Stages of installing windows in a bathhouse with your own hands: rules and features of the work

By and large, all technical rooms can easily do without natural lighting. And a large number of steam rooms use only artificial illumination. But the window into the bathhouse is not only a source of light. It can also perform other functions. Let's figure out whether a window in a steam room is really necessary and what it should be like.

Steam room with window Source oknapanorama.ru

Windows in the bathhouse

Whether it is necessary to order or make windows for the bathhouse yourself is not a rhetorical question. Yes, although this is not a living space, it is also not a barn or a shed, where there is usually enough light from an open door. On the other hand, it is difficult to get by with electric lighting alone in a bathhouse: any power failure is enough (and this is a frequent occurrence in garden plots) and you will find yourself in complete darkness during a bath. Which can lead to injury or burns. That's why bath windows are needed. The question is - where and what?

Self-production

Home craftsmen who have carpentry skills can make a wooden structure themselves, especially for those rooms that do not require a large glass area, for example, in a steam room.

What should it be?

In order to preserve heat in the steam room, the dimensions of the block should be minimal; it is advisable that the structure have a triple-glazed unit with an opening sash, a minimum size of 300x300 mm, installed at eye level of a person, in a sitting position.

It should be located as far as possible from the heater and opposite the door to ensure high ventilation rates while drying the premises.

What type of wood to work with?

A traditional tree for paired linden , it has a number of advantages:

• 
  High temperature resistance, frost resistance, not less than 50F;

• moisture resistance, no rotting processes;
• retains its appearance when exposed to steam;
• environmental Safety;
• high maintainability.

Step-by-step instructions for creating

The most common window product is a standard rectangular design with two frames: external and internal, and two sashes opening inward and outward.

a wooden window for a bathhouse yourself

1. Take measurements of the technological opening.
2. Select a material for the frame, for example, profiled bars, fastened together “joint to joint” using PVA glue for wood; 2 self-tapping screws are installed in the corners of the slats.
3. The window sash is made using the tongue-and-groove technology.
4. To tightly connect the frame to the sash, a 15 mm edge is made along the outer perimeter, and on the inside, the ends protrude by 10 mm.
5. The frame is pre-treated several times with an antiseptic, and the outer part is painted with acrylic paint.
6. First, blanks for the frame are cut with allowances for the finished product, processed and cut to the required size.
7. Tenons and grooves are made using a milling tool.
8. They perform a test assembly of the frame, check the actual dimensions and bring them to the required parameters.
9. Glue the parts together with PVA glue for wood.
10. Clamp the glued parts with self-tapping screws.
11. We install window fittings.
12. Glazing is carried out.
13. Glazing is performed with 4 mm glass installed in grooves, secured with nails and glazing beads using putty or silicone sealant.

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantage of this solution is considered to be significant savings in the home budget for the purchase of a new window and the use of leftover lumber, since bathhouse windows are small in size. In addition, a home craftsman can make a frame of non-standard sizes, while ensuring high quality handmade work.

The disadvantages of this type of work in some cases is the low quality of work due to the lack of the necessary woodworking machines, tools or equipment by the contractor.

Selecting the size and material for the window structure

The size and material of the window depends 100% on the function of the room. It is clear that the material for making the window will be different for the relaxation room and for the steam room. And this depends on temperature changes, on the permissible humidity level, on how often the bathhouse is used for its intended purpose.

In addition, you need to take into account the level of technology in arranging a bathhouse: it is one thing when it is heated with wood, and its electrified or gasified version is quite another. And also whether it maintains a more or less comfortable temperature during the cold season (heated - not heated).

The safest windows from an environmental point of view are made of wood, but due to the fact that it is subject to drying out or, on the contrary, swelling from water, its structure cracks; without appropriate treatment, wooden frames in a bathhouse can only be used in a dressing room or in a rest room, if there is one. In the washing department - only after impregnation with compounds that prevent water absorption, or from wood species that are not subject to this process: oak, larch, aspen. Alder is good, which only becomes stronger with water, and wood from both red and black and gray alder is used.

Oak and alder window frames can also be installed in a steam room, but they must be especially massive and with appropriate processing.

Advantages of a glass bathing area:

Possibility to swim all year round

A glass pool can be used in winter and summer, in heat, frost, wind and rain.

Always high quality water

In a closed reservoir, the water is much cleaner than in an open one. Precipitation, insects and other pollutants from the external environment do not get there.

Minimum power consumption

The cost of heating water and the edges of an indoor pool is significantly less than for an open reservoir.

Saving on water treatment

In an enclosed space, mechanical cleaning is practically not needed, since there is no contamination from the external environment. And chemical and biological treatment depend only on the intensity of use of the reservoir.

Types of bath windows

When choosing a window material, there are three options:

1. Tree.
2. Plastic (metal-plastic, to be precise).
3. Combined (usually the most expensive option).

The most common and inexpensive windows are, of course, made of PVC, with single- or double-glazed windows, and not necessarily in the “bathhouse” version, in an aluminum frame and with a rubber (silicone) seal. But such windows are undesirable in a washing room, and even more so in a steam room, since PVC releases harmful substances when heated. And high temperatures from dry or wet steam, especially during its impact emissions, can cause frame deformation.

Another important difference between windows for a steam room, washing room, dressing room or rest room is their size, location and frame design. In the rest room and even in the dressing room, windows, if they are provided for by the design and design of the walls, can be installed in standard and standard sizes. But, for example, in a steam room, the window block must have a very complex design and special tempered and durable glass.

Is it possible to glass saunas using wood blocks?

