There comes a time when plumbing, due to its appearance or malfunction, becomes unusable. But, replacing it with a new one, you should not rush to throw it away. Summer residents and home owners can easily make a garden stove from a cast-iron bath, which will not be inferior to factory models in terms of strength and service life.
Advantages of using cast iron
This type of metal is considered to be one of the best furnace materials. Its main advantages include:
- environmental safety. When heated, it does not emit harmful substances.
- Temperature resistance. An outdoor stove made of bricks can begin to crumble after a few years.
- High thermal conductivity. A cast iron fireplace warms up a room much faster than one built from other materials.
- Strength . Cast iron is the leader among metals in terms of strength. Even steel ovens are less reliable.
- Ease of use.
- fire safety.
The disadvantages of cast iron that you should pay attention to are brittleness and susceptibility to corrosion. In the first case, unnecessary mechanical influences should be avoided, in the second case, the surface should be treated with special solutions.
A home-made cast iron structure will not turn out very beautiful, so it is recommended to overlay it with brick or stone.
Preparation of materials and tools
To create such a miracle oven from the bath, you need to prepare:
- angle grinder (grinder);
- 2-3 circles for metal with a thickness of at least 1 mm, a diameter of 12.5 cm;
- electric drill;
- drills for metal with a diameter of 9, 11 mm;
- grinding wheels;
- files;
- a hammer;
- level;
- construction gun (for applying sealant);
- plumb;
- putty knife;
- Master OK.
Materials you will need:
- iron or steel sheet 5 mm;
- refractory red brick;
- grate;
- sealant;
- clay;
- sand;
- metal corner;
- bolts with nuts, washers;
- chimney pipe with a diameter of 12 cm.
Photo: the material is prepared, it remains to choose the purpose of the furnace and get to work
When all the materials, tools are collected, you can start cutting the container. For convenience, it can be turned upside down or laid on its side.
Users often search:
You need to wield the grinder carefully so as not to damage the surface.
Before you start sawing the bath, it is worth considering a few nuances:
- Marking will simplify cutting the product.
- The first layer of enamel is removed strictly along the drawn line. This will help prevent chipping at the edges.
- The next step is to cut the cast iron. Do this gradually, in small pieces of about 10 cm, so as not to overheat the grinder.
- When the bath is already sawn in half, supports are placed under each part. They will not allow parts to fall and damage the tool, material.
According to experienced builders, it is better to work with a grinder at an angle. So the enamel does not start to peel off and all the cuts will turn out to be smooth without burrs.
Subject to the use of a high-quality grinder, the processing of cast iron will take no more than 1 hour.
For a barbecue, you will need two halves of the bath: one part will serve as a fuel loading chamber, the other is necessary for cooking. For a sauna stove or fireplace, one half will be enough.
Step-by-step creation of a furnace from a bath
Without building experience, it is worth consulting with a specialist about all the intricacies of masonry and installation of parts, but it is better to perform work under the supervision of a master. So the product will turn out to be of high quality and fire safety standards will be observed.
As for the construction of the foundation, its type depends on the total weight of the furnace:
- For structures over 700 kg, a monolithic or strip base with a depth of 50 cm or more should be equipped. A formwork is constructed along the perimeter of the pit and covered with a layer of crushed stone or broken brick. Compacted. Filled with concrete.
- For small ovens, a brick foundation is enough. It is recommended to purchase cement grade not lower than M300. Bricks are placed with an edge, fastened together with a solution.
Now consider detailed instructions for the manufacture of each of the furnaces with different purposes.
For a bath
To create the necessary conditions in the steam room, the design must meet the following requirements:
- have a high thermal power;
- regulate convection currents;
- produce enough steam.
The procedure for building a sauna stove:
It is important to note that the foundation must have a protrusion on the borders of the furnace of at least 50 cm, and 1–1.5 m of free space must be left in front of the furnace.
