Building a backyard sauna
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- Опубліковано 4 лют 2025
- I'll take you through my experience building a sauna from framework to finished build. I used many reclaimed materials including old steel siding, chalkboard slate, and the cedar interior siding.
I'm not a professional builder. This will not win awards for beauty and design. But it works amazing well, smells great, and fills the room with rich heat and steam. Total cost was under $5k, compared with a delivered pre-built sauna this size costing well over $20k.
I was inspired by other UA-camrs sharing their projects, so this video is my way of giving back. I hope it inspires someone to give it a try.
Very nice!. Congratulations. As a Finn I appreciate that you have the good sence to throw WATER on the stove. This, to my amazement, is not understood to all sauna builders here on YT.
As a Finnish guy i am i spotted few things you might want to change, first the benches, we make them removable so they are easier to clean, also make tiny gap between wall and the bracket that holds the bench that way the wall does not trap moisture too much and the wall does not start to rotten over time.
Second important is fresh air ventile, even it is sauna you will want that. Helps drying the sauna too after use too.
🙂
Makes sense! I don’t see many saunas around here with removable benches, but I can see how that would help clean.
@@JohnThainTV could also get sauna stones for the stove but over all nice build
@@JohnThainTV Also one crucial mistake. The floor should be on an angle and have a drainage, You dont want water laying down drying there. Maybe build something on top of your floor and try to make a drainage, as this is pretty big mistake. Or take the wood flooring out and have bare concrete. On top of the concrete put rubber mats.
@@heikkis8564 This isn’t the type of sauna where you dump buckets of water all over yourself. Whatever splashes on the ground just evaporates. We go outside to dump water on our heads. if this was a commercial sauna, and you had messy guests, this would indeed be an issue. I pulled up a floor board, it is bone dry, no mildew.
Csn u provide a link to removable benches?
As a few Finns have already commented, some improvements should be made to get a really good sauna experience, and the most important of them is improving the ventilation. A small ventilation hole in the wall is not enough. You have to make sure that air also gets on top of the stove and in the sauna room under the door. You also have to make sure that the air can escape both during the sauna and also after the sauna. Even if you don't wash you in the sauna, the steam bath moisturizes all surfaces and they become moldy if they don't dry properly. There are more saunas in Finland than cars, and we have a thousand years of experience in how to build a good sauna. It is worth learning online what is required for a good sauna.
Great, thanks!
I don’t see an exhaust vent.
Window to be used as exhaust??
Intake & exhaust needed to prevent mould and for a more comfortable sauna.
😂🤣every sauna expert in the world is here in your comment section. I’m revamping my old sauna and really enjoyed the video. Thanks for the inspiration. 👍🇨🇦
I’ve watched SO MANY videos about building a sauna. Yours is the BEST in terms of SIMPLICITY of building a sauna, and most importantly, making the sauna floor. I came to your video through the link in Morrison Stove Company. I’m looking into buying one of their stoves.
Thanks! I’m super happy with my stove. Good luck with your sauna!
Cool Project, everyone needs a sauna :-)
Beautiful build, John! I love that you used old materials to build the sauna. I am looking to do something along these lines and seeing how it turned out in your video gave me further hope.
Thanks! Old materials certainly helped keep the cost down, although it does take more time. But it adds character and keeps things out of the landfill. Worth it!
I enjoyed seeing your home grown build. It was nice to see you include your Son. The reclaiming of the wood to repurpose was really neat. You preserved the history and knowing that at some moment back in time, kids carved into the cedar whatever made sense to them at that moment in time. The wood burning stove really adds the charm. Low voltage lighting set up was smart. Enjoy your creation and time spent, My Friend.
Thank you very much!
Well done Good to see someone building from scratch using bits and pieces and making a great job without spending unnecessarily
Oh wow! Thats one beautiful sauna! 👍😎🇨🇦🌲🔥❄
115 subscribers? 10k in no time. thank you for this awesome wholesome video + explanations on costs and materials. looking forward to following your journey!
Thanks, I will make an update video on this at some point. Hopefully this winter.
