How to build a Sauna (Finnish Style) + Cost to Build
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- Опубліковано 15 чер 2024
- Dimensions of the ensuite:
The bathroom is 13’-4” wide x 13’-5” deep.
Water closet: 3’-7”w x 5’-5”d, sauna: 3’-6”w x 5’-5”d & the shower is: 5’-4”w x 4’d.
Thank you to all the trades that helped out with this project:
Tile Setter: UA-cam - @Tile Craft
Instagram - @pars_tile
Plumber: Instagram - @targetcontracting
Glass Installer: Instagram - @truenorthglassco
Web Site - www.tngc.ca/
Dr. Rhonda Patrick - Health Benefits of Sauna video link:
• Health Benefits of Sau...
Dr. Rhonda Partick - JRE video link:
• Crazy health benefits ...
Time Codes
0:00 - Intro
0:26 - The Art of Sauna Building Book
0:44 - Different types of saunas
1:24 - Health benefits of sauna use
1:56 - New construction home VS finished home
2:36 - Sauna layouts
3:17 - Determining the size of your heater
5:18 - Steam vaporizer
5:59 - Floor drain
7:15 - Sauna Ventilation
9:30 - Framing
9:52 - Insulation
10:33 - Vapour barrier
11:35 - What type of Cedar I used
11:47 - Strapping installation
12:32 - Blind nailing & stainless-steel fasteners
13:26 - Cedar installation
13:37 - Bench installation
15:00 - Total cost of sauna build
16:50 - Electrical
18:12 - Outro - Навчання та стиль
Great work! Seems very professional to me as a Finn. Just in case someone is interested in building their own sauna happens to read this, as a constructive critique based on my own experiences of using lots of good and bad saunas I'll add: The heater is definitely a little bit small, even with better insulation on the 4th wall I would've chosen a more powerful heater maybe even a 6kW model and I would've added a wooden flooring that allows the water to drain on top of the tiles. It would be less slippery when you step down from the bench. Sometimes you can feel a bit dizzy if you are there for too long and in that case you don want to step down on a slippery surface and the step is quite high so it's maybe a bit risky solution. You don't want to fall into the heater if you slip. Also based on the photos and the fact the room is 7 ft tall I'd place the highest bench a bit higher, you don't want there to be a lot of empty room above you, because that where the heat will be and to me it looks like there's plenty of head space still left even for a relatively tall person (maybe not for Michael Jordan though). If possible you want that step to be on the same level or above of the rocks on the heater with this type of heater so even your feet will be warm. Rising the bench and the step would also give opportunity to add one more step before the floor which makes it easier to get down and reduces risk of falling. Lastly I'll add that the door could be a bit lower. Especially if you come and go a lot and not just go in and out once during the session lower door will reduce the amount of heat that will escape because there will be a larger pocket of hot air above the door that won't escape when you open the door. But these are also things that affect the appearance of the sauna and it's a place you go to relax so it also should be built that in mind and sometimes that means sacrificing a bit of practicality for certain visual aspect and there's nothing wrong with that as long as it helps you relax. And an additional tip: you can also pour a drop or two of the essential oils to the water you throw on the rocks , that will prevent if from burning.
I appreciate the constructive criticism. You bring up some great points for people to consider on their builds.
Thank you for these comments. I am looking into having a room extension to my house and wanted to add a sauna on an outside corner area. Also I'm considering using natural gas instead of electricity.
I agree, it was a well-built sauna!
In addition to your excellent points, I will also add a few details:
- Even if using the glass door, it's preferable to have/add/modify the handle to be made of wood. For aesthetics and safety (so it wouldn't heat too much).
- Like you said, your feet should be higher than the rocks of the heater even when just sitting. Additionally, I highly recommend building a wooden safety rail between the sitter and a heater to raise and keep your legs in there. In addition to increased safety, the rail will significantly improve the efficiency of the sauna experience (the main idea of which is to get your whole body hot - inside and out; this process is way less efficient if only half of your body is being heated up and the other half is not only not warming up, but is actively giving the heat away, especially because the soils/palms are where the heat/coldness is directly going into or escaping from the core of your body; if you are hot, put your palms in cold water for 3 minutes and you will see how efficiently it will chill you). The wooden rail should be at an angle and have smooth/rounded edges, so it is comfortable to keep your feet there and soils wouldn't hurt.
- I suggest smoothing the outside edge of the bench as well. From video it seems to be quite sharp, especially for kids to slide from it.
- I also recommend installing the wooden rail in front of the heater. In addition to heater/people safety (keeping people away from the hot heater, and stop people falling into it) it will allow grabbing it in case of a fall; and to use as convenient helper when getting up or down the stairs.
