This is not to say that floor ceilings are often found in baths today. Modern building technologies make it possible to make ceilings of better quality and faster. Such ceilings were typical for old bath buildings with small dimensions.

You can also find baths in which the floor ceilings are made of hewn round timber, such a ceiling no longer required additional insulation. True, it should be noted that no one in those distant times could have thought that the cheapest and most affordable building material (natural wood) for all classes in our time would turn into a very expensive pleasure, that natural lining would cost several times more than plastic.

What are slatted ceilings? From an architectural point of view, these are all types of ceilings, during the construction of which the boards lie on top (lay) on the supporting structures, and are not hemmed to them from below.

Streams can be laid directly on the walls of the log house (for small-sized rooms), on the ceiling beams of the ceiling (the size of the rooms may increase) or on the carrier rails around the perimeter of the room (for small baths). Each type of flooring has individual construction features, which we will discuss below.

These ceilings have both their advantages and disadvantages. It will be possible to talk about them in detail after you get acquainted with the methods of construction. Let's start by the degree of complexity - from the floor ceiling along the crowns, then we will tell you how the floor ceilings are built along the floor beams and finish with the simplest ones along the rails.

Let's say right away that such ceilings will require a lot of physical labor, the ability to work with an ax and a chainsaw.

Used for small rooms, the ceiling length cannot exceed 2.5 meters.

Natural boards are used to cover the ceiling, the thickness depends on the length of the room. We do not recommend taking thick edged boards 50 mm, it is much more profitable to use edged grooved boards with a thickness within 25 mm.

Due to the tongue/groove connection, the loads are distributed over an increased number of boards, and the load-bearing characteristics of the ceilings are increased. And by reducing the thickness of the boards, you will get almost a double saving of expensive material without reducing the bearing capacity of the ceilings.

There are original design solutions for floor ceilings - they are laid with unedged sanded boards in two layers, the gaps between the uneven edges of the boards of the first level of the ceiling are covered with boards of the second level. The designs look quite beautiful, as for their performance characteristics, it is difficult to find positive qualities about this.

Unedged plank ceiling

Floor ceiling along the crowns of the log house - photo

Consider step by step the option of building floor ceilings along the crowns of the log house.

The width of the platform on which the boards will lie should not be less than five centimeters. Otherwise, during their fixation, the ends may crack, and this significantly reduces their bearing capacity. This rule, by the way, applies to most board attachment points. We take into account that the height of the ceilings in the bathhouse varies within two meters. No one forbids making them higher or lower, but changing the height causes various consequences, both positive (it is more convenient to take procedures) and negative (it takes more time and energy costs to heat the bath).

Step, No.	Description of works	Illustrations
Step 1.	When the log cabin reaches the planned height, you need to start marking the location of the ceiling. Using a hydraulic level, make marks on two opposite crowns of the room at a height of about 2 meters from the floor level. Beat the lines with a blue rope. This will be the horizontal level on which the ceiling boards are located.
Step 2	Remove two opposite marked logs, transfer them to a flat area. In the upper part of the log, beat off a line with a blue line to the width of the site with a blue rope. From the log, you will need to choose L-shaped recesses.
Step 3	Now the most difficult work begins - the manufacture of horizontal platforms. You can only work with an ax, which is very difficult and long, or use a chainsaw, which is somewhat faster and easier, but very dangerous. A gasoline saw must be constantly kept on weight, you will have to cut only with the end of the blade. All safety rules for working with chainsaws categorically prohibit working with the saw in this position without resting on the sawn log with teeth.

If you do not have much practice, we strongly do not recommend sawing with a saw in this way. You will not only spoil the log, but also risk your health. The cut must be controlled both along the marked line and the depth of sawing “by eye”. It is very difficult.

If the cuts are made, insert a chisel or an ax into them and start chipping out the sawn sections of the log. The work will not go as fast as you want, a lot depends on how accurately you made two perpendicular cuts.

It is desirable that they are connected throughout along one line in the body of the log. But it's hard, you need a lot of practice and experience with a gasoline saw. Irregularities of the horizontal platform must be leveled with an ax. It is not necessary to achieve perfect cleanliness, small irregularities are perfectly caulked with interventional heaters.

If you are afraid to work with a chainsaw, chop the site with an ax. And this work requires a lot of experience, skill and physical strength. The ax must be sharp and sharpened at the right angle. In logs of large diameter, it is difficult to choose the cut part, you need to make several additional cuts in each sector.

Some articles on the Internet on the topic of floor ceilings claim that the work is “very easy and accessible to everyone”, but you should not take these words literally and unconditionally trust them.

Work on the preparation of seats for ceiling boards in sawn beams is greatly simplified. For sawing, you can use an electric portable saw.

Adjust the cutting depth and guide the saw table exactly along the marked line. Be especially careful when starting to cut, do not go too fast into the wood.

It's also very important to know. All electrical tools according to the technical data sheet have a maximum power, this power is achieved at the highest loads. Never work for a long time with such loads, they cause severe overheating of the stator and rotor windings.

If you are lucky and a short circuit does not occur, then such loads will not go unnoticed for the tool. Overheating of the windings reduces the insulation resistance indicators, the service life of the electric motor is significantly reduced. It is better to make several passes with a saw over the same place with a small depth of cut.

Important. It is impossible to attach rafter legs to the sawn beams, you will have to put an additional one or two rows of a log house. Carefully drill the holes for the dowels, they can split the ceiling boards, you will have to change them.

