DBUG> re: Steam Room

[Stu Chait <s_chait@chaitstudios.com>]

>The walls will be finished with
>culture marble or tile decided by the client at a later date, over 'green'
>moisture resistant bathroom drywall.
>But my concern and question is the condensation that has to develop between
>the membrane and the
>interior of the steam room. We are located in the southwest, and the temp
>difference is not as great as it would
>be in a more northern climate. The one exterior wall that the steam room is
>against is well insulated as it is built
>with foam/concrete. (RASTRA) The rest of the walls will be typical 2x4
>construction. Knowing the properties of
>water and moisture this environment has to cause, there has to be a
>potential for a future problem, if there is no
>way for it to moisture to 'escape.'

Peter --

Although located in Rochester, NY, I think that condensation concerns are
universal. Having just completed an athletic club with both sauna and steam
facilities, our steam room wall - ceiling detail is as follows:

Either G-90 galv. metal studs or PT studs covered with 6 mil. poly. Then
cement board (not green board), covered with a waterproofing membrane, and
ceramic tile with latex thin set mortar and grout. The sauna room is a
little different, except that the wood finish panels go directly over poly
over greenboard over studs. The interesting thing is that in the sauna, the
actual air temp. is not that hot, so that as long as the vapor barrier is
intact, the studs won't see the light of day as the case may be. Several
sauna mfg's chimed in on that one...

Stu Chait  AIA  CSI  NCARB
CHAIT STUDIOS
s_chait@chaitstudios.com
www.chaitstudios.com




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