According to my calculations, your sauna is infinitely better than mine. I think it's beautiful and you did an awesome job. Thanks for the videos - I'm planning on building the same thing and it's great to see how it's done.
That is a terribly wonderful thing to say, thank you! I would definitely learn from my mistakes if I was you. Haha Im almost done building my new sauna, that video is coming soon! Hope you build your sauna very soon and without any problems
Framing lumber is heat treated and typically not all dry. Stacking and stickering it for a few weeks would have helped a bit and prevented some shrinkage. Nice project!
Thanks so much! But you underestimate my lack of patience 😂 some of these 2x6s were so wet they dripped when I screwed them into the wall! I’ll definitely keep that in mind for the next project though.
I wouldn’t worry about the cracks at all! If anything it’s actually better to have air flow. Air flow is the most important thing in a sauna. You need a vent on the bottom by heater and one on top. But with those gaps you probably don’t even need a vent now.
Thanks for the input! I put (2) vents in behind and near the stove, one by the door, and the drain holes below act like vents as well. After I put the cedar planks in, it definitely needs to be vented when in use 😅
Great video! One important aspect to consider, is the potential for condensation and dew point issues. When using diffusion-tight materials against organic materials, like wood, it's crucial to include an air gap between the inner wood and the insulation. Without this gap, condensation may occur within the wood due to the temperature difference between the insulation and the sauna when in use. In the summer, a different challenge arises, particularly if the sauna is cooler at the start of the day. In such cases, water may condense into the wooden structure. However, regular sauna usage can help mitigate this issue by expelling moisture through heat by usage. In Sweden, we've developed a layered approach to address these concerns: 1. Wooden panel 2. Lath for creating an air gap 3. "Wind paper" (Tyvek cover): Provides protection to insulation but allows water vapor to migrate out. 4. Rockwool insulation (>95mm often between 200-300mm) 5. Diffusion lock (thick plastic, air/water-tight, overlapped 100mm, taped with "age-resistant" tape) 6. Thinner layer of rockwool insulation between studs (45mm, as our studs have a standard of 45mm thickness) (Not in a sauna) 7. OSB Board 8. Drywall (Not in a sauna) For saunas with high moisture content, treating the interior as if it were the exterior. We add these additional layers: 8. Sauna foil: A diffusion-tight reflective material that retains heat and moisture. 9. Sauna wooden panel (an airgap is usually not required, as the cold side is on the other side of the foil and the dew point is there) This layering approach ensures effective insulation while preventing condensation-related issues in saunas. It's a common practice here in Sweden and has proven successful. Here is a translated page with some more information about sauna construction: www-bastupunkten-se.translate.goog/infosidor/hur_man_bygger_bastu.htm?_x_tr_sl=sv&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp Here is a page about dew point and isolation: www.novagroupgbc.com/post/the-importance-of-considering-dew-point-when-increasing-insulation-in-existing-buildings
You should keep an eye out for my next video! I built a new, permanent sauna at the house we bought in June. I kept a lot of the steps you mentioned in mind, and it is a much, much better sauna experience. I'd love to hear your feedback on it. I should have it uploaded very soon.
I've also got a barrel sauna in the Netherlands it rains here like the whole year. In the summer it shrinks and need to get more tension on it. In the winter it expand so I losing it. Its natural. But i want to put i extra wooden beam on it so that the sauna is fully closed. But if i am honest, i doesnt realy matters. Sometimes if it rains verry hard , little bit of water comes in below the roofing. But its son little that if I turn in the stove its already dry and I sweat more then the rain makes it wet. 😂 BTW nice project! My Future sauna will be a little garden house with angeld roof Easy to build and more room. Keep up the nice videos.
Thanks so much for that info! Glad to hear from you and glad you liked the videos. I agree, I don’t mind if it isn’t perfect. And it was not very expensive so it is a fun thing to try to build.
As Finn I would say that I would sit on that. Great job, althou caps would make some heat escape. Anyways we make sauna's also in tents, so heat escape is in there too. It just make you more baneful to keep heat in. Anyway, I bet you get enough heat to feel all the benefits, as you have used it for so long. Pine is good, spruce is better for walls, exudes less sap. As beds we used to use Apachi or today heat treated aspen. Anyways, great job done. You would have needed to leave air barrier between isolatiom and final panel. Moisture will rot walls if not ventilated. Remove cedar and make bars between isolation and cedar and leave caps to air vent out. If you would not, rot will eat your walls away.
