What lamps to choose for a bath in the steam room?

The range of lighting products on the market today is huge and constantly expanding. But not all lamps are suitable for certain conditions and premises.

The article will discuss how to choose the most durable and suitable equipment for lighting a steam room in a bath.

Lighting devices are primarily used for their intended purpose - to add light to the room. But in the case of a steam room, they should be selected according to a number of criteria.

First of all, it is an aesthetic component. Lighting in the bath should have to rest, do not irritate the eyes, cause a pleasant and comfortable feeling. The second important point is safety, because in paired quite difficult operating conditions, the lamps must withstand them.

There are a few factors that need to be considered when selecting fixtures:

• High humidity. In some steam rooms, the moisture level is more than 90%. Not every device will cope with this indicator.
• Sharp temperature fluctuations. In many cases, the sauna is located on the street and is a separate building. Therefore, if you drown it in winter, the temperature difference can be from -40 degrees and below and up to +120 and above.
• Prolonged exposure to hot air. Bath is heated to high temperatures and can be in this state for hours.

Luminaires have a number of technical characteristics that make it easier to select them for use in the steam room.

The main characteristic for steam rooms is the degree of IP protection. It is marked with two numbers.

The first figure shows how the lamp is protected from various kinds of particles and mechanical effects. Figure 5 indicates that protection from external contacts and dust is complete. The second digit shows moisture resistance. Moisture-proof fixtures from small sprays that spread from any side are designated as 4.

According to the level of exposure to temperature It is necessary to stop the choice on devices capable of withstanding temperatures from 130 degrees. Consider the place of installation of the lamp.The closer it is to the ceiling, the more heat it must withstand.

And also need to provide sufficient illumination. It will depend on the number of devices, and their location, and power. Indicators of recommended power may vary for different types of lamps.

Another important selection criterion is the color of the lighting. The most favorable will be the usual yellow light.. It is comfortable for the eyes, creates an atmosphere of comfort and peace. White color is cooler and more disturbing. You can choose the color and backlight, but do not use it as the main. Bright shades can be an annoying and distracting factor when relaxing in the bath.

There are varieties of lamps, which can adjust the direction of light. It is comfortable in paired, unexpectedly and effectively. You can adjust the lighting according to specific conditions.

When choosing the type of lighting you need to think about how the system will look completely.

To do this, do not forget to consider the following parameters:

• room dimensions;
• Is it possible to provide electrical wiring;
• the maximum number of lamps for each device;
• room functions - a separate steam room, combined with a shower, wet or dry steam room; these conditions will affect the degree of humidity;
• the angles of the light flux devices.

As a result of studying all the above, it may seem that the number of factors is too large, and whether it is not easier to choose the lamp you like in the store. But compliance with these conditions will allow you to create a comfortable, beautiful, unusual and safe interior that will serve you for a long time.

First of all, it must be remembered that no matter how much the lamp is protected from high temperatures, it cannot be located directly near the furnace. This is an additional risk for the safety of the premises and your health.

Installing lighting in the steam room requires a special approach.

The layout should take into account important features:

• It is better not to install a clearly directed light, especially in the direction of the zone where the rest will sit. This will cause great discomfort.Scattered rays soften the environment and will not irritate the eyes.
• Ceiling lamps will be exposed to the maximum temperature effects, so get ready to change them quite often, even if they are high-quality heat-resistant products.

• All appliances must be equipped with protective shields or gratings. This will save others in the case of flying fragments.
• The ceramic base of the lamp is less susceptible to heat, and less likely to burn if accidentally touched.
• Consider sufficient illumination in areas of increased use. In the case of a steam room, this is the entrance, shelves on which vacationers sit, stones or a furnace where heating takes place.
• Additional lighting of important functional areas (shelves, doors, heater).

There are various options for installing fixtures. If you decide to mount them above the shelves, consider the height at which they will be installed so that users do not touch them with their body or touch their heads.

The best option to install would be the angle. It is unlikely that someone will sit there, so the device will not interfere. If according to the construction of the bath you need to place the lighting as close as possible to the ceiling, install appliances horizontally on the walls at the place of their connection with it.

It is necessary to consider what types of fixtures are to choose the option that suits you:

• Halogen lamps. This type is becoming increasingly popular due to its numerous advantages. Lamps have their own reflectors. Power is low (about 30 W), but the products withstand high temperatures. This is due, including their own design. The temperature inside the lamp reaches 400 degrees. The structure is designed in such a way as to protect the lamp from moisture and other influences as much as possible. Light is obtained naturally, comfortable for a person. Safety of use is also explained by the standard voltage required for operation. There are multi-colored species, but they are not widely represented on the market.
• Fluorescent lamps pretty easy to use. It is worth choosing products without an electromagnetic choke. A significant advantage of such lamps is the ability to control the brightness of the light. It adds convenience in application, and expands the possibilities for design.There are energy-saving variations for economical consumption. It is important to take into account the peculiarity of fluorescent lighting - it does not tolerate frost. And if your bath is on the street in the region with a cold winter, it is better to refuse to use them.

