The first thing you should 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 cut our now former bathtub in half. Remember, the most important point at this stage of work is to take the correct measurement. A mistake, even by one centimeter, will lead to the fact that the stove from a cast-iron bathtub will no longer work.
Once all the preparatory work has been completed, it is time to assemble the stove. To do this, you need to carefully match 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.
Once each bolt is tightened as tightly as possible, the stove assembly is complete.
In order for our design to acquire a finished look, it is also necessary to take care of the doors. They are best cut from pieces of metal whose thickness is 5-8 mm. The resulting stove is installed on a pedestal made of brick and insulated with basalt fiber. This is necessary in order to maintain the highest temperature in the oven.
But do not forget that stoves of this type can be used not only for cooking, but also, for example, for heating rooms. Therefore, it should be taken into account that it is simply necessary to insulate garden stoves, otherwise all the heat will be spent on warming up the surrounding air. And if the stove is supposed to be a sauna stove, 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 refined. It is best to paint the stove itself with black refractory paint, and decorate the brick on which it is installed with a variety of finishing materials.
The main advantage of this design, of course, is its cost. If you have an old bathroom, you will need very little money to turn it into a stove.
The second equally important advantage can rightfully be considered the durability of such a stove. It depends solely on how well you have worked the joints between the two halves of the bathtub. 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 thermal engineering, then its operating efficiency will not exceed 40%. This happens because the flue gases have a direct exit to the outside, which means they transfer only part of the heat to the furnace itself, while the rest is sent into the atmosphere. That is why this design is an excellent device for a bathhouse. In this case, no efficiency indicators play a role, since only the temperature to which the furnace can heat up is important.
Dachas purchased back in Soviet times are real treasure troves: in the attic, in the utility room or right on the street you can find many rare or simply useful things for the household. For example, an old cast-iron bathtub, discarded as unnecessary, most often plays the boring role of a container for watering plants. It will bring much more benefit if, with the help of skillful hands, it turns into a heat source or cooking unit. We offer a detailed description of how to make your own oven from a bathtub, in which you can stew meat and bake pies.
Cast iron parts are valued in the manufacture of heating devices for two reasons:
Even the enamel used to cover plumbing equipment retains its qualities and does not immediately burn out. The fact is that the technology of applying a layer of enamel in the last century involved heating the finished product to 800ºC. The quartz sand included in the solution melted under the influence of high temperature and contributed to the baking of the enamel. It received high strength indicators and at the same time was “welded” to cast iron. The only thing you should be wary of is sharp, heavy impacts, which can cause cracks.
An old cast iron bathtub is the main element of a garden stove
The concave shape of the product is also suitable for constructing a fryer. It resembles a dome, which can serve as both the base of the oven and the combustion chamber compartment. So, if you want to build an original barbecue oven with your own hands from an old bathtub, arm yourself with the tools and get to work.
You will need tools for metal processing and masonry construction. To cut a cast iron bathtub, sand its edges, and make holes for fasteners, you will need:
In addition to metal parts, there will be brickwork at the base of the structure, so you will need a nozzle for mixing cement mortar, a container for it, a trowel, and a spatula.
If you do not use an angle grinder all the time, you can rent it
Several items made of cast iron (if not, then stainless steel will do):
Other metal elements needed include corners for fixing the grate, fastening bolts with nuts, a chain-link mesh to reinforce the clay layer, and a pipe for making a chimney (diameter from 100 mm to 120 mm).
The masonry is made of refractory bricks, fastening the rows with clay-sand mortar. The amount of brick depends on the size of the structure. If you plan to finish the device externally with ceramics, you should purchase tiles and heat-resistant adhesive, as well as heat-resistant sealant. Don’t forget about protective equipment – thick clothing, goggles or a mask, work gloves.
We immediately warn you that the cutting process is a labor-intensive task that requires effort, endurance and certain knowledge. Anyone who has previously worked with an angle grinder knows the technology of cutting thick metal sheets, but here is a special case: the base material is covered with a thick (about 2 mm) layer of enamel. Therefore, you need to cut carefully, slowly, in sections of 5-10 cm, pausing to allow the disc to cool.
The ideal place for cutting is the street. If the procedure takes place indoors, it is necessary to protect surrounding objects, since cast iron dust can ruin good things. It is better if the container is in an upside-down position - this makes it easier to make a straight cut.
Having cut the main part of the future stove into two identical fragments, you can begin building the foundation. It is the main stabilizing element of the structure. Without a solid cement foundation, regular shrinkage will occur (do not forget about the weight of the metal) into the soil, which can render the brickwork unusable.
