How to build a mini pool in a bathhouse: design features and DIY construction technology. A swimming pool in a bathhouse – what should we build ourselves? Swimming pool in a bathhouse with a glass wall

Many bath lovers like to jump into the snow after visiting the steam room. They find in this a special, but, nevertheless, pleasure that is not understandable to everyone. However, for obvious and objective reasons, this action can only be carried out in winter. Fortunately, this annoying circumstance for many can be solved. To do this, it is enough to build a pool in the bathhouse. Doing the work yourself is preferable from the point of view of saving money, because the services of hired specialists are far from cheap, and their prices are often not entirely justifiably inflated.

Before you make a swimming pool in a bathhouse with your own hands, you need to carefully plan and prepare everything.

What kind of pool do you need?

First you need to decide what kind of pool you need. Pools can differ quite widely from each other not only in size, but also design features, therefore, several main types can be distinguished.

Permanently installed pools. As you might guess, these include swimming pools, which were initially provided for by the design of the building itself. It can be either a large pool or a small plunge pool. It all depends on the volume of the room, as well as the individual preferences of the owners.
Prefabricated pools. This is another type of pool that can be a real boon for people who do not live outside the city permanently, but only periodically. It can be used if a swimming pool was not initially included in the design of the bathhouse. Such a pool is convenient from the point of view of saving space, because it can always be disassembled and put away if not needed.
Hydromassage pools. Of course, such water tanks can only be considered swimming pools conditionally, because it is impossible to swim in them, but they are intended for hydromassage procedures. In addition, such devices are sold already assembled and ready for installation, so their consideration in this article is not entirely appropriate.

When everything has been decided on the type of pool, and it is clear what needs to be done, you can begin work. It makes no sense to consider the assembly of a finished pool; just read the attached instructions, but how to make a stationary pool needs to be examined in more detail.

Design

It is necessary to think about whether the pool will be inside the bathhouse or outside at the stage of general design of the building. Here it is necessary to take into account first of all the planned dimensions of the bath. If there is enough space, then a separate room should be allocated for the pool, which can be equipped according to your wishes. If there is not much space available for construction, then the way out of the situation would be to build a swimming pool, which can be placed in the washing room. In any case, these calculations should be carried out at the stage of marking and building the foundation, because the construction of a stationary pool involves, first of all, excavation work.

It should also be added that all water supply systems must be calculated taking into account the location of the pool, since it requires regular water purification and circulation.

Excavation

When all necessary calculations carried out, and all questions regarding the location of the future pool have been resolved, you can proceed to excavation work, the initial stage of which should be marking the site. It is necessary, in accordance with the previously completed drawings, to mark the place where the pool will be located. In principle, this stage is not difficult. The place is marked using pegs and a rope stretched between them.

It is also worth adding that before digging a pit, it is necessary to decide on the design of the staircase that will serve to enter/exit the water. There are stairs made in the form of a separate element, and there are steps that are made in one of the walls. In this case, you should be guided by your own considerations, but it is clear that if the dimensions are limited, then a separate staircase is preferable.

After the place has been marked, you can begin the most time-consuming part of the work, that is, digging a pit for the pool. These works can be done manually, or you can hire special equipment, again, it all depends on the expected size of the pool, which can have any shape and depth. It should be noted here that there is no need for an excessively large pool, because keeping it in proper condition will require not only an investment of effort, but also money.

Note! When the main digging work is completed, it is necessary to organize a cushion of sand and gravel at the bottom of the pit. They need to be poured in layers, each of which should be at least 15 cm. After which the pillow should be compacted, moistened with water. It will serve as a base for concrete pouring.

Reinforcement and formwork

When the pit is dug and the base is poured, you need to lay overlapping strips of roofing felt on the walls of the pit, and then install the formwork to fill the walls of the pool. The installation of formwork for these purposes is carried out in the same way as for the foundation, with the only difference being that only its inner part is assembled, since it stands inside the pit.

Pouring a concrete floor

As mentioned above, after the pit is ready, you need to lay overlapping strips of roofing material and fill the first layer with concrete mixture. To prepare it, it is best to use clean sand and cement of a grade not lower than M-400.

After the first layer of concrete has hardened, reinforcement is placed on top of it using a metal mesh. It is laid at some elevation from the bottom, after which another layer of concrete is poured on top of the reinforcing layer. Such measures will minimize the risk of destruction of the pool base from contact with water.

Filling the walls

After completing the installation of formwork, you can proceed to pouring the concrete mixture. It is important to note that it is preferable if the walls are poured in one go, so you need to prepare a sufficient amount of grout in advance. To correctly calculate how much mixture is required, you need to multiply the perimeter of the walls by their thickness and height, thus obtaining the total cubic capacity.

Waterproofing

The next stage of the pool construction work is laying waterproofing material. It is necessary to cover the resulting pool tank with a special plaster containing silicone. This base will be perfect for the next final stage.

Pool lining

The final stage of the pool construction work can be considered its lining. Several materials are suitable for these purposes, for example, porcelain tiles, glass mosaic or special PVC film. Each of these materials has its own pros and cons, and you need to choose it based on personal considerations. For example, porcelain tiles are quicker to install than mosaics and cheaper, while mosaics are more versatile. A variety of patterns can be made from mosaics, but this will take time. And PVC film is faster and easier to install than its analogues, but at the same time it has a limited number of colors. In general, the choice is an individual matter. To clearly see what kind of pools there are in the bathhouse, we recommend looking at the photo.

Photo

Traditionally, we are used to pools being installed in Finnish saunas. There you can quickly and safely refresh your body, warmed up after a hot steam room.

And the Russian bathhouse never had a pool inside, so people ran out into the cold in winter and rolled in the snow or jumped into an ice hole.

For greater comfort and a pleasant stay, many people want to have a swimming pool in a private bathhouse. The opportunity to plunge into a plunge pool with pleasantly cooling water will not leave anyone indifferent.