- I also recommend adding wooden flooring with gaps to the walking areas (so no need to put it under the bench or heater). They can even be removable
Great job with the sauna! Making proper water drainage (with a significant angle!!!) and the air circulation makes your sauna better than the vast majority of other American saunas (even in very expensive places). The rest of my suggestions can be ignored, but I do highly recommend adding the rails. They will complete your sauna setup, both in terms of safety and in terms of efficiency of getting your whole body heated.
Great critique. I'm working on building some for holiday homes in Kenya.
Feet above rocks. Ceiling 48" max above sitting bench. Read "Trumpkin's Notes" for more.
So far your the only guy on You Tube that has built a Sauna correctly , everyone uses the bubble wrap barrier .
Thanks for feedback and support! It's much apprectiated.
Cedar is not recommended. Mechanical ventilation (ideally, low, opposite corner from the heater, under the low bench) is highly recommended. Having the air intake on the ceiling above the stove is recommended. Read Trumpkin's notes!
Do you recommend the same book to build an outside sauna?
Finally someone did sauna the right way with drainage
Thanks. If you’re going to do something do it right.
@@simpsonpropertiesltd nice looking sauna mate :P
And freaking vents!! Saw this beautiful high speed build (time lapse) from someone in Europe.... he had no vents... no spaces between cedar and vapor barrier... and of course... no drain...LOL. Comments were scathing about him missing those as everyone figured it would just eat itself in a matter of years. I'm either going to build one of these in my garage or increase size of my patio and put it out there. Thanks for the book recommendation... and the build out looks terrific!
If your putting it in the basement and dont want to break out a bunch of concrete to reach your plumbing. Just install a dry pit and fill with gravel. The little water that drains into the pit will leach into the soil eventually.
Of all the myriads of sauna builders on YT, finally one who gets it right. (said in my capacity of being born and raised in Finland)
Thank you so much for your kind words! As someone born and raised in Finland, your validation means a lot. I strive to accurately represent the tradition and practice of sauna building, and I'm glad to hear that I've succeeded in your eyes.
As a Finn I approve this sauna :)
This puts a smile on my face 😬 thanks!
A sauna to make anyone envious. Looks fabulous.
Thanks!
Beautiful design ( it is now officially my dream sauna ☺️) Well made video, the right amount of details delivered at a good pace 👌🏻 Cheers !
Turn that dream into a reality 🙌🏽 I appreciate your feedback and kind words. Thanks!
Thanks ....that was informative , easy to comprehend and also well recorded so easy to watch in entirety. (The volume etc was spot on....I find this challenging in so many tou tune clips)
Thanks..
I've just put in to purchase a second hand unit. Fingers crossed.
Thanks
Thanks for the feedback it’s much appreciated! I hope all works out well with your purchase.
Thanks for the video. Inspired, just ordered book!
Smart man! It’s a great read. Some of the info is dated like using asbestos insulation 😂 but overall it’s a great resource. I appreciate your support 🙏🏽
Thank you so much for covering this beautiful project. Super helpful! :)
I appreciate your feedback 🙏🏽
This video was amazing. Everything I needed to know
Thanks! I appreciate the feedback. Good luck on your build.
Good stuff. Best sauna construct I’ve seen
Wow, thanks!
Very helpful and I agree best video I have found. Thanks for the video and knowledge.
I appreciate the feedback! Best of luck on your sauna build.
1 square meter of glass, adds ~1 cubic meter of interior space. This needs to be calculated into your computational calcs for your heater. Always slightly upsize your heater and throttle down if needed. Nice build. !!
Thanks for sharing that calculation. Great tip 💡
Thanks for the video - many useful information for anyone planning his own sauna!
I have just finished my sauna, and as already mentioned I would highly recommend a stronger heater. I asked some local sauna makers in my area and all of them had the same calculation: 1kW per 1 cubic metre (35 cubic feet) and additionally 1kW per 1 square metre (about 10.5 sq.ft) of glass.
I have 9 cubic metres of sauna with 3 sq.metres of glass. My heater with 9kW and 2kW for the vaporizer takes 1 hour for 90°C, but another 90 min. to get the whole sauna hot for real sauna experience.
Thanks for sharing your insights and experience with your sauna build! I’m sure it will help others on their projects.
That is a good looking sauna! And it's great to see that you have put thought into this and know what you're doing. Don't ever underestimate the importance of drainage and ventilation. They are vital when building a sauna. Otherwise you'll end up with water damage and it'll cost you lots of money to fix. Cheers from Finland!
You know you are doing something right when you get support from a Finn on your sauna build.
Thanks & I appreciate your kind words.
That‘s a sick style you got going on with the beard and your hair!
Looks good on you.
Haha thanks
Thanks for the video. It was very informative. Good job on your sauna build from a fellow sparky! 👏
Thanks for the support and best of luck on your buidl!
Excellent instructional videos! 👏👏🔥
I am just using a "Bauer" face sauna at the moment. It does make a difference with head colds.