Step 4	Install the two removed logs in place, prepare the two opposite ones, make notches for the interventional connection. Make docking marks for the cut out support pads on the new logs. Once again check their position with a hydraulic level, if necessary, slightly correct the platforms. Repel the lines with a blue rope.
Step 5	Remove the marked logs from the log house, place them on the prepared site. Beat off a vertical line under the notch. Repeat all site cutting operations. Set the prepared logs in place. Check the flatness and horizontal position of the platform under the ceiling boards.
Step 6	Place interventional insulation around the perimeter of the site. It can be tow, jute fiber, etc.
Step 7	Take the dimensions of the room in width, if the platform is made with high accuracy, then you can immediately cut all the ceiling boards to the same size. If there are significant deviations, then the size of each board must be taken separately. We advise you not to rush and mark each board separately. Still, the work on the preparation of the support site was carried out manually, and the manual method cannot guarantee absolute dimensional accuracy.
Step 8	Nail each board separately, to improve the sealing of cracks, increase the thickness of the tow or take jute fiber in two layers.
Practical advice.	There are standard rules for choosing the length of nails depending on the thickness of the boards. Nails should be 2÷2.5 times longer than the thickness of the board to be nailed, the diameter of the nails is regulated by state regulations and depends on the length.
One more piece of advice.	If the nails are driven in close to the end, then there is a risk of cracking the boards. In these places, the nails must be driven in at an angle, this allows them to pass through an increased amount of wood fibers. And it doesn't help? We advise you to drill holes in the boards before hammering with an electric drill, the diameter of the holes should be approximately one millimeter smaller than the diameter of the nails. It may seem that such a procedure takes a lot of extra time. In practice, this is not the case; calm rhythmic work significantly speeds up the process. In addition, the risks of rejecting boards due to cracking of the ends will completely disappear. And this is not only time, but also money.
Step 9	While nailing the ceiling, press the boards against each other. The last board will have to be individually adjusted in width. Carefully measure the ends of the hole in the ceiling and cut the workpiece to width. Sometimes it happens that the walls of the log house are not parallel, it's not scary. Cut the board at an angle and fix it in the remaining space.

Insulation of all floor ceilings is carried out according to the same algorithm. Let us first consider the stages of construction of other types of floor ceilings, and then we will talk about the methods of insulation.

Prices for unedged boards

unedged board

Prices for grooved boards

grooved board

Video - Floor ceiling on the crowns

Bath ceilings on floor beams

This type of flow no longer has strict restrictions on the size of the premises, universal use, and makes it possible, if necessary, to quickly convert an ordinary attic into an exploited one. Some builders use this method of arranging ceilings as a decorative element - the appearance of the room improves, the bathhouse resembles an old building.

Step 1. Prepare ceiling beams.

It should be borne in mind that these structures will be open, the external visible surfaces should be carefully processed.

It must be borne in mind that the temperature and humidity in the bath are high, and it is not recommended to use existing paint coatings. We recommend two ways to solve the problem.

Step 2 If the beams are round, you need to make a flat area for the ceiling boards.

There are two options for leveling the site: at the sawmill or manually with an ax. Both methods have the right to life, you need to choose the one that will create less inconvenience. Experienced builders can carefully saw off a segment of round timber on an ordinary circular saw. To do this, the cutting line is beaten off, the material is fed only manually. Another unpleasant moment is that you have to remove the protective safety cover, it significantly limits the visibility of the cut line. And it is not recommended to work without it. For your information, all woodworking tools operate at high speeds, according to statistics, the injury rate of carpenters is one of the first places in terms of the severity of the consequences of injuries among other working specialties. Always remember this, don't feel like an ace after a few hours of work. We do not say that tools should be feared, we call for respect for them.

Step 3 Install the ceiling beams in place in the log house. Carefully check the height of each on the upper planes. Not on the lower planes, as is done during the installation of beams for ceiling sheathing from below, but on the upper ones. The distance between the beams is at least one meter, otherwise they will visually significantly reduce the height of already low baths.

Step 4 Lay ceiling boards on the beams in turn. For a steam room, it is desirable to use grooved materials, they have better tightness characteristics. Even after significant changes in dimensions, the tongue/groove connection does not allow through cracks to appear in the ceiling.

Different boards can be used, the thickness is selected taking into account the distances between the beams.

Bar prices

Video - Laminated ceiling on beams

Video - Installation (installation) of wooden floor beams

They are extremely rare, most often during the conversion of existing small rooms for baths. Significantly simplify and speed up the work, the attic space cannot be used. To make such ceilings is simple. First you need to measure the height of the ceilings on the walls of the room with a hydraulic level and beat off the horizontal lines along the level.

It is better to lay boards on the short side of the room; any edged material is used. The length of the boards cannot exceed 2 ÷ 2.5 meters; additional tangible loads on the ceiling are prohibited. Floorboards are laid on wooden slats, firmly fixed with nails or self-tapping screws on the walls of the bath. In order to eliminate the possibility of cracking the rails before fixing, it is recommended to drill holes in them, the diameter of the holes is slightly smaller than the diameter of the self-tapping screw or nail. The distance between the holes is within 25÷30 centimeters.

To improve the appearance of the slats, they can be processed with a figured cutter, but the resulting profile should not significantly reduce the strength of the material. The fastening of the boards is carried out in turn from the side of the room, it is necessary to ensure that the screws for fixing the boards do not fall into the places where the rails are attached to the wall of the bath.

Insulation of floor ceilings

Due to the fact that most of the attic rooms of baths with flat ceilings are not planned to be made exploitable, the insulation process is somewhat simplified: the insulation layer is not covered by floor coverings. For insulation, you can use the following materials:

• rolled or pressed mineral wool.

  

  An excellent insulator, in all respects fully meets the existing requirements. It is implemented with a thickness of 50 mm and 100 mm; for effective thermal protection of bath rooms, it is necessary to insulate with a layer of at least 100 mm. Specific values ​​​​are selected taking into account the climatic zone of the location of the building;

• foam plastic and its "relatives".

  

  At a price much cheaper than mineral wool, in terms of thermal conductivity it is almost not inferior to it. The main disadvantage is the release of harmful chemical compounds into the air. In the case of insulated ceilings, this drawback does not play a role, harmful compounds rise to the roof with streams of warm air and are taken out into the street. But the foam has another unpleasant problem - it is damaged by rodents, and the likelihood of rodents in the bath is very high;

  

• bulk insulation - expanded clay, foam chips, etc. They have the lowest prices, but also the lowest heat saving characteristics. Rarely used in its pure form, building technologies recommend using them as components of complex pies for insulating various surfaces.

  

For all heaters, protective vapor barriers must be used; warm steam should not disappear into the heaters. As a vapor barrier, you can use both modern expensive coatings and cheap polyethylene film.

The insulation on the laid ceilings does not close, which allows it to dry out relatively quickly even in the event of condensation.

Mineral wool prices

mineral wool

As you can see, "quickly and easily" can only be done on slatted ceilings. But their quality and reliability is the lowest, if it is possible to put more reliable ceilings - do not use this method. During any construction of a bath, you need to look at several years ahead. No one knows how conditions may change, how the owner wants to reconstruct the structure, and such a method narrows the possibilities of reconstruction.

