Frequently asked questions.

Most sauna manufacturers are not really sauna builders. They are simply wood shops that cut wood to be made into a sauna kit. There is a big difference. We are builders. We hand build the sauna from start to finish which requires skill in many different trades (framing, metal work, interior wood work…). Saunas that are built in a factory only need workers who can run a CNC machine and pack wood into kits.

Because of this, the typical sauna manufacturer cannot make their sauna build complicated. They use the same wood for the roof, walls and floor which is a standard 1.5” thick timber. They are not able to design a sauna with insulation, a draining floor and with an exterior that is maintenance free. These are all essential elements to a great sauna.

We found instructions on large, name brand saunas, that tell you that water is going to seep into the sauna from the outside rain and will cause staining in the wood. They instruct you to simply ignore it or sand it out if it bothers you. We think this is crazy. A sauna should be built like a house, to keep out the weather and to be long lasting.

Our way is harder and requires more skill, but we choose to do it this way because we believe a sauna should be built right. It needs to be built so that it FUNCTIONS the best it possibly can. A poorly performing sauna will end up becoming a very expensive storage shed. What good is a sauna if it doesn’t get hot and you can’t use a lot of water in it? We feel that most manufacturers are building saunas that look impressive but lack the essential functional elements. They are able to do this because most people are unaware of what a truly great sauna must have in its build.

Our primary focus is building saunas that are going to give you the greatest sauna experience no matter what the weather is outside. We admit that there are saunas that look very impressive and attractive. We have examined their designs and have found that they are lacking in so many ways. Our desire is to find the right customers who are looking for a great sauna experience and not just a sauna that looks good on the outside. Saunas are like books. You can’t judge it by its cover. That being said, we can customize the exterior in many ways.

We hold the firm belief that most saunas manufactured with 1.5" thick timber walls, with no insulation and large glass areas, struggle to reach their maximum temperature during winter months. We urge you to explore online forums where individuals discuss their experiences with sauna kits. Search for terms like "sauna not hot enough," "how to increase sauna temperature," or "sauna not hot winter," “barrel sauna feet cold” and you’ll encounter numerous posts from disappointed customers who have invested in sauna kits or barrel saunas.

Don’t compromise on quality by settling for poorly designed saunas. It’s crucial to invest in a sauna that is thoughtfully designed to provide optimal heat and performance, regardless of external conditions.

Defining the essence of sauna is challenging, as it encompasses relaxation, bathing, socializing, and health for the Finnish person. It’s a multifaceted experience rather than a singular activity. While sauna is beneficial for health, we recommend conducting your own research on its specific health benefits. Numerous articles and studies delve into the subject.

What makes a sauna an authentic Finnish sauna:

1. There is a heater with rocks on it for the purpose of throwing water on the rocks.
2. It is designed for lots of water usage: on the heater, on yourself, on the floors and walls.
3. It is very well ventilated.
4. Your feet should be above the rocks, or as close to the height of the rocks as possible.

Without these 4 elements, you actually do not have a Sauna. You have a modified version of a hot box.

Yes. Proper ventilation is crucial in saunas, despite the common misconception that trapping in all the heat is the best approach. In reality, a sauna requires the ability to breathe while still retaining its heat and löyly (steam). The balance between ventilation and heat retention is key to a satisfying and effective sauna experience. Achieving this balance in a sauna build is a process that often involves trial and error, and this is precisely what we have undertaken in our sauna design.

Insufficient ventilation can lead to a buildup of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the sauna, hindering the feeling of invigoration and refreshment. A genuine sauna should have proper ventilation to ensure an adequate supply of oxygen. Without effective venting, CO2 levels can quickly accumulate, especially in the presence of multiple individuals. During sauna sessions, the CO2 levels may rise, particularly when entering or exiting the sauna multiple times, unless there is proper ventilation. The standard North American practice of a 4” round vent at the bottom of the heater and a 4” vent on the upper part of the opposite wall is truly insufficient, contributing to feelings of lightheadedness and dizziness due to the lack of oxygen.

Negative experiences with saunas are often linked to poor air quality. Imagine being in a sealed 4×6×6 foot box with no air flow. You would quickly feel the absence of fresh oxygen. Symptoms such as dizziness, drowsiness, shortness of breath, and an accelerated heart rate can arise in such conditions. If you’ve encountered these issues in a sauna, it’s likely due to inadequate ventilation. If you are in a good sauna and are ‘doing’ sauna properly, you should not have these side effects. It is usually not because of the heat. A hot, but well-ventilated sauna should enable users to stay for extended periods of time, leaving them feeling refreshed and invigorated.