If you understand the sequence correctly construction work, then you can make such a design with your own hands.

Main types of sauna pools

Before starting construction work, it is necessary to determine the most suitable type of structure. Types of bath pools can be divided:

By installation method:

Internal. Designed for installation in the interior of a bathhouse, suitable for long-term use throughout the year.
External. Provide outdoor installation on the site or under a canopy, used in the summer.

By type of construction: stationary, portable, miniature and hydromassage.

Stationary

A reliable and durable type of pools is stationary, or permanent, structures.

They are represented by reinforced bowls made of concrete, the inner surface of which is covered with waterproof facing materials. Concrete pools come in various shapes and sizes. To make a large stationary swimming pool for a sauna with your own hands, it will take from 1 to 3 months.

Portable

An affordable option for artificial reservoirs is represented by prefabricated mobile structures of various modifications and sizes, which can be quickly assembled, dismantled and installed anywhere.

The frame pool consists of a bottom made of galvanized steel and sides. High tightness of the structure is achieved due to the polymer coating, which is installed on the bottom of the pool.

Portable options include frame and inflatable tanks. Depending on the size, they can be above ground (depth up to 68 cm), with partial recess (depth up to 118 cm), with full recess (depth from 122 cm).

Hydromassage

Compact tanks designed for small baths. Such structures are made of acrylic and fiberglass material, equipped with water compressors for massage, a water heating element, an LED lighting system and control using a touch panel.

These are more expensive pool options that require professional installation and maintenance. Such tanks are not designed for swimming, which is their main disadvantage.

Miniature fonts

Mini-pools for baths are compact in size and easy to install. Therefore, they are ideal for camping and stationary baths of various types. Miniature tanks are represented by fonts made of wood, plastic and polypropylene. The volume of wooden bathtubs ranges from 380 to 1950 liters, and those made of plastic and acrylic – at least 600 liters.

Additionally, they can be equipped with auxiliary devices and accessories for convenient use. Installing small hot tubs does not take much time and does not require much effort, so any bathhouse owner can handle it.

Detailed design development

To make a small pool in a bathhouse with your own hands - 2 × 2, it is recommended to prepare a working design of the structure, which includes the following data:

layout of the construction site;
parameters of the structure - type, size and shape;
calculation of loads acting on the structure;
terms of Use;
main communications supply diagram;
miscalculation of building materials.

Examples of projects

The correct choice of a suitable location for a future hydraulic structure determines its dimensions and operating features. If an external stationary pool is provided near the bathhouse, it is necessary to determine the groundwater level for the correct arrangement of the foundation for the structure.

If a pool in a bathhouse is planned to be built in a workroom, then it is necessary to build an independent base for it that does not come into contact with the wall structures of the bathhouse. In such a case, a technological gap must be maintained between the walls of the bathhouse and the sides of the structure, which is filled with fine sand or polystyrene foam chips.

Having decided on a suitable place for a hydraulic structure in a bathhouse, you can consider choosing the type and size of the structure. When designing a tank, you should take into account the basic parameters of users - weight, height and build.

Technology for constructing a capital pool

So, how to build a swimming pool in a permanent bathhouse yourself?

Step-by-step instructions will allow you to complete the job efficiently and safely. For construction work you will need:

concrete mixture;
sand and gravel;
narrow boards;
metal rods;
waterproofing;
Decoration Materials;
equipment for pit construction;
vibrating hammer;
building level;
trowel.

Step-by-step plan for completing work on arranging a bathhouse with a swimming pool with your own hands:

They dig a pit 55 cm wider in width and 35 cm deeper than the pool bowl.
The bottom is made in compliance with the slope in relation to the drain hole. The drain pipe (diameter up to 12 cm) is mounted in a recessed section of the pit and fixed to a drainage pipe, which is discharged into a drainage well or drain hole. The distance between the pool and septic tanks must be at least 4.5 m.
The bottom is equipped with a waterproof cushion of sand and gravel. First, pour a sand layer up to 8 cm high, then a 5 cm layer of gravel, after which everything is thoroughly compacted using a tamper.
Pins (diameter up to 1.5 cm) are driven in along future wall structures in small increments of 35 cm.
Perform horizontal tying to obtain a strong mesh with individual cells - 35 sq. see To increase structural strength individual elements meshes can be tied with thin wire.
The prepared bottom of the pool is filled with concrete mixture up to 12 cm high and the base is reinforced. The mesh is securely fixed to the reinforcing frame, after which it is re-filled with concrete. For arranging the base, it is recommended to choose moisture-resistant concrete.
The concrete bottom is left for 15–18 hours until completely hardened.
Any installation of a swimming pool in a bathhouse requires additional waterproofing. Rolled roofing felt is used as a waterproofing material. Roofing felt of the required size is laid on the concrete base.
Using bars, formwork boards are driven into the inside of the pit, maintaining the required distance between the formwork and the walls - 25 cm.
The formwork is poured with concrete mixture to a height of up to 25 cm, compacted and re-filled.
2 days after pouring, the removable formwork is dismantled. It will take 12 to 18 days for the concrete to fully set. For the first 7 days, the concrete is thoroughly moistened every 4 hours.

Decorative finishing

After completing the main work, you can begin decorative finishing structures – leveling, plastering and wall cladding. In addition, at this stage, the walls of the tank are covered with a finishing layer of waterproofing.

The construction market offers a huge selection of practical and durable materials that can be used for lining swimming pools. The most popular of them are mosaic and PVC film.

The best option for finishing a bowl is a mosaic made of glass and porcelain. This material is characterized by high strength, wear resistance, frost resistance, moisture resistance and durability. The small dimensions of the mosaic elements and a wide range of colors allow you to implement any design project and turn the pool into a work of art.
A cheap and readily available design option is PVC film. Such material does not require laying an additional waterproofing layer, which is its indisputable advantage. But to increase performance characteristics pool bowl films can be processed liquid waterproofing. To finish the tank, it is recommended to use material more than 3 mm thick with a rough surface. Finishing films are available in a wide range of colors and textures, which allows you to obtain an original landscape design.