To make the attic room exploitable in the future, only floor ceilings along the floor beams allow, this is the most practical way to carry out work. All other methods exclude an increase in the area of ​​​​the premises or this will require significant additional costs.

Floor ceilings do not have high load-bearing characteristics, which can cause difficulties during insulation work. We strongly do not recommend checking their strength “experimentally”, it is better to increase the area and uniformity of the load, distribute it from one board to several. It’s easy to do this - put pieces of boards about a meter long under your feet, one piece of the board should lie across several ceiling ones. Such a simple solution will evenly distribute the load on several ceilings, which guarantees their integrity.

Keep in mind that in flat ceilings it is impossible to make a hole in the attic, the attic space will always be completely free. This is very inconvenient, as rather numerous utensils, brooms, etc. are stored in the bathhouses in the attics. In addition, problems arise if it is necessary to audit the state of the truss system or detect leaks in roof coverings.

The problem of how to make a ceiling in a bathhouse with your own hands worries many craftsmen who decide to equip their own steam room in their suburban area in order to take healthy water treatments at any time.

The ceiling surface in the bath is the most important part of the arrangement of this room, which is operated under extreme loads. High temperature and humidity put forward a number of special requirements for ceilings in steam rooms. Without taking them into account, it makes little sense to take up work. If you want the bath to serve you for many years, you should correctly determine the design of the ceiling surface and choose the right building materials for its installation.

Ceilings in the bath

The ceiling in the steam room must:

• have high strength, which will not decrease under the influence of moisture and high temperature;
• keep the heat inside the room;
• be durable and outwardly attractive;
• do not emit fumes that can destroy all the pleasure of taking water procedures;
• exclude the possibility of wetting the used insulation.

Before starting construction work, you need to draw up a project according to which the ceiling will be made. First of all, you should decide on its height. It is calculated taking into account the height of a person who will regularly bathe in a bath. Also, when determining the height, it is necessary to pay attention to the fact that you can lie quietly on the top shelf of the room without touching the ceiling with your body. The height of the steam room recommended by experts is 2.5 m. You can make the ceiling even lower, but then professionals do not give guarantees for the comfort of receiving water procedures.

Having decided on the height of the ceiling, you can move on and choose the optimal material for the manufacture of the structure of interest to us. No particular difficulties are foreseen at this stage. If you are building a classic Russian banya, all of its elements should be made from natural wood. The best material simply does not exist. It should be understood that the tree needs additional protection from moisture. It will have to be treated with special impregnations, and then also to equip an effective vapor barrier system.

Natural wood ceilings

Attic flooring (if one is provided in your bath) and ceiling beams are best made from softwood. They are characterized by a high rate of moisture resistance. But it is desirable to finish the ceiling with the help of products made of linden or aspen. Such hardwood has an important feature - a low content of natural resins. Due to this, its use allows to reduce the thermal conductivity of the ceiling and at the same time increase its thermal stability and sound insulation.

Wooden materials for arranging the ceiling in the bath with your own hands must be chosen very responsibly. In no case do not buy poorly dried wood.

It is also unacceptable to use products with any defects, even the most insignificant in your opinion. And do not forget to treat the boards with a good antiseptic and fire retardant. These compounds will protect the tree from decay and increase its resistance to fire. The next step is the selection of vapor barrier material. Its installation on a wooden ceiling is a mandatory process. The most economical option for vapor protection of a surface under construction is to sheathe it with thick cardboard sheets treated with drying oil. But experts do not recommend using this technique. Cardboard is prone to rotting. Its additional processing only slows down this process, but does not completely eliminate the possibility of mold.

If you want to save on, use aluminum foil or polyethylene film as a protector. Such materials are affordable. And their efficiency is many times higher than cardboard sheets. The most reasonable option for a vapor barrier device is the use of modern materials - Penoplex, Isospan and others. They guarantee excellent vapor protection. The only point is that the installation of these materials must be carried out strictly according to the instructions attached to them.

Installation of a bath ceiling without its thermal insulation is unacceptable! Our ancestors insulated steam rooms exclusively with natural materials - sand, earth, clay, sawdust, as well as their mixture. You can use the same technique. Now the thermal protection of ceilings according to the folk method is most often performed using a mixture of straw and clay. Well, fans of more modern heaters usually use the following materials:

• Styrofoam;
• mineral wool;
• penoizol;
• expanded clay.

Mineral wool as a heater

Polyfoam is waterproof, has excellent heat-shielding and sound-proofing performance, and is inexpensive. Installation of lightweight foam does not cause problems for home craftsmen who decide to build a ceiling from boards. Such material is sold in sheets of different thicknesses. To insulate the bath ceiling surface, it is advisable to use a 5–10 cm polystyrene foam. Fixing the sheets to the base is carried out using glue, thick cement mortar or dowels. Polyfoam belongs to the group of flammable materials. When burned, it releases compounds harmful to humans, which often cause paralysis of the respiratory system. This should be taken into account when choosing foam as a heater. If you are not one hundred percent sure about the fire safety of your bath, it is better to choose another material.

Mineral wool does not burn, it is cheap, insects, rodents, microbes do not start in it. Anyone can install it. But when wet, mineral wool instantly loses its insulating properties. The latter, by the way, are lost by themselves during the operation of the bath. Over time, cotton wool begins to settle, its density increases because of this, as a result, the insulating capabilities of this material are reduced to almost zero. Currently, it is rarely used for thermal insulation. She was replaced by expanded clay. This environmentally friendly material of natural origin does not burn, is characterized by a high degree of heat and sound protection and an affordable price. Expanded clay in granules should be used to insulate bath ceilings. Their optimal dimensions are 15–40 mm. In order for expanded clay to perform its functions qualitatively, it must be poured with a thickness of at least 20 cm.

Also, the bath ceiling can be insulated with liquid urea foam (penoizol). It is very easy to work with him. You only need to evenly distribute penoizol over the surface to be treated, after which it will fill all the gaps on the ceiling itself, providing excellent thermal insulation for the steam room. Note that for different ways of laying the ceiling surface for a bath with your own hands, you need to select a certain insulation. That is, in this case, not everything depends on your desires and preferences. We will talk about options for arranging ceilings further.

You can independently build various ceiling surfaces. Installation of structures of three types is allowed - floor, panel and hemmed. The easiest way to install a flooring ceiling. It is built in cases where there is no attic in the bath. For large-sized steam rooms, the flooring is not suitable. In such situations, it is impossible to guarantee its strength and reliability in operation.