Having tested our sauna for capacities ranging from 1 to 6 people, we found that the minimal venting requirements for North American saunas are notably insufficient. To address this, we have incorporated three times the recommended amount of vents. These added vents are adjustable, allowing you to customize the sauna environment based on various factors, including heat preferences, löyly desires, air flow preferences, and the number of people using the sauna.

When you are shopping for an authentic sauna, make sure you ask about how the sauna is vented, and don’t settle for the standard two vents. It simply is not enough.

Also, ensuring proper sauna ventilation is essential to maintain a dry and fresh environment between uses. In the absence of adequate ventilation, a sauna may retain excessive humidity, leading to potential issues such as mold growth and related problems.

Sauna is a simple, personal experience. Enter, create löyly (steam from water on hot rocks), sweat, and relax. There’s no fixed way: some prefer longer sessions, more steam, or higher temperatures. The key is to go in and out, repeating as desired. Our saunas fully support pouring water on the rocks and on yourself for a refreshing cool-down experience. No strict rules; the goal is to enjoy and relax. Hydration is crucial, especially during extended sauna sessions. At the cottage, we may sauna for over 2 hours, snacking and refreshing between sessions, sometimes repeating 2-3 times a day.

No. Almost all saunas on the market that are kits made from timbers simply use the same wood on the floor. They are not waterproof, do not slope and they do not have a drain. The water will seep into the wood in the floor and start to cause longterm problems. The floor in a sauna does NOT heat up very much and so the heat will not evaporate the floor water very well. In cold climates, the floor may even stay frozen between each use and never dry out properly. This can happen in barrel saunas easily as the snow melts and seeps into the sauna.

If you carefully read their websites (even the largest sauna manufacturers) they very cleverly avoid this question. If the manufacturer sells both inside and outside saunas, they will instruct you to create a drain in your concrete or tiled floor for your inside sauna. But they avoid mentioning anything about outdoor sauna floor drainage because they do not offer it and can’t do it with their timber frame designs.

With their design, you will have constant water dripping through the sauna floor and sitting on your floor joists / base / deck. This is not a good idea.

We have taken all of this into consideration and created a base for your sauna that is insulated, sloped, water proof and draining. No one else offers this.

In simple terms, thermal stratification occurs when hot and cold air fail to mix properly, causing hot air to gather at the top while cold air remains at the bottom. A high-quality sauna should minimize or eliminate this issue. We are confident that our outdoor electric sauna is one of the best available on the market. To address thermal stratification, we have integrated large, adjustable vents to ensure proper airflow, maintaining optimal oxygen levels and promoting even mixing of hot and cold air for a superior sauna experience.

As air heats up, it creates pressure that prevents the cooler, low-pressure air from mixing evenly, similar to what you feel on a hot summer day when swimming in a lake: the top layer of water is warm, but the water near your feet is cold. The same principle applies to saunas: hot and cold air don’t naturally mix. To warm your feet, they need to be elevated into the warm air. We’ve designed our sauna with this in mind, ensuring your feet are positioned as high as possible relative to the space of the sauna and the height of the benches.

Many diagrams online suggest that cold air enters through a lower vent, rises with the heat, and exits through an upper vent. However, this is not how it works in practice. If there are gaps under the door or in the floor, the air from the lower vent will mix with the air entering through those gaps, instead of rising to mix with the hot air. Due to the pressure difference, the fresh air won’t reach the upper part of the sauna. As a result, you may end up rebreathing CO2 instead of getting fresh oxygen. We understand this, and so in our saunas, we’ve incorporated three times the number of vents to make sure you have plenty of fresh oxygen.

In a poorly designed sauna, you may experience what we call "cold feet syndrome," where your upper body enjoys the warmth, but your feet stay cold. This is a common issue in barrel saunas and other designs with benches that are set too low.

To start with, an infrared sauna is not actually a sauna. It is simply a dry box/cabin with a heat source. In a traditional sauna, there is always a heater with rocks on top for the specific purpose of generating löyly, which is the steam produced when water is thrown onto the hot rocks. Without the presence of löyly, the experience does not align with the traditional sauna concept.