• Fiber optic devices very durable, withstand the most stringent requirements, but it is necessary to strictly follow the recommendations for their installation for fire safety. Instruments in the form of a harness can operate at temperatures up to 200 degrees. The diffuse stream of light and placement throughout give great scope for designer imagination.
• LED lights - a real fetish for designers. But in the case of the steam room have a somewhat limited use. Under normal conditions, LEDs are many times longer than ordinary lamps, but at high temperatures they quickly fail. If you still decide to install them in the steam room, place them close to the floor (under the shelves or behind them). Lighting can be quite bright and have any color. LED tape should be glued to non-flammable and eco-friendly bases using safe formulations.

Upon entering the lighting store, you need to immediately understand which appliances for installation in the steam room do not fit perfectly. These are ordinary incandescent bulbs. They are quite fragile and with the ingress of water droplets almost guaranteed to explode.

Most of the baths located on the backyards, however, like the saunas inside the country houses, are decorated with wood - most often with clapboard made of various wood species. In this case, I would like to supplement the interior with natural elements in order to maintain the integrity of the picture. Therefore, the decoration of lamps with wooden gratings has not only practical but also aesthetic value.

From a practical point of view, the grille protects the space from shrapnel when the lamp is damaged. The appearance of the same complements the peaceful and cozy atmosphere. The light breaking through the individual cells loses the annoying brightness and scatters gently and everywhere, creating interesting shadows and reflections.

The material for the decorative element can be the most diverse wood. If you like mono-interior, then the base can be from the same type of wood as the trim of the rest of the bath. Most often for this purpose choose linden. Linden wood has a pleasant light shade, is very durable, exudes a pleasant smell and has healing properties.

But if you are a fan of aromatherapy, you should pay attention to the products of coniferous crops (larch or cedar). For walls and ceilings, they will not work, since when they heat up, they release resins, and a small grille will emit a specific odor that has a beneficial effect on the nervous system. The product will serve you for many years.

When planning the design should pay attention to some features:

• It is necessary to take into account the shape and type of the fixture itself. It should be placed under the grate with a margin and conveniently mounted.
• The installation site significantly affects the protection design.If the lamp is located on the wall, then the grid shape can be any: rectangular, semi-circular, figured. If you install lighting in the corners, then the protection may be triangular or have another convenient number of edges.
• The lengths of the rails are selected according to the parameters of the lamps.

• If the product has sharp corners, roughness and unevenness, they must be sanded and smoothed. These manipulations carry not only a decorative component, but also increase the safety of operation - reduce the risk of injury or get a splinter.
• Fasteners must be hidden. In this case, you can use hardware and for fastening elements. If the heads of hardware are on the outer surface of the lattice, there is a risk that the guests will be able to burn themselves about them during the washing process.
• The shape of the rails depends mainly on your preferences. Rectangular elements are used for simple and strict products. They can be arranged in parallel rows. Products with different curves are suitable for curly intricate lattices. But the novice master will be harder to work with them. Although as a result you will get a unique design element.

In order to embody the most daring decorative ideas, can build a diffusing screen. It performs the same functions as the grille, but the possibilities for design are much greater.

Material for the execution of the product can serve not only wood. The bark, natural fabrics, ceramic products, plastic, and glass varieties cope excellently with protective functions. The most short-lived type of coating will be cardboard or paper.

In any case, the basis for the screen must fulfill a number of requirements:

• be strong enough for mechanical impact;
• do not heat above tolerable temperatures;
• to be fireproof and not emit toxic substances during combustion.

The selected material of a certain form or with holes and patterns applied on it is attached to the base. It all depends on your imagination: the starry sky, masks, animal figures, a month or the sun - all this will delight you for a long time.

Original and fashionable lighting is performed in such a way that shelves can act as a screen. Behind them are LED stripes that emit a vertically directed light.Unusual shine will make the interior unique.

The shelf area is well underlined by angular lighting. Wooden lattices in the tone of the main coating do not distract attention and make the situation complete and complete.

Hidden lights behind the backs at the shelves are complemented by original waves that form rack-mounted screens. Thus, the lighting becomes the central accent of the decor, but remains diffuse and unobtrusive.

The backlight, hidden under the shelves, with a soft yellow-white color makes a bulky design "float" in the air. The final element is directional lighting under the ceiling.

Spot lighting due to the originally selected identical angles of incidence of light forms a pattern on the walls and gives the atmosphere of mystery and mystery.

Figured wooden screen with a natural pattern will complement the natural interior. This decoration will not distract attention, but will serve as a highlight for the decor.

With the help of frosted glass and bluish backlighting you can achieve the effect of a window in a bath. It will visually expand the space and refresh the dark shades of wood used for decoration.

Glamorous pink color will appeal to the beautiful half of humanity. Heat-resistant LED strip provides reliable and safe lighting. But you need to take care of additional devices with a standard light in case your eyes get tired of the bright shade.

How to make your own lamp for the bath, see below.