Steel ceiling structure

The installation of the floor surface is carried out as follows:

1. Mount wooden boards from the inside of the room. It is advisable to use products with a width of about 4–5 cm. The boards rest with their edges on the walls of the bath (if we are talking about a wooden frame, they are fastened on the last crown of the building). You need to create a solid shield from wooden products with a minimum number of slots (try to mount the boards as close to each other as possible).
2. Cover the finished base with the selected vapor barrier (foil, film, modern materials) and fix it with a construction stapler using staples.
3. Lay a heat insulator on the vapor barrier layer. The floor type ceiling is recommended to be insulated with expanded clay or mineral wool.

The work has been completed. As you can see, the process of arranging a flooring surface is really simple. But the quality of such a ceiling, frankly, leaves much to be desired. The problem is that its thermal insulation layer is almost completely defenseless against external moisture. In addition, if you need to replace individual elements of a solid board shield, you will have to destroy the vapor and heat barriers, change the boards, and then re-mount the vapor barrier material and insulation.

If the design of the bath provides for an attic, experts advise making a hemmed surface. It is mounted without serious difficulties and is characterized by a high level of operational reliability, but the financial costs of the materials necessary for its arrangement are objectively high. And in time, such a structure is being built much longer than a flat one. The scheme of work will be as follows. First, install wood bars on the walls (they will serve as load-bearing parts) with a diameter of 5x15 cm. There is a small nuance here. You need to build a separate frame around the chimney. It's easy to do.

false ceiling

Prepare additional bars - make special grooves in them for the main load-bearing elements, and then mount them across the longitudinal beams. After installing the frame, proceed to sheathing the surface from the inside. The optimal products for cladding are tongue and groove and eurolining. It is desirable to fix these materials in the grooves and along the edges, and not in the center of the ceiling. Then attach a vapor barrier film to the skin. It is mounted with a mandatory overlap (14–16 cm) on the walls. In cases where several separate canvases are used, the edge of each subsequent product should go on the previous row by 20 cm. In this case, it is necessary to process the joints between the sheets of the vapor barrier. This procedure is performed using a special aluminum self-adhesive film.

Styrofoam should be used as a heater for a false ceiling. Styrofoam does not fit around the flue duct. This area should be insulated with expanded clay. The latter, by the way, can also be used for thermal insulation of the entire ceiling. With a strong desire, it is allowed to use mineral wool. The main thing is that it should not be crumpled and cut off clearly according to the size of the ceiling surface. On top of the insulation, a waterproof polyethylene film or aluminum foil is additionally laid. After that, you can cover the made cake with a boardwalk. Wooden products are attached to the beams with nails with special wide hats.

It is unrealistic to build a ceiling from panels yourself. In this case, you can’t do without 2-3 assistants. This is due to the fact that such a ceiling structure is assembled from pre-prepared wooden panels. They are heavy, which greatly complicates the installation activities. Panel ceilings are equipped as follows:

1. Lay (strictly parallel) at a distance of 0.5 m from each other two wooden beams. Their edges should be rested on a solid wood rail.
2. Take boards 60 cm long and nail them across parallel beams.
3. Turn over the resulting “box”, line it from the inside with a film or other vapor barrier, fix the protective layer with brackets.
4. Similarly, you make the rest of the panel blanks (their number depends on the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe ceiling to be equipped).

DIY panel ceiling

After that, you can lay the insulation in the fabricated structures. But then it will be very difficult to raise the "boxes" and fix them on the ceiling. Therefore, it is better to stop at what has been done and proceed with the installation of panels on brickwork or on the upper crowns of a wooden bath. To accomplish this task, you need to lay jute along the edges of the walls (it is also used to seal the gaps between the panels). After installing all the "boxes" on the ceiling, insulate them (mineral wool is better not to use, opt for foam or expanded clay).

Do not forget to lay a waterproofing layer on the insulation (ordinary polyethylene film will do) and fix it well. From above, the mounted structure is covered with a boardwalk. It performs an important function - securely fastens the panels together. From the inside, the described ceiling surface is usually trimmed with clapboard. Choose from the proposed options your way of arranging the ceiling and enjoy comfortable water treatments in your own bath!

Everyone who started building a bathhouse with their own hands asks the question - how to make the ceiling correctly? Indeed, the microclimate in the steam room, washing room or rest room will directly depend on its design.

The ceiling should hold heat well, dry quickly, not support the spread of fungus and mold, and also have enough durability so that it does not have to be redone a couple of years after construction.

Let's look at the types of ceilings in log baths in this article, what and how they are made of, consider the main structural elements, and also talk about some of the features that you should know when starting construction.

In order for bath procedures to be enjoyable, certain accepted norms should be followed in terms of choosing the height of the interior.

In addition, the service life of the bath itself depends on the height of the ceilings.

The determining factor here is the ease of use of the steam room by people of different heights. For example, in order to climb onto the top shelf and not bury your head in the ceiling, you will need a free space of at least 110 cm, but it is better to have a small margin in height so as not to get injured when visiting the steam room. In addition, if you like to bathe with a whisk, you need to take into account the free space that allows you to freely wield this bath accessory.

Thus, it turns out that the minimum ceiling height in a Russian log bath should be at least 220-240 cm.

The figure below shows the rationale for choosing this height:

What should be the ceiling

Features of the microclimate largely determine the requirements for the ceiling of the bath. The heat generated during bathing procedures, high humidity, hot steam rising up - all this should be taken into account during construction.

The main requirements for the ceiling are:

• the ability to retain heat well;
• resistance to high temperature and humidity;
• sufficient strength;
• aesthetic appearance.

If the ceiling does not hold heat well, then most of it will simply go nowhere. In other words, you will heat the air around the bath. To avoid this, the ceiling is made as energy efficient as possible using heat-insulating and waterproofing materials that ensure its normal operation.

The strength of the ceiling is necessary in order to hold a layer of insulation without deformation, which can have a significant mass.

You should also take care of the beautiful appearance of the ceiling. After all, the overall impression of the bath procedures will depend on this. After all, it is much more pleasant to bathe yourself or invite relatives and friends to the bath if the interior looks aesthetically pleasing, which is called "pleasing to the eye."

What material is better to make a ceiling in a log bath?

Another important issue in the construction of the ceiling is the choice of material.

