Building a sauna in your house can be a fulfilling project that allows you to unwind and revitalize in the comfort of your own surroundings. The heater is a vital component of any sauna, providing the necessary heat for a comforting and steamy experience. Although there are a lot of sauna heater options on the market, making your own metal sauna heater can be an easy and affordable fix. We’ll walk you through the process of building a DIY metal sauna heater in this guide, which offers a less expensive option than buying a pre-built unit.
You can tailor the design to your tastes and space needs by building your own metal sauna heater, and you’ll feel good about yourself for using your hands to create something useful. This guide will break down the process into manageable steps so that anyone willing to give it a try can succeed, regardless of experience level or desire to tackle their first project.
The flexibility it provides in terms of materials and cost is one benefit of building your own metal sauna heater. With inexpensive materials and simple tools, you can build a heater that suits your needs without going over budget. You can customize the materials to suit your taste in terms of appearance and budget, regardless of whether you want stainless steel, aluminum, or another type of metal.
Building your own metal sauna heater also gives you the opportunity to add features that improve its effectiveness and performance. You are free to adjust every part of the heater to optimize its efficiency, from heat distribution to making sure ventilation is adequate. This degree of personalization guarantees that you can design a sauna experience that meets your unique needs and tastes.
Starting the process of creating your own metal sauna heater is a worthwhile and practical undertaking. You will recognize the satisfaction that comes from creating something by hand as you watch it come together and feel the warmth and relaxation it offers. Now pull up your sleeves and prepare to relish the healing properties of your DIY sauna heater!
Materials Needed | Tools Needed |
Metal barrel or stovepipe | Drill |
Insulation material (like ceramic wool) | Welder |
Steel plate for door | Angle grinder |
Door handle and hinges | Tape measure |
Firebricks or refractory cement | Marker |
Grate or mesh for the stove floor | Safety gloves |
- Design features and principle of operation
- Pros and cons for the bathhouse
- Making a metal sauna stove by yourself
- Tools and materials
- Design selection and drawings
- Manufacturing of a simple stove
- Making a stove with a remote firebox
- Vertical sauna boiler
- Video on the topic
- Bathhouse stove made of pipe
- Russian sauna stove from the inside. Showing the construction of our furnace in the process of assembly.
- Tested Stove for Bath with your own hands!
- Stove for sauna.One of the options.
Design features and principle of operation
The primary components of a metal sauna stove are steel or cast iron sheets. The material is at least ten millimeters thick. There are three primary components to the sauna heater:
- tank for laying stones;
- fuel compartment;
- water tank.
There are two types of sauna heaters: open and closed. The final choice has to do with how the stones are arranged inside the building. Through the stove’s metal walls, they receive direct heat from the furnace. A unique door on a closed type of device allows you to add water to create steam.
The heater used in saunas is usually open. Such a furnace has an air chamber, or blowpipe, and an ash pan in its firebox. A metal grate with lined stones, which are heated during the fuel burning process in the chamber, is situated above it.
The installation of a chimney pipe is an inherent feature of any metal sauna stove design. The gas venting device is installed at a specific height and led through the roof to guarantee a continuous draught. Metal pipes become extremely hot when fuel is burned. Insulation of high quality is therefore necessary.
In this guide, we"ll walk you through a simple and budget-friendly method to build your own metal sauna heater from scratch. With easily accessible materials and basic tools, you can create a sauna heater that effectively heats your sauna space without breaking the bank. From selecting the right materials to step-by-step assembly instructions, we"ll cover everything you need to know to get your sauna up and running in no time. Whether you"re a seasoned DIY enthusiast or a first-time builder, this project offers a practical and rewarding way to enjoy the benefits of a sauna without the high cost of pre-made heaters. So, roll up your sleeves and let"s get started on crafting your very own homemade sauna heater!
Pros and cons for the bathhouse
Any kind of bathtub can be used to install a metal stove. With readily available materials and basic design elements, you can assemble such a stove yourself.
There are benefits to using a metal stove in a bathhouse.
- Can be installed in small rooms. Small-sized design of metal sauna heater is indispensable for buildings with limited space.
- Installation of the stove does not require a massive foundation. The design of the metal sauna stove has a small weight, so it is located on a lightweight base. The absence of a reinforced foundation greatly reduces the time required to install the sauna heater and speeds up the process of putting the sauna into operation.
- Low cost of manufacturing the sauna heater. It is not very difficult to make a metal sheet sauna heater yourself. At the same time, the cost of the material is relatively low, and construction drawings can be picked up on the Internet.
- Fast heating. Metal sauna stoves are able to heat up quickly and bathing procedures can be taken after 30 minutes.
The following are some of the drawbacks of installing a metal stove in the bathhouse that frequently stand out:
- Fast cooling down of the construction. Metal can heat up quickly, but also cools down quickly. Therefore, in such furnaces it is necessary to constantly add fuel during the combustion process.
- Unsuitable for large areas. The metal sauna heater can only heat small and medium-sized rooms. Usually it is used for dacha baths. In large structures, it is recommended to install stoves made of stone.
Compared to brick stoves, metal stoves offer a marginally lower level of fire safety. For protection, more insulation is needed.
Making a metal sauna stove by yourself
Almost anyone with the necessary skills can construct a stove out of metal with their own hands. The easiest fix is to build a stove out of a gas cylinder.
Tools and materials
A 50 centimeter-diameter gas cylinder should be chosen for the stove’s manufacture. Steel pipe is an additional option for the body. The metal walls ought to be at least five millimeters thick.
Additionally, the following supplies will be needed for the work:
- steel reinforcement of periodic profile, with a diameter of 20 millimeters;
- Metal angle with dimensions 25*3 millimeters;
- steel sheets with a thickness of 3-4 millimeters;
- asbestos seal on the door;
- pipe for the chimney, with a diameter of 150 millimeters.