I just use my attic as a sauna.
Lol😅
Great build, what I learned coming from Europe, saunas can be made our of any scrap wood. I personally liked the fresh saw mill look. I turned my shed into a sauna as well. Can't wait for summer to end. Been collecting wood from all over.
Absolutely! Just make sure your benches are comfortable, I've seen them made out of fresh cut pine, and the sticky sap was not ideal for bare skin..
I am watching this for the vicarious sauna experience. That looks soooo relaxing. God, I need a schvitz.
THIS IS EXCELLENT
I am super surprised someone as creative as you didn't think that it might be interesting to dig down and see what someone else cemented up......
Brilliant video! Will be taking more than a few pointers from this build, thanks for taking the time to put it together 🤙
Thats a great build 👍👍
Great video boss.
Well done!
beautiful job man!
Beautifully done! Great detail while not too much info, and excellent craftmanship! i wish you could build me one!
This is a wonderful video. I am in the framing stages of my backyard sauna build, and I learned a lot of little details from your video. Thank you!
Cool build, cool video
You should do more building videos, very well done
Thank you! No new big projects planned yet. But if I get the chance to make another video, I’ll do it, it’s been fun
great video!
Good job
Looks good. You might want to look an online guide on sauna stones and how to choose and pile those to get the best sauna experience. If those are too loose, the stones will not transfer heat from the bottom to top as effectively.
Great job. Love the combination of the building and the reclaimed materials
Thank you very much! It pays to have a friend who collects things
Great video!
Congratulations. Having tackled numerous diy projects myself I can see the time and dedication that has gone into this. If it was me it would easily have sucked up 6 months of free evenings and weekends. Great video production also. I've just subscribed.
Cheers, sweet build. Thanks for including a link to my video 🙂
Yeah! Yours was one of the best I saw, and a big inspiration for making this video.
Nice!
great work, i'll be building one soon too.
awesome, real good job
I like how your upper bench is along the angled ceiling. That way you can accommodate a range of upper body heights.
Shortys on the left!
the character on those siding boards is incredible, can't find wood like that anymore!
Looks like we will building a twin to this at our new place. Glad to see you are doing well!
Really?? That’s great! You won’t regret it!
amzing build. I'd deffo be taking inspiration for my upcoming sauna build.
Amazing
Really enjoyed this!
I love it thinking of building my own at home too ,thanks for the great video
Go for it!
Well done, thanks for sharing
Love the vid
Good effort!
Great video
Thanks!
Love it. I've been thinking about making one very similar in size and style in my own back yard. Thanks for the inspiration😊
Go for it! We are using this weekly.
Nice!👍🏻
Great video! Love to see projects to come!
easy and simple. like it
Great job!
Thank you!
Dude. Nice work. Looks Amazing!
Thanks Tim! Come on up!
Atkin is about an hour away so was glad you mentioned where you picked up the stove.
The stove is really well made. Highly recommend for backyard sauna if you need to save a few bucks.
Supernice build! Did you use a moisture barrier between the concrete and the wood(/walls)?
Lucky man to get those cedar boards for cheap or nothing!! - I did sauna project last year... loving every second of it!
Best regards from Norway
Thumbs up for Shauna
I have built an exterior sauna about 5 years ago, I used the same foil backing with airspace behind the cedar boards. I was worried about adding plastic to the shell of the building but the client purchased it and I figured it would be fine behind 1 1/2” TG cedar. No issues yet but I am open to hearing different options for in between insulation and wood.
No issues on mine either
Bob is a legend.
He really is!
Future mold factory
I was thinking, man this guy sounds kinda Canadian. Then you mentioned the high school and I realized you're in northern MN, so that explains it lol.
I’m actually a Wisconsin/Alaskan/Minnesota mix. 😂
I helped build a cottage by a lake for our family with a sauna about the same size. Like some comments pointed out, every sauna I've seen has 1/3" or so gaps between the planks where you sit on, but overall looks like a great sauna! The salvaged wood make it look like those old traditional smoke saunas
Thanks! I used a screw to gap the seat boards, so there is some gap there, doesn’t seem to be a problem. Most of the old boards have slightly lumpy edges, so I didn’t bother gapping them.
