Shelves in the bath: what is it and what is it used for?

Bath is a great place in which the soul and body rest. Many homeowners build such buildings on their plots and spend quite a lot of free time in them. An important role is played not only by a properly constructed construction of the bath, but also by its internal arrangement.

If it was decided to put a bath on your site, then you should remember that it should be as comfortable as possible. To do this, you must correctly equip the resulting structure, equipping it with all the necessary components.

Elements such as shelves are very important for a bathhouse. These parts are designed to be installed in the steam room. Most often they have several tiers..

Their design features, first of all, depend on the area of ​​the room and its height. Steam room shelves are usually located either along one of the walls, or around two walls.parallel to each other. There are also corner designsin which the layout of the tiers is completely different.

In real Russian baths, shelves with three tiers are usually installed. Even from the lessons of physics at school it is known that heat always rushes upward, therefore on the lower shelf in the steam room it is always cooler than at the very top.

Designing shelves for a steam room, it is necessary to take into account that at the highest tier an adult should freely fit, not resting on the ceiling- This is another important feature that should not be underestimated, while equipping a bathing room.

High-quality shelves in the bath should have a low thermal conductivity, otherwise it will be impossible to stay on it, since it will heat up greatly in the conditions of the steam room. That is why similar structures are made of wood, not metal, because it is heating up very quickly.

Also, competently made shelves from suitable materials seamlessly transfer high temperatures and their drops. In such conditions, these structures are not deformed, do not rot and are not destroyed.

There are many options for the location of the shelf in the steam room. It is possible to build a suitable design for placing any layout and footage. For example, for a compact steam room, it is permissible to make corner bencheswhich take up little free space, but remain convenient for a comfortable pastime for users.

Differently shelves are called shop. This is explained by the fact that it is a construction of shops with different heights, arranged according to a special scheme.

The standard device of these elements consists of two main components:

• Frame. Such an element of the bath regiments serves as a basis for fixing the boards of stationary flooring or as a support for collapsible floorings. As a rule, the frame of the regiments are made from the support pillars, which are similar to the legs of a standard bench. These parts are interconnected by means of transverse jumper boards. Less often, the frame of the regiment is made on the principle of a ladder kosour. Stairs are attached to this base.

• Flooring. Another component of the regiment is flooring. It is a base of the boards, filled with steps of 1-2 cm. As a rule, the flooring is fixed on the frame of the bench. Sometimes the necessary parts are nailed separately, making a structure resembling floor treads. If the flooring is unfixed on the frame, then it is very convenient to remove and ventilate outside the steam room.This component performs the function of a seat, stove bench and a podium for a bath attendant who works with a broom.

Shelves for the steam room should be made of well-processed and high-quality materials that do not have damage and serious defects.

When choosing wood for the manufacture of a shelf, you need to consider several important factors:

• the material must have a minimum thermal conductivity, otherwise the shop will be very hot - it will be uncomfortable to sit and lie on it;
• there should be no resin in the wood - it will stand out at high temperatures and stick to the skin;
• The wood must tolerate the increased humidity without problems, otherwise the shelves will not last long in the conditions of the steam room.

Below are the options for wood, of which it is better to make such designs.

To create high-quality regiments, this material is used quite often. Under high temperature conditions, wood gives a very pleasant natural aroma, which has a relaxing effect on the human body.It is also worth noting that linden is a light material, and therefore the benches as a result are not very heavy.

They are installed simply - it does not take a lot of effort. Lipa is seamlessly processed, since it does not differ in high density. In addition, the benches made of such wood species for many years retain an attractive appearance and a perfectly smooth surface, which is especially important for the regiment.

Aspen is another popular material for the manufacture of the shelf. This breed of wood also has a positive effect on the human body and has healing properties. In addition, aspen is inexpensive, so almost every buyer can afford it.

It is believed that aspen furniture neutralizes negative energy and also restores human strength. This material perfectly cleans the air in the bath, so it is recommended to use many experts.