As mentioned above, the strength, durability and aesthetic appeal of the room will depend on the material.

The ceiling material should easily withstand high temperatures and not rot under the influence of humidity.

Due to the high temperatures in the steam room, the use of synthetic materials is excluded, since many of them release toxic polyphenols and other harmful substances when heated. Therefore, the construction of the ceiling should be considered only from environmentally friendly natural materials, the best of which is hardwood - larch, linden, aspen, alder.

It is not desirable to make a ceiling from coniferous trees because of their high resin content. When heated, the resin becomes liquid and, if dripping down, can cause severe burns if it comes into contact with the skin.

To prevent the wood from rotting, before starting to construct the ceiling, all wooden elements should be carefully treated with an antiseptic and fire retardant. The antiseptic will prevent woodworms from eating wood and protect against the spread of rot and mold. and flame retardant will help to significantly reduce the risk of fire in wooden structures.

As a rule, in log baths, the ceiling is made of boards that are hemmed to the beams or laid on them. A board with a thickness of 40 mm is quite enough. Its strength is quite enough to hold its own weight and the weight of the insulation.

A layer of insulation is arranged over the boards, which saves heat, preventing it from escaping. And so that the insulation does not get wet, it is protected on both sides with a layer of waterproofing.

In general terms, the diagram of the device of the flooring can be seen in the video below:

How to insulate the ceiling?

Ceiling insulation is one of the most important stages of its construction. It is the quality of the insulation that plays a significant role in creating the necessary microclimate that allows you to enjoy bathing procedures.

In order to keep the heat in the bath, you can use both traditional folk materials and modern efficient types of insulation.

If you have access to a sufficient amount of sawdust, then you can fill the ceiling with a layer of sawdust and lay a layer of clay on top, as our distant ancestors did. This method of insulation is quite effective. But its big disadvantage is the combustibility of sawdust and high hygroscopicity (the ability to absorb moisture).

In the event of a violation of steam or waterproofing, sawdust will absorb wet steam and soon rot may appear in the layer of such insulation, which will be very difficult to get rid of.

Much more reliable are modern mineral materials produced in the form of rolls and plates. They are non-combustible, made of stone or glass, being a completely harmless environmentally friendly material with a high coefficient of heat transfer resistance, which allows you to perfectly keep the heat in the room.

Mineral (basalt) wool has the following advantages:

1. Light weight, which reduces the load on building structures.
2. Does not support the spread of mold and mildew.
3. It is not eaten by woodworms and other harmful insects.
4. Does not burn and does not support combustion.

The only disadvantage of mineral wool can be considered its ability to absorb moisture. Therefore, you should take care of the device reliable vapor and waterproofing.

Another material quite often used in the construction of the ceiling in baths is expanded clay. This is a light porous material obtained by firing clay or slate in special drum kilns.

The advantages of expanded clay include:

• high mechanical strength;
• high resistance to heat transfer, providing high thermal insulation properties;
• frost resistance;
• incombustibility and fire resistance;
• chemical inertness, environmental friendliness;
• durability.

Do not insulate the bath from foam. Despite its high thermal insulation characteristics, this material is unacceptable for use in a bath due to the release of harmful substances during heating. in addition, the foam is flammable and can cause a fire.

What is the ceiling vapor barrier made of?

Vapor barrier is needed to prevent the penetration of hot wet steam from the steam room into the insulation layer.

In the simplest case, ordinary polyethylene film used to cover greenhouses and hotbeds can be used as a vapor barrier.

The only disadvantage of polyethylene is its complete impermeability to moisture. If condensate falls on the inside of the film from the side of the insulation, and the insulation is also covered from above with an impermeable polyethylene film, it will have nowhere to go - it will not be able to evaporate freely from the insulation.

To avoid this, you can use modern membrane materials that allow the insulation to "breathe", working to allow moisture to pass in one direction (out of the insulation) and not to pass it to the other (inside the insulation).

To understand the difference between vapor barrier and waterproofing, we recommend watching this video:

As you can see, from the side of the room, the insulation is protected by a vapor barrier that prevents the penetration of moisture vapor into the insulation. And from the side of the attic, the insulation is closed with waterproofing - a membrane material that does not let water droplets through, but freely passes wet steam, allowing the insulation to dry out.

Of the modern types of vapor barrier, Izospan (membrane), Thermofol (metallized fiberglass), Megaflex (foil on kraft paper), Yutafol can be advised.

The joints of the vapor barrier sheets are carefully sealed with special adhesive tape, and the vapor barrier itself is fastened with a stapler to the floor beams.

Which ceiling is better - floor or hemmed?

As mentioned above - most often the ceilings are made flat or hemmed.

The hemmed ceiling consists of a lining or edged planed board, which is nailed (sewn) from below to the beams, which go in steps of 0.5-1m.

A vapor barrier is spread on the boards, insulation is laid, all this is covered with waterproofing from above and can be sewn up with another lining from the lining.

Also, a false ceiling can be made in the way shown in this video:

A floor ceiling is often made in small baths with a span between the walls of no more than 2-2.5 m. It consists of boards laid with ends on the walls of the log house. Ceiling beams in this case may not be at all.

You can watch the construction of a flat ceiling in a log house in this video.

Which of the owners of a country house at least once did not think about building their own bath? However, before turning dreams and ideas into reality, it is worth learning more about the features of the construction of the bath, which are many due to the specifics of the building. In particular, they relate to the construction of the ceiling, which must withstand high temperatures and humidity, help maintain the necessary microclimate in the steam room and prevent heat from wasting. In this article, you will find the subtleties and nuances of the ceiling installation in a log bath and get step-by-step instructions for its manufacture.

What should be the ceiling in the bath

First of all, it is worth understanding the conditions in which the ceiling is located in the bath, and on the basis of this, develop the requirements that it must meet. Compared to a residential building, the conditions in the steam room can be called extreme - the temperature rises to 80-90 degrees Celsius and above, and this is with extremely high humidity. Both warm air and moisture, obeying the laws of physics, rush up to the ceiling. Therefore, the latter requires resistance to high temperatures. In addition, he needs good thermal insulation, because up to two-thirds of heat loss occurs on the ceiling. And the less energy is lost "to nowhere", the easier it is to maintain the microclimate in the steam room. High-quality thermal insulation of the ceiling in the bath is saving money in the future.

