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Master Bath - Sauna / Steam / Shower

6 years ago

Anyone build a custom sauna / steam / shower in their master bath?

We have a 5 x 6 area where we would just build a large standing bath area, and were thinking about adding some benches and maybe making it a steam room. And potentially a dry sauna.

I don't know anything about how this would be built or if it is a good idea to do in the same room. I've seen builds where they build a steam room / shower and an adjacent sauna.

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Comments (4)

User
6 years ago
Add another 15K to your 10K shower to do it right.
tknx
Original Author
6 years ago
Okay - so no responses, and I can't find anyone here who can do both. Lots of steam conversions - seems pretty straightforward, just surround all surfaces with a waterproof membrane, tile the ceiling and maybe add a bit of curve to get drip down. Make sure your entryway is sealed. Good ventilation for after to prevent mold.

But combining with dry heat seems to be where things go wrong. Can't find anyone who does that - seems like I would need to dedicate a space for that purpose.
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don't laugh but I had this same problem with a garage. I converted my one car garage to a game room/4th bedroom. It was to be my game/exercise room but my son moved back in... anyway..................... Then I thought to move. I asked the realator if I made an error and she told me what I'll tell you. It's a toss up. Half the people will like it and half won't. When you list the house for sale, those insisting on a tub will see in the listing that it doesn't have one. Same with my garage. Those people won't even come to see your house, so in that sense, only interested parties will. And like I am doing now, I had the same question to my contractor when adding my addition. He said "tubs, especially jetted ones and ones with big decks are phasing out". He said the trend is now big walk in showers. With that said, he said that if it was the only bathroom to have a tub, I might want to have a tub. Families with kids who might buy the house would want one. So if you have ONE tub at least somewhere in the house, I'd not worry too much. If not, then I'd suggest a smaller tub and nicer shower to make your life more comfortable and make you worry less
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User
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Nope. Not any what you said. Steam showers have to be vapor proof. That is a whole level above waterproof. Which is why they are way more expensive than the average 7-9K shower.

https://www.ceramictilefoundation.org/homeowners-guide-to-hiring-qualified-tile-installer
PRO
HomeMart Products
5 years ago
Hello Tknx,

Sophie is correct. With regards to building a steam shower whether from scratch or a bathroom conversion to one you would need to have it vapor proofed - examples of materials used to achieve this effect are HydroHalt Water & Vapor Barrier Membrane and Durock Waterproofing Membranes. Also when deciding what size steam generator to purchase you must consider several variables such as ceiling height, the number of exterior walls of the house that are also walls of the steam room, and building materials. The more exterior walls of the house you have that are also walls of the steam room the more powerful a generator you would need to purchase. The same holds true with materials - ceramic and glass tile do not absorb that much heat produced by the generator while porcelain absorbs a bit more and stone such as marble or travertine are heat sponges because of their porous nature. In terms of the ceiling when you design a steam room you should slope it about 1.5 inches per foot so that the water condensation slides towards the wall as opposed to dripping downward on the person in the steam shower. If you decide to go with a steam shower I would recommend the Steam Spa brand as it's economically priced, a fast response steam producing system, very quiet, and has a lifetime warranty on the generator and accompanying components. I would recommend either a 10.5 KW or 12 KW Steam Spa package. Here's as example of it below:

[https://www.houzz.com/products/steamspa-saunas-and-steam-units-royal-105kw-touch-pad-steam-bath-generator-prvw-vr~19247330[(https://www.houzz.com/products/steamspa-saunas-and-steam-units-royal-105kw-touch-pad-steam-bath-generator-prvw-vr~19247330)

In any case good luck with your project and have a good day.

Signed - Homemart Products Team

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