An interesting idea is to make a bath stove from both halves of the bath. The second part will be needed as an extension for heating water, or you can lay out a Russian heater from it.
For cooking
At their summer cottage, you can not do without a barbecue or barbecue. And the opportunity to bake delicious bread, fry meat in the fresh air makes the owners equip small outdoor ovens on the territory.
Here is a description of how to build a barbecue step by step from the bath.
The sequence of work is as follows:
Some craftsmen leave the barbecue in this state, but to make your stove look beautiful, you still need to do the exterior.
There are several options:
- Clay whitewashing.
- Masonry of a whole ceramic tile or its pieces.
- Surface finish with natural stone, previously cut into pieces with a thickness of 10 mm.
The materials are attached to the furnace with heat-resistant adhesives.
A good solution is to install the chimney to the furnace through the drain hole of the bath, expanding it in advance, and only then weld it to the steel sheet.
For heating
In the country, it is easy to build a fireplace from half a bath. He can be:
- Built into the wall. Suitable if the house has brick walls. Significantly saves free space.
- Reclined (half-open). The firebox is located at a considerable distance from the wall. This fireplace does not need a separate foundation, it is mounted directly into the floor. Has good draft, the built-in ashpit.
The advantage of using a cast-iron bath for the furnace part is that the fireplace is obtained in the form of an arch and eliminates complex brickwork. The hole for the chimney is made at the top of the tub. The outer part is decorated with a fireplace portal.
When building a semi-open fireplace, the following recommendations should be taken into account:
- A cement mortar up to 15 mm thick is poured under the base.
- A metal mesh is laid on top.
- A layer of waterproofing is applied.
- Asbestos cardboard type insulation is laid.
- A pedestal under the firebox is being built. Suitable brick, aerated concrete. The binder mixture is cement mortar or heat-resistant glue.
- The structure is plastered. You can finish it with stone, ceramic tiles.
- Between the lining and the fireplace insert, a gap is left for the convection heating system.
- The chimney pipe is mounted in the hole made, removed through the ceiling, the roof. Often made in the form of a sleeve.
- From the inside of the firebox, the chimney is sheathed with heat-insulating non-combustible material.
- Finishing the bottom of the fireplace.
- The product is closed from the side and from above with a frame made of duralumin corners connected by self-tapping screws.
- The frame is sheathed with drywall.
- Holes are made in the lining for air ventilation.
When installing a chimney, it is important to take into account that with a pipe height of up to 5 m, the deviation angle is 45 0, over 5 m - no more than 20 0.
For waste disposal
An unusual decision to build an incinerator from an old bathtub.
The principle of its construction is similar to a street barbecue.
Scheme of placement of the furnace on a brick base
The alternative is to remake the old heater by removing all parts except for the grate and body. Part of the cast iron is welded to the base from the inside to strengthen the structure.
In such a fiery trash can, you can load waste directly from above. When burning, the stove should be covered with another part of the bath so that the smoke does not disperse throughout the area.
So do not rush to get rid of things that are out of order or have lost their appearance. In skillful hands, even an old bathtub will get a second life, it will become a functional stove that will last for many years.
Cast iron is an ideal material for building a stove from a bathtub for cooking various dishes with your own hands on a personal plot. But since cast iron can be processed only in industrial conditions, then to make something from it with your own hands, you should use finished cast iron products, for example, an old bathtub.
Advantages of cast iron:
- resistant to high temperatures;
- has a high heat capacity;
- not subject to corrosion.
It is quite difficult to make a furnace from a cast-iron bath, this process requires attention and patience, since the bath itself is strong, but has a fragile structure.
Making from an old bath
An oven of this type is two interconnected halves of an old bath, located on top of each other. Therefore, you first have to cut the bath in half.
Attention! Before starting work, remember that cast iron is a very fragile material, and any, even minor damage, can ruin it and make further processing impossible.