Thanks! It’s so nice to sweat out a cold.
Great presentation!!!
Thanks 🙌🏽
Best sauna build video so far 👍
Heater size is not so big issue if you have enough headroom in your wires to go bigger kiuas as we call heater here in Finland.
Good work man 💪🍻
Thanks for the feedback! It’s much appreciated 👊🏽
Just beautiful 😍
Thanks 🙏🏽
Wonderful video . Thank you .
Thanks for watching!
great job. Totally agree with lights. I installed only 2 lights under the benches and it is more than enough. No need for ceiling lights as they only irritate and cost more.
WELL DONE
Thanks 🙏🏽
GREAT VIDEO!
Thanks for the feedback and watching 🙏🏽
The floordrain is a must have thing. You still need to clean the sauna every now and then.
Floor drains make clean up much easier. Especially in a commercial sauna. In a residential sauna a rag and some cleaner does the job.
@@simpsonpropertiesltd here in Finland every sauna has it
You guys do it right. I personally prefer having a floor drain as well.
@@simpsonpropertiesltd Well we have bit more experience about saunas 😁
Good job
Thanks Russ 🙌🏽
Top notch pro!
Thanks Brandon 🙌🏽
That was very great an useful. I'm trying to build a infrared sauna and will do it similar.
Thanks! Best of luck on your sauna build. It’s a game changer having a sauna in your own home.
@@simpsonpropertiesltd Thanks to you, your video is great, not mine ;-)
Just wondering, do you have an idea if these modern infrared home heating panels are the same as they use in infrared saunas? I know you built a Finnish one, but maybe you had similar thoughts 🙂
Wow! Great work! That looks amazing! That’s my vision to build when we get around to finishing our basement. Question, noticed you have the marble floor in the sauna....does that get too hot or b/c it’s on the floor the heat doesn’t effect it much? Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! The flooring material is porcelain tile that looks like marble. Anything below the lower bench does not get hot. The majority of the hot air rises to the top of the sauna. The tiled floor does not get hot at all.
Impressive!!
Thanks!
Fab thanks!
No problem. Thanks for watching & your support 🙏🏽
Overall, well built. A few key things could have used some improvising, but well built! For the safety of the users we do not install all metal handles on the interior of the sauna. Stitched leather wrapped around the metal is a great way to reduce the handle temperature, especially with the handle being close to the heater.
Kind Regards!
Thanks for the feedback and recommendations. That’s a great idea for the door handle. If I was building saunas for clients I could see how that would be an area for concern. I find the temp fine after sauna use on the handle 👍🏽.
Nice job! Not cheap at 6.8k, but you built a nice quality sauna that will last a long time. Keep up the great work as the goal is for us to continue to inspire others to build something awesome! 👍🏼
It wasn’t cheap at all but worth every penny IMO.
Very detailed and helpful sauna build. Well done. What did you use for the light channel, where you inserted the LED strip?
Thanks! It’s called an LED tape light track & diffuser. It’s a metal channel that the tape lights sit in. The diffuser clips into the metal track and distributes the light evenly. You can buy them online or at most electrical suppliers.
@@simpsonpropertiesltd thanks a lot!! I learned a lot from your video. Great work!
@@DaveyStruggle I appreciate the feedback. Thanks
Awesome video. I think I will wait until the price of cedar would come down. It is just a little more than I planned for. This is giving me an inspiration.
Thanks. You can work on it in stages. Get it framed, venting installed and electrical roughed in. Then save up for the cedar. Before you know it you will have your own sauna 👊🏽
You have a new subscriber from a fellow creator. 👍🏼
Thanks for the sub Dan it’s much appreciated 🙌🏽
Amazing build! I’ll definitely be copying this. I have a 4.5’ x 6’ x 9’ space that I’m just getting started on. I had one question about the strip lighting (love this and will copy). What strip lighting did you use and how did you plug it in? Did you plug it in outside of the sauna or did you just have an outlet under the benches?
Thanks! It’s low voltage tape lights. They require a small transformer to step the voltage down. You can buy them from most electrical suppliers or Amazon. I hid the transformer in the ceiling cavity and fed it off the same power source as the pot light in the sauna. Then I ran the low voltage two conductor wire from the transformer to the track for the tape lights. Best of luck on your build.
This was the best video I’ve found on this subject. Had to ask a question regarding venting: Can the intake be from inside the house and does the air going out have to be outside?
Thanks! Both the intake and exhaust are from the inside of the house. They are normally only vented outside if it’s a wood fire stove or a commercial sauna.
Great video, thanks for sharing the useful tips.
Question regarding rockwool insulation - did is smell when you opened and installed the batts? If yes, did it off-gas for some time and then stopped?