Now it is worth paying attention to the problem of humidity. Here, its level is very high, while moisture should not penetrate higher to the ceiling and thermal insulation. Otherwise, the insulation will lose its properties, and dampness will adversely affect the strength and durability of the entire structure. In addition, high humidity creates a comfortable environment for the growth of fungi and mold.

Important! Remember that moisture penetrates not only from below, from the steam room, but also from above, with rain and snow.

Therefore, in addition to good thermal insulation, the ceiling in the bath must have high-quality vapor and waterproofing.

The next issue is structural strength. By itself, a wooden ceiling has a considerable mass, and a mass of insulation is also added to it. Therefore, the ceiling structure must be durable and able to withstand such loads. And if the space under the roof of the bath will be used as an attic or attic, then the requirements for strength and safety are even more stringent.

And the last (but not least) characteristic of the ceiling in the bath is the appearance. Agree, being in a steam room is more pleasant when everything around looks beautiful, including the ceiling. In addition, the bath, attractive both from the outside and from the inside, will give you a reason to be proud of your household and guests, because you did all this yourself, with your own hands. Therefore, when building a ceiling in a bath, remember not only about thermal insulation and strength, but also about beauty.

Ceiling device in the bath: choose the material

The next question that needs to be considered is what the ceiling in the bath is made of, and first of all it concerns the sheathing. Since the steam room, unlike an ordinary living room, heats up to 80-90 degrees, all kinds of plastics disappear: at such temperatures they release substances that are dangerous to humans into the surrounding air, sometimes polymer panels even deform under such conditions. And the section of the plastic ceiling surrounding the chimney will simply melt or even catch fire.

Various types of plywood and particle boards also cannot be attributed to materials suitable for a ceiling in a bath - they are too susceptible to moisture and under its influence change their shape and lose strength. Of course, they can be protected with paint or varnishes, but such coatings at high temperatures present the same danger as the aforementioned plastics.

Therefore, the only optimal material for cladding the ceiling of the bath will be wood, but not any. It is better not to use coniferous wood for these purposes - when heated, resin is released from it, drops of which, falling on the skin, cause discomfort and leave painful burns. Choose a tree with low resin content, resistance to rot, and resistance to temperature and moisture. An example of an ideal material for ceiling cladding in a bath is a lining made of linden, aspen or alder.

Prices for lining

Advice! Any wooden structures in the bath must be treated with an antiseptic and flame retardant. So you protect them from the main "enemies" of wood - fungus, mold, rot and fire.

In addition to sheathing, the homeowner must choose the insulation that he will use to install the ceiling in the bath.

For this, the following materials are used:

• expanded clay;
• mineral wool;
• ecowool;
• Styrofoam;
• sawdust.

Expanded clay is a clay crumb with a porous structure. It is extremely easy to use, has average thermal insulation and relatively high weight, so a ceiling with such insulation must be especially durable. Requires high-quality vapor barrier on both sides.

Mineral wool- the most common version of insulation for the ceiling in the bath. Mineral wool is light, does not burn, does not rot, protects well from heat loss and is inexpensive. It is advisable to purchase basalt wool for a bath, as it contains a minimum (or does not contain at all) additives and binders that can be harmful to humans in the form of vapors. Mineral wool tends to absorb moisture, so it requires good waterproofing.

Main advantage ecowool It is clear from its name that it is a safe and environmentally friendly material made from cellulose with the addition of boric acid and impregnations that protect the insulation from rodents, insects, rotting and burning. Ecowool has excellent thermal insulation properties, but for its installation you will need special equipment and a specialist who can work with it.

Styrofoam hardly applies to materials that are well suited for a bath. Yes, it is cheap and has low thermal conductivity, but at the same time, like any other polymer, it can release harmful substances at high temperatures. In addition, the foam should not be used next to the chimney, as this is fraught with fire.

Sawdust as a heater can be called the "grandfather" method, which, obviously, is already outdated. They quickly become damp, mice can get into them, sawdust burns well and eventually cakes. Their main and only advantage is their cheapness: at the nearest sawmill they can be obtained either for free or for a nominal fee.

Expanded clay prices

expanded clay

For the vapor barrier of the ceiling in the bath, some material is needed. The easiest and cheapest option is to use dense polyethylene. But for a low price, you will have to put up with the shortcomings of the material, among which the main one is the release of condensate penetrating into the thermal insulation layer.

An alternative is various membrane vapor barrier films that will become a reliable barrier to moisture. Examples of such materials can be NANOISOL or ISOSPAN. Another option for vapor barrier is foil roll insulation. You can protect the thermal insulation layer with the help of polyethylene and membrane films already mentioned above, or with the help of roofing material.

Mineral wool prices

mineral wool

There are three types of ceiling construction for a bath - flooring, hemming and panel. Below are step-by-step instructions for creating each of the three types.

Video - Ceiling height in a log cabin

How to make a deck ceiling for a bath

With this design, the ceiling sheathing is laid directly on the walls of the log house. This option is suitable for baths with a width of not more than 2.5 meters and with low ceilings. There is an opinion that it is simple and quick to make it, but for a log house, the task becomes much more complicated. First you need to prepare a platform on which the boards will be laid.

1. Two opposite crowns are selected and horizontal lines are drawn along them at a certain distance from the floor. These lines are the level of the future ceiling.
2. Logs are removed from the log house and transferred to a pre-prepared place. Next, you need to measure the width of the platform for flooring with lines on the upper parts of the crowns - it should be at least 5 centimeters.
3. The sections of logs marked with lines are sawn through and then hollowed out with an ax and a chisel. The "shelf" should be as flat as possible.
4. Both crowns are laid back on the frame, the height of the platforms is also checked - it should be the same on both logs throughout their entire length.

Now begins the preparation of boards and laying. For a floor ceiling, it is desirable to use tongue-and-groove boards with a thickness of 2.5-5 centimeters: thanks to the groove-thorn connection, they fit better to each other. In addition, the strength of such a structure is higher.

Step 1. The width of the bath is measured, taking into account the platforms in the crowns. For accuracy, it is desirable to take as many measurements as the boards fit, with an interval along their width. The data is being written.

Step 2 Boards are cut according to the obtained width values. Further, the boards are marked with a pencil in the order of laying - so each board will be laid in a place previously intended for it.

Step 3 The flooring is treated with an antiseptic and flame retardant.