Aspen shelf will serve faithfully for many yearswithout delivering any problems.Such furniture does not require homeowners of complex care, because it is practical.

However, aspen has one serious disadvantage: this material is prone to rotting fibers in the inside.

For the manufacture of the shelf is a good poplar. Its wood is very soft and pliable. In addition, this material is lightweight. Poplar may have a whitish or light brown shade.

Shelves can be made from alder. This breed of wood is resistant to wear and temperature extremes. In the conditions of the steam room, such material will not be deformed, cracked or lose its visual appeal. Even after a few years, the alder remains bright. If it is necessary to install a darker shelves in the steam room, you should use a special black alder for its manufacture.. This breed of tree since ancient times was used in Russia in the construction of baths.

Alder differs in that it has a rather thin and uniform structure. In addition, this material meets the main requirement - it has minimal thermal conductivity. Sitting or lying on an alder bench will be as comfortable and safe as possible since it is almost not heated.

This is an African oak tree that boasts excellent strength properties. Shelves made of this good-quality material are not afraid of either temperature or large loads.

In addition, African oak benches have a beautiful and expensive appearance. Abashi is not subject to rotting. Over time, stains, brows and other defects do not appear on the surface of furniture made from this tree.

Shelves made of African oak will not crack and will last for many years. In conditions of high temperatures, this species of wood produces a very pleasant and soft aroma, which has a positive effect on the human respiratory system.

As for the drawbacks, here it should be noted the possibility of darkening of the wood in some places, if it is used for a long time in conditions of high humidity.

For the manufacture of bath shelves it is permissible to use such a tree species as maple. The main advantage of this material is its high strength. Breaking or damaging a maple shop is not easy. For this reason, many consumers choose this material for the construction of regiments.

In addition, the maple is relatively inexpensive, and serves for a very long time, without causing any trouble. This material is resistant to wear. Working with maple is easy - it is easily pricked and handled without any problems. Such wood has a homogeneous structure, in which there are no pronounced fibers. The main advantage of this material is that it is not afraid of high humidity and very rarely crack. The most valuable is considered to be maple bird eye, as well as sugar. Such wood has a beautiful structure.

Shelves for a bath can have various forms:

• Stepped. Such bath shops are most common. With such a structure, the shelves are installed on one wall, and their arrangement takes place on the principle of steps. In a multi-tiered structure there may be two or three floors.As mentioned above, the traditional model for the Russian bath is a three-tier bench. In such models on the shelf, located at the top, much hotter than at the lowest level.
• Corner. The second most popular are the corner shelves. Such designs are most often chosen by the owners of small baths with the same compact steam rooms. In such conditions, the corner shop occupies a minimum of free space.

• Collapsible. Collapsible benches for a bath are considered to be very convenient to use. In such designs, the upper and lower shelves are removable. Due to this structure, the wooden elements of the steam room are dried much easier and faster.
• Folding. To expand the available space in the steam room, you can use shelves with folding flooring. Such designs are ideal for those cases when several people rest in the bath at once. Otherwise, folding benches called compartment shelves.The principle of operation of this bath furniture is very simple: if necessary, the uppermost tier rises towards the wall (just like a shelf in a train compartment) and also lowers to its original place.

Do not think that the shelves - this is unremarkable furniture for the steam room, on the design of which there is no need to work. In fact, such designs can look stylish and interesting, transforming the bath room.

For example, shelves can be built from boards of contrasting shades, beautifully echoing each other. Of course, it will be more difficult to make such furniture, but it will decorate the steam room with itself.

If the owner is an amateur of non-standard and fresh solutions, then he should turn to the decoration of the regiment with light. LED lighting installed under the bench or in the box under it will be a spectacular design technique.

If there is no need to install LED strips in the sauna, then you can turn to spotlights and install them around the perimeter of the room - just above the seats. Thus, you can focus on the neatly made benches and make the steam room a little lighter.

Corner benches look beautiful and fresh with a large seat with a wavy edge upstairs.. Such designs look modern and stylish, softening the angle of the steam room.

