Windows for the bath
The bathhouse is a place where we put ourselves in order, maintaining the purity of not only the body, but also thoughts. After the steam room, it’s so nice to relax, drink hot aromatic tea, admiring the view outside the window. Some believe that the windows in the bathhouse are not necessary, since there is no need for bright lighting, and the loss of heat energy is minimized. However, it is unlikely that a bath without windows will have a spectacular view from the outside. There are other arguments for windows. To make the stay in the bath comfortable, this room traditionally has windows for natural light. They are also needed for better ventilation. Windows for a bath require increased attention during its construction.
Content
- Wood windows made of wood
- Advantages and disadvantages
Wood windows made of wood
In the design process, the question necessarily arises: what should be the windows in the bath? Most often, wooden windows are chosen for this purpose. It is a tree that is able to withstand temperature changes, while maintaining its original appearance. But it should be borne in mind that not all wood species are equally good for this. They differ in thermal insulation characteristics, softness, exposure to temperature influences, etc..
Wooden windows for a bath – a good option
Advantages and disadvantages
The windows in the bath house of linden, oak, aspen and other species have certain advantages, thanks to which they will always be used to equip the Russian bath:
- Firstly, they are more aesthetic and look more preferable if the frame or chopped bath.
- Secondly, windows made of natural materials do not emit harmful substances at high temperatures (unlike plastic ones). Moreover: wood exudes beneficial substances and a pleasant aroma.
- Thirdly, wooden windows in the bathhouse are a tribute to ancient traditions. A special and pleasant atmosphere is created with them, peculiar only to the Russian bathhouse..
Wooden window in the bath – a tribute to ancient traditions
Important! Coniferous wood cannot be used for window production in the washing and steam rooms, as it releases tar at high temperatures.
However, there are disadvantages. First of all, temperature deformations can be noted, often leading to drying out of windows and the formation of gaps. The swelling is the same problem: in this case, you need to make a lot of effort to open the window (if any). In addition, wooden windows for a bath have a shorter service life than plastic structures. Manufacturers of wooden windows solve these problems by conducting high-quality drying and subsequent processing of wood so that the moisture level does not exceed 12%, at which the material is slightly deformed and lasts at least several decades.
Plastic windows for the bath
Currently, builders often began to choose plastic double-glazed windows as an option for glazing a bath. Of course, we are talking about the dressing room, but not about the steam room, where high temperatures operate, which are unacceptable for the construction of plastic double-glazed windows.
Plastic windows for the bath
Advantages and disadvantages of PVC
Are such windows suitable for a bath? High consumer qualities of PVC windows allow you to install them not only in residential, commercial and industrial premises, but also in bathhouses. They:
- durable
- not afraid of steam, dampness
- resistant to temperature jumps
- well ventilated
- have excellent sound insulation
- not deformed
- do not require regular painting.
It should also be noted that if the wooden windows affected by the accumulated condensate become bait for all kinds of termites, wood ants, cockroaches and other pests, then plastic windows will not attract “uninvited guests” to the steam room. The disadvantages of plastic windows include:
- poor air transmission (in a stuffy room, condensation may occur)
- fear of mechanical influences (scratches or cracks will remain)
- high coefficient of expansion (in severe frosts, the profile shrinks strongly, and expands in the heat)
- they cannot be considered completely safe for health (whatever one may say, plastic is an artificial material, not a natural one).
Important! When choosing plastic windows for a bath, you need to make sure that they have good quality fittings with high corrosion resistance, adapted for rooms with high humidity.
Plastic windows with a high quality profile are suitable for installation in the bath, but if the bath itself is made of wood, then, of course, it is better that the doors and windows for the bath are wooden.
In a bathhouse made of wood, and the windows should be wooden
Dimensions, shape and location
The smaller the windows in the bathhouse, the warmer it is, the area of their glazing does not usually exceed 5% of the floor area. In addition, they are much smaller than windows in apartments and houses. Compact windows minimize heat loss. Optimal sizes:
- width 60-80 cm;
- height 40-60 cm.
Such window sizes in the bathhouse will provide quick heating and preservation of the thermal regime in the bathhouse. If desired, you can install smaller windows. Of course, in the dressing room you can build in large windows, which will provide comfort and coziness of the room. Moreover, there is no need to maintain high temperature.
If a beautiful view opens from the window of the bath, you can make the window a little larger.
The shape of the window can be square, but most often it is rectangular, it is placed so that the long side becomes parallel to the floor.
The upper edge of the window is not higher than 100 cm from the floor. Low location contributes to better heat retention.
For the bath, the most acceptable window shape is rectangular
To better maintain heat, bath windows are double, with separate bindings. The use of triple glazing instead of double glazing will reduce heat loss by another 30%.
Double glazed windows retain heat better in the bath
It is good if the windows open completely or have windows, this facilitates the drying of the bath, which helps to increase the life of the shelves, wooden floor, wall paneling.
Existence of a window leaf in a window facilitates drying of a bath
Hinges and locking devices must be selected from metal not subject to corrosion, for example, from copper or brass.
Features of installing windows in the bath
Installing a window in the bathhouse is a kind of process that requires special attention, since the task is to minimize the possible heat loss. If the bath is built of stone or brick, window boxes are installed without grooves. In wooden baths there is a problem of shrinkage of the beam. If you fix the window for the bath with your own hands before the timber has finally settled down, the destruction of the frame and glass may occur. Experienced builders install windows on thin slats, in the walls (bottom and top) make grooves in accordance with the size of the rails. In this case, the window moves freely up and down. The grooves are insulated with heat-insulating materials and a platband is installed. The final installation of the window is carried out after 11 months, when the log house will give the final shrinkage.
The eurowindow for a glued beam bath will last longer than the analogue of plain wood, will not deform and pass drafts
Both ordinary windows and euro-windows from glued beams (double-glazed windows) are installed in the bathhouse. The latter have a modern design, are distinguished by quality and durability..
It is important! Installation of plastic windows in the washing and steam rooms is extremely undesirable. But in the dressing room – this is an acceptable alternative to wooden counterparts. After all, here plastic will not be exposed to high temperatures.
The right choice of material, size, location of the windows in the bath, as well as their professional installation will guarantee the durability of the bath and the maximum reduction in heat loss. At the same time, attractive windows will give a spectacular appearance to the bathhouse from the outside and significantly improve its design inside.