The rockwool states they use 3% of formaldehyde in the foam and probably I'm over-focusing on the smell, but just want to check if you had similar experience or if I just got a bad batch of the insulation.
Thanks! I have never had an issue with odd smells/off gassing with Rockwool products. The only issue I have had is one supplier stores the bags outside. When I opened the bags on site a lot of the batts were wet. They took days to dry out.
I would love to see a full picture of your sauna/shower space. This is the exact look I am trying to achieve in my master bath. Any chance we can see a full shot or two of the whole space?
Hi Misty, if you have Instagram send me a DM and I can share some pics of the sauna build. My IG name is Simpsonproperties. Thanks
I really love how you made the ceiling and side walls waterfall and the bench and backwall horizontal, really modern and clean. With the full glass front it's just the nicest pattern I have seen so far. I noticed you don't have any trims and it helps with the clean minimalist look as well . Did you leave any gap for expension/compression or it's not an issue with indoor sauna? Maybe we could do ceiling first, then the back wall leaving a small gap on both sides, and then the side walls? What do you thin? :)
Thanks! I am really happy with the final product and the layout. I did leave a bit of a gap between the cedar and the tile floor. I kept the joints as tight as I could in the corners. No matter what over time there will be some expansion and contraction in the corners. So there are so tiny gaps between some boards in the corners. A clean way to conceal that is using a piece of flat stock cedar and fasten it in the corners.
You could do the ceiling first, back wall, front wall, then side walls. If I were to do it again that would be the best way to have to corners with no trim needed.
@@simpsonpropertiesltd Did you or would you consider any need for a slight slope on the ceiling?
@@mikeshaffer3536 I did not slope my ceiling and I don’t see the need to. If it were a steam room then for sure the ceiling would have to be sloped because of the excessive condensation.
Out of all the Videos posted this is by far the best.
Would love to contact you directly at some point to discuss a project Im in the process of bidding that will include a sauna.
Thanks 🙏🏽. Shoot me a DM on Instagram if you have more questions. I would be happy to help. I check my DM’s periodically but I will get back to you.
Great in-depth video, thank you. Is your venting just an air register that leads into another (non-sauna) room? The video makes it look like you just installed an air register low (behind the heater) and high.
Thanks for watching! I installed the intake and exhaust (air registers) in the water closet adjacent to the sauna. That way the vents are not as visible and tucked away in a room instead of the front of the sauna.
For intake it’s located low and directly behind the heater. The exhaust was mounted below the second bench, vents up the wall, through the ceiling and back to the water closet.
Great video. Very detailed and helpful. Can you post the link for the heater, please?
Thanks 🙌🏽
I bought the heater through a Saunacore dealer Vaughan Elec & Co:
www.vaughanelectrical.com/collections/vendors?q=saunacore
Saunacore website:
saunacore.com/sauna-heaters/
Did you use a stain on the cedar? Maybe its just the light but it looks like western red cedar with maybe a stain applied?
Thanks for the awesome video! I’m curious what the best source of cedar is? Did you buy it from a local store or did you find it online somewhere and order it? It appears to be very expensive..
Thanks for watching! Tongue & groove cedar is an expensive wood. I would avoid buying it from big box stores. They mark up the costs substantially. It’s best to shop around at your local lumber suppliers & see who offers the best price per linear foot.
Nice video. You cover off everything without the fluff, good job. I’m thinking about converting a portion (8x6) of my shed into a sauna but it has 2x2 studs. Do you think rigid insulation would be ok? While searching for insulation, I also noticed the foil insulation stuff. Do you think that could act as insulation AND foil wrap? Cheers!
Thanks! Rigid insulation would be fine on the exterior of the building (framing). I personally would not use it on the interior of the wall cavities. I would use batt insulation (Rockwool). I have no idea if that foil back insulation would serve as a double purpose. I personally would not use it. I think it would be a tedious installation process.
@@simpsonpropertiesltd thanks dude
Beautiful sauna build! Do you have a layout of the whole room including the sizes of the sauna, shower and bathroom?
Hi Ivan, my apologies for the late reply. The bathroom is 13’-4” wide x 13’-5” deep.
Water closet: 3’-7”w x 5’-5”d, sauna: 3’-6”w x 5’-5”d & the shower is: 5’-4”w x 4’d.
Great Video! I had a question: If I'm doing this in my basement, against exterior walls (2 of the 4) however those are already have your basic pink r-15 insulation, should I remove that insulation and replace it with the wool insulation / reflective vapor barrier for those walls in particular? I assume I cant just use put another layer of insulation without creating a "mold sandwich"., thus the approach would be to remove the poly, add the rockwool, and then for that portion add the reflective vapor barrier? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks! That is exactly how I would address insulating those two walls. You would not want to have a double vapor barrier and risk the potential of condensation forming in your sauna wall cavity.