To divide the bath into two identical parts, it is best use a grinder, drawing a cutting line in advance and accurately measuring the distance to the edges. Only then can you carefully start cutting the bath. Stock up on several cutting discs, as one may not be enough.
The most important thing to remember is: take your time. If you want to achieve an even and smooth cut edge, you should not rush anywhere.
Main stage: installation of the furnace
The most reliable way to fix the oven and give it stability is. It should be massive enough to ensure the immobility of the entire structure.
After fixing the lower part of the furnace, a sheet of steel about 6-10 mm thick is placed on it.
But keep in mind that the rate of heating of the furnace will depend on its thickness. It is he who will serve as the separation between the firebox and the oven, as well as the hob. Also, it is necessary to make a hole in it for the chimney, which will be welded to it later.
A cast-iron bathtub made back in Soviet times is a durable, solid and very heavy product. However, the once white enamel is losing its former luster, and it is unlikely to be restored. It’s a pity to hand over a bathtub by the weight of scrap metal or drag it to a landfill. What else can be done with it? Some owners of country cottages and summer cottages suggest using this cast-iron product with greater benefit: make a stove from an old bathtub with your own hands. Agree, this is original and rational. Such an oven will be able to decorate the estate and make it possible to cook delicious dishes.
Required materials and tools
To independently build a stove from a cast-iron bath, you will need to stock up on the necessary tools.
Here is an exhaustive list of them:
- grinder (angle grinder), as well as discs for it (cleaning and cutting);
- electric drill and a set of drills;
- equipment that allows gas cutting of metal elements (if any);
- wrenches of different sizes, a hammer and pliers;
- crowbar and shovel;
- container where the solution will be mixed;
- spatula and trowel;
- measurement tool: building level, plumb line, tape measure, metal corner;
- a welding machine (it will be needed to mount the chimney), as well as electrodes for it and a protective mask;
- hacksaw for woodworking.
The main element of the furnace is a cast-iron bath. However, the stove has a significant weight, so it must have a foundation. For its construction, a certain amount of sand, cement mortar, brick, as well as clay and water is needed.
Making a cast iron bath stove is much cheaper and more profitable than buying a new one.
In addition, you will need:
- corner (metal);
- metal sheet (4 mm);
- lattice of a certain size;
- the pipe necessary for the manufacture of the chimney (length - from 2 to 3 m, diameter - from 10 to 12.5 cm, wall thickness - from 3 mm);
- hinges for doors;
- Rabitz;
- polyethylene film (necessary for waterproofing the foundation);
- board (thickness - from 2 to 2.5 cm);
- slats (2 by 2 cm);
- nails.
Making a stove from an old bath with your own hands: step by step instructions
So, let's look at how you can independently make a stove from a cast-iron bath.
For a country house, you can make a stove from an old cast-iron bath, which in terms of strength and service life will not be inferior to models from the factory
First we build the foundation.
- Using a cord and stakes, we mark the foundation.
- We dig a trench, the depth of which should not be less than 50 cm. We put layers of sand and gravel on the bottom, after which we carefully tamp them down.
- On top of the sand and gravel cushion, we put a waterproofing layer, as a rule, which is polyethylene.
- To raise the base of the foundation, we build a formwork in the center. Usually a common formwork is built, and the pouring is carried out to a height of at least 30 cm.
- Reinforcement of the free volume is carried out and it is filled with a solution of cement and sand (1 part of cement to 3 parts of sand). You can also fill the volume with brickwork.
- After pouring the foundation, it must definitely harden.
Now it's time to design the stove itself.
To this end, we perform the following actions:
- We cut the cast-iron bath across. This must be done carefully, as cast iron is very brittle. If the movements are sloppy, abrupt, you can damage the bath so that it becomes unsuitable for subsequent work.
- We take half of the cut bath, after which we install it on top, and in such a way that we get a design that looks like a capsule with a cut.