Some craftsmen make very elegant shelves for the steam room, in which the upper tier smoothly flows into the lower. Making such shops can not be called very simple and fast, but their design is able to transform the room.

U-shaped “multi-storey” benches with a separate back, attached directly to the wall behind the longest seat, look good in the steam room. These designs not only look aesthetically pleasing, but are strong and reliable. They are especially attractive in the same ensemble with wooden basins and brooms.

If it was decided to make the shelves for the bath with his own hands, then first you need to make his drawing.To make a clear scheme, first of all, you should consider the dimensions of the room, the location of the future structure, as well as the height of the ceiling in the steam room.

In order to translate into reality the plan, you should familiarize yourself with the standard dimensions of such structures:

• To lie on a shelf with knees bent at the legs, you will need a 1.5 m long bench.
• The 1.8 m long bench will allow any average user to lie down on it, but not to bend the knees. In this case, much depends on the individual parameters of the person - sometimes a two-meter bench may not be enough.

• Shelves may have a minimum width of 40 cm. This parameter most often belongs to the lower tier, which is usually used as a stand under your feet. At this stage it is convenient to stand, but you can sit down.
• Most often, the bath shops have a width of 60 cm. This parameter is optimal, but not quite suitable for floating in the supine position.
• To sit down (with legs pressed) across the bench, you need a design with a width of 90 cm. A user with any physiological parameters can lie on such a bed.
• The widest is a wooden shelf with a size of 150 cm. It is convenient not only to sit on it, but also to lie down.

When designing shelves for a bath, it is important to consider the height of installation of all the components:

• 1.1-1.2 m - Experts recommend keeping this distance between the lowest step and the second shelf.
• 40-60 cm - this gap is optimal if it is performed between the first and second shelves.
• 20 cm - This is the minimum allowed distance that should be left between the floor and the step at the very bottom.
• 1.5-1.8 m - these dimensional values ​​are minimal for the length of the bath shelf.

When drafting a design for a steam room, you need to pay special attention to the layout of the shelves in the room:

• Along one of the walls of the room in 1-3 rows, with the shelves can be installed one above the other.
• There are also L-shaped designs.In such cases, any number of steps is possible. For example, there may be two or three along each partition. The upper and lower parts can be located along the longest wall, and the middle - along the shorter, located next door.
• There are also models in which there are two parallel structures located along the walls opposite each other. Such options resemble a coupe in a train car. These shelves can be either symmetrical or non-uniform with signs of asymmetry.

After that, the owner will be more convenient to choose the optimal solution. Moreover, you can correctly calculate the required volume of lumber, based on the size of the benches.

It is not difficult to draw up a project for bath shops - all you need to do is to take into account all the parameters and the intended location of the structure. If there are doubts about the correctness of their actions, then it is better to hire specialists who will prepare the finished drawing.

You can make your own shelves for a bath.In order not to disappoint the result, you should strictly follow the step-by-step guide, and use quality materials and tools in your work.

Below is an instruction how to make shelves on the example of a steam room with dimensions of 2.5x3 m.

• First of all, it is necessary to competently prepare the wood for further work. To do this, you need to properly process the board - to grind and prepare the corners.
• Be sure to cover lumber protective antiseptic formulations. Such tools will extend the life of bath shops. The treated wood is not subject to rotting and cracking, so do not neglect this stage of work.

• For example, in a steam room with dimensions of 2.5x3x2.5 m, it will be possible to arrange benches only along a long wall. For the frame frame of the regiment will need bars with a section of 50x70 cm
• It is necessary to make blanks in the amount of 12 pieces with a length of 1.1 m, as well as 6 pieces with a length of 0.9 m.
• To make the tier below, you need 6 half-meter parts and 6 bars 1.5 m long.
• Also for the manufacture of the shelf will need 3 boards. These components will be needed to connect the racks of the upper and lower tiers.
• Using three connecting boards, you can knock down a neat design U-shaped.
• After arrangement, the resulting structure should be attached to the wall. Mount the shelf is recommended to do with the help of special wooden lining (cubes). These parts will protect the surface of the bars from moisture.

