Building a Home Sauna

By Paul Bianchina

For centuries, people have extolled the virtues of the sauna. A short time relaxing in its warm, dry heat can relieve sore muscles, invigorate the skin, and contribute to a sense of calm. Once available almost exclusively at health clubs, many manufacturers now offer sauna kits for home use that are affordable, easy to install, and can be adapted to just about any home.

A sauna is essentially a room - by comparison, sizes range from a medium-sized closet to large bedroom - that is lined with wood and has a series of tiered benches along one or more walls. Saunas utilize a specially designed heating unit that actually heats a set of natural stones, raising the temperature in the room to 150 degrees or more while maintaining a very low relative humidity - typically only about 10 to 20 percent. Water can be poured onto the hot rocks to raise the humidity as desired by the individual users. The typical sauna has a ceiling height of only about 7' to trap in the heat, and users can move to higher or lower benches within the room to get more or less heat.

The size of the sauna is dictated primarily by how many people will be using it. As a general rule of thumb, most manufacturers recommend about 2 feet of bench space per occupant. The sauna can be placed just about anywhere - spare room, bathroom, basement, even outside.

Saunas do not require any plumbing connections, but they do require a dedicated electrical circuit to operate the heater. Some smaller heaters will operate on 120 volts, but most are wired for 240. Simple switch or timer controls regulate the heat output to preset levels.

Modular Sauna Packages

Modular saunas are ideal for remodelers and do-it-yourselfers of just about any skill level. Much of the work is done for you, required only a moderate amount of assembly. The package assembles into a completely self-contained sauna in sizes ranging from about 4' x 5' to 12' x 12', and custom sizes are available as well. Since it assembles into a free-standing room, it can be placed just about anywhere - making it an ideal choice when you only want to utilize part of the room for the sauna - and it's easy to disassemble and take with you when you move.

The modular kit is shipped with the wall and ceiling sections completely pre-assembled. Interior and exterior wood paneling is in place, and the sections are fully insulated and even partially pre-wired. All you have to do is bolt the sections together, assemble the interior benches, mount the heater and lights, and connect the pre-installed conduit to an electrical connection.

The typical kit contains wall and ceiling sections with clear cedar interiors, cedar benches and interior supports, a UL-approved sauna heater of the correct size for the dimensions of the sauna you've selected, temperature controls, a complete pre-hung door assembly, slatted cedar floor panels (intended as a walking surface over a waterproof floor such as concrete or ceramic tile), and a light, back rest, dipper, and a variety of other amenities.

Pre-cut Kits

If you'd like to save a little money by investing a little more of your time, you might want to consider a pre-cut sauna kit. Pre-cut kits are intended for use with an existing room that is already framed and drywalled, and once again, a waterproof floor is required.

The sauna kit contains everything you need to convert the completed room into a beautiful and efficient sauna, in sizes that typically range from about 4' x 4' to around 8' x 12'. If you have not completed the framing for the room, your least expensive option is to order a standard size kit and frame the room to the manufacturer's specifications. If you want to convert an existing room that doesn't exactly meet the kit dimensions, you can order a kit custom-cut to your specifications - it's more expensive, but saves you money in the long run since you don't have to alter the room dimensions.

The kit contains precut boards, typically western red cedar, with all of the necessary corner and ceiling trim, pre-assembled benches, heater, and all the other accessories that come with the modular kit. Options for either the modular or precut kit include a glass door and glass insert panels - which really help keep the smaller size units from feeling too closed in.

A Few Precautions

Never use any electrical component in a sauna that is not UL-rated, and make sure that circuits are of the correct size and all wiring is done by a qualified electrician. The door to the sauna should always open out, and should have a wooden handle and no locks of any kind. Also, the interior surfaces should never be treated in any way, since the high heat may cause paints and other coatings to give off toxic fumes.

Due to the high level of dry heat, you should always consult with your doctor prior to using a sauna, and always follow all of the manufacturer's specific safety and operating instructions.

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