Brick
We provide our clients with detailed information about our use of refractory bricks because the longevity of their stove will depend very much on the quality of the brick. We use fifteen different varieties produced in Russia, Austria, Germany, France and Great Britain. These can be divided into three groups: stove ceramic, stove fireclay and heat insulating. Of the first two groups high levels of heat resistance are required, as well as durability, heat storing capacity and resistance to thermal cycles. Low thermal conductivity is the key requirement of the third group.
In the stove design for a sauna in house, and especially in the calculation of its heat technology characteristics, we take into account not only the thickness of the stove walls, but also their heat storing capacity and thermal conductivity factor. This enables us to establish the stove's thermodynamics in advance, to ascertain the time the stove will take to reach operating mode as well as the temperature gradient in the stove body. Our furnaces are economical and environmentally friendly largely due to the additional insulation contours created by using a specific type of brick.
The geometry of the bricks used in production is extremely important. We strive to maintain an extremely fine seam - masonry grade 2-3. To achieve this we use bricks that are perfectly uniform in shape and size. Not every craftsman has the skills to lay a stove that meets our exceptionally high standards. The finer the seam, the less conflict encountered in thermal expansion, the greater the durability of the brickwork. All our bricks are calibrated prior to installation to ensure they meet the specifications of a single, standard size.
Mortar
Although it is not the only solution applied in our brickwork, we predominantly use a mortar consisting of baked and unbaked fine-ground clay, purified quartz sand, and water. Overall, we use six different types of mortar in the technical processes of stove-laying (the firebox, arch, channels, chimney), plastering, tile fixing, etc. As a rule, manufacturers of high quality bricks also supply mortar of the necessary fraction.
Cast Iron
The stove's cast iron nucleus is analogous to the shape of the Earth's core. The purpose of lighting the stove is to heat the core to a temperature of about 800-1000 degrees celsius. When cast iron is heated sufficiently it will begin to glow crimson. At this temperature, the stove will produce steam. When water is transformed into steam it assumes six hundred times more volume than the original liquid. As the water hits the stove and steam is produced, it makes a characteristic flapping sound. A very light steam is produced which means that breathing the air inside the vaporarium and heating the body through is gentle and easy. Only a stove with a red-hot core will generate a light steam.
Not all cast iron is fit for a sauna stove core. We use special alloys which have been tested in laboratories over many years. Our cast iron has proven its worth. It is scale resistant, indestructible, and sulphur free. Its main feature however, is that it remains inert when coming into contact with air, smoke and water. No-one wants to be distracted by the trace of acidic vapours whilst they are trying to enjoy a bathing session in their sauna at home.
That is not all. In order to guarantee a light steam the stove core must be heated through evenly. To achieve this effect, several other details must be taken into account, including the shape of the cast iron ingots and the order of their installation in the stove, as well as the geometry of the overall construction, including the sauna stones.
Not all cast iron is fit for a sauna stove core. We use special alloys which have been tested in laboratories over many years. Our cast iron has proven its worth. It is scale resistant, indestructible, and sulphur free. Its main feature however, is that it remains inert when coming into contact with air, smoke and water. No-one wants to be distracted by the trace of acidic vapours whilst they are trying to enjoy a bathing session in their sauna at home.
That is not all. In order to guarantee a light steam the stove core must be heated through evenly. To achieve this effect, several other details must be taken into account, including the shape of the cast iron ingots and the order of their installation in the stove, as well as the geometry of the overall construction, including the sauna stones.
Stones
In our sauna stoves we cover the cast iron core with stones so that a light steam is created on contact with stone rather than glowing cast-iron. We use only two kinds of stone in our stoves, the most important of which is nephrite jade. Thanks to its fibrous structure, this type of stone can withstand thousands of blast cooling cycles and temperatures of several hundred degrees celsius.
The true value of having nephrite jade at the sauna core lies in the stone’s special healing qualities. Nephrite jade has a beneficial effect on the entire body prolonging life and raising the spirits. Aside from anything else, the famous light steam produced from nephrite jade stone smells absolutely wonderful in a wood burning stove sauna. In Russia, nephrite jade used in sauna stoves is sourced from deposits in the Republic of Khakassia. In projects for our European customers we use nephrite jade deposits from Pakistan and Afghanistan which are no inferior in quality to their Russian equivalent. In all our stoves we use tumbled nephrite jade of strictly defined proportions.