Wooden windows for buildings of this purpose are the most acceptable option, especially for bathhouses built from logs or timber. But even if the sauna is made of stone, the inside is usually finished with wood, with which wooden windows have the best combination.

Since these types of premises operate in a particularly stressful environment, due to high humidity and temperature, the frame design must withstand them. Based on the characteristics of existing types of windows, wood copes best with these conditions.

Wooden systems installed in a bathhouse made of timber or logs have an elegant appearance and have the longest service life . If the owner follows the rules of installation and operation, they work flawlessly for a long time and do not crack for 50 years, and oak ones even more up to 90 years.

Modern wooden structures are very airtight, retain heat well in the room, while natural wood is able to pass oxygen from the outside into the sauna or bathhouse, thereby creating a unique microclimate.

The best frames for buildings with a humid and high-temperature environment, which include baths and saunas, are made from:

• larches;
• oak;
• meranti.

Meranti has a special structure and contains a lot of tannins, so a window profile made from it does not crack, darken or deform when exposed to hot, humid vapors. Its unique velvety surface is resistant to mold.

When is this option not suitable?

However, not all wooden windows can be used for baths and saunas. This is due to the fact that not all types of wood tolerate moisture well. Linden and larch are water-resistant ; mold and rot never form on their surface, so such window blocks will work for a long time.

But alder, birch, aspen and maple, with a loose structure and high moisture absorption, cannot be used as window frames for wet rooms.

Also, due to the high temperature inside the bathhouse, it is not recommended to use coniferous wood for window structures, since they can release resin when heated.

The developer must take all measures when choosing a window modification to prevent installation of a structure with low-quality fittings that can rust in a humid environment.

Wooden windows

This option is the most common: both due to its relative budget and accessibility, since almost any woodworking shop is capable of fulfilling such an order. True, there are types of wood that take wooden windows out of the budget category. These are oak, beech and hornbeam. Or even such exotic species as mahogany or ebony.

The most affordable types of windows for a bathhouse with wooden frames are linden or pine. True, you cannot put pine in a steam room or even a washing compartment, even after appropriate impregnation. Since the high temperature of these rooms will cause the inevitable expulsion of resin from the wood cells, which is in abundance there and which does not manifest itself in any way at normal temperatures.

Linden is already preferable: both because of the pleasant aroma of this tree and because of its light tone. For the same reason, many people prefer waterproof and very light (and not as expensive as oak) alder or aspen. Their wood is so light that one gets the impression that freshly made products from them were specially bleached. And old alder or aspen also looks presentable with its pearl-gray shade.

Wooden windows are also good because minor damage and defects can be easily removed from them - just treat the damaged area with sandpaper, and then apply a layer of impregnation that restores the structure of the wood. And they are not subject to high temperature deformation.

Features of adjustment and configuration

After completing the installation work on the window, the first adjustment of the functioning of the fittings is carried out.
Their volume and frequency depend on the type of window chosen: standard or Euro-window. In the first option, as a rule, it is enough to carry out the first quality adjustment. In the second, the window operation is adjusted at least 2 times a year before the winter and summer climatic seasons.

In addition, adjustments can be made additionally if the following symptoms occur :

• blowing;
• creaking when the valves operate;
• drafts through the gap between the sash and the frame;
• the handle or other fittings do not work;
• the sash does not open.

If even one sign of unbalanced window operation is detected, it is necessary to immediately make adjustments, otherwise the window will deform further, and its further restoration will require expensive repairs.

To adjust PVC windows with double-glazed windows, adjust the fittings according to the manufacturer's instructions by manipulating the adjusting pins and bolts. At this moment, check the uniform position of the sash and the tightness of its fit to the frame along the entire perimeter.

For ordinary wooden windows with simple fittings, adjustment work is carried out immediately after installation; as a rule, they last for 10-20 years. The only thing that will need to be done a year after installing a wooden window is adjusting the frame and sash to eliminate distortions that occur if the frames were made of damp wood that has dried out during use.

Note! Re-adjusting the operation of a regular wooden window may be necessary if the humidity of the tree changes, for example, if there is no protection, or if snow or rainwater gets on an unprotected tree.

Plastic windows

Place of installation of plastic PVC windows with reinforced metal profile - corridor, dressing room, rest room.

The sizes of windows in these rooms are usually 40 x 40, 40 x 69, 50 x 70 cm, no more. And they are located low, at eye level of a sitting person. Their distinctive feature (as, indeed, of almost all modern windows) is a one- or two-chamber double-glazed unit tightly fitted into a PVC frame, consisting respectively of two or three glasses inserted into a metal frame, with gaps between the glasses from 10 to 20 mm.

The ability of such windows to resist the formation of condensation depends on the reliability of packaging glass, metal and insulating gaskets into a double-glazed unit. Even the slightest violation of the tightness of the double-glazed window will cause fogging of the inner glass facing the room. And complete depressurization will cause moisture droplets to appear even inside the glass unit. Therefore, you need to order plastic windows for your bathhouse from trusted manufacturers.

The advantages of plastic windows include strong shut-off valves inside them. Well-functioning, it allows you to close the window so tightly that it reduces outside noise tenfold. Not to mention the fact that it will completely ensure the tightness of the room.

OUR WORK

• Plastic windows
• Glazing of balconies
• Windows for a summer residence
• Balcony finishing
• PVC doors

Combined windows

Windows that combine different types of materials are called combined. The following materials are used in combined windows:

• plastic;
• metal;
• tree;

in combinations:

• plastic – metal;
• plastic - wood;
• wood - metal;
• wood – metal – plastic.