For people concerned about the tile being slippery, apply a coating of stone grip or other non-slip coating to the tile. We use it on all our stone/tile floors and smooth finish concrete decks.
Great tip 💡. Thanks for sharing!
Bro, thanks for Very interesting video..
What kind of spray using after rockwool
Thanks. That was 2lb closed cell spray foam insulation. It was installed on the exterior walls and flat roof of the entire home.
Fantastic Job and great information. In regards to the spray insulation and rockwool , is there any issue with off gassing when it comes to high temperatures, thank you 😊
Thanks! When spray foam is installed no one should be in the home 24 hours after the installation. Once that time span has passed there are no concerns regarding off gassing.
@@simpsonpropertiesltd great , thanks alot for your reply . 1 more question if you don't mind . Would the book you recommended be ok for someone with little to no building experience ?
@@malmoran8643 yes it’s ideal for someone with little building experience. It walks you through the entire building experience. Some of the info is dated such as hand nailing & using a punch, or using asbestos liner (cancer causing building material). Other than that I found it to be a great resource.
Great video, thanks for sharing! Did you find any issue with the air gap between the glass panels? Don't they let out a considerable amount of hot air into the bathroom? Or is it negligible compared to the heat loss at the big glass surfaces? Thanks!
Thanks! The small gap on the bottom and sides is negligible. The small gap on the bottom is a good thing because it allows fresh air in. There was a larger gap on the top of the door that was an issue in regards to heat loss. I got my glass installer to insert a black metal filler piece to retain the heat. The original plastic guard didn’t hold up well due to the high temperature.
Great video, thanks for sharing it! Do you recommend porcelain tiles or would ceramic tiles also be suitable? And how much water would accumulate if you didn't have a drain in the sauna? I am hoping to get an outdoor sauna and just trying to work out the best flooring to get and also whether getting a drain installed is necessary.
Thanks again for the video!
Porcelain tiles are usually more durable and better quality compared to ceramic tiles. I would recommend going with porcelain. Not that much water accumulates. Just be prepared to clean the floor after 1-3 uses. When you pour water over the stones you get a residue that is left on the tile floor.
@@simpsonpropertiesltd Thank you. And one last question, what are the dimensions of your sauna and how many people can use it at once? (I can't remember if you mention them in the video, apologies for the question if you did!). I'm trying to plan mine and was trying to get an idea of what size to build it to.
@@jayplays568 It's 4' wide by 5' deep. No worries, ask away. I'm happy to help.
Great build 👍
Can you advise on the type of wire you used for sauna connections? Did you use a romex wire inside non metallic conduit to protect from sauna heat ?
Thanks in advance
Thanks! I used romex NMD90 from the sauna controller to the heater junction box. I installed a piece of rigid conduit from the wall device box to the heater.
The area the wire is terminated in is below the heater. Temperatures there remain relatively low. To be extra safe you can install BX wire (armored cable) if you want.
Thanks. You should have more build videos.
Thanks! I appreciate the feedback. I have a bunch of build videos filmed. I need to set the time aside to narrate and edit them.
@@simpsonpropertiesltd please do so asap
Very nice sauna! thanks for sharing. Price in USD or CAD?
Thanks! Pricing is in Canadian dollars.
Looks great, thank you. What circuit breaker voltage do you recommend, 20, 30 AMP? You didn't really cover the electrical works given that you're a licensed electrician I would like to hear your recommendations. TIA
That was intentional to not make any recommendations when it comes to electrical. Please read the spec sheet from your heater manufacturer. It will provide required specs.
Great work !!!
even I wanted to get one sauna done at my residence for 1-2 people
do you have any contacts in Tokyo Japan or how can I get the heating machine here
Thanks! Sorry I have no contacts there. I will leave the Sauna Heater company I used below. Maybe they ship world wide or have a distributed close to you. Best of luck on your project.
saunacore.com/
Great video! Did you install a special pot light that can withstand high sauna temperatures?
I installed a standard Ovid potlight that matches the pot lights used through out the home. I normally leave the pot light unplugged in the ceiling cavity. i prefer to only use the bench lighting. The potlight is used more as an access point to where I have the LV transformer hidden in the ceiling in case it needs to be replaced.
Thanks!@@simpsonpropertiesltd
Question about the strapping... if i'm doing horizontal instead of vertical cedar on the side walls, would you still be able to do the strapping? If the strapping is just attached vertically to the framing studs it doesn't seem like it would give the same benefit of letting the cedar breath.
If your strapping is installed vertically it will still create an air gap between the cedar and vapor barrier. Allowing your cedar to last longer vs installing it without strapping.
I gree with comments below, great video. I have a question about lightning. What did you mean by light diffuser and what did you have to solder. Was it to hold strip in place or make connections to strip lights. Thanks!