Experienced builders do not recommend using ceramic tiles for cladding, the porous structure of which is prone to rapid absorption of moisture, which is an ideal environment for the development of pathogenic organisms. If possible, it should be replaced with porcelain tiles.

To properly line a swimming pool in a bathhouse with your own hands, all work is performed in the following order:

After the concrete base has dried, the surface is plastered. A solution based on cement and sand with the addition of ceresite emulsion is used as plaster.
The plastered surface is decorated with decorative material - mosaic, porcelain tiles or PVC film. To fix the material, a moisture-resistant adhesive composition for swimming pools is used.
After completion of the decorative finishing work, the installation of the main operating equipment is carried out: water pump, water purification and heating devices, lighting fixtures.

Installation of a frame pool

If there is no desire and technical capabilities to equip a stationary structure, then you can make a frame-type pool.

The construction of such a tank will be much cheaper, and its installation will not require much effort and time. All you need to do is follow all the steps in the step-by-step guide:

For homemade frame pool It is recommended to use thick PVC fabric of the required size. This material is characterized by high strength, low hygroscopicity, durability and practicality. Absolute tightness is achieved by welding the seams with hot air. For this, a construction hair dryer with an operating air temperature of 25 to 650 degrees is used. The fabric is spread on a flat base, a hole for drainage is marked and welded to obtain the required bowl shape.
PVC fabric is placed in the prepared frame - a wooden, plastic, metal container or other type of tank - and securely fixed in the upper part of the structure.
The finished tank is filled with water to a depth of 15–20 cm, the PVC base is straightened, and additionally fixed to ensure the required safety margin. The remaining volume of the pool is topped up with water.

Having an idea of how to equip a swimming pool in a bathhouse with your own hands, you can significantly save money and gain useful experience.

Arrangement summer cottage or country house It’s almost impossible to live without a bathhouse anymore. The only difference is the size and complexity of the internal arrangement. And if some people prefer to jump into the snow after taking a steam bath, others will want to plunge into a pool of cool water in order to refresh themselves and tone their bodies. Since an increasing number of owners are asking questions about arranging swimming pools in bathhouses, we will consider different types of designs for bathhouses with swimming pools, types of structures that can be installed inside the bathhouse and materials that are preferable to use during construction.

Swimming pool in the bathhouse

What pools are suitable for a sauna?

According to their own technical specifications All swimming pools or bathhouses can be divided into three categories:

stationary;
collapsible or mobile;
SPA pools.

Stationary swimming pools for baths are the most the best choice In many cases. They are created together with the main building. Or you can make a special extension to the main bathhouse, in which a swimming and bathing area will already be installed. This design is the most reliable, although you will have to spend a lot more money on it than on the portable version. The basis is a reinforced concrete bowl, which provides the required level of waterproofing. Or you can purchase bowls made of polypropylene or fiberglass. They will cost less than their concrete counterparts and will not require waterproofing work.

Collapsible pools or plunge pools are the most best option, if you do not have enough space to organize a stationary option. Plus, they allow you to spend less money because they are made from cheaper material. The most common option is plastic fonts mounted from polypropylene sheets. You can get a font for a bath if you don’t plan to use it often or move often. The main advantage is the ability to disassemble the structure while it is not needed and free up space for other needs.

Wooden bathtubs look aesthetically pleasing, but require more careful maintenance.

SPA pools are ready-made structures designed for hydromassage procedures. You won't be able to swim in these pools, but you can have a good time relaxing and letting the streams of water take care of your body. Installation of the structure will not require much time, since it is delivered to the client already assembled. Spa pools, like collapsible swimming pools, do not take up much space, which can also be called their undeniable advantage.

How can you add a pool to a sauna?

Create a swimming pool in a bathhouse with your own hands

Since polypropylene swimming pools, as well as SPA pools, are supplied to customers in a ready-made form, let’s consider a method for arranging a stationary sauna pool with your own hands.

Selecting a work location

Depending on whether the pool will be located inside the bathhouse or outside, the size of the structure and its features are determined. Next, you should find out how close to the expected level of the pool bottom the groundwater layer will be. This distance should not exceed 1 meter.

An additional requirement for the design is that there should be no joints between the walls of the pool and the walls of the bathhouse itself. Since water always puts pressure on the walls, there is a high probability of cracks in the latter. We also must not forget that a small-looking bowl can hold a large mass of water, which can reach up to 10 tons or more. For this reason, you should secure the area around the pool and fill the area between the pool wall and the wall with sand.

The photo below shows a case when the rule is violated and the walls of the pool and the wall of the bathhouse are joined.

It is not advisable to implement the arrangement of elements presented on the plan. Or entrust this matter to professionals who will provide for all the loads on the walls and foundation.

For those who decide to organize a swimming area not inside the bathhouse, but outside on the street, it is most preferable to pour a concrete pad on which the main bowl will stand. Then there will be no need to worry about the close occurrence of groundwater. This is especially true for composite or polypropylene pools, for which the creation of a special “foundation” is extremely necessary.

Creating a pool tank project

Regardless of what material you choose, before starting work you must draw up a project that will indicate:

dimensions of the final pool;
desired design shape;
how water will be carried into and out of the pool;
what kind of waterproofing do you want to use;
general design of the product, finishing materials;
estimate, cost.

The last indicator is the sum of all the previous ones. The larger and more complex the shape of your pool, the more materials it will require and the more difficult it will be to give it the necessary appearance. To create your own swimming or bathing area, it is best to choose rectangular shape due to ease of execution. It will be more difficult to implement an oval or shaped pool, so the help of a specialist may be required here. The same applies to swimming pools of complex shapes, which are no less difficult to construct.