The true value of having nephrite jade at the sauna core lies in the stone’s special healing qualities. Nephrite jade has a beneficial effect on the entire body prolonging life and raising the spirits. Aside from anything else, the famous light steam produced from nephrite jade stone smells absolutely wonderful in a wood burning stove sauna. In Russia, nephrite jade used in sauna stoves is sourced from deposits in the Republic of Khakassia. In projects for our European customers we use nephrite jade deposits from Pakistan and Afghanistan which are no inferior in quality to their Russian equivalent. In all our stoves we use tumbled nephrite jade of strictly defined proportions.
Fittings
We use a huge variety of different types of fittings. Here we describe the stove doors and firebox grate. The Austrian stove doors we source are multilayered in structure and they open and close smoothly. The design of the fire door also boasts special attributes. The grate can be made from a special chrome cast iron which makes its lifespan practically eternal. The condition of the fire grate affects the parameters of the pull, rate of burning and temperature mode and the overall resource of the stove itself. The stability of these conditions is a significant factor in the stove's operation.
The slide valves used in our stoves are manufactured to order. Their particular construction enables the user to control the stove with a single hand movement. We have always made the ergonomics of our stoves a priority factor. We make certain that no difficulty or inconvenience is encountered during the bathing session so that you can give yourself up completely to the banya's healing procedures.
The slide valves used in our stoves are manufactured to order. Their particular construction enables the user to control the stove with a single hand movement. We have always made the ergonomics of our stoves a priority factor. We make certain that no difficulty or inconvenience is encountered during the bathing session so that you can give yourself up completely to the banya's healing procedures.
Tiles
A digital prototype allows you to preview your vision of the ideal homemade sauna stove at its best. Your stove, already a masterpiece of technical design, can be really set off by an exquisite tile lining on a background of the sauna's comfortable and attractive interior panelling in select varieties of wood. Adding depth, colour and texture, a tile finish ensures that the stove is the pearl of the sauna whatever the characteristics of the interior space. The design of the tiles can range from strict black and white to flamboyant Baroque. The tile lining also provides an opportunity to embed a decorative themed panel into the stove’s surface, for example, with a maritime or hunting scene. There are no limits to the imagination.
Our tiles are nothing like ordinary glazed tiles. Mostly, they are made of chamotte clay akin to porcelain. With an ingenious three-dimensional shape and a depth of up to 6 cm, the tiles can be securely fastened to the stove. The challenge is to ensure long-term fastening. The technology we have developed for this task is one of the most perfect technologies currently available. We have added an additional heat insulating function to our tiles which is one of the reasons our sauna stoves maintain their heat for longer than any other kind of stove.
Only a relatively small number of manufacturers produce tiles of the quality we like our customers to enjoy. For the experts at Furnace Art Engineering, German tiles undoubtedly come first with Czech and Russian tiles coming a close second and their quality improving every year. Before any set of tiles is put into production, we create a digital design and visualization process. Once the tiles have been manufactured they are covered in a resistant glaze and fired. The geometry of the tiles depends on the firing and so this stage is crucial. A high-quality tile can be easily and accurately mounted on site.
Our tiles are nothing like ordinary glazed tiles. Mostly, they are made of chamotte clay akin to porcelain. With an ingenious three-dimensional shape and a depth of up to 6 cm, the tiles can be securely fastened to the stove. The challenge is to ensure long-term fastening. The technology we have developed for this task is one of the most perfect technologies currently available. We have added an additional heat insulating function to our tiles which is one of the reasons our sauna stoves maintain their heat for longer than any other kind of stove.
Only a relatively small number of manufacturers produce tiles of the quality we like our customers to enjoy. For the experts at Furnace Art Engineering, German tiles undoubtedly come first with Czech and Russian tiles coming a close second and their quality improving every year. Before any set of tiles is put into production, we create a digital design and visualization process. Once the tiles have been manufactured they are covered in a resistant glaze and fired. The geometry of the tiles depends on the firing and so this stage is crucial. A high-quality tile can be easily and accurately mounted on site.
