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Choosing material for the shelves in the steam room

Making the most of your steam room experience involves choosing the right materials for the shelves. The best materials come from natural sources, such as bamboo, wood, and stone. Bamboo is strong, durable, and resistant to moisture but can be difficult to clean. Wood is also strong, but it is more porous and likely to absorb odors and humidity. Stone is attractive, and it can be sealed to resist moisture, but it can be costly and requires a lot of maintenance. Each of these materials comes with its own advantages and drawbacks, so make sure to take into account your usage and maintenance requirements before making your decision.

It is impossible to imagine a single bath and sauna without comfortable shelves. They become the main attribute of the steam room, occupying almost the entire area. Our advice site decided to find out what materials you can use to build shelves for a steam room with your own hands, what types of wood are optimal.

Material for the shelves in the steam room

You can make shelves, sunbeds for a bath with your own hands, using the instructions on the portal. The shelves can be very different โ€“ angular, stepped, removable, folding, in several levels, like in a train compartment, in the form of a wide couch with a back, wide and narrow โ€ฆ It all depends on the size of the steam room itself and the needs of the owners. In any case, the first step is to choose the material for the shelves. It is clear that it will be wood, other options are not suitable. But what kind of wood is best for?

Material for the shelves in the steam room

We immediately exclude boards from conifers. Pine and spruce are not suitable for building shelves in the steam room, they have too much resin. It will come out of the boards at high temperatures and burn the skin. Therefore, although pine and spruce boards are inexpensive, this choice must be abandoned..

The correct sauna bench can be built from:

  1. Larch trees. This tree is generally not afraid of moisture and temperature changes, it is beautiful, the shelves last a long time, and when heated, phytoncides useful for humans are released. But larch has significant drawbacks โ€“ the boards are expensive, they weigh a lot due to their high density, and they are difficult to process. In addition, larch can have resin pockets, so a de-resin process is required. And these are additional costs and troubles. So, larch cannot be called an ideal option, although in general it is suitable.
  2. Alder. The most traditional option, it was from this tree that our ancestors made the shelves in the steam rooms. Alder can be black, but more often it has a beautiful light shade that does not deteriorate over time. This wood does not crack, has minimal thermal conductivity, which is important in a hot steam room.
  3. Linden. Also a very suitable option. Linden is easy to process, weighs a little, smells very nice, and remains smooth for a long time. In addition, linden shelves are beautiful and look aesthetically pleasing..
  4. Aspen. Affordable, inexpensive, quite attractive, with useful properties. But sometimes such boards have a hidden internal marriage and begin to rot from the inside..
  5. Maple. Solid yet inexpensive wood with beautiful patterns and different shades. Maple boards are easy to process, they last a long time, are not afraid of moisture.
  6. Oak. Strong and beautiful wood. But expensive and heavy, so it is not very popular with bath owners.
  7. Cedar. Provides an incredible aroma in the steam room, is not afraid of high temperatures and humidity, looks noble. But itโ€™s expensive.
  8. Birch. This, on the contrary, is affordable wood, but, unfortunately, it does not differ in resistance to moisture, so the birch shelves will not last very long, they will start to rot.

Linden for regimentsLinden for regiments

Recently, it has become fashionable to make bath benches from African abash. It is an exotic wood with low thermal conductivity, which would seem to make it an ideal option. But, according to experienced bath attendants and builders, abash is a porous tree. And it will absorb sweat, which will lead to an unpleasant smell in the steam room. Experts note that abash is only suitable for dry saunas, in which the temperature can rise to +120 ยฐ C. For a wet bath, do not spend money on an exotic tree.

Abasha boardHeat-treated abash

We state: the most affordable and suitable for the shelves in the bath are linden, aspen, maple and alder. Other types of wood are either too expensive, like oak, cedar and abashi, or have noticeable flaws, like birch and larch.

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Comments: 3
  1. Grace Murphy

    What is the best material to use for shelves in a steam room that would withstand the high moisture and heat?

    Reply
    1. Samuel Wright

      The best material to use for shelves in a steam room that can withstand high moisture and heat is teak wood. Teak wood is naturally resistant to moisture, rot, and warping, making it ideal for steam room environments. Its natural oils also provide an extra layer of protection against water damage. Additionally, teak wood has excellent heat insulation properties, ensuring the shelves remain stable and durable even in high temperatures.

      Reply
      1. Dylan Phillips

        Teak wood is the best material for shelves in a steam room due to its resistance to moisture, rot, warping, and heat. Its natural oils protect against water damage, while its heat insulation properties ensure durability in high temperatures.

        Reply
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