Creating the right project allows you to solve the following issues:

calculate the parameters of the pool bowl for a bathhouse, taking into account dynamic and static loads, which is important when building a pool inside a wooden bathhouse;
determine the loads and their impact on the overall structure of the bathhouse and the soil;
determine the ones most suitable for the job engineering Communication and construction equipment;
provide correct installation the entire structure;
correctly and safely supply electricity to the bathhouse and pool building;
think over the architecture of the building so that the operation of the bathhouse and pool is most convenient and safe;
draw up an estimate that will determine the required amount of materials and the cost of the entire project.

If you order a bowl made of polypropylene or composite, you can order any shape for it and additional elements in the form of different levels or Roman stairs. But for each design improvement you will need to pay extra. Therefore, finances are the determining factor here.

Working with the ground

After the preliminary preparation is completed, you can begin the main work on creating a pool on the site or in the bathhouse. The most common option is to completely immerse the pool bowl into the ground, which is why its sides are flush with the ground.

To organize a fully or partially submerged pool, you will need to dig a pit of suitable size. Its dimensions are calculated from the parameters of the pool bowl. The width and length of the pit should exceed the width of the pool by about half a meter, the depth by about 40 cm. Markings can be made on the ground in advance corresponding to the plan, which can be used to guide you in the future. Ropes and pegs that tension them are usually used for this task.

After the boundaries are marked, the pit is dug with an excavator or manually, depending on whether the work is being done inside or outside the building. When forming the bottom, you will need to make some slope to one side. A drain pipe connection will be attached there, which must be installed in advance. Next, install the pipe from the drain to the drainage hole or sewer at the required slope.

The bottom of the pit is covered with sand to a height of 4-5 cm. The sand is leveled and compacted, preferably with the help of special construction devices, since this is difficult to do manually. The second layer is laid with fine crushed stone, which is also compacted. This will provide a cushion for the future concrete slab.

Creating a concrete layer for a sauna pool

The pit with a sand-crushed stone cushion laid on it should be filled with a layer of concrete at least 10 cm high. After this, a reinforced mesh is created. The reinforcement bars are laid at approximately a distance of 20 cm, and at the intersection points they are tied together with special devices. If they lie close under the pit groundwater, you will need to lay a double layer of reinforcing belt. The layers of reinforcing mesh should be 10 cm apart from each other. In the connection nodes of the rods of the lower layer, it is necessary to install vertical rods, on which the second mesh is then knitted. This will protect the future pool from the effects of the underwater layer of water.

The photo below shows an example of reinforcement of the foundation under the pool.

The next stage is pouring a new concrete layer 10 cm thick. The finished bowl will serve not only as a shape, but also as reliable protection, thanks to which the pool will last a long time. During work, it is important to use concrete with a low moisture absorption coefficient. This way it will not be damaged by water.

Some tips for working with concrete:

You should not expect the base of the concrete layer to dry completely, as this will reduce the strength of the final structure. The pouring of the pool walls should occur almost simultaneously with the pouring of the concrete base under the bottom.
After the bottom has been filled, formwork will need to be installed and secured to fill the walls. Then, for strength, the future walls are reinforced and further concreted.
To avoid seams between the bottom and walls, the concrete will need to be bayoneted. This will help achieve a monolithic structure.
It is not advisable to fill the walls in layers. This will negatively affect the strength of the structure. Therefore, it is necessary to calculate and prepare concrete reserves in advance and pour them in one go.

After the walls are poured, the concrete is compacted. Using a special vibrator for concrete, bubbles are removed from the concrete structure. Then the entire surface is leveled and the formwork is removed. How to calculate the time to remove formwork:

if the average daily temperature is 1 degree, the formwork is removed after 15 days;
if the average daily temperature is 5 degrees, the formwork is removed after 10 days;
if the average daily temperature is 10 degrees, the formwork is removed after 7 days;
if the average daily temperature is 15 degrees, the formwork is removed after 5 days;
if the average daily temperature is 20 degrees, the formwork is removed after 4 days;
if the average daily temperature is 25 degrees, the formwork is removed after 3 days;
if the average daily temperature is 30 degrees, the formwork is removed after 2.5 days;
if the average daily temperature is 35 degrees, the formwork is removed after 2 days.

While the concrete hardens, it must be periodically wetted to prevent drying out and further formation of cracks.

If you purchased a polypropylene pool bowl, it will itself act as formwork from the inside. Consequently, the amount of work will decrease. But do not forget about the additional internal strengthening of the plastic bowl after it is loaded into a pit with a poured base. This is necessary to ensure that the concrete does not deform the frame of the product. But when installing a plastic font or pool, layer-by-layer pouring of concrete may be required.

Plaster the walls and insulate them from water

The concrete bowl has dried, which means it’s time to plaster it - treat the surface of the walls and bottom with a solution of cement and sand. The thickness of the latter should be about 2-3 centimeters. The main advice is to buy special plaster that contains latex. This is a waterproof composition that has the following properties:

holds up well;
has greater elasticity than latex-free counterparts;
strong.

Water resistance is ensured by certain additives.

Next, you will need to pay attention to the waterproofing treatment of the pool. The simplest and cheap way protect the structure from water - use PVC film. This is not required with polypropylene and composite pools, since they themselves serve as excellent waterproofing material.

If you are making a concrete pool and using PVC film, lay it over the entire surface of the bowl. Well, if you prefer more expensive and reliable methods of protection, it is worth covering the concrete bowl with a special waterproofing material, such as Osmosil. It is applied twice, and before this the concrete surface should be moistened. The final layer is applied using a specific adhesive-based composition.

Decoration and cladding of the swimming pool in the bathhouse

Having gone through the previous stages with the creation concrete bowl you practically have a swimming pool for a bathhouse, all that remains is to line it. In the case of polypropylene and fiberglass (aka composite), finishing the bowl itself will not be required; all that remains is to decorate the space next to the pool or plunge pool. But let’s consider the final stage for the concrete option.

