Anyone who has not experienced the pleasure of a Jacuzzi, who has not squinted in the bliss of the rustling water in fragrant foam, who has not recognized music in the hum of a compressor, needs to try it urgently.
And then you will want to have your own bathtub in your own bathroom. If you don’t have the funds to purchase an expensive item, there is a simple and original way out.
Make a bath yourself and install it in your apartment or country house! Then relaxing at home or in nature will become a complete pleasure.
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Types of Jacuzzi
First of all, let's see what types of hydromassage baths are in general. Based on the type of massage, they are divided into the following types:
- With air massage. The air pumped by the compressor is supplied through the nozzles.
- With hydromassage (jet massage). Jets of water are supplied, which is taken by a pump directly from the font.
- Combined. These baths offer both types of massage.
Detergents should not be used in whirlpool baths, as they may clog the jets.
Jacuzzi in the country
In addition, Jacuzzis differ in shape. The following options are available to the user:
- Rectangular. Usually designed for one person, since a large volume of water would deform a bathtub of this shape. Installed against the wall.
- Round. In such baths, the weight of the water does not cause bending forces to appear in the wall, but only tensile ones, so its volume can be quite large. Jacuzzis for several people are made exactly round. Among all the options, this bathtub takes up the most space, so it is only suitable for spacious rooms.
- Angular. And this, on the contrary, is an option for compact spaces. The fact is that the corner is the least popular area of the room and when installing a bathtub here it will seem that the free space has hardly decreased. It should be borne in mind that a corner Jacuzzi is slightly less convenient to use than a round or rectangular one.
The listed types of baths are the main ones. In addition to them, polygonal, arbitrary-shaped, angular asymmetrical (somewhat elongated to one side), etc. are produced.
Jacuzzi in the floor
Speaking about the types of Jacuzzis, one cannot fail to note the material of the bowl, on which a lot depends. The buyer has the following options to choose from:
- Steel bathtubs: a very popular option because it combines a number of advantages: reasonable cost, high strength, low weight. The disadvantage is the high rate of cooling of the water, but in the case of a Jacuzzi this does not really matter: when a large amount of air at room temperature is passed through the water (air massage), it will quickly cool down regardless of what material the bowl is made of.
- Cast iron: the only “advantage” of these heavy and expensive bathtubs is that the water in them does not cool down so quickly. But for a Jacuzzi, this advantage, as just said, is not very relevant.
- Acrylic: a plastic bathtub is a budget option. It is cheap, but very fragile, and the surface is easily scratched.
Along with indoor Jacuzzis, outdoor ones are also available. The bowl is usually made of acrylic, but with reinforcement.
Designer version of the jacuzzi
Those who find making a full-size bathtub too complicated may be interested in a special variety - a mini-jacuzzi. This bath is designed to massage the feet, which, as you know, have many biologically active points.
Next, we will look at two options for homemade massage baths - a simplified one and a slightly more complex one.
Hydromassage is a wonderful device for relaxation after a hard day at work. Installing a jacuzzi and the procedure for connecting it to utilities is the topic of the next article.
The options and functions of hot tubs are described in detail here.
You can read about the distinctive features of cast iron whirlpool baths in this article.
Required tools and materials
To work you will need the following:
- drill and drill bit with a diameter of 1.5 mm;
- knife;
- heater for welding polypropylene pipes.
For the second, more complex option, construction tools will be required:
- Master OK;
- putty knife;
- grout;
- level;
- plumb line
You also need to prepare materials:
- polypropylene pipes and corners;
- tee made of the same material;
- flexible polymer hose.
If you have an old, no longer used clamshell, the aluminum tubes of its frame can be used instead of plastic ones.
For a more complex option, you will still need to prepare:
- brick;
- cement;
- sand.
Purchase ceramic tiles and waterproof adhesive for them.
How to make a jacuzzi with your own hands from an ordinary bathtub
So, let's start with the simplest solution: we will make an air massager that can be installed in a regular bathtub, and removed after the procedure. It is done very simply:
- A frame is assembled from aluminum or plastic tubes of such a size that it fits on the bottom of the bathtub with some spacer force (then it will not dangle). If a plastic pipe is used, such a frame can be made with crossbars (several tees are needed) so that it looks like a ladder.
- A tee is cut into one of the frame tubes.
- Holes with a diameter of 1.5 mm are drilled in the frame tubes every 100 mm. All of them are performed on one side - the one that, after installation in the bathtub, will face the user, that is, upward.
- A plastic hose is connected to the outlet of the tee.
- All that remains is to connect the free end of the hose to the vacuum cleaner on the air discharge side.
Jacuzzi from a regular bathroom
To turn an ordinary bath into an air massage bath, just place this product in it and turn on the vacuum cleaner. After the procedure, the frame is removed and the bathtub can again be used in the usual way.
Option for a summer residence
If you want to spend time in a Jauzi not only at home, but also at your summer cottage, you can easily do this. There are a huge variety of models that are designed for outdoor use: these can be heated inflatable bathtubs , as well as stationary outdoor Jacuzzis . You can find information about them in special articles.
But you can also make a country jacuzzi with your own hands. The same design as we discussed above. It can be used not only for a regular bath, but also for a suburban area where a swimming pool or other water container is installed. Some even manage to use a wheel from a huge tractor as a homemade swimming pool.
Jacuzzi for rooms with concrete floor
In this option, it is proposed to make the bath bowl yourself by lining its walls with brick.