- Further, a sheet of metal with a thickness of more than 5 mm will be needed for work. For the construction, you will need two halves of the bath and a metal sheet, which is necessary to separate the lower part from the upper (fuel zone from the place where food is cooked).
In the sheet of metal, it is necessary to provide a hole for the chimney, located near the rear wall. The chimney starts from the lower chamber, and then goes through the entire stove.
In order to fix the two halves of the bath and the metal sheet with maximum reliability, it is advisable to use fasteners. To prevent smoke from the chamber located on top, a special sealant, which is called a stove, should be used.
The chimney is attached to a metal sheet using welding.
- We install the blank of the stove on the bricks. To prevent the structure from falling, it is very important to align it. Before starting to weld, it is recommended to heat the cast iron a little (for example, the material will become much more pliable if the firewood is heated in the chamber).
- In the lower chamber, we close the front part with a metal sheet, making a large diameter hole in it before that (through this hole, firewood will be thrown into the chamber).
- We make chamber doors for the furnace and for cooking.
Well, a simple and fairly functional stove is ready. It remains only a little: to decorate the structure decoratively, making it a decoration of the yard. The stove can be painted, for example, in a folk style. No one will even think that a cast-iron bath was used to make the product.
Sauna stove from an old bath
A cast iron bath can be the basis of a good kitchen stove. However, it is quite possible to make an excellent sauna stove from it, and with your own hands.
Cast iron is an environmentally friendly material, so when heated, no harmful substances are released.
Building a bathhouse and equipping a stove in it will require certain skills, so it makes sense to consult a professional before construction.
There are certain requirements for sauna stoves:
- All such ovens must have enough power (thermal), and they must also have a large range of its adjustment.
- To change the mode of heat and moisture, the device is equipped with a heat accumulator and a steam generator.
- Furnaces should be able to adjust the convention.
So, from a worn-out cast-iron bath, you can make a simple two-tier sauna stove that meets all the requirements listed above. The lower tier of the stove is one half of the bathtub, which faces the wall with a cut, and the convex part upwards. The entire structure must be lined with bricks from the outside. The required steam generation is provided thanks to the stones that cover part of the "bath-furnace". Heat accumulation takes place in the upper chamber.
The principle of operation of the stove is quite simple. When passing through a cast-iron bath, the gas warms up the stones, then reaches the so-called bread chamber located on the opposite side. Then the gas flow makes a “dive” (goes down and immediately up), after which it exits the pipe. A damper is located at the bottom of the furnace to prevent smoke emission.
Cast iron stoves: let's evaluate the benefits
Why is a homemade cast-iron stove (in our case, a cast-iron bath stove) so profitable? Cast iron is one of the best materials for this purpose, but factory-made cast iron stoves are quite expensive. This material gained popularity due to its strength, although it is fragile. In addition, it is resistant to critically high temperatures and unpretentious in operation.
Modern cast iron stoves are especially popular
Comparing cast iron and brick stoves, let's say that the thermal conductivity is much better for the first. And since the temperature in the bath is not constantly maintained, the material should not be sensitive to temperature changes.
In winter, a bathhouse in a summer cottage is usually not heated, which is why the brick sometimes begins to crumble, while cast iron does not know such problems. As for fire safety, only a new brick oven is absolutely not dangerous. In an old product, sparks can break through cracks.
In order to enhance the aesthetics of a do-it-yourself cast-iron bath stove, it is best to brick it. If some blocks are damaged, they can be easily replaced.
Steel competes with cast iron. In terms of heating rate and strength, steel furnaces are not inferior to cast iron ones, but the service life of the former is significantly shorter. Perhaps the main weak point of steel furnaces is their susceptibility to corrosion. In cast iron, this problem is not so pronounced.
Having made a furnace from a cast-iron bath, you will become the owner of a convenient and reliable device that functions perfectly in any conditions. From such a bath you can also make a very original fireplace for a summer residence. It is especially suitable for those who are currently laying a country house, since the fireplace is, as it were, “sunk” into a brick wall, and this makes it possible to use the space with maximum benefit.