The main question for the owner is which facing material to use for finishing a swimming pool in a bathhouse and in what color to decorate it. Let us dwell in more detail on the types of materials and their features. Three types of cladding are most widely used - tiles, mosaics and PVC film.

After selecting the material, the cladding itself is carried out, after which the stairs to the font or pool are installed.

Photos of bathhouse projects with a swimming pool

In these photographs you can see various options for organizing a pool, both inside and outside the bathhouse.

Organizing a bathhouse inside a pool is no longer a luxury, but an affordable addition to the main “steam room”, which is so beneficial for health.

A small summer bathhouse with a cozy bench and a swimming pool right in front of the exit. All you have to do is come out steamed and jump into the refreshing water.

A plastic font with a Roman staircase and lighting is an easy and practical solution.

Another variation of a bathhouse with an outdoor pool nearby.

Photo of a bathhouse with a swimming pool

An option for an outdoor heated swimming pool for those who want not to lose the mini-pool in frosty weather.

Arranging plunge pools or swimming pools inside the bathhouse or on the site helps keep the body healthy and strong. After all, after taking a bath, when the whole body has relaxed and steamed, immersion in cool water brings a person to tone, filling him with energy and vigor.

Not a single Russian person will refuse to take a steam bath in a bathhouse. Especially when it is equipped with a pool with cool water, which is so pleasant to plunge into after the heat of the steam room. You can build a swimming pool in your own bathhouse yourself. True, you will have to spend a certain amount of time and money on its arrangement.

Pond in the bathhouse - which one to choose?

Pools for private saunas are divided into several types. Each of them is characterized by its own operational and design features. The most reliable and durable are considered stationary structures, the basis of which is a bowl made of reinforced concrete. Such structures are divided into above-ground and dug-in. They are designed to any depth and come in a variety of sizes. Choice specific type swimming pool depends only on the wishes and financial capabilities of the person. Stationary bowls are usually mounted on a pre-prepared foundation. The costs of their construction can be quite serious. But the result of the work is, without exaggeration, excellent.

If the owner of a country house does not want to install a permanent pool in his steam room, he has the opportunity to purchase a collapsible pool. It is highly mobile. If desired, such a structure can be easily dismantled and quickly moved to a new location. The durability of collapsible structures, most often made of polyvinyl chloride material, is not as impressive as that of stationary ones. But mobile bowls are installed much faster and easier, they have any shapes and sizes. Any home craftsman can install such pools on his own without any problems.

Very small private saunas, into which it is impossible to squeeze more or less large-sized bowls, are usually equipped with mini-pools. These are understood as special containers made of fiberglass, acrylic or wood. They are made in most cases in the form of barrels or elongated fonts. The most popular are mini-pools made of wood (larch, beech, oak) with a volume of 500–1500 liters. They are not cheap. Therefore, in recent years, many people have turned their attention to more affordable bowls made of plastic and acrylic. Their capacity reaches 5–6 cubic meters.

A separate group includes Jacuzzis - compact hydromassage structures in which a person completely relaxes after visiting the steam room. Swimming in such pools is not possible due to their small dimensions. Jacuzzis are sold ready-made. Their cost is high. Not every owner of a modest country bathhouse can afford to buy such an artificial pond for a sauna.

Designing a swimming pool - is it so difficult?

Having decided on the type of reservoir, we decide what configuration and geometric dimensions it will have. Here you need to understand that bowls that are large in size and complex in shape will require large construction costs. If the financial budget for a swimming pool in a bathhouse is limited, we always choose rectangular (square) designs. Their installation requires less materials. And the process of arranging such bowls is much simpler.

When choosing a place to build a pool, consider the following:

The bottom of the artificial reservoir for a bath should be located at a distance of more than one meter from the groundwater level.
Contact of the wall surfaces of the steam room with the side parts of the installed font is not allowed. With this installation method, the risk of cracks in the bath structure increases.
The gap between the walls of the room and the bowl must be laid with polystyrene foam or filled with ordinary construction sand.

If we want to get a really high-quality pool in a sauna, it is best to order its design from a professional studio. Specialists will indicate in it the features of the installation of the structure, describe the equipment necessary for supplying and draining water, its purification, and also perform a design connection of the bowl to the existing interior of the steam room.

In general, a professional project provides the opportunity to:

correctly fasten the embedded parts;
calculate static and dynamic pressure on the bottom and walls of the reservoir;
select optimal engineering communications;
decide what materials and in what quantities will be required for the construction of the structure we are interested in;
develop special measures for safe and truly comfortable use of the pool.

You can make a project for a stationary pond for a bathhouse yourself. In this case, you can use the scheme we presented above, or look for a more suitable option for you. If you plan to install a collapsible plastic structure, mini-pool or jacuzzi, we recommend that you follow the advice given in the instructions for such structures. Everything is described there simply and clearly.

Stationary reservoir - prepare a foundation pit and concrete it

To build a durable bowl in a bathhouse with your own hands, you need ordinary and well-known materials and special devices. We need to stock up:

reinforcing bars used to strengthen individual parts of stationary pools;
cement and sand;
wood for formwork, construction and finishing of railings and steps leading to a pond;
pipes of different sections;
facing products (metal sheet, tiles, etc.);
waterproofing film;
tools for excavation and other work;
pumping equipment for supplying and pumping out water.

The first stage of construction work is digging a pit for the planned structure in the bathhouse. We take the depth of the pit to be approximately 40 cm greater than the depth of the pool itself, and the width and length to be 50 cm greater. Important! The bottom of the pit is made with a slight slope. In this case, in the lowest section of the pit, before the start of all construction work, we will need to install a pipe with a diameter of 8–10 cm. We will connect a drain pipe to it. Through it, water will flow out of the reservoir. We will lay the pipe towards the sewer or drainage well. These structures should be removed from the bathhouse by 5–6 meters (at least).