In this case, “concrete floor” means a slab or a home-made foundation on the ground, but not an interfloor slab.
The work order is as follows:
- A recess is knocked out in the concrete floor, the dimensions of which correspond to the dimensions of the bowl. If the bathtub is designed for two, then the optimal size would be 2x1.5 m.
- The walls of the recess are leveled and polished with a grinder. The bottom can be leveled with a cement-sand screed.
- A circuit with holes is assembled from plastic or steel pipes in the same way as was done for a regular bath (see above). It must have an outlet for connection to the compressor.
- The assembled circuit is placed in a recess and filled with cement, but not completely, but so that the upper part with holes protrudes by 1 - 2 cm. Before pouring, you need to install and connect to the sewer a water drainage device with a lid (ladder), if it is intended to be installed in the floor. But a drain hole can also be made in the wall by placing a piece of pipe in the masonry.
- A pipe or hose is connected to the outlet of the circuit, through which air will be pumped into it by a compressor.
- A brick rim is built around the recess, so that the depth of the homemade jacuzzi will ultimately be approximately 50 cm.
The walls are plastered with a solution containing liquid glass (provides water resistance), after which the inside of the bathtub is covered with special waterproof tiles for finishing swimming pools.
It must be glued to “liquid nails” or special tile adhesive. The tiles laid on the bottom where the pipes are located must be trimmed accordingly.
Self-installation of a jacuzzi
As a result, the outline should only slightly peek out from the cladding. Choose tiles without a pattern. Otherwise, the image on adjacent trimmed tiles will not match, and this is very noticeable.
- After a day or two, when the glue has completely hardened, the joints are grouted with a waterproof silicone-based compound.
- If the bathtub is adjacent to a wall, the latter must be protected from moisture with a special side.
The bath must be located in such a way that there is easy access to the pipes and equipment for maintenance.
Jacuzzi installation
It is very advisable to equip a homemade jacuzzi with a water heating device. As already mentioned, during aeromassage the air takes away a lot of heat. If there is no heater in the bath, the user will not be able to fully relax, since he will have to constantly add hot water.
The heater must be manufactured in accordance with all electrical safety rules, so only a purchased version should be used - a homemade one can be hazardous.
Important technical points ↑
When creating a whirlpool pool using brickwork, you should, if possible, round all corners. The sharp edges of ceramic tiles must be hidden. The shape and size of such a bathtub depend solely on your imagination: it can be simply square or oval, or it can have many intricate curves and a multi-level bottom. In the photo you can appreciate the different shapes of the jacuzzi.
However, it should be understood that the biggest difficulty remains achieving tightness. It is necessary to use liquid glass: it is added to the masonry mortar. In addition, injection waterproofing is effective: it closes the pores of the material, preventing moisture from penetrating its structure. The seams between ceramic tiles are filled with moisture-resistant silicone-based grout. The joints with the walls are sealed using special sides. To cover the inner walls of a Jacuzzi with a complex shape, it is recommended to choose tiles without a pattern, otherwise, when cutting, its attractiveness will be lost. Joining elements with an incomplete pattern is impossible. Access to air ducts and water pipes, as well as to the compressor and pump, must be maintained. For this purpose, inspection hatches should be provided. They can be tiled so as not to be conspicuous.
Compressor installation
The set of equipment that will need to be installed on a homemade jacuzzi bathtub depends on what type of massage it is designed for:
- aeromassage: it is enough to install only a compressor;
- aeromassage and hydromassage (supplying jets of water): in addition to the compressor, you will need a pump.
When choosing the second option, it is necessary to provide a hole in the wall of the bowl through which the pump will draw water to supply it to the massage circuit.
The equipment does not add aesthetics to the bathtub, so it should be installed hidden. To do this, a recess is made in the floor or a niche in the wall, which will be covered with a lid. The switches connected to the devices must be installed in some place convenient for the bather - on the bath itself or nearby on the wall.
Don't want to go through the hassle of installing a jacuzzi? Buy a hydromassage bath mat that does not require special installation but performs similar functions.
The types of whirlpool baths, as well as their sizes and prices are listed in the following article.
Video on the topic
Looking at the prices for hot tubs, you might think that almost space technology was used in their manufacture.
But if you think about it, there cannot be anything complicated in such a device: a pump, a compressor, several perforated tubes or nozzles - that’s all.
And if so, why not try to make your own hot tub? Let's see how this can be done.
Operating rules
To avoid possible problems, follow these recommendations:
- Install coarse filters on the water supply in front of the jacuzzi so that the holes for supplying water jets (hydromassage) do not become clogged with sand.
- To prevent the pump and compressor from failing due to overheating, limit massage sessions to 30 minutes and after each one, turn off the equipment for at least 10 minutes.
If there is a hydromassage function, periodically pump a disinfectant solution through the pump and massage circuit.
To do this, you need to fill the bathtub and dissolve a special disinfectant composition in water (you can buy it in stores like “bath supplies”), then let the equipment run for 10 minutes.
Video on the topic
In the modern world, it is difficult to find a person who has not heard anything about the enormous benefits of hot tubs . Everything would be fine, but these fonts are not cheap. Not everyone can afford such an expensive pleasure.
Or maybe the bathtub has already been installed, repairs have been made, and there is no desire to change the font just for the hydromassage function.
Don’t be upset, you can save a lot by making a jacuzzi with your own hands from an ordinary bathtub. This is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance - details below.