Google “Tape light diffuser” and you will see what I’m talking about. It’s a plastic cover that goes into the tape light track. It evenly distributed the lights and helps avoid spotting from the tape lights. I was soldering the positive and negative wire to the tape light terminals. I appreciate your feedback and thanks for watching!
@@simpsonpropertiesltd would that plastic melt at all in sauna conditions
@@AL-fo3jj nope. The majority of the heat rises above the second bench. The plastic diffusers are not affected by the heat in my install. If you installed tape lights in the ceiling that would become an issue over time.
Hi there. Great video! I'm building a sauna in my home and I'm wondering if the tiles get too hot when used at 160 degrees and above? Also I'm leaning towards no floor drain as the trap will need to be primed in order for sewer gas not to come in the house. I don't think it will need to be cleaned that often. Also with no drain I can do a simpler flat floor. Thoguhts?
Hi, surprisingly the tiles don’t get hot at all. Anywhere below the first bench remains relatively cool. You’re right the drain would have to be primed. I find once a week it needs to be cleaned. Mainly due to pouring water over the sauna rocks. The rocks leave a bit of a residue. Like I said it’s not make or break if you have a floor drain BUT it’s nice to have. With no floor drain there would be no need to slope the floor.
Typically at the floor elevation you will not find much of a heat difference, as heat rises. In fact, for our custom infrared saunas we install heated floors for our customers that enjoy doing hot yoga or simple exercises on the floor. It also reduces the warming time ever so slightly, but helps maintain a comfortable heat throughout the sauna. With the heated floors we do not install drains.
No floor drain is okay as well. When pouring water over the rocks you should always wait at least 15 minutes ( heater depending ) until the rocks have become hot enough to evaporate the water. Never pour water over a cold heater, of course.
I have a question, I have followed ur lead on how to build the sauna and I believe I have done a decent job following ur lead! In that note what did you treat the cedar wood with or have you treated the wood at all? Thnx again.
I did not treat the wood. I kept it natural and the cedar is holding up really well. It’s not like exterior cladding where it would be exposed to the elements. In this case I wouldn’t want to breathe in any off gassing from a sealer either.
Great work! What kind of material did you use for the strapping?
Thanks! I used plywood and ripped it into strips with a table saw.
Thank you so much! I am building a sauna now. Your video was very helpful with this process. Currently, the sauna is ready for vapor barrier.
@@johntran4375 no problem. Feel free to ask questions during the build. Wishing you the best of luck on your build 👍🏽
Did you wire the sauna heater using a NM-B or THHN/THWN wire? I'm trying to read upon the best practices and I'm not sure if a sauna would be considered a "damp" or "wet" location, assuming its a dry-sauna with the occasional water poured over the rocks?
I used NMD90. I had conduit from the wall plate to the heater junction box. None of the wire is exposed. In my situation it is not considered a wet location.
Air gap helps with the R value as well.
That’s good to know. Thanks for sharing.
I really like how you didn't just cover the back corners with a vertical trim piece (like most do) to hide where the boards come together. How much of a gap would you leave with this method to allow the wood to expand and contract?
Thanks! I did not leave any gaps. I kept all the T&G seems and joints as tight as possible. I have had no issuies interms of boards expanding/contracting or gaps etc.
I’ve got two perimeter concrete walls which I’ve installed rigid foiled faced insulation. The other two walls and ceiling are standard framing with rockwool and bubble foil wrap. I have also put furring strips in to attach my cedar. Does this see like proper method for my basement sauna or would you recommend any adjustments before I close the walls up?
Thanks!
Ben
Hi Ben, sorry for the late reply. I would use Rockwool inside the walls frames against the exterior concrete walls as well if possible. Other then that all sounds good to me. You’re probably done your sauna by now haha
great work, I'm a joiner by trade, planning on building myself a nice sauna. Have you found the T&G has much movement as I was considering using a similar method but worried about movement damaging the board? Thanks
Hey Craig, I have had no issue with the T&G cedar expanding/contracting. It’s holding up really well. I would recommend that you strap your walls and maintain an air gap behind the boards like I did. Best of luck on your project!
@@simpsonpropertiesltd thank you sir
I'm in the middle of building a custom basement sauna and have a question about ventilation hoping to get some feedback from those with experience - the adjacent room is a 7'x7' bedroom closet and the other side is a large rec. room, can I exhaust into the bedroom closet or is there a concern of too much humidity being pumped into such a small space? Also, should I close off this vent during use then open it once I'm done? I'm assuming you would want to keep the heat in as much as possible while you use it. Lastly, for the intake, rather than a vent I'm planning on keeping the door 1/2" above the floor which is also where the heater will be located - would this suffice?
1) That’s a good size closet but I wouldn’t recommend venting the sauna into the closet. If possible run your venting through the closet, build a bulk head around it and vent into the room adjacent to the closet.
