

Instead, you’ll need concrete, ceramic tile, or high-quality vinyl. That may sound like a lot, but there’s a lot more involved in building a sauna than nailing up some cedar and installing a wood stove.įlooring: “A wood floor isn’t sufficient because it will absorb moisture and odor,” Marilyn Tarkiainen, vice president of Finlandia Sauna, explains.

The national average cost of hiring someone to build a sauna that seats four: $4,500. Still sound intimidating? Then consider hiring a dedicated sauna builder to get it done (more on that next). Some companies, such as Finlandia Sauna, manufacture kits that can be customized for any size. If you have the DIY gene, you could be the one to turn an existing outdoor shed or unused closet in your house into a sauna. While both types of sauna will make you work up a sweat, infrared saunas’ claim to remove more “20 percent more toxins” through its dry heat is dubious at best. While infrared saunas are a hot trend that comes Goop-approved, the answer is no.Īn infrared sauna uses special lights, rather than steamy hot air, as heat. “People are often concerned that a window will cause too much heat loss or fog up, but in Finland, they don’t build saunas without windows.” Are steam saunas and infrared saunas the same? “Having a connection to nature is important,” says Shenholm. “A room with a higher ceiling will be more difficult to heat and less efficient,” Shenholm says.Īnd if you value authenticity, consider a window. For instance, have five people in your family who’ll chill in your sauna? The structure you build should accommodate them all.Īim for a square room about 6-foot-6 on a side, with a ceiling height of 7 feet.

Ideally, “the size of the room should accommodate the most common pattern of use,” says Shenholm. That said, “the indoor sauna is more convenient to use, and perhaps more family-friendly.” “It’s more authentic, provides a closer link to nature, and is uncommon enough in the U.S. “Freestanding is common in Finland and other parts of the world where saunas have been around for 2,000 years,” Shenholm explains. Where to put a saunaĪccording to Nils Shenholm, founder and principal of Solhem Sauna in Duxbury, VT, there are two types of saunas to choose from: traditional (a stand-alone structure outside your home) and modern (a sauna that’s situated inside your house). Warming to the idea of a sauna at home? Here’s what to know. There’s also the obvious: Saunas “are fun and make you feel excellent afterward,” says Eero Kilpi, founder and president of the North American Sauna Society. Research shows that sitting in steamy high temps of 158–212 degrees Fahrenheit can improve the health of your heart, open your pores, manage your asthma, and even possibly lower your risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Because who really wants to brave the cold to share a sauna with strangers at the gym when you could sweat it out within the comfort of your own home?
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Come winter, many might wonder how to build a sauna at home.