Video: Universal miracle stove from a cast-iron bath
Having appreciated all the advantages of cast iron (for example, compared to steel) and the relative ease of making a bath from a cast-iron bath, we note that it is very profitable to make a bath from this material on your own. So, if you want to make a stove from an old bath with your own hands, buy the missing material, pick up the tools and get started!
Of all home-made stove devices and structures, a cast-iron bath stove is best suited for a home steam room. It cannot be said that a home-made heater made from an old cast-iron stove has an exquisite design or is very convenient to maintain. You can’t argue here, home-made does not look as impressive as modern cast-iron boilers, but it heats up no worse, and in the construction of a bath, a stove from a bath will cost an order of magnitude cheaper than a heater made from industrial cast iron.
Why build furnaces from a bath
At first glance, the idea of a homemade cast iron heater looks rather unusual and strange. Why make a stove from a cast-iron bath with your own hands, if you can buy a factory-made steel boiler-stove. In fact, there is a rational grain in such an undertaking:
- Any metallurgist will confirm that thick-walled cast iron casting is ideal for arranging stoves, fireplaces, boilers of various designs and models;
- A good cast-iron boiler costs fabulous money, while building a furnace from an old bathtub will take a maximum of a couple of thousand rubles and several days of work;
- The semicircular section and shape of the bath body are ideal for organizing the combustion process, there are no stagnant zones or sharp corners leading to local overheating of the bowl walls.
It is clear that the body of the bowl should not have cracks, metal chips or through corrosion. Due to poor machinability, brittleness and low ductility, cast iron is quite difficult to process, cut and weld in the artisanal conditions of a garage or cottage. Therefore, in order to make a stove from a bath with your own hands, some practice will be required. At least, it will take a long time to select the mode in order to weld the cast-iron walls of the furnace by electric welding.
Preparing a cast-iron bath tub for remodeling
The first stage of building a heater, regardless of its design and size, always begins with the removal of layers of old paint, limescale, rust, all that debris that has accumulated on its surface over decades of operation.
Some masters recommend burning the body on wood in the open air. The stove is set on bricks and a small fire is kindled. It will take a long time to heat the cast iron bowl, at least 2-3 hours, until the remnants of pollution burn out. In this way, it is possible to get rid of stubborn odors and at the same time “open” the surface from lime and rust that have accumulated.
Cutting a cast-iron bath body into blanks
Cutting cast iron, especially thin-walled, is quite difficult, the material itself is soft and low-plasticity, with the slightest overload or excessive pressure it can crack in the most inappropriate place.
The body is cut in the following sequence:
- The cut line is marked on the enamel surface;
- An electric drill and a thin drill drill through holes in the corners, at the break points of the marking line. On a rounded surface, drilling is performed every 4-5 cm;
- On the markings made, they pass with a file or a sharpened blade of a hacksaw for metal in order to remove the enamel and prevent chipping of the coating;
- The last stage is the most responsible. The cast-iron bath is laid on a flat, absolutely flat surface and cut with a grinder along the marking line.
Advice! Usually, in order to avoid pricking, the body is cut along the contour, leaving several jumpers a couple of centimeters connecting the two parts of the cast-iron bath.
The remains of the jumpers are cut around the stone or removed with a grinder. It is worth remembering that when cutting cast iron, a huge amount of black metal dust is formed that can eat into the skin of the hands like soot. Therefore, before you start making your own stove from a cast-iron bath, you need to stock up on respirators and protective clothing.
Options for building a heater
For heating and heating a bath, you can use three types of stoves based on a cast-iron body from an old bath:
- A classic two-chamber stove with a firebox and a closed-type heater;
- Fireplace stove with screen;
- Dome stove, the most complex and interesting to make with your own hands.
The decision on which version of the cast-iron bath stove to use in the steam room is made based on the size of the bath and the method of heating. For example, cast iron fireplace stoves are great for a sauna, while a classic two-section stove can be used for heating a sauna room and even cooking.