• From the set of racks prepared for the lower level, you need to assemble and knock down a single frame L-shaped structure. In the future, this design should be docked with the racks of the upper step and securely fasten on it.
• At the end of the work carried out on the prepared frame frame you need to lay the boards relating to the upper and lower tiers.
• The floorings should be made of planed boards with dimensions of 20x120 mm and 3.5 m long.
• To fix the flooring on the frame, you must use special wooden nails or pins.
• It is necessary to take into account that in the conditions provided, the total height of the shelves may be approximately 1.5-1.6 m.

Below is a variant of the installation of bath shelves on a special Finnish technology.

• First of all, it is necessary to measure the length of the wall along which the benches will be installed.From these values ​​should be taken away about 20-30 mm. This must be done to remain a gap between the shelves and the walls of the steam room.
• After that, you need to go to the creation of the frame. To do this, you must first make the main frame. Its length is already known, but you need to choose the width yourself.
• To choose a suitable width of a rectangular frame frame, it is necessary to take into account the size of the steam room, as well as personal preferences - it depends on the width of the structure how much space users will have to relax in a sitting or lying position.

• Then the frame must be fastened in the corners - for this it is recommended to use special metal corners. After that, the structure should be pulled off using bolts or screws. It is better to carry out such work in the inner part of the shops.
• You should also install intermediate transverse slats. Experts advise when installing them to follow the step of 50-60 cm.
• After completing the frame assembly, make sure that it fits seamlessly in the available space.
• The next step will be fixing on the walls of the support frame, the length of which corresponds to the width of the shelves themselves.At this stage it is important to secure the two wooden bars at a single height.
• Then you need to make sure that all the details are fixed correctly - the building level is best suited for this (it is recommended to use a bubble or laser tool).

• To fix the support, you need to use screws or screws. Mounting should be done at 2-3 points.
• It is also necessary to take into account such a moment: the longer the bed, the more must be fasteners. Experts recommend keeping up to 40 cm between fastenings
• The lower beds need to be fixed with a small protrusion relative to the upper elements. The length of the protrusion in this case must correspond to the width of the lower flange.

• Then the frame structure should be put on the installed bed. To make the structure more robust and reliable, you should additionally attach the frame to the wall on the screws or screws.
• After that, you need to put the flooring on the frames. In this case, it is permissible to lay the boards longitudinally or perpendicularly to the frames.
• At the completion of these works it is important to close the space left between the upper and lower shelves.
• You also need to assemble the back above the upper tier: you can use a ready-made design or make it yourself. To do this, you should vertically nail to the partition of the slats, the thickness of which is 1-2 cm. In doing so, you should follow the step 40-60 cm. Then you need to fix the boards on the slats.

To finish the bath shops received, you can use special varnishes and impregnations. Such compounds will protect wooden structures from rotting and destruction. It is worth noting that ideally the wood in the bath should not undergo any treatment - just polish the material.

If there is good ventilation in the room, the tree in it will not deteriorate and lose its visual appeal.

To protect wooden shelves from rotting and deformation, you can use some useful tools:

• Acrylic based lacquers. Acrylic varnishes, which are not afraid of dampness and moisture, form a special moisture-proof film on the surface of the tree.The structure of such means does not change at all, even if the temperature of the room is +100 degrees. For this reason, acrylic lacquers are allowed to be used in the Finnish sauna.

• Impregnation. Antiseptic impregnations are designed to prevent the appearance of mold and fungus on wood. In addition, such compositions make natural material more resistant to moisture. Impregnations differ from varnishes in that they penetrate more deeply into the structure of the tree than provide it with comprehensive protection.
• Bleach. These special formulations are used to bleach darkened wood.
• Wax solution or linseed oil. Many experts advise to handle finished shelves with wax solution. An alternative to this tool is flaxseed oil. Such funds should be applied to the tree in two layers. One layer of oil dries in about 8 hours.

If you want to make the shelves not in three, but in two tiers, then you need to take into account that the height of the lower level from the floor should be about 50 cm, and from the top - 90 cm.