The technology for constructing a concrete base may be different. A small stand can be built without additional supports; to build a tall one, you will have to put together a blind area. The main purpose of the blind area is to give the concrete base an even shape.
Diagram of a concrete foundation with a blind area
We can say that all the preparatory work has been completed and you can begin assembling the stove from a bathtub cut in half. At this stage, you should decide on the type of facade. There are two popular solutions: a completely metal front surface or partially made of brick. The doors are made of metal in any case. You don’t have to cut them yourself, since specialized stores sell ready-made options - from simple rectangular doors to decorative ones with forging elements.
When the foundation concrete has set, one half of the product is installed on it, bottom down, with a cut towards the future facade. This is a combustion chamber on which corners can be secured in advance to support the grate. At least 4 pieces are needed to secure the grille at all corners. The distance from the bottom to the corners is 15-20 cm. The construction of brick walls begins after the concrete has fully matured. This may take from a few days to 2-3 weeks, depending on the weather.
To separate the lower half (combustion chamber) from the upper half (cooking and oven), it is necessary to cover the already installed part of the bath with a thick cast iron sheet. If it is missing, it can be replaced with a steel analogue. A hole for the chimney should be cut in the ceiling sheet. Ideally, the diameters of the hole and pipe should match. To cut an even circle, you should apply a marking, drill it around the entire circumference with a small drill, and then go through it with a grinder. The irregularities are ground down with a file and cleaned.
This is what the metal sheet separating the furnace chambers looks like
We insert the chimney into the hole, firmly fixing it. If there is a small gap between the elements, fill it with fire-resistant sealant. There is a second way to install the chimney - from the back. If you remember, it is in the “rear” part that there is a small hole for draining water. In this case, the configuration of the structure will change slightly, since the pipe will be routed along the rear wall.
Having secured the chimney to the sheet, we coat the contour of the container with heat-resistant sealant and connect these two elements. The lower chamber - the firebox - is ready.
The metal horizontal panel is the basis for the second half of the bathtub, which must be installed on the finished structure, but upside down. In this half it is also necessary to make a hole for the chimney so that after installation the pipe stands strictly vertical. We twist all three connected elements along the edges using bolts (10 mm), at intervals of 15-20 cm. The “heart” of the stove is ready - the process of burning wood and cooking food will take place in it.
Connecting all parts with bolts
The grate separates the two chambers of the firebox: the process of combustion of logs takes place on the upper grate, the lower one is the ash chamber. Over time, ash accumulates in it, so it is better to provide it with a separate door - for free access to combustion waste. We fix the grate on the corners screwed in advance. You don’t have to use fixing elements, but then when laying logs the grate will move and tilt to one side.
Bricks (solid, ceramic) are laid around the perimeter of the base so as to cover the back wall and sides. The façade can also be partially decorated, leaving space for doors. First, we draw the markings of the first row according to the diagram, then we build the walls. The upper boundary of the brickwork should be at the level of the cooking compartment, and the entire lower part should be slightly larger in size than the upper.
Decorating the bottom with brick
When forming the front wall from brick, we do not forget about the doors: we mount the blower at the very bottom, under the grate, and the main one – a little higher. To close the upper chamber, we make a metal damper with a handle protected from heat. The damper, which resembles an analogue of a Russian stove, must match the shape of the curve of the bathtub so that there is no gap on the sides.
To protect the oven chamber from rapid cooling, it should be “covered” with a thick layer of material that does not conduct heat well. For these purposes, a thick clay-sand solution is usually used. To prevent cracks from appearing, add a little lime to the mixture.
Table of the ratio of components in mortars
In order for the solution to adhere well to a smooth surface, it is first covered with a fine mesh mesh. It prevents slipping and reinforces the insulation layer. Apply the clay solution in layers, leveling with a spatula. As a result, its thickness should be about 6 cm.
A self-built stove from an old bathtub will look much more interesting and attractive if you decorate it from the outside. For finishing you can use:
The upper part is usually covered with whitewash or paint. Natural brickwork also looks appropriate if there are already brick objects on the site (house, gazebo).
Ready-made stove in a suburban area
A barbecue stove convenient for outdoor use is not the only product that can be built from old cast iron. Using the heating function of individual fragments, fireplaces or sauna heaters are built from them. Using painting and other decorative finishes, they make garden furniture - sofas and armchairs. The most common application that does not require cutting or welding is installing a small pond. The bath is placed in a pit, planted with aquatic plants and decorated with stones.