When we talk about metal, we mean aluminum. Plastic is usually PVC, the wood for window frames in the bathhouse is either valuable varieties, or linden, alder, aspen with special processing. Birch and pine are not suitable: birch does not lend itself well to impregnation and is greatly deformed from moisture or overheating along the lines of the texture; pine is too resinous.

The combinations are as follows:

• the frame and partitions in it are made of plastic, the interior is made of wooden slats with multi-layer impregnation with varnishes and anti-rotting compounds.
• The inside frame is framed from laminated veneer lumber, the outer (external) part in contact with the window opening is made of plastic and aluminum.

Which ones should you choose?

The construction market is full of offers for wooden windows, including for baths and saunas. Since such designs are chosen for more than one decade, the developer must buy them only from trusted sellers with quality certificates for the frame, glass and fittings . So that in the first year the frame does not suffer from the temperature and moisture load on the wood, and the headset does not jam from rust.

Large trading platforms annually compile ratings of the best manufacturers of bath windows, based on user reviews and the opinion of the expert community. According to this information, these today include the following manufacturers of wooden window blocks:

Dentro

The company produces reliable windows using German technology from Irkutsk pine, with a denser structure, and in other respects close to larch.

Advantages:

• 
  service life 80 years;

• German quality;
• durability;
• resistant to temperature changes and moisture;
• the German headset provides 10,000 openings, density and smooth operation;
• have special protection from moisture;
• anti-resonance double glazing provides noise protection;
• any frame shapes.

Disadvantages - not noticed. Cost per 1 m2 of window area: single-leaf - 12,600 rubles; double-leaf - 12,900 rubles; tricuspid - 13,500 rub.

Bau (HOLZ BAU LIGHT)

They produce high-strength window structures from larch of any shape with European components.

Advantages:

1. service life 60 years;
2. durability, resistant to temperature changes and moisture;
3. German Siegenia fittings and Schlegel Q-Lon protection;
4. AGS and Pilkington double-glazed windows have special protection against moisture and noise, sash thickness is 79 mm, double-glazed window is 42 mm.

Disadvantages - high cost, for 1 m 2 of window area - 21,320 rubles.

Window Factory

The manufacturer produces euro-windows made of wood for baths and saunas made of larch, capable of operating at temperatures from -50 C to +50 C. The source material is grade 1 and 2 lamellas.

Advantages:

• service life 60 years;
• durability, resistant to temperature changes and moisture;
• European fittings, seals, double-glazed windows, have special protection against moisture and noise insulation;
• low cost with excellent quality of the product, for 1 m2 of window area - 11,500 rubles.

Disadvantages - not noticed.

Skandi okna

It produces wooden windows according to the European standard for baths and saunas from larch; the frame material is four-layer timber, capable of operating at temperatures from -40 C to +60 C.

Advantages:

1. service life 50 years;
2. durability, resistant to temperature changes and moisture;
3. energy-efficient 40 mm double-glazed windows, European fittings, seals, double-glazed windows, have special protection from moisture and noise insulation;
4. the average cost with excellent quality of the product, per 1 m2 of window area - 19,500 rubles.

Disadvantages - not noticed.

Vinchelli

These are wooden larch windows with a light transmittance of at least 72%, 200 shades.

Advantages:

• warranty period 25 years;
• Softline Feeling frame finish, resistant to temperature changes and moisture;
• energy efficient double glazing;
• European fittings, seals;
• double glazed windows;
• They are protected from moisture and noise.

Disadvantages - high price. Cost per 1 m2 of area: blind window - 16,000 rubles, window with sash - 21,510 rubles, window with sash and window - 26,325 rubles.

Necessary or not

It makes sense to talk about windows to a bathhouse when the bathhouse is just being designed or has just begun to be built, when you can intervene in the planned arrangement and make window openings where they were not originally planned. With one condition: changes made to the design of the walls should not weaken them or have any negative impact. In addition, you need to look at which bathhouse - ours, a traditional one, or a Finnish one - you plan to open a window to the outside world. Or include it initially in the project.

Should I do it in a Finnish sauna?

The Finns themselves approach this issue strictly utilitarianly: as such, a window is not needed for normal use, but as an aesthetic element for admiring the beauty of the landscape from the outside, it will not be superfluous. If the landscape is a cluttered or purely economic plot of a neighbor, then when designing a sauna, the Finn will make do without a steam room window in the design sketch.

That is, the very atmosphere of the steam sauna with its dry heat suggests that the negative impact on the wood of the shelves, ceiling and walls will be minimal. And for ventilation, an open door after the owners have washed is quite enough.

However, a utilitarian approach may, on the contrary, encourage the owner of a Finnish bathhouse to install a window in the steam room. Purely due to the fact that a completely enclosed space, without natural light from the street, will cause a person to feel claustrophobic. Or maybe he just needs natural light.

Specifications

Window units installed in a wall opening always create heat loss, which developers and designers strive to reduce as much as possible. It is believed that a bathhouse should have a window area of ​​no more than 5% of the construction area.

Restrictions on block sizes are established only for steam rooms, the maximum size of the glazing area in which can be no more than 0.5 m2. At the same time, different geometric configurations of wooden frames are allowed - from standard rectangular to arched or oval.

Technical characteristics of wooden windows installed in a bathhouse or sauna:

1. 
   Air permeability is 20-25 kg/m2/h.

2. The service life is at least 50 years, usually from 50 to 90 years.
3. Thermal conductivity coefficient is 0.19 W/m2/s*degree.
4. The ability of a wooden frame to deform by compression - 10 E*N/mm2
5. High resistance to mechanical, thermal, noise and moisture.