Not a bad idea, I'd like to know how that holds up. I don't think you need to worry about density too much. With all of those staves up against each other, it's a very sturdy structure.
I hear ya.. It was always my goal to do that. But we're closing on a house in a few weeks, and I can't take the sauna with me. So I'm probably just going to sell it as-is. =(
I think that on the initial build I would have run a thick bead of heavy duty, waterproof / heat resistant construction adhesive along the length of each stave, and maybe even Zip Tape the seams. Considering the fact that it's relatively inexpensive pine, I would have probably just covered the entire exterior then with some sort of a stucco finish. My reasoning is that I wouldn't want water or moisture getting in between the pine and the reflective insulation and causing mold.
@@Sparky_Mark That's awesome! What a deal. I have an unofficial ballpark of $1K per person for a purchased sauna so you're knocking it out of the ball park.
Wondering how much you spent on the cedar in this video and if it would have been just worth it to buy cedar in the first place to avoid line the inside and do more work
I spent just under $100 bucks. Definitely wouldn’t have been worth it for me to do it all with cedar, as cedar would have costed me many times more than the wood I used.
That reflective barrier does nothing. It works well when there is an air barrier, but there's none in your case. By stacking everything together in a sandwich you reduced any IR reflection capabilities and converted it into a thermal conductor. Reflective insulation reflects IR, but in order to work properly it should not touch surfaces you want to insulate.
Thanks for sharing your insights! I appreciate the feedback. I'll definitely take into consideration what you've mentioned about reflective barriers and the importance of maintaining an air barrier. I say over and over I don’t know what I’m doing. But I do know that the sauna is way hotter now that I have put this in, and it keeps the hot air from leaking out from between my staves.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, you started so good, last video, and then,.....NOOOOOOO! I am a Finn, and Sauna comes from Finland, this is the ungliest barrel Sauna, ever seen!!!=(((, You need 2-3 Bands outside, like barrel Saunas come, in a set!! Those tight Bands, you can tighten them always, keep boards together, no cracks !! And, nobody put that ugly "spaceship" stuff in a walls, NOBODY!! DO you have rocks on a Top of heater?? I saw the rocks, dont know if you put them there? ? Why dont you buy a Good heater, a Finnish one, comes with rocks, also, where are air vents? In wood heated sauna, air coming in should be low, behind heater, and going out, on a top, above benches! That ugly, raw cedar, is so rough for your back, sitting in there, you need some nice piece of wood, sanded, where you lean your back, on a wall !! Other than that...., Happy Sauna Time =))
According to my calculations, your sauna is infinitely better than mine. I think it's beautiful and you did an awesome job. Thanks for the videos - I'm planning on building the same thing and it's great to see how it's done.
That is a terribly wonderful thing to say, thank you!
I would definitely learn from my mistakes if I was you. Haha
Im almost done building my new sauna, that video is coming soon!
Hope you build your sauna very soon and without any problems
Framing lumber is heat treated and typically not all dry. Stacking and stickering it for a few weeks would have helped a bit and prevented some shrinkage. Nice project!
Thanks so much! But you underestimate my lack of patience 😂 some of these 2x6s were so wet they dripped when I screwed them into the wall!
I’ll definitely keep that in mind for the next project though.
I wouldn’t worry about the cracks at all! If anything it’s actually better to have air flow. Air flow is the most important thing in a sauna. You need a vent on the bottom by heater and one on top. But with those gaps you probably don’t even need a vent now.
Thanks for the input! I put (2) vents in behind and near the stove, one by the door, and the drain holes below act like vents as well.
After I put the cedar planks in, it definitely needs to be vented when in use 😅
Great video!
One important aspect to consider, is the potential for condensation and dew point issues.
When using diffusion-tight materials against organic materials, like wood, it's crucial to include an air gap between the inner wood and the insulation. Without this gap, condensation may occur within the wood due to the temperature difference between the insulation and the sauna when in use.
