The Aftermath

I thought that I'd finish the diary/series for our sauna project by going back to where it all started.

In my first post I mentioned that I would get to build my sauna if I then later would build something for her.

Well here it is, I've fulfilled my promise.

A gargantuan project to build a pool with a belonging deck.

For those that plan to build a pool I've kept a diary for that project too.

http://projectwaterworld.blogspot.se/

Fulfilled promise

Apart from that I've done very little changes to the sauna.
Added a railing to the stove at least adding some protection from accidental burns.

The lower bench tends to dip a bit in the middle so I added a support "leg" in the middle.

Finally I got bored with the doorknob that was included with the sauna/door.

The knob got somewhat too close to the door frame making it very easy to hit your knuckles when shutting the door.  

So I replaced the knob with a more elegant handle.

 The railing, the support leg and the door handles were all bought from sauna sweden.

I must say that the sauna was my primary goal but by adding a pool to the picture it really elevated the sauna experience. It's virtually like having my own private bath house.

I'll leave you with the pictures depicting the new view I have from the sauna.

Title reference: The Aftermath/X Factor/Iron Maiden

This is the end

As the title refers to this project is coming to an end.
Sure there's still some paint job to be done as well as putting up a wall/inner roof between the garage and the sauna to create a storage facility.
Buuut all that has to wait 'til spring when the weather becomes more forgiving.

The Saturday that went I spent putting the last finishing touches to the sauna.
In practice that means mounting the gable boards as well as assembling the terrace.
Again pre-cut material for the gable boards, had them painted during the week so up they went.
The terrace boards we're as everything else pre-cut but still required some minor adjustments to fit neatly around the railing.
Even managed to throw some basic coating on the railing. Can't remember that I've ever managed to do outdoor paint jobs in December. But what the heck, it was closer to 8 degrees centigrade so no problems.

All and all I'm pretty satisfied with the result. The kit I bought was simple enough to assemble yet giving a sturdy and robust feel.

I promised I'd have a working sauna before Christmas and I delivered on time, on budget and definitely with quality...:)

Starting from this

Going to this

Finally we landed here.

Last Friday I came home from work totally exhausted. The first thing I did was to fire up the sauna...
Once having fed the family and settled them in front of the tele I made it to my "temple" and enjoyed an hour of solitude and contemplation.
This is the start of a new better life...:D

Title reference: This is the end/Unto the locust/Machine head

Hotter than hell

"Hot, hot, hotter than hell

You know she's gonna leave you well done

Hot, hot, hotter than hell

She'll burn you like the midday sun"/KISS

With the success of last weekend I cranked up the pace yet another notch.

First off was to lay the floor in the dressing room, not that I needed it but I presume the rest of the family would object having to climb around in order to get into the sauna.

Pre-cut as the floorboards were it wasn't that much of a brainer to get them installed. 

However some were bent as bananas requiring minor force to get into place. 

As I've mentioned in an earlier post I intended to lay a laminate floor on top the floor in the dressing room. Much easier to keep clean and it also adds a bit of color to the room. We choose to lay a somewhat darker laminate floor to accentuate the otherwise very pale room. Add a simple bench and some other minor interior artifacts and you get this.

With that out of the way I turned my attention to that what matters.

Two boxes of 20Kg each with stone needed to be placed in the stove.

Well first the thing needed to be installed but with all the wiring in place it didn't take that long.

So the box of these...

A box of pleasure 

 Needed to be added to this

Resulting in this.

I've spent countless of hours in various saunas yet this was the first time I had to stack the stones.

Pretty satisfied with the result so far.

Still had to take care of the water from rain gutters as I left it somewhat in a temporary state (see previous post).

Note the masterful engineering of dropping the water from the garage gutter to the sauna gutter and then down to the sewers...just beautiful...:)

I resorted to using ordinary 75mm sewage pipes to lead the water from the right side so using some pipes, bends and other parts I assembled neat solution for that too.

Still missing the benches in the sauna so that was the next on the todo list.
Somewhat to my surprise they were pre-cut to fit the room. I expected to need to cut them to size since the packages came with an instruction how to shorten the benches to desired size and mentioned a standard size of 210 cm.
I guess that the company I bought the building from had pre-ordered the correct size, not that I complain it saved me some effort.