2) I keep the vent below the heater and the exhaust vent fully open at all times.
3) I have a ½” gap below the door and an intake below the heater. I would recommend you still install a intake vent below the heater.
Hi, I'm based in Vaughan, ON too. Is it possible to hire you for building a Finnish sauna like yours in my master ensuite in the future? Yours looks exactly the one I want. Awesome!
Hi, thanks for watching my video & reaching out. Unfortunately, for now I only work on my own projects.
What prefab company sauna would you recommend in the US..any tips what I should look out for
The company I bought my heater from makes prefab heaters. They are based in Toronto though & shipping may be expensive. Here is a link to their site:
saunacore.com/
There is good info on their website on what to look for in prefab saunas. Sorry, I am not aware of any US companies.
Great job but can't help thinking that the cedar will buckle with expansion/contraction as all the joints seem to be cut precise with no gap and beading?
No issues at all in regards to expansion/contraction. It’s tongue and groove cedar and designed for tight tolerances. The only area where gaps can form is the corners which can be covered with trim or corner round.
Did you put insulation in the floor beneath the tiles in this sauna build?
Yes there is insulation installed in the ceiling cavity below the sauna. There is radiant in-floor heating installed through out my home. So it's insulated beneath all the floors.
This is good info! How would you have vented it if two of the Sauna walls were exterior walls?
Thanks! I would place the intake & exhaust vents on the front wall. You have no other choice. You could install the exhaust vent on the ceiling in the adjacent room as well. Which ever will look better.
@@simpsonpropertiesltd Thanks! This was so helpful! How thick is the the wood you used for strapping? I'm going to have my intake vent under the glass door. What do you think about having the exhaust vent through the ceiling into the attic and then through a duct that travels about 7ft to another room?
@@amystead9850 no problem. I believe the strapping I used was 1/2” thick. Venting 7’ away in an adjacent room will be fine.
Also what did you use for your under bench lighting, did you connect it straight to a 110?
It’s low voltage tape light. The step down transformer is hidden in the ceiling. It can be accessed if needed by removing the pot light.
Does the exhaust vent have to go out side? Could it go into a bathroom space where there is a ceiling fan/vent already installed?
For the type of sauna in this video (electric heater) you can vent the sauna inside the home. I had the intake and exhaust located in the water closet beside the sauna. That way the Aria vents are in an area that is not as visible.
In your situation you can install the exhaust into your bathroom. Try to be strategic with it so the venting looks clean. I personally like Aria vents. They are made locally in Toronto but I’m sure you can order them online and have them shipped.
I just came through your video. Hey bro, thanks for the info and I would like to know if I can hire you.
I appreciate you reaching out.
Unfortunately, I only work on my own projects currently.
You can try reaching out to Saunacore:
1 (800) 361-9485
They are based in Bolton and provide prefab & custom saunas.
Thanks,
Dwight
great video. can you pls name the vents u used? Thank you
Thanks for watching! They are called Aria vents. It looks like they are going through a re-brand. New name is Fittes. You can buy them from Amazon. Their website is:
www.fittes.ca
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?
That’s a tough one. I think building a custom panel/door with insulation inside the frame would be your best approach.
What's your thoughts on building one or purchasing pre-built saunas ?
It all comes down to your budget and the level of finish you’re trying to achieve. It will most likely be more cost effective to buy a pre-built. Anytime you add “custom” to a project it usually costs more and has a higher end finish.
Did you have to use a special kind of glass for the temperature? Or does a regular shower glass door work?
It is standard tempered shore glass.
Hi! I was told LEDs would not work in a sauna (185F). What are your thoughts? Thanks!
I have had no issues with my led tape lights at all. They are installed inside an aluminum track and have a diffuser installed (cover). I installed mine below the benches. Surprisingly, it does not get that hot in those areas. The majority of the heat rises to the upper pocket of the sauna above the second bench.
did you use pressure treaded lumber for the base plate of your walls? Im planning out my own sauna project, but I wasnt sure if mixing a confined space, heat, and the chemicals in pressure treated lumber is a good idea.
I would not recommend using PT wood indoors. It’s not allowed to be used indoors in my region Toronto, ON. An alternative is that is safe to use indoors is blue wood. Using standard wood for the framing is fine though. I used cedar 2”x4” material for the bench framing.
I treated the base of the sauna like a shower. Installed a completely waterproofed mud pan.
@@simpsonpropertiesltd Thanks for the response and perspective. Code in the US (where I am at) requires that PT be used when the lumber is in contact with concrete (even indoors). I was considering using a Kerdi shower tray, but admittedly i have to research this more to make sure that it can handle the heat and not off-gas. Again, thank you for your perspective and comments, it's nice to hear perspectives from someone that's been through this type of project!