In the summer, a different challenge arises, particularly if the sauna is cooler at the start of the day. In such cases, water may condense into the wooden structure. However, regular sauna usage can help mitigate this issue by expelling moisture through heat by usage.
In Sweden, we've developed a layered approach to address these concerns:
1. Wooden panel
2. Lath for creating an air gap
3. "Wind paper" (Tyvek cover): Provides protection to insulation but allows water vapor to migrate out.
4. Rockwool insulation (>95mm often between 200-300mm)
5. Diffusion lock (thick plastic, air/water-tight, overlapped 100mm, taped with "age-resistant" tape)
6. Thinner layer of rockwool insulation between studs (45mm, as our studs have a standard of 45mm thickness) (Not in a sauna)
7. OSB Board
8. Drywall (Not in a sauna)
For saunas with high moisture content, treating the interior as if it were the exterior. We add these additional layers:
8. Sauna foil: A diffusion-tight reflective material that retains heat and moisture.
9. Sauna wooden panel (an airgap is usually not required, as the cold side is on the other side of the foil and the dew point is there)
This layering approach ensures effective insulation while preventing condensation-related issues in saunas. It's a common practice here in Sweden and has proven successful.
Here is a translated page with some more information about sauna construction: www-bastupunkten-se.translate.goog/infosidor/hur_man_bygger_bastu.htm?_x_tr_sl=sv&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp
Here is a page about dew point and isolation: www.novagroupgbc.com/post/the-importance-of-considering-dew-point-when-increasing-insulation-in-existing-buildings
Wow thank you so much for that information!
I'm glad you liked the video, and thanks for your valuable input!
Factual, sensitively presented, as only a Swede can do... a credit to humankind. Pity about your women, though-how on earth do you men concentrate?!
You should keep an eye out for my next video!
I built a new, permanent sauna at the house we bought in June. I kept a lot of the steps you mentioned in mind, and it is a much, much better sauna experience.
I'd love to hear your feedback on it.
I should have it uploaded very soon.
Lol what do you mean about our women???
@@Sparky_Mark I'm just jealous... ;)
I've also got a barrel sauna in the Netherlands it rains here like the whole year. In the summer it shrinks and need to get more tension on it. In the winter it expand so I losing it. Its natural. But i want to put i extra wooden beam on it so that the sauna is fully closed. But if i am honest, i doesnt realy matters. Sometimes if it rains verry hard , little bit of water comes in below the roofing. But its son little that if I turn in the stove its already dry and I sweat more then the rain makes it wet. 😂 BTW nice project! My Future sauna will be a little garden house with angeld roof Easy to build and more room. Keep up the nice videos.
Thanks so much for that info! Glad to hear from you and glad you liked the videos.
I agree, I don’t mind if it isn’t perfect. And it was not very expensive so it is a fun thing to try to build.
As Finn I would say that I would sit on that. Great job, althou caps would make some heat escape. Anyways we make sauna's also in tents, so heat escape is in there too. It just make you more baneful to keep heat in. Anyway, I bet you get enough heat to feel all the benefits, as you have used it for so long. Pine is good, spruce is better for walls, exudes less sap. As beds we used to use Apachi or today heat treated aspen. Anyways, great job done.
You would have needed to leave air barrier between isolatiom and final panel. Moisture will rot walls if not ventilated. Remove cedar and make bars between isolation and cedar and leave caps to air vent out. If you would not, rot will eat your walls away.
Thank you ! And thank you for that information, it’s great to hear how you do things sauna-related!
Way to NOT sweat the small stuff and get stuff DONE! No one will die or get hurt ; SEND IT!
I’m looking at using thermally treated pine.
My understanding is thermally treated lumber will not shrink or expand but it can be up to 30 percent less dense… weaker in a sense.
Not a bad idea, I'd like to know how that holds up.
I don't think you need to worry about density too much. With all of those staves up against each other, it's a very sturdy structure.
2 or 3 steel bands would go a long way toward closing up those gaps in the staves.
I hear ya.. It was always my goal to do that.
But we're closing on a house in a few weeks, and I can't take the sauna with me.
So I'm probably just going to sell it as-is. =(
Good heat and steam is all you need - we have to work with what we got
Yes!