We fill the bottom of the pit with sand. The layer of material is about 5 cm. We compact the sand and pour medium-sized crushed stone (about 10 cm) onto it. We compact this layer. It is advisable to perform the operation with a manual tamper made of wood. Now mix cement (1 part), crushed stone (5 parts) and sand (3 parts), add water, pour the prepared mixture of crushed stone and sand with the resulting mixture. Even better is to use ready-mixed concrete. We choose the grade of material W-8. It is characterized by high moisture resistance and density. The thickness of the concrete is 10 cm. After pouring, we install a reinforcing mesh on the bottom. We make it from reinforcement with a diameter of 0.8–1.2 cm. We connect the mesh into one whole with knitting wire. Fill the reinforcement with another 10 cm of concrete.

Next we move on to the construction of walls. We install formwork made from boards. We place reinforcing elements in it (in the form of the same mesh). We concrete the wall surfaces. Nuance. We bayonet the concrete with a shovel or an iron rod. Thus, we will achieve its ideal adhesion to the surface of the walls. In addition, the concrete layer (its thickness is about 25 cm) must be compacted with a tamper.

Another important point. Apply the concrete mixture with minimal interruptions. The more time passes between pouring individual portions, the less durable the wall surfaces become. After the pool is completely concreted, we must remove air bubbles from the composition using a vibrating hammer or a deep vibrator.

The bowl is ready - what to do next?

After the concrete has hardened (this takes about 30 days), we have a ready-made pool at our disposal. We only need to bring it to mind by completing relatively simple work. First, we plaster the walls of the bowl. For these purposes, we use dry formulations that include latex. They are characterized by increased elasticity (they are easy to use) and water resistance (a guarantee of long-term operation of the structure). We dilute the factory composition according to the recommendations of its manufacturer. Apply the plaster in a layer of 2.3–2.5 cm.

After this, we waterproof the bowl. It is carried out in different ways. The most reliable of them is considered to be the option that involves applying several layers of coating waterproofing to the internal parts of the reservoir, which are then additionally treated with a latex adhesive mixture or a special cement-sand mortar. The latter is done simply:

mix 3 parts of sand with 1 part of M400 cement;
add 1 part of ceresite emulsion to 10 parts of water;
mix all the specified components.

We must obtain a composition that is thick in consistency and immediately apply it to the surfaces to be treated, then carefully rub in with a grater.

A simpler option for waterproofing a pool is laying polyvinyl chloride film suitable size. It requires covering the entire bowl and securing it with a latex adhesive composition. The technique is simple, quick to implement, but, unfortunately, very unreliable. The film can tear at any time. It will have to be changed regularly, wasting your energy and money on unnecessary work.

Pool lining - let's come up with a design

Let's begin the most exciting stage of the work - finishing the finished stationary bowl. This procedure is usually performed using:

mosaics;
porcelain tiles;
thick polyvinyl chloride film (PVC).

These materials have their own operational and purely decorative pros and cons. The most widespread process is finishing homemade pools with glass mosaic products. They are small in size (10x10–50x50 mm), which allows you to create entire paintings and chic panels from them, not to mention original, but simple designs and patterns.

Mosaic is a durable, mechanically resistant material with minimal porosity. It can be laid on not very smooth surfaces. And the process of installing a mosaic causes real delight among lovers of beauty, because they have the opportunity to create any ornament with their own hands. The price of products cast from high-strength glass varies from $25 to $150 per square.

Instead of mosaics, many people use porcelain tiles for pool cladding. It costs about $30 and is characterized by low moisture absorption, excellent strength, and high heat and frost resistance. It is advisable to buy porcelain products with a rough surface. The likelihood of slipping on them is minimal.

It is prohibited to use ordinary ceramic tiles to decorate swimming pools. It is not resistant to heat and moisture and is an ideal environment for the proliferation of microorganisms.

If the budget for building a pool is small, it can be finished with a four-layer PVC film. Its thickness is 1.5 mm. Separate layers of such products are lined with a special synthetic mesh. Films for artificial reservoirs in baths and saunas do not contribute to the formation of bacteria, have a rough surface, and have unique resistance to chemical compounds. The cost of such material is reasonable - 10–15 dollars. And if you want, it’s easy to find products of higher quality (their price reaches 40–45 dollars per square).

Caring for a pond in a steam room - we will extend its service life

The pool should be filled with soft water. If the liquid flowing from the water supply is not of the best quality, you will have to purchase special compounds to bring it to the recommended standards (pH - 7.2–7.6). These include:

Chlorine start;
Shock-chlorine;
granular coagulant;
tablets for quick water purification.

Some people are allergic to chlorine-containing substances. They may be advised to buy products containing bromine. It does not irritate the skin and mucous membranes. It’s true that bromine-containing solutions are a little more expensive. Products in the form of tablets, which include active oxygen molecules and additional additives, are used to eliminate microorganisms in water. They act almost instantly.

Once every 3-4 months, you need to completely drain the water from the bowl and thoroughly clean it from limescale and dirt. It is most convenient to carry out this operation using Anticalcite– a composition that removes even stubborn dirt and deposits.

It is also recommended to invest in installing filters. Can be mounted different devices– diatoms, cartridges, sand. Which ones should you choose? If finances allow, we buy diatomaceous filtration devices. They are the highest quality and most reliable, capable of trapping polluting particles of less than three microns. Cartridge ones are cheaper, but only filter particles of at least 10 microns. Sand ones are used exclusively in pools that are small in size and depth. They simply cannot cope with purifying large volumes of water.

A bathhouse or sauna is a favorite vacation spot for many people, and therefore some owners of private houses decide to build such a structure on their site. But what is a sauna without a swimming pool? Naturally, after the steam room you will want to swim in the cool water and relieve all fatigue. Therefore, you can make a pool in a bathhouse with your own hands, without the help of professionals.