Is it necessary to go to a Russian bath?

We can immediately say that a window is a must in a Russian bathhouse. And purely aesthetically, even if it’s small, but not just one, but in almost all functional rooms. Except perhaps for the dressing room, and even then, if they thought about windows at the design stage, they will do it there too! And based on the health benefits of those who wash and steam, and for the safety of the material of the floor, walls, and ceiling.

Arguments for

Even if it was a small window, it was done even in the baths of the 12th-14th centuries. And even if without glass, but with a stretched bull bubble to let in at least a minimal amount of light, or even completely opaque, it was hinged - but it was! And the whole point is that the baths were heated black, smoke came out of the door and window openings, through or burst ventilation was ensured precisely by the presence of both a door and an opposite window.

But even the black-style bathhouses that replaced the white-style bathhouses, with normal chimneys, did not get rid of the problems of such burst ventilation. Only now, instead of pumping smoke, fresh air is required after the previous steamers - and they burn oxygen in the steam room during executions with brooms efficiently. And there is no need to worry that all the steam has left the steam room during such cross-ventilation - a well-heated bathhouse and steam room, with its well-heated walls, shelves and ceiling, heats up again in 10-15 minutes. And again she will be ready to welcome a new batch of people who want to whip themselves with brooms into the steam room.

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Arguments against

The main argument “against” is precisely the heat loss from the contact of the heated air of the steam room with the glass. It is known that a square of the surface of the walls and ceiling of a bathhouse, not covered with thermal insulation, requires additional heating of 1.2 m3 of air. Window glass is just the classic case of such a surface. But this argument only works if the frame is of poor quality and the glass is single. Or even if it’s double, but with poor tightness in the “street – gap between the glass – air in the bath” system. A properly designed double-glazed window will eliminate all possible heat loss.

Briefly about the main thing

Although traditionally all steam rooms in Russian baths do not have windows, their installation is justified by many indicators. And the main compelling argument is the possibility of burst ventilation. This method brings the premises to the necessary sanitary standards much faster.

For a steam room, it is important to choose the optimal window size and location. A window that is too small will not serve as an emergency exit. A large window will affect heat loss. And this is unacceptable for a bathhouse.

For the steam room, it is absolutely necessary to avoid plastic, since it is harmful to health when heated. Therefore, it is better to opt for wooden frames made of alder. This type of wood is ideally suited for a bath structure.

Dimensions and location

The size of the window in any room of the bathhouse is designed based on the room in which this window is located. The smallest one, naturally, will be in the steam room for burst ventilation. A large window, up to 40 x 60 cm, is installed by those who are concerned about the level of security: through such a window it is quite possible to evacuate in case of accidental blocking of the doors to the steam room. Only the window-tow truck should be arranged accordingly.

Location of windows in the bathhouse

In the rest room - as far as possible from the entrance to the washing room, on that wall and in that corner of the room where there is an area for relaxing and drinking tea, with a table, sofa, kettle or even a stove.

In the steam room - above one of the shelves-beds on which they steam, moreover, at the head. In the washing room on the side wall, relative to the washing benches with washers and basins, and also away from the firebox door - if this door is located in the washing room.

In the dressing room, if the ceiling is high, a blind window as a source of minimal daylight can be installed above the door. Its height will be 15 centimeters, its width will be up to the width of the doorway.

Is it possible to install a plastic window in a sauna?

It is also possible to install a plastic window in the sauna. But only with the following technical characteristics:

• PVC profiles for window units must comply with GOST 30673-99
• The vapor barrier of the window must correspond to the vapor barrier of the steam room (have the same characteristics), with an upper limit of temperature resistance not lower than 110⁰C,
• The heat resistance of PVC frames must be maintained at a temperature of at least 150⁰C for at least 30 minutes.
• The window plastic must comply with the permissible emission class of harmful substances up to a temperature of 110⁰C.
• The presence of a double frame, with internal tempered glass and an opening handle equipped with a wooden or jute cover.

Number of windows

The number of windows in a bathhouse is not regulated by any standards and depends entirely on habits, the perceived convenience of placing such windows and the aesthetic preferences of the bathhouse owner

Number of glasses

A tubeless window (with one glass) can only be installed above the door in the hallway of a bathhouse or room that combines the functions of a hallway and a dressing room. In other cases, the double-glazed window must be at least single-chamber, with two glasses, and in a double-glazed window it is better to make it two-frame, with a deep window opening to prevent water splashes from getting on the inner glass.

Where to make a window in the steam room

For the same purpose, a window in a steam room is made at the head of a person lying on the back shelf - so that in case of overheating of the body there is an opportunity to quickly open/slightly open the sash and take a breath of fresh air. In addition, the head of such a lounger is most often located as far as possible from the trajectory of superheated steam leaving the heater. If we take into account that the temperature gradient in the area where fresh steam is supplied differs from the area located one meter below by at least 20 degrees, then such a precaution will not be superfluous.

To ensure the required degree of ventilation, the upper edge of the window in the steam room is located no lower than the level of the upper jamb of the entrance door.

Should they open and in which direction?

The window in the steam room should open into the bathhouse. If the internal frame is located flush with the wall of the steam room, then the best option for opening the sash is from top to bottom, so that the open sash hangs freely along the wall of the steam room. If both frames are recessed into the wall, then the profile of the opening should look like a truncated tetrahedral pyramid with the base inside the bathhouse. That is, the inner door should be larger in size than the outer one facing the street. (“Scandinavian double frame”, as in Fig. 1) And the internal glass looking into the steam room is tempered.