There's nothing John Thain can't do. My opinion of you remains unreasonably high.
Beautiful job
great work!
Thank you!
very nice :) greetings from Poland
Greetings from Duluth, MN!
The Stones and their Heating and Placement Methods
The sauna room is an ancient and enjoyable therapy that brings many benefits to the body and mind. In the sauna room, stones play a crucial role. This article will focus on the role of sauna room stones, why they need to be heated, and how to place them properly.
Firstly, let’s talk about the role of sauna room stones. Stones serve as the heat medium in the sauna room and have excellent insulation properties, allowing them to maintain high temperatures for a long time. When the sauna stove heats the stones, they absorb heat and release it in the sauna room, creating a warm and comfortable environment. Additionally, the stones help maintain humidity, keeping the air in the sauna room moist. The insulating and humidifying characteristics of the stones are essential for creating an ideal environment in the sauna room.
To make the most of the stones’ role, we need to heat them. There are several reasons for heating the stones. Firstly, heating increases their temperature, allowing them to release more heat This results in higher temperatures the sauna room and better therapeutic effects. Secondly, heating helps evaporate moisture on the surface of the stones, ensuring appropriate humidity in the sauna room. Lastly, heating also helps remove dirt and bacteria from the stones, keeping them Role of Sauna Roomclean and hygienic.
Before heating the stones, we need to choose suitable ones. The commonly used stones in sauna rooms are granite or basalt because they have excellent insulation and high-temperature resistance. Additionally, we should select stones with smooth surfaces and no cracks to avoid any hazards during the heating process.
When placing the stones, we need to pay attention to proper arrangement. Firstly, distribute the stones evenly above the sauna stove. This ensures even heat distribution and uniform temperature throughout the sauna room. Secondly, we can also place some stones at the bottom of the sauna room to increase radiant heat. This way, even in the lower positions, people can feel the warm heat. Lastly, to maintain the stones’ humidity, we can sprinkle water on them to generate steam.
It is important to note that the placement of stones should comply with the design and safety regulations of the sauna room. When placing the stones, avoid stacking them too high to prevent them from slipping or becoming too heavy, which may cause danger. Additionally, there should be a certain distance between the stones and the sauna stove to prevent the stones from overheating and cracking.
In conclusion, sauna room stones play a significant role in sauna therapy. By heating and placing the stones properly, we can create a comfortable, warm, and humid sauna environment, helping the body and mind relax and recover. Therefore, in the construction and use of sauna rooms, we should pay attention to the selection, heating, and placement of stones to ensure the effectiveness and safety of sauna therapy.
www.smartmakshop.com
"So this branch will have to do for now"
We all know that that branch is gonna be the handle to the day it just totally rots away.
Yep! 😂
Holy smokes. Same as you, building a sauna but can't afford freshly milled hardwood. I was gonna settle with lower quality scraps I can get quickly, but seeing how it turned out with the cedar thick planks, I'm gonna invest some more energy getting better quality wood. Love the door handle too lol
If I didn't have already my own design finished, I would have copied yours almost exactly with one small difference : I would have risked the straight up exhaust pipe and put a second protection layer between roof and insulation to drain the water outside in case in goes through silicine sealer, because I would be more concerned about maintenance of the heat source, its risk of chimney fire if i'm the one doing maintenance, and its efficiency than leakage that you can easily drain (unlike in a house).
Maybe also an airflow grid that you can close off when you turn in the sauna, and re-open when you're not using it. I would be concerned about mold forming if you are not using it for a while for whatever reason. Not important if you use it often since you made a window
Craigslist and Facebook marketplace are good places to start but I would’ve never gotten the wood I ended up with if it wasn’t for my neighbor and friend Bob. Everyone needs a friend like Bob.
