In addition, it very quickly becomes unusable. The recommended diameter of the stones is at least 10 cm. After the first fire has been carried out, they must be checked. They should not expand from exposure to temperature or crack. It is best if the selected stones have a round shape and a smooth surface. It is not recommended to give preference to spicy options. When water gets on them, they can start to "shoot". It is recommended to choose pebbles, boulders or granite.

Before placing stones in the oven, they must be thoroughly washed. Thus, the dirt that has accumulated on their surface will not end up in the steam room. The bottom layer should consist of larger stones. Accordingly, small ones remain at the top. The strongest stones should be laid out on the sides. In some cases it is necessary to increase the heating rate. To do this, cast iron pigs must be stacked vertically. The recommended diameter of the stones placed in the bottom row is at least 15 cm. They must be placed directly on the grate. In the case of a heat storage furnace, the masonry should overlap the holes of the latter to a minimum. All elements that crack within one year of use must be replaced with new ones.