Geometric shape

The shape of window frames for a bathhouse depends on:

• The size of the partition into which the window is installed.
• Aesthetic preferences of the customer.
• Availability of certain standard sizes that are available for free sale.
• The financial capabilities of the customer (after all, it is clear that no production can painlessly adapt to the “whims” of the customer, and if it does this, the cost of the window will differ from the standard one by 2-4 times).

With appropriate payment and if the production has the capabilities, frames and windows can be created in oval, round, triangular and generally any shape.

Dimensions

The size of the dressing room windows usually does not exceed 5-8% of the total usable wall area in it. In the rest room, if it is separate, window sizes are allowed up to 20% of the total wall area, and if the rest room is combined with a dressing room - up to 15. But you need to remember about possible heat loss from such windows, which is why increased demands are placed on windows for baths. They take into account

• heat resistance of materials,
• corrosion resistance of metal parts,
• resistance of all window frame materials to deformation,
• environmental safety in conditions of extreme heating with the inevitable release of harmful substances from materials not suitable for use at elevated temperatures.

Location

Window openings are made in the walls in such a way that:

1. do not weaken the wall’s ability to be a load-bearing structure;
2. protect people in the bathhouse from the indiscreet gaze of strangers;
3. be an aesthetically appropriate detail of the interior.

Orientation by cardinal directions

The preferred orientation of the bathhouse windows is to the cardinal points - north, northeast and northwest. That is, on those sides where the sun will not intrusively hit the window openings, blinding or additionally heating the already quite warm air inside the bathhouse.

Constructions

And we will start with the design of windows. This is the most important part, once you understand it you will be able to make meaningful choices.

Twin frame with double glass

This design has been familiar to all of us since Soviet times. Two frames with single glasses are connected into a single unit, which opens simultaneously. But at the same time, the frames can be opened independently, if released from the fixation - this is necessary for washing windows. Note that there were also options where there was no possibility of independent opening, because the frames were bolted together.

The appearance of this design was a progress compared to single frames, because an air gap was created between the two glasses, which significantly reduced heat loss. However, it was not possible to achieve tightness - the designers left a large tolerance. In winter we had to seal the windows with paper tapes to eliminate drafts due to the cracks in them.

Today there is no need to install such windows either at home or in the bathhouse. Unless they turn out to be extremely cheap. But this is also unlikely, because manufacturers have already switched to new technologies, and twin frames with single glasses are no longer produced (well, maybe someone somewhere else is making them using old equipment).

CONCLUSION! We believe that the high heat loss of Soviet-style window frames makes them unsuitable for baths.

With double glazing

But wooden windows with double-glazed windows are more than appropriate for a bathhouse. They are exactly worth installing. But first, some background.

The Soviet window block described above is the forerunner of double-glazed windows. Design engineers improved it by achieving tightness. Two glasses, separated by a spacer frame at a distance of 1.4 cm or more, form a closed loop, sealed with sealant.

An isolated gas layer is created between the glasses, so later options arose where ordinary air is either replaced with an inert gas, or a vacuum is created there. Both options reduce heat transfer and increase sound insulation.

The revolution in the window industry was the appearance of plastic windows. Polyvinyl chloride replaced wood. Everyone was happy - both producers and consumers. We will not delve into this topic, we will only say that PVC ultimately had a lot of shortcomings, so the double-glazed window survived, and wood again became the frame material.

The wooden profile is not hollow, like plastic, but is made of solid wood. But its shape is the same as that of plastic. It also allows you to install single- and multi-chamber double-glazed windows, and you know that with an increase in the number of chambers (= gas or vacuum layers between the glasses), thermal protection and sound insulation increases. (At the same time, the price is also rising).

ADVICE! When choosing the number of packages, focus on the area in which you live - look at how many packages are usually placed in houses in order to comfortably survive the winter.

Before moving on to the next type, let's clarify one thing: regardless of the number of double-glazed windows, they are all installed in one frame. But it is not necessary that there is only one frame.

Double frames

If the walls are thick enough, the opportunity arises for another engineering move: installing two independent frames in the opening, that is, opening on their own. At the same time, a distance is also created between them - another gas gap, but not sealed. Windows for a wooden bath can be like this too.

ON A NOTE! In each of these double frames, you can install either a single glass or a double-glazed window, and the double-glazed window itself can be either single-chamber or double-glazed.

In practice, double structures are often found with a single glass inserted into the inner (facing the room) frame, and a single-chamber package in the outer one. If increased thermal insulation is required, the interior can also be with double-glazed windows.

The main disadvantage of this option is its cost. Although for a steam room somewhere in Siberia - just right. In addition, double frames are good for combating condensation.

Purpose and functions of a window in a steam room

Lighting

Independence from artificial lighting sources. Even in the event of a power failure during the day, the window in the steam room will serve as a source of light and will retain the ability to navigate the potentially dangerous area of ​​the heater with its hot stones.

Providing an overview

A purely aesthetic function, especially in demand in bathhouses located in suburban areas or in rural areas, with views of the edge of a forest, pond, etc.

Possibility of evacuation

That is, questions of safety in the steam room and in the bathhouse in general, when the entrance door to the bathhouse is accidentally or intentionally blocked.

Ventilation and temperature and humidity control

Possibility of burst ventilation for express renewal of air in the bathhouse in general and in the steam room in particular (enriching the air with oxygen, removing carbon monoxide).

Installation of slopes

Slopes are an important part of the window structure. And the stability of the windows, their reliability, and most importantly, their durability depend on how well they are installed.

Ignorant people think that slopes are made only for beauty and perform exclusively decorative functions.

