The most word”sauna” sounds toasty and tantalizing in the dead of winter. Since snowflakes whirl along with the mercury stays stubbornly low, the idea of owning a wooden heat chamber right in your house might seem too tempting to resist.
Of course, warmth is not the sole benefit that provides. Proponents say that they cleanse toxins out of our systems, alleviate muscular aches and pains, and promote skin wellness and a host of other perks. Only ask a native of Scandinavia, where the 2,000-year-old sauna tradition is still going strong.
Installing a home sauna may be a significant undertaking, and you’re going to have a great deal of decisions to make. Here is an overview of everything you’ll want to do in order to prepare.
Marsh and Clark Design
1. Decide whether you’ll purchase a premade version or build your own. Some saunas come assembled and ready to installothers arrive in kit form and still others are custom built onsite. Or choose a mobile sauna, which does not need to be built to a fixed spot. Pricing varies widely, based on size, materials and many different factors, but you can find little, premade saunas for about $1,000 (uninstalled), whereas custom-built models can extend well to the five-figure range.
If your wiring won’t support the voltage that an electrical sauna requires (approximately 220 volts), you will want the support of a licensed electrician to correct it. Additionally, you might have to bring an exhaust port nearby to siphon off moisture created by the steam.
Gast Architects
2. Determine if you would like your sauna indoors or outdoors. Indoor saunas are more common, but outside saunas are a fantastic alternative if you don’t have the room indoors or if you would like your sauna close to a pool or overlooking an opinion. The downside: Exposure to the elements means it might need extra insulation to stay hot.
3. Know your options for materials. Cedar is the classic choice — it provides a nice fragrance, resists rust, does not splinter easily and does not absorb excess heat (translation: You won’t burn your bum sitting ). However, you may use other soft woods, like hemlock and spruce.
Many people choose concrete, tile or another durable substance for your sauna floor, because moisture will accumulate on a hardwood flooring and harbor bacteria development.
Birdseye Design
4. Choose your heating source. Essentially, saunas heat the body in two ways. A traditional wet-dry sauna employs an electrical or wood-burning heat supply with rocks to raise the air temperature to some stage between 160 and 190 degrees Fahrenheit, on average. You are also able to produce steam with the addition of water to the rocks from the heating element (therefore the”wet” component ).
The infrared saunas use a luminous heat component that communicates warmth right to the body instead of the atmosphere, so that you work up a sweat from inside. Purists do not consider infrared models authentic saunas, but these types have gained popularity in recent years. Infrared saunas are cooler (80 to 120 degrees) and may be gentler on the skin.
5. Determine the size you want. Consider how you plan to utilize it. Can it be party central or a solo escape? Choose a style that has space for the range of individuals that you want to adapt so that you’re not spending the money and energy to heat fresh space. You’ll also need to avoid creating the ceiling so high that heat rises above the level where occupants sit 7 ft is usually thought of as the maximum.
Most home saunas for household use measure involving 4 by 6 ft and 8 by 10 feet.
A couple sauna models are shown below; you can find more premade saunas from the Products section.
SaunaSupplyWorld.com
Western Red Cedar Canopy Barrel Sauna – $4,499
This ultracool cylindrical shape would function perfectly in a modern home.
SaunaSupplyWorld.com
HeatWave Buena Vista One-Person Infrared Sauna – $899.99
Short on space? This slim sauna offers just enough room for one.
SaunaSupplyWorld.com
HeatWave Hudson Bay Three-Person Corner Cedar Infrared Sauna with Carbon Heaters – $2,149.99
A three-person corner version slips neatly into an odd distance.
Bathroom Trends
Sauna Room
Can’t pick between a sauna and a steam room? Have . This combo version by Bathroom Trends unites two amenities in a single, compact package.