Step 4 A board is taken, laid on the platforms on the crowns and nailed. The length of the nails should be 2-2.5 times the thickness of the board. If necessary, holes are drilled in the right places with a drill, but care must be taken that their diameter is less than the diameter of the nails.

Step 5 Fitting one board to another, laying the flooring is performed. Most likely, the last board will be wider than necessary, so you need to carefully cut off the excess from it and nail it to the platforms of the crowns.

Step 6 A vapor barrier film should be laid on top, making sure that there are no gaps on it and that the joints are overlapped. In addition, the seams are glued with a special waterproofing tape.

Step 7 Next, the insulating material is laid. If it is loose, like expanded clay or sawdust, then a crate of timber is made around the perimeter of the ceiling. So you will achieve an even distribution of material on the flooring.

Roll waterproofing prices

roll waterproofing

Step 8 The final stage is the laying of waterproofing. As with a vapor barrier film, this layer must be overlapped and the seams must be sealed with adhesive tape.

If desired, ordinary planed boards can be used instead of tongue-and-groove boards, but they must be adjusted to each other with particular care. Another option is unedged boards, but always in two layers. So the top layer covers the gaps between the bottom boards. The result is a peculiar and rather beautiful flooring.

For sufficiently large baths, the boards are not laid on the walls, but on the beams. To do this, it is necessary to first make grooves in the crowns into which the transverse beams will fit. They are made from a bar that needs to be sanded, treated with an antiseptic and flame retardant. The cross section of the beam is selected based on the width of the bath, the load on the ceiling and the distance between the beams. To do this, use the tables below.

Table number 1. Required beam cross-section for a distance between beams of 50 cm.

Wall width, m	150	250	350	450
		Bar section, cm
2	5x8	5x10	5x11	5x12
2,5	5x10	5x12	5x13	5x15
3	5x12	5x14	5x16	5x18
3,5	10x11	10x13	10x15	10x16
4	10x13	10x15	15x15	15x16

Table number 2. Required beam cross-section for a distance between beams of 100 cm.

Wall width, m	150	250	350	450
		Bar section, cm
2	10x10	10x10	10x10	10x10
2,5	10x10	10x12	10x13	10x15
3	10x12	10x14	10x15	10x16
3,5	10x14	10x16	10x18	15x16
4	10x16	10x18	10x21	10x23

How to make a false ceiling for a bath

Most often, a hemmed ceiling is made in the bath - there are no restrictions on the length, width and height of the building for it, and besides, with such a ceiling design, the space above it can be used as an attic for storing bath equipment or as an attic, which can accommodate those who come to you guests.

Ceiling beams are made of thick timber, the cross section of which is selected based on the size of the room and the load on the ceiling. Before installation, do not forget to treat the beams with antiseptics and flame retardants.

Step 1. In the opposite crowns of the log house, grooves for the transverse beams are cut. You need to make sure that they are directly opposite each other.

Step 2 Beams are placed in pre-insulated grooves.

Step 3 Mounting rails are nailed to the beams (perpendicular to them) with a step of 50 cm (see diagram above).

Step 4 From below, a layer of vapor barrier is nailed to the beam. Its installation should be done before laying the boards. So not only the insulation layer, but also the beams of the ceiling will be protected from moisture.

Step 5 From below, a sheathing is laid on the vapor barrier and beams. For it, you can use ordinary or tongue-and-groove boards with a thickness of 20-40 mm. You can nail the lining to the skin or leave the ceiling as it is.

Step 6 Thermal insulation material is laid or filled in the space between the beams. The thickness of the layer for the bath is at least 10-15 centimeters.

Step 7 A vapor barrier is laid on top. For this, it is desirable to use membrane films, such as Izospan FB (the material is laid with the foil side outward with an overlap of 15-20 cm). So moisture will not penetrate from above to the insulation and beams, but at the same time water vapor from them will be able to evaporate freely, and the ceiling will “breathe”.

Step 8 The second layer of boards is being laid, which will no longer be the ceiling of the steam room, but the floor of the attic.

Advice! Insulation of the ceiling of the bath should be started from the side farthest from the entrance to the attic, and flooring - on the contrary, from the near one. This is due to the fact that you cannot walk on the insulation itself, and it is inconvenient to move, walking from beam to beam.

How to make a panel ceiling for a bath

This design consists of separate panels assembled "on the ground" and then already installed on the crowns of the log house. The panels include ceiling beams, sheathing, vapor and thermal insulation. This is the main advantage - most of the work is done in a safe environment, and you do not need to constantly think about how not to fall down from the stepladder. However, the lifting and installation of such panels is a complex task, requiring the participation of several people.

Step 1. In the opposite crowns of the log house, platforms are cut out on which the panels will be installed. It is worth mentioning that labor-intensive and unsafe work with a log can be replaced by installing thick wooden beams that will serve as "shelves" for future panels.

Step 2"On the ground" two beams with a section of 50 by 100 millimeters are laid. The distance between them is half a meter, the length is selected according to the width of the bath, taking into account the installation sites.

Step 3 From above, a flooring is created from boards 20-30 thick and 600 millimeters long. They are laid so that the edges of the boards protrude 50 millimeters beyond the timber on both sides. For fasteners, nails are used, four per board.

cutting board prices

edged board

Step 4 The resulting plank box is turned over, a vapor barrier film is attached to its inner surface. To do this, you will need a construction stapler. The joints of the film are overlapped by 10-15 centimeters, the cracks are sealed with adhesive tape.

Step 5 Thermal insulation material is laid (or filled up) between the bars.

Step 6 Now up and down. From above, the bars are pre-connected with oblique crossbars to stiffen the structure and prevent it from deforming when lifted.

Step 7 After installing the panel on the platform or on the “shelf”, the operation is repeated several more times. As a result, you will get an array of panels.

Step 8 Lay a vapor barrier film and a layer of insulation in the space between the panels.

Step 9 On top you need to lay a layer of waterproofing film.

Step 10 At one of the walls, the panels are interconnected: for this you need to lay a long and fairly thick board nailed to each beam.

Step 11 Step 10 is repeated, but for the opposite wall and the space between them. The interval between such connecting boards should be approximately equal to one meter.

Step 12 The attic floor is being laid. If desired, the lining of the ceiling of the bath is trimmed with clapboard.

Arrangement of an opening for a chimney

In the arrangement of the opening, the main thing is compliance with fire safety requirements. It must be remembered that the chimney is heated to very high temperatures, therefore it cannot come into contact with easily flammable materials such as wood, polyethylene or foam.