Swimming pool in a bathhouse or sauna - convenience and feasibility of construction

Traditionally, we are used to swimming pools being installed in a Finnish sauna, as this is assumed by the project. The Russian bathhouse never had an indoor pool, so after the steam room people ran out into the cold in winter and rolled in the snow or jumped into an ice hole.

But since time does not stand still and everything in the world is improving, our bathhouse now has a swimming pool, which is installed indoors. It is not only convenient, but also practical. If you live in a country or private house where there is no river nearby, then naturally, after the steam room there will be nowhere to run to rinse off. And if you decide to take a steam bath in the spring or summer, when it’s hot outside and there’s no snow, then you’ll have nowhere to fall. In general, a swimming pool in a steam room is a must.

Even if you live near a river, you cannot be sure that there will be clean water there and that after such a swim you will not have to take a bath or shower again. In your own pool, the water will always be clean, cool and treated with special antiseptics, that is, chlorinated. Therefore, you can happily take a steam bath and swim in the pool even with small children, without fear of germs and bacteria that are found in rivers and other bodies of water.

Some people install a pool near the bathhouse, but then they will have to constantly clean it and change the water, since an outdoor pond requires more attention and effort to maintain.

The water in an indoor pool does not need to be constantly changed and cleaned, and it will only need to be chlorinated as needed. Thus, we can say that when planning the construction of a bathhouse on your site, do not forget to allocate space in the drawing for a small pool.

Construction of a home pool: types of structures and their arrangement

Swimming pools in the bathhouse can be various types, types and designs. Today, there are three types of such structures that are usually installed in a bathhouse. Pools can be large or small, deep or shallow, as well as round, square, rectangular, oval or have an unusual geometric shape. It all depends on the design of the bathhouse, as well as the space that will be allocated for the pool.

If the bathhouse is small, then we recommend making the pool a small corner one so that you can simply rinse off after the steam room. And if the project involves a huge bathhouse with a large area, then you can install a large pond where you can swim freely.

Stationary pools are the most durable, comfortable and durable. They are a deep concrete bowl that can be of any shape. Such a structure can be recessed into the ground or located on the surface. A concrete pool will require more time to build and more money to purchase materials, but it has a long service life and will therefore serve you for many years. The inside is usually tiled.

PVC pools can also be installed indoors, sunk into the ground when building a bathhouse, or left on the surface. But such reservoirs do not have a long service life, have certain conditions for their operation and are quite expensive. If a crack appears in such a pool, it will need to be replaced, which costs a lot of time and money. Therefore, if you choose this type of structure for a bathhouse, it is best to make it mobile so that, if necessary, it can be removed from the room.

Spa pools with hydromassage, made of special durable material, are not intended for swimming, but only for relaxing water treatments. Since such designs are sold ready-made, it is not always possible to choose the required size or shape specifically for your bathhouse project. I would also like to say that a hydromassage pool would not be entirely appropriate in a bathhouse, so it is best to abandon such an idea unless, of course, it is part of your plans.

Project gallery

Bathhouse project with a swimming pool Bathhouse project with a large round pool project of a two-story bathhouse with a swimming pool Drawing of a bathhouse with a square pool Bathhouse with a large rectangular pool Big bath complex with swimming pool Project of a large wooden bathhouse with a swimming pool

Preparation for construction: drawings, determination of dimensions depending on the area of the room

Since we will be building a pool inside a bathhouse, the drawing must be drawn up in accordance with this decision. If the bathhouse is large enough, then a separate room can be allocated for the pool, which can be equipped at your discretion.

If there is not enough space, then it can be installed in the washing room in the form of a small font. In any case, all calculations are carried out at the stage of marking the territory and installing the foundation of the bathhouse, since a stationary pool requires, first of all, proper excavation work.
Also, when choosing a place to build a swimming pool, you must take into account that all plumbing systems and sewerage must be calculated taking into account the fact that this reservoir will require constant water purification and its proper circulation. In addition, the proximity of groundwater should be taken into account, since the structure should be no closer than one meter to it. Otherwise, groundwater will simply wash away the foundation and destroy it.
The walls of the pool should not come into contact with the walls of the bathhouse, as the water will put a lot of pressure on them and cause cracks to form. Therefore, it is necessary to fill the distance between the reservoir and the walls with sand or lay it with polystyrene foam.

The size of the pool matters, since only by building a square or rectangular structure can you save room space and reduce material consumption.

We will build a pool measuring 2.2x2.2 meters and 1.5 meters deep. This will be a small pond for a bathhouse, in which both adults and children can swim.

Choosing material for a stationary pool is quite simple, since here we will mainly need only high-quality concrete mortar mixed with cement, sand, crushed stone and water.

For the first pouring of the base (bottom) of the pool, you can take the M100 grade of cement and this will be enough. It is recommended to construct the walls and bottom of the reservoir only from M400 cement, since its composition contains the substances necessary for such a structure (mastics, waterproofing agents, etc.). Final work is also carried out using cement of this brand, which has a high degree of waterproofing.

The composition of the concrete mixture must be correctly adjusted, since the quality of the construction of the pool bowl depends on this.

Sand should have fractions of no more than 1.5–2 mm. Free from clay and other foreign matter. Also, silted sand should not be used.
Crushed stone and gravel must be taken from durable rocks without foreign impurities. The fraction is about 1–2 mm.
Cement grade 400 must be fresh (shelf life from the date of manufacture is no more than 3 months).
Only clean and soft water is used (you cannot take it from a river or pond).

The concrete solution is prepared in exact proportions: 1 part cement, 3 parts sand and 5 parts crushed stone. The portion of water is determined by its ratio to the entire mass of the dry mixture. For greater stability of concrete, before using it, it is necessary to use hydraulic additives (4 kg of additive per 1 cubic meter of concrete solution).