This is far from true. Thanks to the slopes, tightness is ensured and sound and heat insulation is increased.

If the slopes are not installed correctly, the window will not last very long and will soon have to be replaced. Therefore, you need to take a very responsible approach to choosing the type of slopes that are needed specifically for your windows.

Information. Slopes are divided into two types: internal and external (or they are also called “external”). It is clear that if the slopes are “internal”, then they are located indoors.

They ensure tightness from the inside of the room, and also perform a decorative function - they close the joints between the window and the wall. But the external slopes are responsible for how much external sounds from the street will penetrate and protect from moisture, heat and temperature changes.

Attention! There are plaster, plastic, plasterboard and wooden slopes.

Preparing for installation

Before installing the slopes, make sure once again that the window is installed level. This can be done using a building level. Then everything that could interfere with the installation is removed - excess foam, protruding parts of the anchor plates, etc.

Installation

Remember - each window has its own slopes suitable only for it.

You need to pay special attention to the corners. They should be as straight as possible

The slope can be secured in several ways:

1. Using foam. Slopes are carefully measured and cut. Then we attach the panels to the corners of the window frame using self-tapping screws. We check the angles again, then it will be impossible to change anything. Just break it. We fill the niche formed in this regard with foam (do not forget that the foam will increase in volume). Then cut off the remaining excess foam with a knife. The main thing is that there are no through holes left.
2. Using a wooden frame. First, we measure and cut out the panels to the required sizes and attach the insulation to them. We cover the insulation with film on top. Then we fasten the panels together with self-tapping screws. Next, this entire block is mounted in the window opening.
3. Slope made of clapboard. I think everyone knows what “lining” is. And if each part is attached to the wall separately, then it’s not clear what will happen. And if the wall is not perfectly flat? In such cases, the lathing made of slats is first attached to the walls. It will help level the wall. And the forcing is already attached to it.

Installation

The specific use of premises, extreme values ​​of temperature and humidity, wall materials (in more than 90% of cases - wood, log or timber frames) require some special features in the installation of windows.

Preparation

A bathhouse, the building of which is based on a log frame, is never put into operation immediately after construction. The log house must stand for at least a year - otherwise the shrinkage of the walls will distort even the door openings, and not just the window openings, so much that the doors and windows will be impossible to open or close. Therefore, during drying, a casing is inserted into the openings - a board that takes on the main load. Moreover, vertical casings made of timber are inserted 1-2, 2-4, 3-5 cm smaller than the height of the future opening (the length of the tolerances depends on the height of the future window; the larger it is, the larger the tolerance) It is by these centimeters that the wall will settle after drying, but a small amount of free space should still remain. it will be filled with polyurethane foam.

Tools and materials

To process window openings (as well as door openings), you will need a circular saw. Or chain - with internal combustion engine or electric. And also a good carpenter's axe, mallet, chisels of different widths.

Marking

The openings are cut out after marking with a plumb line and level. Or better yet, use a laser level. Just make the lower edge of the opening further than in the middle of the log - this will increase the strength of the structure. The window sill is then installed in this place

Cutting a hole

After appropriate marking, an opening is cut out with an electric saw with the possibility of a tongue-and-groove connection, as in Fig. 2 or, in more detail, in Fig. 3., and assemble the external support frame-frame in the opening. The work requires a well-balanced and sharpened tool and at least minimal skills - both a hand-held circular saw and a chainsaw are dangerous. First, a hole of the desired shape is cut out, smaller in size than the future window - a reserve is made for the protrusion of the tenon, which should be at least 5 cm.

Formation of a spike on the side surfaces

A cut for a tenon in a log house is made without bringing the notch to the specified depth - otherwise there is a risk of cutting off this future tenon altogether. It is better to increase the depth and chop off an unnecessary piece of wood with an ax or chisels and then bring the size to the desired size. The spike is thus formed from the walls of the bathhouse. The groove for it is made in spacer boards.

Treating the opening with antiseptics

After the tenon and groove are formed, the opening is treated with antiseptics, keeping in mind that they must be non-toxic when the structure is heated during operation of the bathhouse. Special impregnations for baths and saunas based on beeswax are suitable for processing.

Manufacturing of casing

The casing is used to directly attach a window frame with glass to it. That is, it turns out that the bath window is not inserted directly into the wall, but into a casing frame floating in the opening. With this installation technology, you can insert windows and doors even into a fresh frame - future shrinkage and settlement of the walls will not jam windows and doors in the openings - this is why gaps are left, as described in the “Preparation” subsection

Frame installation

The top of the frame is attached to the top thick casing board, and the gap between the crown and the board is filled with insulation after the frame is installed. In the lower part, a window sill board is also attached to the frame, the gap between which and the crown is also filled with insulation (usually environmental class A polyurethane foam is used as insulation). But it could be mineral wool or flax wool.

Finishing

Finishing the windows of the bathhouse consists mainly of installing a platband, which will hide traces of polyurethane foam, jute insulating tapes and the like. The casing can be of the simplest form, with its vertical and horizontal parts connected at an angle of 45⁰, or shaped, cut with a jigsaw, with carvings, etc. In addition, it is also advisable to treat the casing wood with wax-based antiseptics and impregnate it with antipyrine.

