Anyone have one? Do you use it as much as you’d like? Build it yourself or buy a prefab? Any other recommendations or advice? I love sauna’s and have been toying with the idea of getting/making one for a few years now, much to my wife’s chagrin. So looking for some input here.
4 person prebuilt, used the first winter now its a storage closet. They are nice the first year then you do not use them. Cheaper to get a gym membership and use theirs.
4 person prebuilt, used the first winter now its a storage closet. They are nice the first year then you do not use them. Cheaper to get a gym membership and use theirs.
Yours is indoor then? That is my one hesitancy, similar to hot tubs or pool tables that often rarely get used.
My in laws have built on into every house they’ve owned and use it all the time. We’ve used theirs a few times, i like them enough I have plans to remodel a basement room into one, but not priority enough that it’s gotten off the ‘things to do’ list yet the last 2 years.
Somewhere I read a half hour in a sauna burns a couple hundred calories.
Weird answer…and scenario here.
We have access to one. We took one that was almost brand new as payment for some work. It is an expensive pre-fab one that is now built into one of our heated sheds adjacent to the shop. The first couple years it was used a ton. There’s no arguing that they help you feel better if you are a “sauna person” as my wife calls it. I’m a believer in sweating things out whether it’s in a sauna or throwing on long sleeves, pants, and gloves and running a brush cutter for a few hours straight.
With all that said, ours now is NOT used that often. Every time my wife says we “NEED” a hot tub at the new place, I remind her about the sauna that was supposed to be used so regularly as well. If you live in suburbia, the gym sauna advice is a good idea. We don’t have that luxury anywhere nearby out here.
We bought one of the pre fab Infrared ones, after 6 months, it became a very expensive ($5000+) closet or boombox that took up part of the bedroom. I sold it when we moved, for $800. (same guy who bought my boat) 
I’d be looking to do an outdoor one with a wood stove, go full Fin on it.
I think they are cool and would probably help me feel better during the winter months. Although admittedly I’m used to jumping in a pool (or lake) after taking one. I suppose a cool shower could work too.
I built a nice one – 8’x8’ hot room. Wood fired. I use it at least once a week whenever its below 70degrees outside. First year i had it, i fired it 4-5 times a week, but that was before current job and a kid in sports when my evenings were mostly free. I love em.
I built a nice one – 8’x8’ hot room. Wood fired. I use it at least once a week whenever its below 70degrees outside. First year i had it, i fired it 4-5 times a week, but that was before current job and a kid in sports when my evenings were mostly free. I love em.
Awesome! Do you have any pics? Or advice for building or specs/instructions you followed?
Mine (at cabin) is a stand-alone building with a wood stove. I think you have to be pretty sure you are a sauna person for that because it’s a lot of work. When I do think it would be nice to use it’s really a question of do I want to use it in 2+ hours with several trips back and forth to check the stove in the meantime. If you don’t check in on it who knows what you’ll get; maybe it’s 120, maybe it’s 180, or maybe the fire went out somehow. I’ll say I’m not much of a sauna person myself though, whenever I do get the motivation to start it I usually regret it at some point 
Full Fin… 
When I was younger (16-18) a couple buddies had a real one, we would sit in there in January in shorts, then run out and roll in the snow !!! What a rush !!! 
(If you know Col Klink, (not sure he is on IDO anymore) he just built one)
I really like saunas and often used one at a local club 3-4 times a week. Had my wife into the sauna too albeit her time usually was less. The sauna we used was a dry heat type (can pour a little water on the hot rocks), but I have used the steam room type also.
I will share that most clubs I have visited do not clean their saunas as often as they should and some of the patron behavior in saunas is downright weird.
We dropped that gym membership when covid closed them all and have not renewed it.
We are looking at purchasing a sauna and I am convinced it will get used a lot and a lot over time if we get the right one. You can build one inside or outside your home. You can go infrared heat or “real” heat driven by burning wood, gas, or using electricity.
Got me looking. If you look around the web you can find mobile (trailer) saunas.
The resort we stay at the most on the north shore has a wood fire sauna and is probably the biggest reason we stay there.
I remember starting the fire and sweating within about 15-20 minutes in the winter. I guess I’m a little surprised it takes longer than that for some. I’d be curious how long it takes for others with wood fire saunas.
I bought a 2 person infrared about 10 years ago. I enjoy it, probably use it once per week in the winter. Feels good to sweat the booze out on a Sunday afternoon.
The one thing is that it’s convenient. It’s in the my lower level. I go turn it on and in about 20 minutes its at 120 degrees and still increasing. Sit in it for 30-40- minutes and then jump in the shower. No trudging through the snow and what not..