@@danieleshbach6711 no problem I'm happy to help. I think you will be fine using a Kerdi pan. Anything below the heater remains at relatively normal temperatures. Plus you will most likely be installing a tile surface on top of the pan.
Need to FaceTime and get some info on my bathroom remodel
For sure. I’ll shoot you a text.
Question about the strapping (the wood you used on the wall on top of the foil barrier and you attached the cedar to). What kind of wood was that?
It was standard plywood ripped into strips using a table saw. I can’t remember if it was 1/2” or 3/4” thick.
@@simpsonpropertiesltd you the man! Thank you. Are you worried at all about it rotting at a faster rate than the cedar?
@@bigturbob7356 not at all. Similar methods of strapping are used on the exterior of homes as well. The cedar takes the brunt of the exposure to the conditions of the sauna.
@@simpsonpropertiesltd Really appreciate the help and information. Looking forward to your one year update. Keep up the great work.
Would it be correct to install a sauna or steam room within a concrete room or should just install it in an open area. Or I can use a gym room?
Nonofo Molefhi
I'm sorry but I dont understand what you're asking. Can you clarify your question please.
Amazing video. I was about to buy an infrared sauna from Finnleo but I was concerned with the EMF radiation. As I am fairly handy I said to myself "Dude...build your own traditional Finnish Sauna...how hard can it be". Your video is incredibly detailed with many great pointers. Question, where did you get the door from?
Thanks! That’s exactly why I made this video. To help out people like yourself. My glass contractor Brad from True North Glass Co. built and installed the glass door and panel sections.
@@simpsonpropertiesltd thanks for your reply. I will get my design ideas onto paper and give the guys at TNG a ring when I have the dimensions. Another question...did you vent your sauna to the outside or simply into an adjacent room? Cheers!
@@marcd3672 I vented the sauna to the adjacent room. The only time I’m aware of venting to the outdoors is when you have a wood fire stove as a heat source.
How about friends I hope and someone could guide me, I am about to start a sauna project, but I have a question, what type of finish, protection, lacquer, or what type of finish is recommended for wood? (I plan to buy wood without any treatment for the project) but I would like to know what protection I can give the wood, so that it resists humidity and sauna temperatures. Again, greetings to all, I hope you can help me.
Cedar can withstand the heat and humidity levels. I would not recommend treating the wood. Or else you will be breathing in all that off gassing and chemicals.
Kevin Rose mentioned on the Tim Ferris podcast that he treated his sauna wood. It burned his eyes after use and he had to rip all the wood out.
I have seen some with windows. How would one go about insulating the window to keep the heat in?
There is not much you can do in that situation. Unless, you put in a triple pain window filled with argon gas (will cost lots of $$$$).
is the heater zero clearance ? Great job BTW
The brand of heater I used is Saunacore heater. It came with brackets for wall support. Which would meet their minimum requirements for distance off the wall. I can't remember of hand the specs on spacing or if it's zero clearance. Always check with your specific make/model and manufactures recommendations. Thanks!
I want to do the same LED lights under my benches as well that I can turn on a dim with a light switch. How did you connect the lighting for both benches together? Are you running yours on a light switch in the wall as well? If so what is the power source?
I ran the power feed from a light switch to the pot light. I hid the low voltage transformer in the sauna ceiling. It’s accessible by removing the pot light. From there I ran my low voltage wires to the benches for the tape lights.
@@simpsonpropertiesltd Interesting! I'm going to have the ceiling lights connected to my Sauna control panel so they are independent of the LED bench lights. I think most of the time I will just use the under the bench lights and not have the ceiling light on unless I'm reading or something. So thats where I'm trying to figure out where to put the transformer since it won't be tied to the overhead lights, but still have it accessible.
@@amystead9850 you can still hide the power supply in the ceiling cavity if you use a pot light. I use the bench lights only and keep the pot light unplugged.
Your other option is to build an access panel in a wall under a bench to access the low voltage transformer. You can use magnets 🧲 or a hinged door.
Where did you get your pot light, I can’t find one anywhere?
I bought my pot lights from Vaughan Electric:
www.vaughanelectrical.com
Which lumber yard did you buy from??
I bought the cedar from Central Fairbank Lumber.
where did you get the led light strips?
I bought them from an electrical supplier in Toronto called Dark Tools.
So what is the total footprint size of the sauna and shower?
Dimensions of the ensuite:
The bathroom is 13’-4” wide x 13’-5” deep.
Water closet: 3’-7”w x 5’-5”d, sauna: 3’-6”w x 5’-5”d & the shower is: 5’-4”w x 4’d.
How much would a person charge to do this job for any given customer? ballpark? thank you
Hey Ken, you won’t like my answer. I avoid discussing costs because it can vary so much demand in where you’re located, material & labour costs etc.
You have to do your own home work. Reach out to a few local contractors and get estimates. If I throw out a random number it’s not going to help you.