In retrospect I've fought through mud, rock, rain, blistering cold yet I've refused to bow down.

Since late October I've had one Sunday I've not worked with this project. Apart from that day I've spent each and every weekend relentlessly fighting with a single goal in my mind: 

To build the Finnish temple.

Out there the wind is howling and the rain is pouring, I could not ask for a better weather for the premiere sauna bath.

I leave you with a short clip capturing the sounds of heaven. 

Title reference: Hotter than hell/Hotter than hell/KISS

Powerslave

There comes a time during the campaign when the commander opts for the "big push" with the intention to gain the upper hand.
The time was here and now...

The goal for the weekend was to wire up the entire construction (hence Powerslave).
Intended to install lights in both the dressing room as well as the actual sauna and a power socket (always good to have) in the dressing room.
Added to that is a separate power feed (400v) needed for the stove.
Wise from previous projects I know it's a tedious task to bend and install tubes for the power cables.
Not to talk about trying to pull cables that a are thick as a thumb through these tubes.

However as always circumstances may change the planning. I this case the weather was excellent, dry and shiny. So we prioritized getting the house fully painted.
Low and behold, a few hours later the entire thing was covered with a base coat making it weather proof for the entire winter, excellent.

Paint coming up

With that settled I turned my attention back to the wiring, tedious as it may be I had all wiring done by late Sunday.
Seeing the light indoors sort of gives the construction life, it's no longer an empty shell with no interior.
It's becoming a sauna for real....

Be there light...

Put a double halogen spot just above the door in the dressing room.
The light bounces neatly off the walls and cealing providing a toned down yet functional lighting.

Lights up

Most might be satisfied when they've met their goals, but that's not how I work.

Why stop when you're on a winning streak?

So in went the floor in the sauna room.

Honestly how difficult can it be? All floor boards were delivered pre-cut to the correct size.

All I had to do was to carve a hole for the power cables for the light and the stove. As well as splitting one of the boards to actually fit it into the room.

Also I got to spend to quality time with my new Makita (see last post).

moonlighting

So here it is, the sauna room with light and all.

Cozy feeling

Look at this! It's never been so close to actually become a sauna.
I'm literally a few connections away to fire up the stove....

Watch out for the black mamba

Yeah, well the dressing room still deserves some attention...like a floor.
But what the hell I'm building a sauna not a dressing room. I'll happily walk naked over the lawn if that's what it takes to enjoy my own sauna.

In need of love

Title reference: Powerslave/Powerslave/Iron Maiden

November rain

It's November so it rains, no surprise there.
All water from the roof just falls off and gathers up as a nice little lake under the house.
Some might claim it's a feature, type of an indoor jacuzzi.

Well not to keen on having water standing under the building for the entire winter I had to do something about it.
Hardly rocket science, it boils down to fitting the rain gutters and drain pipes.
Spent the entire Saturday wrestling with the rain gutters. Pretty satisfied with the fact that the gutter from the garage drops down to the gutter from the sauna building and then finally down to the sewers.
Luck?
Don't think so. Endless hours of planning and measuring now pays off. The edge of the roof from the sauna is just below the edge of the roof from the garage...sweet.

My wife stepped into action and managed to throw some paint on half of the building. At least covering the back and the right side since those are the most exposed parts.

Sunday I took a break. Haven't had a free weekend for...umm, can't remember so we thought we'd do something with the entire family,
Off to Kalmar and visit IKEA, the kids love it and my wife gets to spend time with all the trinkets you associate IKEA with.

Well I didn't completely drop the sauna project, a quick visit to Bauhaus to pick up some essentials.
Power cables, light fittings, laminate floor for the dressing room.
Figured that even though floor boards were shipped with the building I'd rather put a laminate floor on top of that as it makes it so much simpler to keep it clean.

Then it struck me, my own Christmas present.

A multitool + driver drill combo with a triple LI 18v battery pack and speed charger....

All neatly packed in stackable boxes.

My wife looked at me and wondered, don't you already have two of those?
My old Makita is ~10 years old making it a rarity,
It uses a 12v 2.6Ah battery pack, the new one is a nose shorter and has a  LI-ion bat pack with a whopping 18v 3Ah....woah.
Gotta have one....

