How to Build a Sauna

A sauna has always been considered a luxury that one might enjoy at upscale exercise facilities or on weekend getaways at nicer hotels. Yet thanks to the home improvement craze that it sweeping the nation with the help of various do-it-yourself television programs, more and more homeowners realize just how easy it is to build a sauna in their homes with little or no prior expertise. If you are ready to add this little slice of heavenly relaxation to your home, here are some easy steps to help you learn how to build a sauna and save money in the process.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• Dedicated room for the sauna
• Internet access
• Manufacturer
• Instructions
• Metal framing supplies
• Plywood
• Hammer and nails
• Screwdriver and screws
• Outlet and wiring (optional)
• Bathroom rated caulk and caulk gun (optional)

Instructions

1. Dedicate a room in your home for the sauna. Homeowners with large master bathrooms may opt to incorporate the sauna into the design of that particular area while others decide to use it as part of their finished basement décor.

2. Measure the available space for height, width and depth. Remember the old adage that suggests measuring twice and cutting only once.

3. Comparison shop for your sauna with the help of the Internet. When you have found a manufacturer who has what you are looking for at a price you find fair, contact the company and ask if they can custom cut the boards for you. Any labor you can have someone else do speeds up the process of enjoying that first session in your home sauna! In addition, this will save you money since any mistake made during cutting is absorbed by the manufacturer while any mistake you make during cutting results in the request for additional shipments.

4. Take delivery of your pre-manufactured sauna components. Review the instructions that accompany the sauna and note which conditions will void the warranty. It is crucial that you do not violate these tenets.

5. Frame your sauna carefully by screwing together the metal framing components and then using the screwdriver and screws to secure them to the ceiling, floor, and walls. The goal is a sturdy set-up.

6. Determine where the heater will sit and if there is no ready outlet nearby, wire an optional outlet into your home’s electrical system.

7. Affix the plywood to the inside of the frame. Make sure you completely cover the metal since the plywood will actually be the medium to which the boards of the sauna are hung.

8. Insulate the top and sides of the sauna between the frame and the walls and ceiling. This prevents a loss of heat and subsequently saves energy and money.

9. Nail the boards of the sauna to the plywood. Cover up the nails with a bit of putty or better yet: nail the boards in such a manner that the groove of the next board covers the nail with which you secured the previous one.

10. Install the heating element and follow the manufacturer recommendation with respect to the mounting height. Plug it into the dedicated outlet which you may have had to install in Step 6.

11. Put together the benches and attach them to the frame and the floor of your home sauna.

12. Install the pre-hung door. Caulk around the door opening if needed. Depending on the craftsmanship of your home sauna, the manufacturer may have fashioned the door in such a manner as to seal in steam and keep out the cold air.

Tips & Warnings

• Request information on refinishing the interior of the sauna; since there is a lot of moisture involved, you most likely need to reapply a sealant coat over the wood slats more often than you would in different circumstances. Ask the manufacturer which product is recommended.

• Make sure your sauna kit includes the heater and is not just a sauna setup kit. Some manufacturers use these terms interchangeably to the upset of consumers. Take a good look at the list of included items and confirm that the heating element is indeed part of the package.

Resources

• More about the various kinds of saunas available
• Advice on a traditional Finnish sauna