As you can see, with due effort, you can arrange a ceiling in a log bath yourself. The main thing is to have not only tools and materials, but also the desire to realize your plans and ideas.

Video - Ceiling arrangement in a log bath

It is rightly said that after a good bath, not only the body, but also the soul rejoices. However, the key to a successful steam room is the correct temperature in the room, and the ceiling plays a key role in this regard. A bath operating in extreme temperature conditions requires special attention to the organization of the ceiling surface. We offer you a convenient step-by-step guide that will tell you in an easy and accessible way how to make the ceiling in the bathhouse with your own hands correctly - and get pleasure from the steam room process after.

Criteria to the ceiling

The specifics of the room leaves a serious imprint on the nature of the basic requirements for the ceiling surface. The urgent need to retain heat inside the bath requires a special organization of the ceiling and forces us to look for new approaches to its strengthening and preparation. Judge for yourself: the critical temperature is up to 100 degrees in the steam room, constant humidity is from 90%. Under such conditions, moreover, aggravated by cyclic heating and cooling, the deformation of any material is nothing more than a matter of time. We have identified the main criteria that allow you to better understand what should be the ceiling in the bath, which you are going to do with your own hands:

• correct functioning in extreme temperature conditions;
• complete fire and environmental safety;
• good hydro and vapor barrier of the attic;
• maintaining the desired temperature in the steam room area.

Properly selected materials, coupled with a special installation technology, will cope with all these tasks and make the ceiling in the bath a reliable functional element of the selected room.

Material selection and preparation

There are a large number of materials for mounting the ceiling surface, but the format of the bath makes you move towards only the most reliable and proven ones: the priority of environmental and fire safety is an unshakable point that you need to adhere to if you want to deal with the matter as efficiently as possible:

• softwood- has a characteristic resinous structure, which prevents the process of decay, perfectly realizes its best qualities when used as floors and frame installation;
• deciduous tree species- these include well-known aspen, alder, which are easy to process and do not emit resin drops dangerous to humans into the air, such breeds can be safely used for interior cladding;
• glassine, vapor barrier membranes- the material must cope with the task of preventing steam leakage through the ceiling and withstand critical temperature conditions up to 120 degrees;
• mineral wool, basalt slabs- an excellent option for a heater that allows you to keep precious heat in the room, it is used exclusively together with waterproofing, as it is easily influenced by moisture and loses its performance;
• unilateral membranes- for optimal waterproofing and sharing with selected heaters;
• screws, nails- it is advisable to use only galvanized elements, as they are not afraid of moisture and elevated temperatures, do not rust and are practically invisible to the naked eye.

Of particular note is that it is categorically not suitable as materials:

• plywood;
• mounting foam;
• polyethylene films;
• expanded polystyrene;

They are not only fire hazardous, but also deadly: when used in rooms with unstable temperature conditions, they emit phenol during heating, which can cause a number of dangerous diseases. Therefore, you should avoid using the voiced options in your bath - after all, the safety of you and your loved ones, guests should be put at the forefront, right?

Choosing the type of ceiling

Currently, several options are widely practiced, each of which has its own technological features and specific purpose. If you want to make a ceiling in the bath, but do not know what type of ceiling surface to choose, it will be useful for you to take a closer look at them.

hemmed

• suitable for both large and modest-sized bath rooms;
• guarantees good thermal insulation and long service life;
• has increased strength;
• requires the obligatory erection of floor beams, which are laid on the erected crown of the log house.

Grazing

• most often used in small baths without a used attic space;
• is a cheaper and more affordable option for organizing a ceiling base;
• eliminates the possibility of laying a layer of insulation.

If you don’t have an attic in your bathhouse, or you have one, but you don’t plan to use it, then this option is for you. In terms of performance, it is not much inferior to other design solutions, but it allows you to quickly and without special technical knowledge to cope with all the details of the repair.

Panel

• universal;
• complex installation;
• extremely rigid and durable construction;
• massive, requires mandatory sealing of numerous slots and joints.

It is unlikely that you will be able to make a panel ceiling in the bathhouse with your own hands - you will definitely need a couple of other auxiliary ones, since the installation involves the creation of boxes with their subsequent sewing. However, this option has a lot of advantages, so if there is an opportunity to attract additional labor, take note of it.

Step by step installation

Consider the step-by-step actions in the case of mounting the most common and convenient option for organizing the ceiling surface in the bath - a false ceiling:

1. take measurements and make sure that after a clean finish, the height of your sauna room will be at least 2.2 meters;
2. the overlap is made of the same type of wood that was used to build the log house: the beams are laid on the short side of the log house, a step of at least 1 meter must be observed;
3. logs that you will use as mats must be hewn from above and below by one eighth of the entire diameter;
4. adjust the matrix under the beams;
5. fixing the hydro and vapor barrier membrane: lay the strips overlapping, approximately 20 centimeters, and the material used must go onto the walls by about the same distance, all joints must be treated with waterproof tape;
6. filing the ceiling with boards: rough and decorative. In the first case, they take an edged coniferous board and hem it directly to the mats, and already a vapor barrier layer is applied on top. It all ends with a lining of the front clapboard. The result is the so-called "thermos effect", which perfectly retains heat. What else do you need from a bath? If you skip the stage of creating a draft ceiling, then it is best to choose a grooved board for direct fixation to the floor beams .;
7. laying insulation - is carried out directly in the attic, the nuances of the technology depend on the choice of a specific material, but in any case, a diffuse membrane must be fixed on top of the laid layer. It will act as an additional waterproofing agent and prevent the appearance of condensate on the floor beams, protecting the ceiling structure from the process of decay and subsequent unwanted deformation.
8. floor finishing - if you want to use the attic, then you can additionally sheathe its floor with boards, which will give another plus - reliable protection of the insulation from any mechanical damage.

Conclusion

Our step-by-step guide aims to help you make the ceiling in the bath with your own hands, but, of course, it cannot become the ultimate truth. In the end, it all depends on your choice: what type of ceiling is best suited for a particular bath room, what material you have to deal with, and finally, how many hands you will be involved in the direct installation process. However, a consistent analysis of all points of the arrangement of the ceiling with photo and video materials allows you to visualize the technological features of the process and thus answer those questions that inevitably arise at the preliminary stage of project development.