@@JohnThainTV well if Bob ever goes to Europe with a cargo boat, give me a holler 😄
hahaha I think a lot of new sauna builders go over board about insulation , especially when you have a wood stove in a small sauna.I have a big big window in mine. I don't like dark saunas. I had my sauna up to 220.. So hot I couldn't even touch the walls and needed a lot of cold water and was rolling naked in the snow.
Love the vid and inspiration, I'm in Minneapolis and am going to order my stove from Morrison Stove Co. Could you do a quick longer term review / follow up video of maybe do's and don'ts, what worked really well and what did not? Thanks!
Yeah! After 6 months with the stove, it still works great, no complaints. Easily heats the 7x7x7 space. My wood is a little wet, so I have the door cracked just 1/4 inch to get enough air to the fire. I’ll do a follow up video this winter.
i would recommend adding a better stove. when you threw water onto the rocks the water hardly vaporized. Also you should use proper sauna rocks! Harvia is a good bard that makes proper sauna stoves
Hey John. Thank you for the video and the willingness to try building a sauna. I wonder if you would make a follow-up video or comment about learnings from your process?
Thank you! Regarding an update video: Yes! Hopefully this winter. There are a few things I would like to tweak before it gets too cold to work comfortably outside, mostly regarding the stove pipe. I'll film it, and share my thoughts. I used it a ton in the spring, but very little during the heat of summer. It'll be sauna season soon!
Hey John,
Great video and thank you for sharing! Oddly enough, we're also just finishing up a shed/sauna combo using an existing slab & shed. I'm curious about the light setup that you used. Do you happen to have a link to the panel and 12v system that you used? Also, have you found that those lights hold up in the heat & humidity of the sauna? The lighting is the one piece of our build that I haven't figured out yet, so I'd be interested in using that setup.
Thanks!
Trevor
Top solar is the brand of solar controller, and I have not had any issues with it. The lights are not great, I’m looking into a replacement. They get hot up there, and are touch activated, which does not work well with wet sweaty fingers, and nearly burns you when you touch it, if the stove has been going for a while.
This is niceeee
Appreciate you!
Hi great vid! plz supply a sauna update. still happy with it, any improvements?
Oh yeah, we use it weekly now that the weather is cold. The only change is a planned improvement to the chimney pipe, making it safer by adding more gap (2 inches) from wood.
Nice I'm going to make one like that If I have the energy I'll upload a video as well
Post a link if you do!
After you are done "saunaing" , "and have installed the air vent hole close to the seeling, put some firewood into the stove. It helps drying up the sauna.
Wicked!
Dis nåt sana...is sauna. Rimember. Fellov..
Dånt fårgärt väntiläisen..
Nice build 👌 I wish I could build stuff out of wood I only know how to fix smashed cars
My friend recently had a Sauna built and they used the same Company, Morrison Stove Co. out of Northern Minnesota! They purchased the outside feed version, though. It's cool to see a familiar small family company on your video! The stove works wonders in their sauna.. Hows it holding up for you? Any updates? I'm thinking about buying one from them.
Still works great, no issues at all. Plenty of heat. It's a simple stove, not as efficient as, for example, a Kuma stove, and cleaning it is a manual, dirty process. Make sure you get an ash tray. Also, I recommend having a window so you can see the flame, unless it is an outside feed.
Great video. What was the light that you used? Was it sold specifically as a sauna light? And if not, how's it working now?
It’s just a 12v RV reading light and it’s not built very well, pretty cheap plastic. However it is still working after 6 months of weekly saunas and it has gotten very hot. You have to touch it to turn it on and off. I’ll probably replace it, but it works for now.
Is the foam insulation you are using for the floor approved for the high temperatures of a sauna?
Not sure what they are rated at, but they stay cool. The stove sits on cement and the heat rises. Even after a few hours of sauna, the floor boards are not that warm, and the foam sits under the boards.
@@JohnThainTV Thanks for your reply. The traditional Finnish sauna actually has no insulation (even the ones outside) and even a slot at one of the ends of the floor, to let the water out. In the commercial gym sauna I use, the floor is ceramic, with a drain. Wood slats rest on top. So I was wondering how the heat and water is managed when the insulation is right there, and you sweat a lot in a sauna.