Calculation of the amount of material and necessary tools

To build stationary concrete, we will need a large number of materials and various tools.

Cement grades 100 and 400;
Fine sand 1.5–2 mm;
Crushed stone;
Fittings (long rods with a diameter of 1.2–1.4 mm);
Reinforcing mesh;
Wooden boards for formwork;
Pumps for filling the pool with water;
Plastic pipes of different diameters;
Waterproofing film;
Ruberoid;
Adhesive solution with latex;
Pool frame;
Geotextiles;
Metal sheets;
Mosaic or porcelain tiles.

Tools

Shovels;
Concrete mixer;
Trowels;
Containers for solution;
Level;
Plumb;
Bulgarian;
Hammer;
Sander;
Tampers.

To mix 1 cubic meter of concrete or 2400 kg you need:

325 kg - cement;
170 l. - water;
625 kg - sand;
1250 kg - crushed stone.

Step-by-step instructions for building a swimming pool in a bathhouse with your own hands

We begin to dig a pit in the place where the pool will be located. Its dimensions along the entire perimeter should be ½ meter larger than the bowl itself on each side, that is, 2.7x2.7 meters and 30–40 cm (1.9 meters) deeper.
We need to make the bottom of the pit with a slight slope so that in this place we can install a pipe for draining water (Ø10–12 cm). We connect the pipe plastic pipe with a certain slope sewer system baths or with a drainage pit (they should be located at a distance of less than 5 meters from the pool).
We pour a layer of sand about 7 cm at the bottom of the hole, and crushed stone on top. We tamp with special tampers so that we get a dense layer. To prevent the walls of the pit from crumbling, we secure its edges with boards.
Along the walls we hammer in reinforcement in increments of 30 cm and a distance of 5–6 cm from the edge of the pit.
We create a horizontal harness. From the reinforcement we make a mesh with cells of about 30 cm 2. We do this using wire or welding. Pour a 10 cm layer of concrete onto the prepared base using grade 100 cement.
We lay the reinforcing mesh. We tie it to the wall frame and re-fill a 10 cm layer of concrete using grade 400 cement. Let the concrete solution dry for a day.
We spread roofing material on the surface for preliminary waterproofing. We lay the boards so that you can walk on the concrete without destroying its structure.
Using bars, we knock down the formwork boards and install them inside the pit at a distance of approximately 20–25 cm from the walls.
To prevent the formwork from deforming under the pressure of heavy concrete mortar, we install special stiffening ribs and spacers made of 50x50mm timber at a distance of 50 cm from each other.
Pour a denser 20 cm layer of concrete with waterproofing additives. We compact it thoroughly with a special vibrator. Then we again pour a layer of concrete until it reaches the desired height in the formwork.
After about 2-3 days, we remove the formwork and let the concrete dry for 25-30 days. For the first 7 days we wet the entire pool with water about 3 times a day. This is necessary so that the solution dries evenly and does not crack.
We place a special frame made of durable plastic on the sides of the pool, and geotextiles on it. We lay a waterproofing film on top and fix it well. We apply a special adhesive solution with latex to the film.
We plaster the interior of the pool for further cladding. We pour part of the ceresite into the cement-sand mortar.
Using a sanding machine, we carefully level the entire surface of the pool for further finishing.
Before final finishing, we check the quality of the pool waterproofing. To do this, pour water into it to a certain level. Let it sit for 10–12 days and then note the water level. If it has changed significantly, this means that the waterproofing was done incorrectly and the bowl is leaking. If there are minor discrepancies, we can say that the water simply evaporated a little in a warm room.
After making sure that everything is done correctly, we lay the mosaic or porcelain tiles and let the solution dry for several days. Then we grout the seams with a special hydrophobic grout.

You should not use ceramic tiles for lining a pool, as they have a porous base, absorb water and are unsuitable for such structures.

Glass mosaic is one of the most best options pool lining material. She not only has high quality execution, but also an excellent appearance, as well as an affordable price compared to porcelain tiles, the cost of which can reach up to $50 and more per 1m2.

But if you need to save money, you can use a special PVC film, which has such advantages as:

After all work on the construction and finishing of the pool is completed, we install additional equipment: filtration systems, pumps for pumping water, heating devices and lighting.

Care and operation

Only tap water is used to fill the reservoir. It is very important to take into account its quality, since hard water will cause the rapid appearance of limescale on the walls of the pool.

It is necessary to monitor the pH level (the norm is from 7.2 to 7.6). To maintain the required condition of water, there are various care substances:

Since chlorine-containing preparations do not have a very pleasant odor and are allergens for some people, experts recommend using bromine, which will not irritate human mucous membranes and skin.

Active oxygen tablets, which combine several different purifying substances, will help quickly and safely eliminate all dangerous bacteria and microorganisms in the water.

To maintain cleanliness in the pool, the water must be changed at least three times a year. Clean the reservoir bowl with special means. A special solution is used to remove limescale.

Regular purification of the water in the pool is carried out using installed filters. This is very important, since if they are absent, the water will have to be changed much more often.

Several different filter devices are currently used: Sand filter purifies water using quartz sand, which must be changed periodically (about once a year). These are inexpensive and affordable devices that are perfect for use in a small sauna pool.
A cartridge filter with reusable or disposable cartridges effectively purifies water by removing particles larger than 10 microns.
Diatom filters are quite expensive, but they are capable of purifying water from particles larger than 3 microns. Such a filtration device will always keep the pool clean and significantly reduce its level of pollution. The water cannot be changed as often as in previous options.

Video on the topic

The construction of a stationary pool cannot be called simple, quick and easy, but since the bathhouse is built for more than one year and must be well-equipped, you need to try and build a durable and reliable pond for your family. The main thing is that when constructing such a structure, strictly adhere to the instructions of specialists and, if necessary, contact professional craftsmen for useful advice.