A technological gap must be left between the decorative trim of the floors and the benches.Its size is usually 4 mm on each side, while you need to take into account the expansion coefficient of the tree when it swells.

For the manufacture of frame bases, experts recommend purchasing a 50x70 cm timber.. In addition, in order for the wood not to dry out, the thickness of the board should be about 4 times less than the width. Making the frame, it should be further strengthened. To do this, you can connect all the supporting parts using boards and the bottom and top. It is recommended to wear special rubber pads on the legs of bath furniture - with such details of the shelves it will not scratch the floor or slide on damp boards.

If the steam room in the bath can not boast a large yardage, then it is permissible to build a lower shelf in the shape of a triangle. Such structures should be placed in the room so that one leg is loosely attached to the wall, and the other to the adjacent shelf.

Most often, the lower part of the shelf design is not fixed. Thanks to this solution, the floor under the structure can be washed, and it dries more efficiently. If the bottom of the shop is too heavy and heavy, then you can build special runners under itmoving along rubber guides.

The use of screws during the design of the shelf allows you to firmly and securely fix the resulting structure. In addition, there will be an opportunity to freely disassemble the bath furniture to dry or replace any part. During the calculation of the required volume of materials, it is important to remember the technological indents.

Highly it is important to polish the boards for the flooring. The surface of these elements should be perfectly smooth and neat - to sit or lie on the benches with burrs and knots will be uncomfortable and even dangerous.

It is not recommended to use for the manufacture of the shelf coniferous wood, despite their environmental friendliness and pleasant aroma. Such materials emit a resin at high temperatures, which will stick to the skin.

The shelf width must not be less than 0.4 m.. If, however, to build a narrower structure, then it will be impossible to sit or lie on it - not enough space. In the manufacture of the shelf should use special hardware from hardwood.

It is permissible to apply to stainless steel parts only when designing a frame base, which will be covered with boards in the future. This is due to the fact that metal mounts can get very hot in the steam room and you can accidentally get burned about them if they are on the surface.

Most often the shelves do three-tiered. Of course, you can build a two-tier furniture. Models with a large number of levels should not be designed - to sit on them without touching the ceiling, it will be almost impossible if you do all the work correctly.

Many homeowners are wondering how to care for a bathing regiment. It is possible to maintain the purity of such structures as follows:

• for washing and cleaning the shelf it is forbidden to use any modern cleaning products and aggressive chemicals;
• Experts say that the best soap cleaner in the steam room is laundry soap;
• if there is serious pollution on the benches, then for its mechanical removal, it is permissible to refer to an abrasive material.

Bath shelves are not always simple and invisible. Sometimes these designs transform the room, making it more comfortable and hospitable.

For example, a three-level corner shelf made of light wood with a rounded edge will look amazing if you build up spotlights with upward light into its back. This beautiful furniture harmoniously looks in an ensemble with a compact stove having an open heater in the shape of a pipe.

A three-level shop looks very nice and fashionable, in which the inside of each stage is equipped with a blue or blue LED backlight.Diode tape should be supplemented and back, located above the seats. To dilute the "sea" glow, you can install over the shelf angular lamps with lamps of warm yellow light.

Light wooden shelves, installed along one wall, will look great in a small steam room, in which one of the partitions is decorated with stonework. The remaining surface of the room is permissible to do less noticeable - they can be sheathed, for example, with clapboard.

Shelves, assembled from boards of different colors, will look very original in the steam room., especially if the different details of its design make figured - cut at an angle. The resulting construction should be supplemented with warm wall lamps above the back and white or yellow LED strip inside the seats.

For a sauna in a slightly casual rustic style, you can build rude shelves from wood of a dark shade with pronounced structure. Of course, the surface of the wood at the same time must be well processed and trimmed, despite the chosen style. Such designs do not need to be supplemented with LED strips. - it is enough to install small lamps over them with shades of wood.

On how to properly make the shelves for a bath, avoiding common mistakes, see the following video.