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Step 1: framing and insulation
  
I changed my mind: I do not just recommend
to buy a Mitre Saw, IT IS A MUST. Do not start without it. Just the
framing, with heavy wood, will make you fall in love with the machine.
Framing 4 walls and a ceiling, are "just" 20 horizontal battens,
but they also have to be pretty accurate.
I fixed each batten with 4 or
5 screws, depending on the length of the wall.
Have
some fun and build your own tools and guides, it will make you life so much
easier. See these funny but useful pieces:
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a) it helped me to determine
where the screws should be fixed, to have a gap to the floor, and
allows to space the screws between 50 and 60cm. No meters needed.
Example:
wall 230cm = 15 cm + 4 x50 cm
wall 208cm = 14 cm + 3x 60cm
b) use it to determine the
height of the next horizontal batten, so fit the Rockwool firmly, I
spaced the gap 57.5 cm (lower batten to next screw 60 cm minus half
width of batten), a little less than the Rockwool width of 60 cm |
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another one for
panel cutting |
| helping you to cut 4
panel at one time, making sure the "other end" (which is 2m
away from you) stays aligned |
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> Tip:
do not be toooo critical for
levels and accurate distances with this work, it does not matter here, as
all will be hidden and the Rockwool can easily be squeezed in
> Tip: drill a hole (4-5mm) in the batten where the screw will pass, this will
not reduce the overall strength, but help you to fix the 9cm long f.:(*# -
screws to the wall and prevent the batten to split
> Tip:
into the box with the screws,
spray a little bit of oil, very little, this will also help youto stay
mentally balanced
> Tip: keep the area tidy, have a old but working vacuum cleaner and clean after
each 2 batten, your new tiling will thank you for it
For
me, a good Tip must fulfill 2 criteria:
a) it must be easy, useful and help you achieve a better result, or a
given result faster or with less effort and
b) when you are lazy or cut corners and do not follow the Tip, you
have to regret it afterwards.
Only then it is for me a really good Tip. |
Once all batten are fixed, do
not start with the Rockwool fitting, I know its tempting, but
now its time to think about all electrical cables (lights, oven,
sensor, ventilator etc...) Call a professional electrician for advise. Be very careful with electrical stuff.
Special high temperature cables for the lightning
Before I forget: do not forget the
strong points !
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Strong point for upper bench
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On the left you can see how I
solved the issue of Strong Points for fixing the bench supports, as with 2
adults they may need to support ... a lot. The additional
horizontal wood was supported vertically (like legs of a table) and
has been added to center at a height of ~70 cm, as adding the height
of the frame of the bench will then give you a sitting height of
around 80-82 cm. The lower benches will receive similar strong-points,
as will the stove fixing. |
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>
Tip: I
like to print out structures on a simple black and white printer, and
then write down the exact distances to floor and wall. Otherwise, you
may have build nice strong points, but may not be able to locate them
correctly later when all is covered with nice paneling (see below).
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where are the strong points? |
The strong points for the oven may look a bit overdone,
but I run out of framing wood.
I took 2 old dirty boards of the
same thickness. As long as it holds... |
Another odd details while
building the batten frame was the air-outlet near the ceiling, where I
have a electrical ventilator installed. This allows more forced ventilation while
the sauna is not in use but the outside weather humid. This part will later
be covered by the sliding "Shutter" vent.
The AirRaid Shelter is free standing in the garden and has no windows. |
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One of the bigger operations was
the installation of the door. I did not build the door, but bought it ready
made. Still you have to secure it in the right location in your Sauna. After
some pushing, nailing and the odd screw I had the door finally standing
upright and square, and I could lean against it...
YeeHaaaa !
Step 2: the paneling
Then, after many hours of work,
after all Rockwool has been squeezed into place, and after the vapour
barrier has been fitted, then finally the work with the "nice
wood" can start.
I started the paneling with the
ceiling, as it will allow me to cut the wood with a higher length error
tolerance.
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These small
"errors" are not critical, as the wall paneling will cover
them up.
Now the Rockwool and vapour barrier to
the walls will be added. |
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And from now on you
need to be more accurate when cutting.
All will then become quite tidy, see
the beading that was added to the corners, they will later also be
added to the ceiling. The red cable in preparation for the
lightning. |
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Try to keep the panels of
the ceiling and walls properly aligned, it makes a much more
pleasant look.
Your arm may start to hurt, but do not
compromise:
8
nails per panel ! You can not
"over-fix". |
| Better leave a gap at the
bottom over your floor, as humidity could later damage the panels.
Ups, what
cable is coming out there ??
Well, I dreamed enjoying the Sauna
while listening to Art Garfunkel's Breakaway,
the latest Norah Jones album or
a Classical Chillout CD. I could
not resist and build in cables for stereo speakers. The player can
stay outside the Sauna, the speakers have to endure some heat, but
not too much, as they are standing on the floor and the high
temperatures in a Sauna are high up below the ceiling. Just do not
keep here your most expensive set of speakers.
A Sauna I visited in Japan had
a TV installed ! You could watch it through a heat resistant glass
window. |
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