Cast iron heater for a large steam room
Ideally, if you have experience and skills in working with metal, you can try to build a two-dome furnace from an old bath, as in the video. In this case, to make a real cast-iron firebox, you will need a full-sized bathtub, at least 180-190 cm long.
At the heart of a similar stove for a bath from a cast-iron bath, a whole body with a cut off short side or “back” is used. The bowl is placed upside down on a base lined with fireclay bricks on vermiculite cardboard. The design of the stove does not provide for the presence of a blower or a grate; firewood is laid out in layers directly on a heat-resistant base.
According to the device and principle of operation, a cast-iron stove from a large bath is almost identical to a Russian stove. The chimney or pipe for the removal of combustion products is located directly at the loading window of the furnace. The firewood laid out by the woodpile burns in layers, and the hot products of combustion go around the cast-iron roof of the furnace along a horseshoe-shaped trajectory and are removed through the chimney in front of the furnace.
Note! Asbestos tapes, basalt cardboard and heat-resistant sealant are used to seal the joint between the body and the heat-resistant fireclay base.
The cast-iron bath is lined with red brick walls. The remaining space between the ceramic cladding and the cast iron body is covered with foam glass granules. The upper plane is covered with a metal sheet. Due to the huge weight of the cast-iron body and brick shielding, the whole structure heats up no worse than a real Russian stove. According to the reviews of the owners, heat and smoldering coals in the cast-iron combustion chamber remain for a day.
Simple dome stove
If we are talking about heating a room with an area of up to 10 m 2, then instead of an uneconomical fireplace, you can try to build a do-it-yourself stove from a cast-iron bath of a single-dome type.
To make a firebox, you need half a cast-iron bath of a standard length. As in the previous version, a massive body is used to equip the combustion vault, but in this case, the size of the combustion chamber is half that, which means it warms up faster.
The combustion chamber also does not provide for the presence of a grate, so you have to kindle such a furnace with the help of a small woodpile laid in the depths of the furnace. After the firewood burns out and traction appears, you can lay the chamber at half the volume. It is no longer possible, cast iron is still not a brick, so the roof of the furnace can crack when overheated.
Cast iron bath fireplace stoves
Of course, it is not necessary to build a stove from a bath on half a wall of a bath. For a small steam room, you can completely get by with a small fireplace with a hearth loaded from a dressing room.
To make a small stove from a bath with your own hands, you can adapt the third part of the body of a standard bowl or use one of the small models 120-130 cm long.
Note! The bodies of cast iron bathtubs are ideal for making fireplaces, including fireplace stoves for saunas. Subject to the technology of assembling the chimney and designing the heater, such a stove will heat no worse than an industrial design.
The cut off rear part of the body is installed on a foundation of heat-resistant bricks or blocks. The area for laying firewood must be covered with a stainless steel sheet, while the space for firewood must be pushed to the maximum depth inside the case. In the process of fuel combustion, hot gases will flow around the wall or the former bottom of the cast-iron bath, thereby increasing the efficiency of the furnace.
The depth of a standard cast-iron bathtub ranges from 40 to 60 cm, so the fireplace body will easily fit in the wall between the steam room and the dressing room. The back side of the body must be sheathed with metal, covered with a fine-mesh stainless steel mesh, and the filling of the future heater can be laid.
The classic version of the cast-iron bath stove
One of the most popular models is considered to be a two-section combustion chamber, made according to the standard scheme with a firebox, a blower, an ash pan and a hot chamber, where, in fact, most of the released heat is collected.
The design of the furnace consists of two sections - upper and lower, each of which is equipped with its own door. For the manufacture of one stove, one full-size cast-iron bath, 180 cm long, is consumed. The body is cut into two halves, which are interconnected along the contour of the side. A sheet of steel, at least 10 mm thick, is laid between the sections. A steel pipe for the chimney is welded into this sheet, which is led out through the location of the drain hole in the bottom of the cast-iron bath.