You can build one inside or outside your home. You can go infrared heat or “real” heat driven by burning wood, gas, or using electricity.
Yeah I’ve done some research already but not a ton. Most of the prefab ones are pretty expensive, like $5k+ for what I’m looking for. There’s a lot of youtube How-to videos to DIY too. Which is the way I’m leaning, and with a wood stove, as I think I’d enjoy the building process. But looking for any and all feedback.
I’d love to have one. Just don’t know where I’d fit it in my current home. I’m really surprised how many who have them say they don’t use them much. That really shocks me. For those who have them but don’t use them much anymore, My question is why ?
The only way I would have one is if I had waterfront property, it was wood fired, and very traditional. Also I would have to make it a rule that anyone that used it would have to refer to it as a “sow-nah” and not a “saw-nah”
Oppia ikä kaikki
I remember starting the fire and sweating within about 15-20 minutes in the winter.
I know mine takes a lot more than 20 minutes but I guess I’ve never actually seen how fast I can get it up to temp. 2 hours might be an exaggeration but I’m usually in no rush to go out in the cold to check it and wait until it’s for sure hot. Mine is also really big (could fit 8 easily if you were friendly) and maybe the firebox is too small after reading about some other designs online.
Had an infrared, sold it (basically gave it away) to someone on IDO.
Like Big_G says, it turned into a nice cedar closet.
I’d love to have one. Just don’t know where I’d fit it in my current home. I’m really surprised how many who have them say they don’t use them much. That really shocks me. For those who have them but don’t use them much anymore, My question is why ?
My infrared didn’t get hot enough for me. They claim it goes deeper into your muscles/bones but I like sweating. The hotter the better. Like when you touch up to a knot in the cedar (which the cedar should be clear) and it leaves a blister hot.
I would highly recommend it. I sent a message with a few details to you.
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Had an infrared, sold it (basically gave it away) to someone on IDO.
Like Big_G says, it turned into a nice cedar closet.
I almost jumped on that, but figured if I’m going in on a sauna I want it outdoors and wood fired. Here’s a good list of some options, the panoramic barrel sauna would be ideal, but those are about 10k-15k.
I finally found the measurements of mine and it’s 8×12. The ceiling must be 8ft too guessing from my height. That must be why it takes a long time to heat up, it’s just a stupid design for a sauna I guess.
I’ve built about 25-30 of them over the years. It’s a coin toss. Some people use them regularly and others have a glorified cedar heated closet. If you fear the novelty of it, save money and don’t do it. If you have the desire and know you’re going to use it, then invest.
The majority have been electric. Did a few with wood stoves. If you design /build include safety items like thermometer and properly vented
Grew up having sauna 3-4 times a week year round. Ours was outdoors with a wood fired stove with a built in water heater. Later in life, my wife and I bought a place with one in the basement. Electric stove and built in shower. Seemed like it would be awful nice, but we really didn’t use it that much. The electric didn’t get as hot as I’d like and being in the basement just felt too confined. At our new place we have plans to build a wood fired outdoor sauna off the back patio. Wood stove will have a water jacket for heating water in the event we want to bath. Building will consist of a steam room, changing room, and open air porch. Nothing better than sitting outside on a cool (or even cold) evening after a 180deg steam enjoying a frosty cold one. Good luck and try to update if you go forward with it. I’ll try to do the same. Unfortunately I have other projects I need to get at before thinking about a sauna.
I used to be an everyday sauna guy at the Y back before covid, and did that for close to 10 years. Man do I love taking a hot sauna (has to have steam – can’t stand the dry heat ones) after a work out or even just to wind down after work. I drink a lot of water and it is such a good feeling to sweat out [what feels like] gallons of water.
If anyone is selling one they dont use, PM me. I’ve been meaning to build one on a portable trailer for years but never seem to have the time for it.
Good luck and try to update if you go forward with it.
Will do, I likely won’t be starting until this summer/fall at the earliest. Tom Bennett sent me a bunch of good information, and I think step one is sourcing a good stove for it. Buying a new Kuuma (Tom’s recommendation, and look pretty sweet) is $1700-2k alone, so I think I’m going to try and track down an old wood stove, seems cast iron would be ideal. Or something like this:
Kuuma Stoves: http://www.lamppakuuma.com/contact-information-for-lamppa-manufacturing/
My brother in law builds and sells them in Duluth. Look up Cedar and Stone Sauna dot com. He has one set up at Pier B Resort and hotel you can try it out.
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