Great work, ty for sharing . I am planning to build one, and was wondering where i can buy a wood stove like that?
Thanks so much!
I found this on Craigslist, and had to modify it. If you look enough, I'm sure you'll find one.
Check Facebook marketplace too.
I think that on the initial build I would have run a thick bead of heavy duty, waterproof / heat resistant construction adhesive along the length of each stave, and maybe even Zip Tape the seams. Considering the fact that it's relatively inexpensive pine, I would have probably just covered the entire exterior then with some sort of a stucco finish. My reasoning is that I wouldn't want water or moisture getting in between the pine and the reflective insulation and causing mold.
No, No, No, you dont do that, obviously you have never seen, build saunas, Barrel Saunas !!!=(((
I don’t believe you that it gets hot. I’ll have to come over and check for my self.
(I do believe you, just want to come over)
LET’S GO
🤣
Great project! I appreciate you giving it a go and learning as the process unfolds. How many people can you seat in your sauna?
Usually 4 comfortably. 6 if the fire isn't going too hot!
@@Sparky_Mark That's awesome! What a deal. I have an unofficial ballpark of $1K per person for a purchased sauna so you're knocking it out of the ball park.
@limitlessends ah thanks!
Wondering how much you spent on the cedar in this video and if it would have been just worth it to buy cedar in the first place to avoid line the inside and do more work
I spent just under $100 bucks. Definitely wouldn’t have been worth it for me to do it all with cedar, as cedar would have costed me many times more than the wood I used.
@@Sparky_Mark oh totally fair enough. And wow that crazy that that was only $100 worth of cedar. I would have guessed 700-1000
@@quinthielmann1875 yeah, it was on the discount rack at Home Depot for 70% off!
Hey brother so what was the exact order of wood you had to make this? Did u just buy all 2x6x8?
That’s right. All the rest of the info should be in the video description
Your supposed to have a gap between the vapor barriers and the wood.
😅🤷
Bruh more videos. Are you going to sand that rough cut cedar? Worried about splinters in your back?
Haha I’ll try to post more.
I’m gonna leave it rough. Not worried about splinters, and my lady says, “it looks cute and rustic” 🤷
not sure if it's been asked before or not. what was your total price on the add ons ?
Meaning what exactly, the insulation and the cedar inside? That would about $150.
The entire project is about $1400 ish bucks.
@@Sparky_Mark how much was the cedar? and also what is the lowest temperature you've used it ?
@hockeyman1 cedar was just under $100 bucks, and the lowest was probably like 30 degrees Fahrenheit?
That reflective barrier does nothing. It works well when there is an air barrier, but there's none in your case. By stacking everything together in a sandwich you reduced any IR reflection capabilities and converted it into a thermal conductor. Reflective insulation reflects IR, but in order to work properly it should not touch surfaces you want to insulate.
Thanks for sharing your insights! I appreciate the feedback. I'll definitely take into consideration what you've mentioned about reflective barriers and the importance of maintaining an air barrier.
I say over and over I don’t know what I’m doing. But I do know that the sauna is way hotter now that I have put this in, and it keeps the hot air from leaking out from between my staves.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, you started so good, last video, and then,.....NOOOOOOO! I am a Finn, and Sauna comes from Finland, this is the ungliest barrel Sauna, ever seen!!!=(((, You need 2-3 Bands outside, like barrel Saunas come, in a set!! Those tight Bands, you can tighten them always, keep boards together, no cracks !! And, nobody put that ugly "spaceship" stuff in a walls, NOBODY!! DO you have rocks on a Top of heater?? I saw the rocks, dont know if you put them there? ? Why dont you buy a Good heater, a Finnish one, comes with rocks, also, where are air vents? In wood heated sauna, air coming in should be low, behind heater, and going out, on a top, above benches! That ugly, raw cedar, is so rough for your back, sitting in there, you need some nice piece of wood, sanded, where you lean your back, on a wall !! Other than that...., Happy Sauna Time =))
Hahaha it’s ugly, it works well, and I love it.
Thanks for the comment! 😂
get those bands!!! it is a Must !!!@@Sparky_Mark
@@Sparky_Mark Perfect reply and great attitude. If you are happy with it that is all that matters.
🥹ty