Features of the furnace assembly
The two sections are connected to each other only mechanically, any attempt to weld or glue the cast-iron halves will lead to the destruction of the structure. For assembly, parts of the furnace are stacked on top of each other, holes are drilled around the perimeter for M10 bolts and connected using spring washers. The joint line of the steel sheet and the edge of the upper chamber is sealed with a heat-resistant fireplace sealant.
In the bottom part of the lower compartment, which is also a firebox, a window for the grate is cut out. Grid-irons are made of a usual square pipe 20 mm thick. The front walls of the upper and lower chambers are cut out of sheet steel with a thickness of at least 5 mm; doors and latches are also made from it.
The design is very simple, the only thing you need to pay attention to when assembling a furnace from a cast-iron bath with your own hands is welding. All parts are hung and installed on the body by welding.
Note! It is necessary to carry out welding work only with direct current, with specialized electrodes of the UONI13-55 type.
The walls of the cast-iron bath are quite thick, so you have to spend several hours choosing the right mode of operation. The seam is obtained as if soldered, but the strength of such a connection is sufficient to withstand any thermal loads.
Conclusion
Making a stove from a cast-iron bath is much easier than laying out a domed heater, a fireplace or a brick heater. On average, it will take three full working days to manufacture one full-fledged oven with brick and tile lining. The quality of the work of such a stove is practically in no way inferior to the factory iron casting.
The first thing to do before starting work is to be patient and purchase some tools. Next, you need to clearly measure half of the bath and draw a line exactly in this place. At this stage of work, you will need an angle grinder with a working diameter of 250 millimeters, as well as several high-quality cutting wheels for metal.
Using these tools, we saw our now former bathtub in half. Remember, the most important point at this stage of work is the correct measurement. An error, even by one centimeter, will lead to the fact that the stove from the cast-iron bath will no longer work.
We collect the body of the furnace
Once all the preparatory work has been completed, it is time to assemble the furnace. To do this, it is necessary to carefully compare all the previously made holes and fasten them with reliable bolts. At this stage, you should also take care of the tightness of the future furnace. To do this, you can use a special sealant, basalt cardboard or even asbestos.
After each bolt is tightened as tightly as possible, the assembly of the stove is considered complete.
In order for our design to take on a finished look, you must also take care of the doors. They are best cut from pieces of metal, the thickness of which is 5-8 mm. The resulting furnace is installed on a pedestal made of bricks and insulated with basalt fiber. This is necessary in order to maintain the highest temperature in the oven.
But do not forget that ovens of this type can be used not only for cooking, but also, for example, for space heating. Therefore, it should be borne in mind that it is simply necessary to insulate garden stoves, otherwise all the heat will go to warm the surrounding air. And if it is assumed that the oven is a bathhouse, it is better to refuse insulation, since its main task is to transfer heat to the room in which it is located.
In order for the resulting structure to acquire a beautiful appearance, it should be ennobled. The stove itself is best painted with black refractory paint, and the brick on which it is installed is decorated with a variety of finishing materials.
Advantages and disadvantages of a cast iron bath stove
The main advantage of this design, of course, is its cost. If you have an old bathroom, you will need quite a bit of money to turn it into a stove.
The second no less important advantage can rightfully be considered the durability of such a furnace. It depends solely on how well you have worked out the joints between the two halves of the bath. But even if you didn’t succeed in making perfect seams the first time, you can always disassemble the oven and correct the defect.
But if we consider this design from the point of view of heat engineering, then the efficiency of its work will not exceed 40%. This is because the flue gases have a direct outlet to the outside, which means that they transfer only part of the heat to the furnace itself, while the rest is sent to the atmosphere. That is why this design is an excellent fixture for a bath. In this case, no efficiency indicators play a role, since only the temperature to which the furnace can heat up is important.