Common installation mistakes

1. no gap in the pigtail: the gap should be 5-7 cm at the top and bottom, 1-2 cm at the sides;
2. fixing the window frame in the frame with ordinary self-tapping screws, which will add too much rigidity to the structure, which may affect the integrity of the window for 3-5 years of operation. For fastening, it is better to use anchor screws for wood;
3. Thermal deformations are not taken into account, which are greater the larger the window opening. The difference between the linear dimensions of the window frame in the cold and after the bath has been warmed up from the inside to working condition can reach 5-10 mm;
4. Errors in determining verticals and horizontals in the future will cause distortion of frames and destruction of glass in them. this can also happen due to over-tight, overtightened fasteners - always leave some slack when tightening the elements;
5. connection units are of poor quality or carelessly assembled, which will inevitably cause condensation to appear on the walls and inside the double-glazed windows.

The process of forming a wooden window product

Independent production of windows for a bathhouse requires the presence in the arsenal of a master builder of the following tools and materials:

• plane, tape measure, building level, hand router with a set of cutters, hacksaw, screwdriver, hammer, chisel and square;
• window glass (four-millimeter), blank bars for sashes (presumably 60x50 mm in size), profiled bars for the frame (similarly - 125x50 mm), triangular or rectangular beads 10-12 mm high, nails, self-tapping screws, two metal hinges, a standard rotary handle for locking and unlocking the window, sandpaper and PVA glue.

Once everything necessary for window production has been purchased and prepared, the following list of work will need to be completed:

1. Using a cutter, cut vertical and horizontal workpieces to length with an allowance for finishing (the workpieces are planed so that they are then joined using the tongue-and-groove method), and then make the final cut to fit the size of the window opening.
2. Make a frame designed to size from profiled beams, which are attached to each other using the butt-to-butt method. At the same time, for more reliable fixation, the beams are additionally treated with PVA glue for wood; it is advisable to screw in self-tapping screws in all corners of the frame for structural strength.
3. Mount external and external wooden sashes under the frame and install ready-made double-glazed windows in them.
4. Install the fittings: rotary handles and hinges.

When all of the above steps have been completed, you can safely install the finished window, for example, in a steam room, and then begin arranging window openings in other rooms

At the same time, it is important to know that the log house tends to shrink, and as a result, the installation of wooden windows can begin only after 8 months, and plastic ones - after 24-36 months

In order to partially prevent the imperceptible shrinkage of the log house, it is also extremely important to take care of the casing - a special design that will prevent the dependence of the double-glazed windows on the walls of the wooden bathhouse. All work must be carried out strictly aligning the frames horizontally and vertically so that there is no distortion of the mounted structure

In window production, it is also desirable to have the skill of working with a cutter. Good luck!

All work must be carried out strictly aligning the frames horizontally and vertically so that there is no distortion of the mounted structure. In window production, it is also desirable to have the skill of working with a cutter. Good luck!

Bathhouse projects with panoramic windows

It is unlikely that a bathhouse with panoramic windows will be built on an ordinary plot of land and for one family. Such windows in bathhouses are the domain of establishments at homes and recreation centers, sanatoriums, etc. Panoramic windows require reinforcement of walls in their vertical and horizontal boundaries, and, as a rule, a protected area outside.

Material for the frame of a panoramic window in a bathhouse

The choice of material for the frames of panoramic windows is not critical; they can be made of anything. The main thing is careful assembly and taking into account the characteristics of the bathhouse as a room with high temperature and humidity.

Glass material

Internal glass in a double-glazed window or individually must be in accordance with GOST 0698-2014, that is, tempered, and when broken, do not form sharp knife-like fragments. External double-glazed windows in double frames can also be made of ordinary glass.

Types of windows in the bathhouse

Baths with wooden windows

Wooden windows in bathhouses are installed where there are no extreme values ​​of humidity and temperature. That is, NOT in the steam room and NOT in the washing department.

Baths with plastic windows

This is also a completely acceptable option, even if the plastic is installed in a steam room. The main thing is that the threshold values ​​of the PVC, glass and silicone seals used do not exceed the temperature and time limits set for this type of frames and windows. In a well-organized production, in compliance with the entire technological process, there is data on any types of materials used.

Kinds

It is clear that the choice of window options is relatively small. The steam room is a hot room, even if you are a fan of the Russian bathhouse and don’t raise it above 60 degrees. Therefore, you need to look at the properties of materials in a humid and hot environment.

Plastic

The vast majority considers plastic to be an unsuitable material for a steam room. But there are those who go against the grain and still put it in the steam room.

ON A NOTE! Objectively, we can say the following: polyvinyl chloride does not like temperature changes, it melts and warps from the heat, and shrinks from the cold. Therefore, it is reinforced with metal to increase resistance to warping and changes in linear dimensions.

It’s definitely not worth putting it in a sauna - it’s hot there. And in a cooler Russian bath, in principle, it is possible, if only you do not take into account the fact that plastic (especially at elevated temperatures) emits all sorts of volatile organic matter. Although... even here there are his supporters who say that he doesn’t smell like anything.

Wooden

Even if plastic warps and changes its linear dimensions, then what can you expect from wood, which is known to swell when exposed to moisture and no longer fit into the designated opening, and may crack if dried incorrectly?

However, wood should be considered the most acceptable material for the frame of a steam room window. First of all, we are, of course, talking about the environment, or more precisely, about the absence of harm to vapers

But here it’s also worth paying attention to whether this wood has been impregnated with some kind of composition or not, whether it’s varnished, and if so, what kind - there have long been compositions that are applicable in baths and saunas

Wooden frames can be made either yourself, or to order, or purchased ready-made.

ADVICE! Regarding wood: make sure that there are no distortions that indicate warping during the initial drying stage and choose a species that is least likely to change dimensions under the influence of moisture - linden, for example (although this is a very soft wood that is prone to rotting). By the way, frames are often made from ash.

