Building a banya - How to build a Russian sauna

For around 30 million German citizens, a visit to the sauna has a high recreational value. As a result, many people want their own sauna - the Russian banya is very popular - and so the banya can be built.

Features of the banya

The traditional banya is built in the style of a log cabin and consists of two to three rooms: the so-called dressing and undressing room, the bath-washing room and the sweating room. The temperature of the hot air bath is between 80 and 100 °C. To optimise the entire bathing ritual, the Russians swear by so-called weniks: these bundles of fresh birch twigs are used to fan the skin and treat it.


Planning phase for the construction of the banya

There are different regulations that must be observed from state to state. You should therefore check with the relevant building authority beforehand to find out what is subject to authorisation. These include, for example: the building permit, compliance with the prescribed distances to neighbouring properties or the stipulations of the applicable fire protection regulations. The final inspection is then carried out by the district chimney sweep.

Tip: To avoid any nasty surprises, inform the neighbours if necessary and submit a corresponding application to the relevant authority as a precaution.

Banya: do it yourself or buy a kit?

Many experienced builders will agree that planning and building a Russian banya is not an easy project. Anyone taking on this project should definitely have some experience in craftsmanship and construction. Buying a banya sauna house kit is comparatively easy. All materials and timbers are delivered prefabricated and with detailed assembly instructions.

Choosing a location for the banya

Sheltered and hidden places are the best choice. However, builders can of course frame the banya house afterwards, for example with privacy screens or fast-growing hedges. It is also essential to think about water and power lines. For safety reasons, these are laid and connected by a specialist company to ensure that the sauna works perfectly later on. Other important factors are checking the available building area, finding the desired house size and clarifying the financial possibilities.

Tip: Never build too big. This is because heating costs increase with every extra square metre. An 8 - 10 square metre banya is sufficient for four people.

Selecting the type of wood for the banya

The right wood is the most important component for a solid Russian banya. Particularly stable types of wood from the Nordic countries are popular, such as Finnish polar spruce or Canadian hemlock. Both have the advantage that the species are naturally exposed to extreme weather conditions and only grow slowly. This special feature guarantees good insulation for decades and keeps the climate in the sauna stable.

The fast-growing abachi wood is mainly used for the interior fittings. This species has hardly any knots and retains hardly any heat even at high temperatures.

Note a special feature: In traditional banjas, the door from the sauna area does not lead directly to the outside!

The right construction phase for the banya

1. first pour the foundation slab of the appropriate size; to avoid cracks, lay a reinforcement mat in the concrete bed. 2. the material of the wooden walls should have a wall thickness of at least 100 mm. Ready-planed and bevelled wall planks are ideal. These are inserted into the respective corner posts from above using a dovetail.

3. press the walls together with suitable tongue and groove joints. This is the only way to ensure that the timber house is properly sealed and
weather influences cannot cause any damage.

4. fit a suitable sealing strip between each layer of beams to keep the heat inside the house.

5. use 140 mm to 190 mm beams for the roof construction. OSB boards are suitable for cladding. Fill the gaps with insulating material beforehand.

6. close the roof with 21 mm sheet piling. Then glue EPDM rubber sheeting suitable for green roofs on top.

7. use a well-insulated 60 mm thick spruce wood door with door handle as the outer door. The same applies to windows.

8 After completion, the house is painted, the interior fittings and the electricity and water connections are installed.

9. tested and certified products installed by a specialist are recommended for the sauna heater.



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