Country houses made using handicraft methods are of particular value - they are made with soul and love for their work. Today you will hardly surprise anyone with an expensive purchased unit, but a self-assembled stove is a truly amazing work of art, and also very necessary and useful.
Do-it-yourself sauna stove from a cast iron bathtub
Old cast iron bathtubs are made of durable material that can withstand any load and temperature, so not using it a second time for the benefit of your health is a big mistake. In addition to its strength, cast iron is also an environmentally friendly material, so during heating, you can rest assured that no harmful substances are released in the bathhouse.
How to make a stove with your own hands?
Of course, after using the bathtub, it may not be in the best condition, but all its qualities remain at the same level, for example, it still remains strong and durable, so it is quite possible to give it a second life. Naturally, many who have summer cottages use bathtubs such as a water container, and those who are great at imagining can come up with many other interesting things. If you have a bathhouse at your summer cottage, you can make a stove out of the bathtub with your own hands, which will be very expensive in the store. A material such as cast iron is excellent for creating a stove, because it has such advantages as:
Great durability.
Excellent thermal conductivity.
Withstands even the highest temperatures and high indoor humidity.
Easy to operate and does not require special care.
You can use an old bathtub to build such types of cast iron stoves as: an outdoor one, which will be located in the garden, as a fireplace for a country house, and, of course, for a bathhouse. Such options can be brought to life with your own hands.
Making a stove, how to properly prepare a bath?
It will not be possible to use the entire container, so it will need to be cut. To make a cut correctly, you need to approach this issue with great responsibility. You will have to work with a grinder, and you will also need to prepare several metal discs in advance. It is imperative to take care of safety precautions, so special glasses, a respirator and gloves are worn. All actions must be performed correctly according to the recommendations given below:
1. Before you start sawing, you will need to make calculations and make markings for the future cut.
2. First of all, the enamel layer is cut, this is done in order to prevent chipping along the edges.
3. The cast iron itself is cut into small pieces, while taking breaks.
4. When half of the bathtub is sawn, it is necessary to place supports under both parts, which will prevent further damage to the tool and the material itself.
Experts say that cutting is best done at an angle, then the enamel will not flake too much.
Rules for making a sauna stove from an old bathtub
The process of making a sauna stove is very complex, because you have to worry not only about quality, but also about safety. The fact is that the stove will be located in the bathhouse building, so there are parameters for installation, for example, it is worth taking into account the thermal power and its change, the ability to produce steam, as well as the ability to regulate convection flows. As soon as the bathtub is cut, you can begin to build a stove in the bathhouse. You will need one half of your cut, but sometimes you can use two parts of the tub.
To properly build such a furnace, you must follow the following expert advice:
To make a stove yourself, you initially need to prepare a foundation, it is made from concrete mortar, sometimes filler is used, broken brick is excellent for this, which can withstand even a large load.
One part of the bathtub is laid on the foundation, and it is important to ensure that it faces the curved part upward. The cut should be built into the wall with access to another room, where the sauna will be fired directly. For safety reasons and in order to implement the design idea, the hole is closed with brickwork, then a firebox and blower door are installed.
When half of the bathtub is installed properly, then at a distance of 10 centimeters, walls made of refractory bricks are also erected, which will be equal to the height of the cast iron container. The space that forms around must be filled with stones; they will warm the room to the desired temperature.
As an option, you can build a regular sauna stove, which will consist of two tiers, with all the heat going to the upper tier. The operating principle of such a furnace is based on the passage of gas through the bath, due to which the stones are heated, and then the heat flows down and returns up again, after which it exits the pipe.
One cannot but agree that the decision to create a stove for a bath in this way at your dacha from a bathtub is creative, but it is also considered rational from the point of view of extra costs. For construction, there is absolutely no need to use any material other than an old cast-iron bathtub; you can also make a stove yourself without involving outside specialists; of course, this option should be considered if you have at least some experience in building baths. It is important to note that another advantage is the durability of this equipment, because cast iron is a durable material that can withstand high temperatures and moisture, which means that you can enjoy a hot bathhouse for a long time. In addition to saving money, you also get a durable stove, which is difficult to find on the construction markets, because most materials today are not of the same quality.
It's always a bit of a pity when some old things that have served faithfully for many years become unusable. But natural domestic ingenuity often allows us to breathe a second life into seemingly “veterans” who have served their time. For example, very often a sauna stove is made from an old cast-iron bathtub. The popularity of this solution is added by the undoubted advantages possessed by such a non-trivial material as cast iron.
Cut the tub in half using a sander. Cast iron is a brittle material (and this is perhaps one of its few disadvantages), so when making cuts you must be careful to avoid chipping the material. It is necessary to ensure that the grinder does not heat up too much, for which technological breaks are arranged.