So here they are, the veteran vs the hotshot.

Old school vs the young gun

Yeah I know it sort of became a bit of tech porn towards the end of this post but you know, boys and their toys.


Title reference: November rain/User your illusion I/Guns n' roses

House of fire

"Let's build a house of fire, baby"
The year was 1989 and Alice Cooper preached about building a house of fire.
I found the title and lyrics suitable for this weeks post.
The deviation is that the sauna I build has an electric stove but what the h-ll it's going to be warm so "house of fire" is a fitting description.

Saturday morning, 0600...woke up head full of details how proceed with the task ahead.
Double espresso and a proper breakfast.
Still pitch dark outside, preparing the day by pulling my gear together.
My head is spinning at overdrive speed, anything I've missed?
I got through the construction again for details I've possibly missed.

First light, I'm out to get an early start.
The weather is, well November and the sky i gray. It's not really raining but there's a thick mist in the air. I can't be bothered with minor details such as weather, I've waited 11 years to build the Finnish temple....

Starting out from this.

I immediately ran into a minor hiccup with the fact that some of the supports had set since last week and I had to jack them up in order to level the supporting frame (remember my last post, don't ever cheat with your construction).
Well considering that we still had in just two hours come to this level.

Less than an hour later we're here

Door frames are simply to slide in place.

Window coming up

 Taking shape

Saturday is finished with erecting the entire building and laying half or the roof.

Not knowing anything of the nights weather we ran around in the dark with torches to lay out tarp over the entire roof. Remember the roof is still unprotected and you really don't want water on it.

Sunday morning, overslept a bit. Almost 7 in the morning. Well still dark out so a quick double espresso and a breakfast later I'm out.

The day starts with setting the other side of the roof. Again a piece of cake since all parts of the building a pre-cut into correct size including roof boards.

Just put the hammer to the nail, a no-brainer...

See where we're getting at?

Once the roof is laid it needs to be protected. Our choice was to lay two layers of roofing felt.
I don't want a hard surface such as sheet metal as it would sound awful when it rains.
It would be like taking a sauna in a barrel.

Now a problem strikes. The roof boards are only 19mm which causes issues with Swedish standards as the shortest roofing felt nails you can find are 20mm. Not keen on having the inside of the roof to look like an upside down Indian spike bed I had to come up with a solution.
Doing some investigation I came up with the fact that this would only be a problem for the lower felt as it's rather thin. The upper felt is much thicker and the combined thickness of the felts along with the board was more than 20mm.
So what do you do?
Adapt and overcome!
I had to grind the individual nails to size. Awkward?
Yes!
Though I refuse to let minor setbacks such as that stop me.

Grinding nails to proper size

First layer of the roofing felt is up.

I would love to show pictures of the final construction with all the layers of the roofing felt and what not. But it was dark, as hell....The last two hours we worked with torches and a 2x500w halogen spotlight pretty much illuminating the entire neighbourhood. The job needs to get done, I don't care what it takes.

But who cares!!!!

We pulled it together, the building is now erected and water proof...nuff said!

I'm tired and my entire body is aching but my soul is cheering with satisfaction.

So I believe it's time to treat my body as well....here's the reward.

Satisfaction guaranteed

Btw, guys at Brygghus 19 "Respons" was awesome...:)

Not to forget:
Thx to Ulf Karlsson and Dan Eneborg for helping out.

Title reference: House of fire/Thrash/Alice Cooper

If you want peace, prepare for war

Just like Mannerheim, Patton and Rommel I plan the strategy for my campaigns.
Semper paratus, always prepared is together with the ability to adapt the foundation for success.

I've scrutinized the plans for the building, to the level that I pretty much know by heart where each and every item shall go.
Knowing the assembly order I've sorted all material in the order they are needed, from left to right the garage. Marked numbers on the material either with a pen or post-it notes
Stuff belonging to the porch which will not be assembled now is put to the back of the garage.

To further simplify life I've taken the 3D image of the cottage and marked each and every piece of material by number.
This will server as the master plan for the build/assembly to come.

3D model with all relevant parts marked

The trick will be to flip the model in my head as the house is going to be mirrored, since I want the entrance to the left.

Semper invicta

Title reference: If you want peace, prepare for war/Are you dead yet?/Children of Bodom