From the outside, wood can be impregnated with antiseptics and moisture-proofing compounds. Inside, you should use only what is designed specifically for baths and saunas.

Combined options

The plastic frame can be lined on the inside with wooden overlays. The option is rather decorative, although wood is a good heat insulator. That is, the plastic will not overheat.

The opposite option is a wooden frame, but the outside is made of plastic or aluminum. By the way, they do not affect the change in the dimensions of the tree, because they are attached to it using special clamps that allow the wood to “breathe”.

Double frame - internal made of wood, external made of plastic or aluminum. Let's say right away that this is not a double-glazed window, but simple double glazing. The frames are independent, simply fastened together with special brackets.

This is how the Finns do it - wood and double-glazed windows, right in the apartments of multi-storey buildings

If the walls are thick, you can make a wooden false window inside and install a double-glazed window outside. This completely solves problems with heat leakage and also eliminates temperature differences for each material.

The choice of a specific option depends on the temperature inside and the usual frosts for your region. To prevent wood from cracking, it is permissible to protect it with plastic or metal. To prevent the plastic from fading and warping, cover it with wood.

Constructions

There are several window mechanisms that are used not only in the bathhouse:

• turning;
• folding;
• tilt and turn.

If the window can be fully opened in any direction (right or left), then this is the first option. If it only partially tilts towards the opening - the second one. There are also those that combine the first two options, which is regulated by the position of the window handle.

Bathhouse projects with panoramic windows

Construction secrets

To calculate the shape and area of ​​a panoramic window in a bathhouse, it is necessary not only to strengthen the walls and introduce structures into them that take on the main vertical load, but also to calculate the shape and thickness of the double-glazed windows. The maximum thermal load on double-glazed windows and the architectural features of the building are taken into account. For example, the ratio of length and width (height) should be at least 1: 2, or even 1: 3. Only in this case there will be no extreme values ​​of the temperature gradient of the air layers in the steam room or in the washing room.

Price for bath windows

a window for a bathhouse cannot cost as much as a window for an ordinary apartment or house. There may be some similarity in prices only with windows for houses with wooden frames, but still specific bath windows will be more expensive. So don’t be fooled by the advertising promises of unscrupulous manufacturers; approach the issue carefully. Keep in mind that 1 m2 of a high-quality window for a bath (and even more so for a steam room or washing department) cannot cost less than 12 thousand rubles. Multiply the cost of a square meter by square meters of a real window + 10% and you will get the real price. and require a certificate of conformity of the sold product to the conditions in which the window will be used!

We recommend for pool glazing:

Portal doors

The sliding glazing system is very convenient, the doors look impressive.
More details

Climate control

Climate control will prevent condensation.
More details

Improved double glazing

Reliable design with excellent heat-saving characteristics.
More details

Average prices

They must be specially processed, in addition, they are made from expensive types of trees with high natural characteristics, so the final cost of such products is always high. In addition, the price is affected by the design and number of installed headsets.

Average prices for wooden windows with European fittings and double-glazed windows for a bathhouse made of different types of wood per set :

1. 
   Single leaf 1x1: larch, 29,100 rub., installation 38,800 rub.;

2. Meranti, RUB 31,100, installation RUB 40,800; oak, RUB 37,175, installation RUB 46,800.
3. Double-leaf 1.2x1.4 m, tilt and turn: larch, 47,000 rubles, installation 59,000 rubles; meranti, 50,700 rub., installation 63,000 rub.; oak, 69,000 rub., installation 73,100 rub.
4. Single-leaf linden 600x600 mm, 4500 rubles, installation 3200 rubles.
5. Single-leaf linden 900x900 mm, 7200 rub., installation 4200 rub.
6. Single-leaf linden 1000x600 mm, 9500 rub., installation 6300 rub.
7. Double-leaf linden 1500x1200 wooden windows with double-glazed windows, RUB 12,500, installation RUB 9,200.

Heat loss and good sides

Since there are no technical standards, we have to rely on common sense: that’s why, traditionally, small windows are installed in the bathhouse ? Correct answer: to reduce heat loss. But the question is, is the situation with glass still the same as one of the main sources of heat loss? After all, double-glazed windows that cope quite well with retaining heat indoors.

In addition, if desired, you can also make a coating on the glass, which reflects heat into the room . Although this will increase the cost of installing such windows.

CONCLUSION! Nobody cancels the relationship between the area of ​​material without thermal insulation and heat loss. But double-glazed windows have less loss than conventional windows.

By the way, we found a completely scientific description of the heat loss inherent in double-glazed windows.
It says they occur either by infiltration or transmission. In the first case, we are talking about the penetration of air into the chambers of the glass unit under the influence of wind and heat pressure.
In the second, we are talking about the thermal conductivity of the window materials themselves. Calculations carried out by engineers say the following (the wooden window taken for comparison means an old-style window):

Below you can see a graph that shows the relationship between the window area and the associated heat loss:

In other words, the more you take care of the protective properties of the window structures you choose, the less reason there is to follow tradition and make small windows in the bathhouse .

However, small windows will cost
less and will not require investment in infrared reflective film.
Well, here everyone will choose for himself what he likes and can afford. We are only clarifying that in our time the old restrictions are no longer relevant.

As for the good sides, everything is simple and obvious:

• firstly, with windows, the bathhouse is ventilated and dried faster, although for drying, the stove will still be even more important.
• secondly, sunlight enters through the windows, which is always better than artificial light.
• thirdly, windows in the bathhouse guarantee that visitors will not experience discomfort from the enclosed space. And if the view outside the window is beautiful, then they will also admire it during the procedures.