@@bengt_axle Time will tell, but unless you are really messy with the water, it should just evaporate. I’ll pull up a floor board next year and check for anything funky.
@@JohnThainTVevaporate and go where?
@@tmuxvim out the vents and window
Hi, why did you use 'blowing insulation' over regular sheets above the drop ceiling? Thanks.
Hi great build, what temps you can get in it?
Plenty! Fill the stove, open the vents, and you will be well done in no time. Takes about 45 minutes to get hot
Looking good! im just wondering how hot does the stove heat up the room? Like whats the temperature?
It’ll easily cook you right out of there even on the coldest days. Not sure how accurate my thermometer is, but I’m seeing 160-200f.
This is an inspiring video, thank you! Really gives me some ideas for my own sauna project.
Two Harbors high school and Aitkin, huh? I gotta' ask, are you near Duluth? We might almost be neighbors!
Gary New Duluth!
@@JohnThainTV Hah! We would have been neighbors a few years ago. We lived in Gary for a while, now up near Island Lake.
I am looking to build a sauna with metal siding too so this was helpful. Question for anyone: Is your window thermal glass and does this matter? thanks
Stick with single pane glass as anything else like two pane will crack or blow up from the heat.
Floor drain?
No drain. We try not to spill too much water, and it evaporates without issue.
Book
Finnish Sauna Design by Lassi Lakkanen is worth checking out
Great video! Did you add any type of floor drain or had any issues with moisture at the floor level? Looking to start our project next spring.
No drain. Some people like to dump water or even shower in the sauna, but I’ll just do that outside. I try to minimize spills, and it just evaporates.
Looks great, only thing I'm wondering is did you consider using an electric hand planer to go over all the cedar boards instead of sanding? It would have been much easier to just take off 1/64" rather than using the belt sander. I hate sanding though so that is why I thought of it.
I considered it, but a hand planer isn’t wide enough, so you’d probably get grooves that would need sanding anyway. A full size bench planer would have been nice, then just a quick sand with 240 grit.
Question: did you tongue and grove or laid board next to each other? Need an advice. Thanks. Looks good!!!
I just laid them next to each other, these boards came from old bleachers so they already had rounded corners. I didn’t want the extra work ripping in t and g. Also wanted to preserve the aged wood. The downside is that there are some gaps where you can see the reflectix insulation.
Where you get fan on chimney ?
You can find them online, or fire place stores. Not sure it does much honestly, and it can get in the way of pouring water.
What is going on with that fan tied to the stove pipe?
It’s a heat fan. Helps move air around a bit. $40 on Amazon and already broken. It was nice for two weeks. Now I just use a hand fan.
I have an existing 1-person FIR sauna (radiant health e1h), and would like to remove the glass door (65"H x 24"W) and position a Red-Led panel in it's place (36"Hx12"W). Mounting the panel on a movable tv stand is not a problem, but once I wheel it into position, I don't want any gaps between the panel and the door-jamb.
I understand the existing "Serious-Window" glass door is triple-plane (R6?), but I was thinking I could mount some insulating material (spaceloft-aerogel , XPS, HempWool, etc) around the panel? Since it's such a small area , the cost of the insulating material is not a concern, nor it being fire-retardant. The only concern would be breathing right next to it.
Any suggestions on mounting or what I can do around the panel to insulate it?
Interesting! Afraid I can’t help there
In a real sauna there is always a floor drain…owning 7 saunas in Finland.
I’m going to be building something similar soon in Two Harbors. Does your friend Bob have anymore cedar boards or old slate he’d like to sell?
No cedar, but yes more slate. He may have a fall yard sale soon
I want to sit in there.
making the door lower would have done a better job at keeping heat than a skinny tall door. heat goes out the top
Just came here for Finnish comments 👀
i was against the idea of using a wood stove just because I don't want to worry about leaving a blazing hot woodstove going in a tiny shack outside my house when i leave the sauna to come inside for the night