Cut a metal sheet 6 mm thick. or more in size to the part of the bathtub prepared in the first step, which will be located below in the final design. Having previously outlined, cut a hole on the sheet to the size of the existing pipe. Then weld it in place. Thus, a chimney is gradually formed.
Make a hole in the top of the bath, then lay both halves on top of each other with a layer of metal sheet. The pipe must be secured either by welding or using heat-resistant oven sealant. The same sealant must be used to treat the areas where the metal sheet adjoins the halves of the bathtub, which will avoid possible smoke. The edges of the bathtub must be securely connected with fasteners.
The base of the future furnace is almost ready. Now it needs to be installed on the brickwork to give the structure stability and ease of use. It is recommended to cover the ends of the future stove, first of all, for decorative purposes, either with an ordinary iron sheet or with a corrugated one, which will look even more attractive.
Make metal doors for the firebox and chamber for stones. In order to improve the air supply and, as a result, better combustion of wood, it is necessary to make a certain number of holes in the firebox.
The resulting universal oven can be used for a variety of purposes. In order to install it in the bathhouse, it is necessary to make the most minor additions, namely, place stones in the upper part; connect to an existing chimney or take the existing pipe outside the steam room.
When using the stove only for a bath, a simpler design solution is possible, which actually includes eliminating the use of the second part of the bath. Essentially, the first half of the bath is used, which is lined with ceramic stove bricks.
Inside the bathtub, either a gas cylinder or a metal drum with a diameter of about 40 cm is used as a firebox. A chimney pipe is connected to it, welding it.
Stones (7-15 cm in diameter) are poured into the free space of the half of the bathtub remaining from the firebox. As a rule, pink quartzite or granite is used for this.
Video review :
The laying is done to the height of the bathtub using clay mortar. The main feature is the joining of two materials that are very different in thermal expansion - brick and cast iron. To do this, it is necessary to provide expansion joints, in which, as a rule, basalt cardboard or asbestos is used.
After masonry work has been completed, the surface can be tiled for decorative purposes.
Over time, even a high-quality bathtub becomes unusable, so old cast-iron vessels, as a rule, are sent to a landfill. Just don’t rush to do such an act, because you can use this product in a new way, give it a new life. For example, from an old bathtub you can make a pond in the country, a bench and even a stove. If you saw an old vessel crosswise, you will have an excellent DIY bathtub stove. It can be installed in a bathhouse or in a garden, the main thing is to know how to use a welding machine, because this process cannot be done without it. This material will help you with this; you will produce a high-quality, durable and useful structure.
To make a stove from a bathtub with your own hands, purchase and prepare all the materials, fixtures, and tools necessary for the work.
Important! You need to understand that sawing a cast iron structure, in particular a Soviet-made one, is quite difficult, because previously manufacturers did not spare the metal.
To work you will need the following tools:
Materials you will need:
As we have already said, making a stove from an old bathtub with your own hands is not so easy, and the most important and difficult process is cutting it. The most important stage is, of course, a high-quality cut of a massive structure.
Important! Do this at an angle so that the disc does not peel off the enamel when moving back. Make sure that the grinder does not overheat.
Having all the necessary tools at hand, you can complete the job in an hour.
Important! Since the bathtub must be cut exactly in half to make the intended structure, make sure that the symmetry is not broken.
After completing the preparatory work, deliver the cut bathtub to the installation site, and you can begin building the planned structure.
Perform production using this technology:
Important! This must be done, since the product will turn out heavy and it will begin to shrink without a reliable base. As a result, the entire structure may become deformed.
Important! In this case, it is better to close the cooking chamber, which can be used as an oven, with a metal damper. To ensure that the damper closes the chamber tightly, fasten a metal corner in front of it, and the distance from it to the front cut should be 2 mm greater than the thickness of the metal door. The handle on the damper must be protected from overheating to avoid burns, so it is better to make its gripping part from wood.
Important! As a result, you will get an excellent DIY bath stove. In the summer you can cook on it every day, thereby saving gas and electricity. It is worth noting that food prepared in this way turns out to be more tasty and aromatic than food prepared on a conventional stove.
In addition to the above method of transforming an old bathtub, there are many more interesting ideas that allow you to turn it into something really useful.
Let's take a closer look at the most successful of them:
The transformations of old cast-iron bathtubs amaze with their diversity, originality, and beauty. Therefore, do not immediately get rid of unnecessary plumbing fixtures; perhaps they can serve you for many more years, only in a different form!
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