The following instruments were utilized to build the oven:
- welding machine;
- bolgar;
- Scissors for cutting metal;
- tape measure, angle gauge.
A gas torch can be used in place of a bolt cutter because it is more capable of cutting through thick metal walls.
Design selection and drawings
The metal sauna heater needs to be dependable and safe. You should consider the following requirements for the stove when choosing its design:
- small dimensions;
- fast heating of the room;
- The presence of a protective fence or casing;
- Ability to retain heat as long as possible.
Round or rectangular shapes are possible for metal stoves. You can create a gas cylinder or pipe sauna heater by arranging your body in both vertical and horizontal orientations.
A furnace positioned horizontally has better heat exchange and a longer burning period, making it more efficient. For bathrooms with limited space, stoves that are positioned horizontally from a cylinder are ideal. The steam room’s interior is heated by this design.
A remote fuel stove is a feature of one type of homemade stove. For the design, a 53 centimeter-diameter pipe is chosen.
An extra fragment with a door that is positioned in the wall opening is part of the equipment of this type of furnace. The sauna heater in the design is of the open type.
A vertical unit is the third, equally effective type of DIY metal sauna heater.
The fuel chamber, closed-type sauna heater, and hot water tank are the three compartments that make up this model. Making a boiler like this by hand is more challenging.
Manufacturing of a simple stove
The cheapest and lightest design of gas cylinder sauna heater. The tank must be totally free of propane residue before manufacturing; otherwise, cutting could result in an explosion. It is advised to use the water used to fill the tank to help remove the gas.
The following procedures are involved in assembling a sauna heater of this kind:
- Cut off the lid of the cylinder.
- A hole for the chimney pipe is cut in the horizontally located body. The size of the opening must correspond to the spigot of the selected smoke outlet.
- A hole is cut in the end of the cylinder cover to install the fuel loading door. A recess for the ash compartment is made below.
- From metal are cut strips to frame the furnace compartment and holes for cleaning combustion residues. Such a trim is attached to the openings with the help of welding.
- The grate is made of reinforcing steel. All parts are welded together.
- .Inside the structure between the fire compartment and ash pan, the corners are fixed, on which the prepared grate is installed.
- The lid of the cylinder is fixed in place by welding.
- The chimney spigot is welded to the upper opening and the legs are welded to the bottom of the body.
Doors are cut from sheet steel individually to fit each size. They fixed asbestos cord for sealing on their perimeter. Doors are installed by means of hinges. Handles and locks are then put on after that.
To get rid of old paint, the completed sauna heater is melted. Next, a composition with excellent heat resistance is applied to the cooled structure.
Making a stove with a remote firebox
You can build a stove out of pipes by placing a fire door inside the wall opening. The body is manufactured in a manner akin to the prior design:
- A hole is made in the upper part of the housing and the smoke outlet is welded in;
- The legs of the stove are fastened from below;
- Install grate inside the housing on the pre-fixed corners;
- One side of the pipe is closed with a metal disk, cut according to the diameter of the body.
To build a distant steel sheet portion of the firebox. The dimensions shown in the drawing can be followed in order to make it.
Measuring the thickness of the wall opening between the pre-bath room and the steam room will yield the precise dimensions of the remote firebox. Two openings are needed in the construction: one for fuel combustion and the other for ash removal.
A welding machine connects every component of the firewood loading section. The completed piece is welded to the body where the firebox is located.
The remote section’s doors are insulated. You can use basalt wool for this. The locking mechanism is fixed, and the handle is welded on.
A metal frame is fastened to the top of the body in order to lay stones. It can consist of large-sized cells framed in a robust steel mesh at the corners.
Vertical sauna boiler
A water tank, a sauna heater, and a furnace chamber are all part of the design of this type of heating unit. There may be variations in the compartment sizes. The sauna room’s volume determines their size.
In vertical boilers, a sizable firebox extends the burning duration of a single wood stack. You can maintain the required heat in the steam room for a much longer period of time by installing an oversized sauna heater.
Using this plan, a vertical sauna unit can be constructed out of a pipe:
- Cut out the bottom of the boiler and the lid. Also prepare metal partitions.
- Make grates.
- In the lower part of the pipe to make an opening for a blowhole. Make an opening for the firebox above. A door is made of steel sheets for each compartment.
- The sauna heater is placed inside the pipe above the furnace and the water heating tank above it.
- A hole for the chimney pipe is made in the partitions installed by welding. On the hinges on top of the boiler is fixed the lid.
The canopies have prepared doors installed with a fixed handle and locking mechanism. Within the water heating tank, a drain cock is installed from below.
You can improve the quality of your home sauna experience at a reasonable cost and with great satisfaction by building your own metal sauna heater. You can build an effective and useful heating unit that meets your unique needs by following easy instructions and using easily accessible materials.
Making your own metal sauna heater allows you to tailor it to your needs and tastes, which is one of its main advantages. Do-it-yourself construction offers flexibility and creativity, regardless of your space constraints or the specific features you want to include, such as an additional insulation layer or a water tank.
In addition, building your own sauna heater can be less expensive than buying a prefabricated one. It is an appealing alternative for homeowners on a tight budget because, with careful planning and attention to detail, you can achieve the same level of performance at a fraction of the cost.
Furthermore, building a metal sauna heater can be a rewarding and instructive experience. From studying designs to gathering supplies and assembling everything, you’ll acquire important abilities and knowledge that you can use on other projects.
In conclusion, building a DIY metal sauna heater is a quick and affordable substitute for purchasing a prefabricated one. You can design a customized heating system that will improve the comfort and enjoyment of your home sauna for many years to come with the correct direction and methodology.