That being said, the difference with the type of heat in each is that:

• infrared emits a wavelength of light that your body heats up to, without significantly warming the surrounding air
• a traditional sauna heats up both the air and the walls around you. It also provides the option to incorporate löyly by allowing you to throw water on hot rocks, tailoring the level of steam to your preference
• infrared heat usually only heats the surrounding air to around 45–65 Celsius
• a traditional sauna will heat up the sauna to about 90 Celsius

No, you don’t need to immerse yourself in freezing water for a great sauna experience. Simply getting a good sweat and stepping outside the sauna to cool off is sufficient. While we’re not doctors and can’t comment on health benefits, the contrast of extreme heat and cold feels great. Our outdoor sauna allows for a ‘cold plunge’ in various ways, such as sitting in the snow during winter, using a garden hose, or pre-filling buckets with cold water and ice. However, it’s not a necessary part of the sauna experience, as preferences vary among individuals.

Absolutely. Here’s why having a pool and sauna is a fantastic combination:

1. Cost Savings: Lower your pool heater settings as the sauna will provide the heat you need for relaxation, potentially reducing overall energy costs.
2. Increased Pool Use: Enjoy your pool more frequently, especially during cooler weather, as the sauna provides a warm contrast.
3. Relaxing Contrast: Experience the therapeutic transition from the hot sauna to the cool water, enhancing relaxation.
4. Backyard upgrade: Turn your backyard into a spa-like setup with the addition of a sauna.
5. Extended Pool Time for Kids: Encourage children to swim longer by allowing them to warm up in the sauna, promoting more physical activity.

Having grown up with both a sauna and a non-heated pool, I can attest to the enjoyment and extended pool usage this combination offers.

Absolutely YES. Having our well-insulated, year-round-use sauna at the cottage is a must. You will obviously have to find out if you have enough room and power in your electrical panel, but in regards to the design of the sauna, it would be perfect.

It is also an easy sauna to run at a cottage: simply adjust the temperature and timing controls to heat up. There is no firewood to buy, split, store or manage, no ashtray to empty, and nothing to feed every 10 minutes. Tested successfully in winter at -25°C, it is suitable for any cottage location, year-round.

Choosing the ideal temperature for the sauna varies among individuals. Personally, I, Mark, prefer it at the maximum of 90 degrees Celsius, while others may enjoy temperatures around 70–80 degrees Celsius. Our sauna comes with a temperature control, allowing you to experiment with settings. It’s worth noting that our sauna is regulated to a maximum of 90 degrees Celsius, complying with Canada’s standards for electric saunas. Additionally, sauna isn’t just about air temperature; it’s about the overall heat experience, including radiant heat from walls, benches, and the heater, which our sauna provides.

Many electric saunas on the market feature excessive amounts of glass. However, glass has a limited insulating R value of 1–4. This design can force the heater to work harder, potentially causing issues and limiting the maximum temperature. Additionally, achieving uniform radiating heat throughout the sauna becomes challenging with excessive glass.

That 90 degrees is not just the ceiling, it is a number we put in writing. Every Ryt Sauna we deliver and install is built to reach a full 90°C inside even when it is −25°C outside. If one of ours does not, we get one attempt to correct it, and if we cannot, we collect the sauna and refund you in full. That stands for twelve months from delivery. How it is measured and what has to be true is set out in section 5.7 of our warranty policy.

Our sauna design streamlines the process by pre-building components and delivering them in seven main pieces: base, four walls, the ceiling, and the roof. We take care of the assembly, requiring no work from the customer. Once unpacked and near the build site, assembling the sauna takes approximately two hours.

All components come fully finished, both inside and out. Assembly is simple: place the walls on the base, secure them with screws (pre-drilled for convenience), and then lift and secure the ceiling and roof into place.

Being modular, our sauna offers flexibility for relocation or resale in the future. We also provide a convenient moving service at a reasonable cost upon request.

Caution: some manufacturers label their saunas as ‘modular,’ but they are often kits with hundreds of pieces that customers must assemble themselves. Our saunas, on the other hand, are genuinely modular, arriving pre-built with minimal assembly required.

We can make customizations to our standard sauna design as long as we can build it 100% in our shop and then take it apart and deliver it to you.

Expanding or reducing the size is possible and we can look at each request to see how we could accommodate your needs.

If you have specific preferences for exterior finishes, beyond our standard offering, feel free to contact us. With over 20 years of installation expertise in exterior siding and custom aluminum work, we’re open to accommodating special requests.

We have access to many different suppliers for the exterior finish.

We are not general contractors who will come and build a sauna from start to finish at your place. If this is what you are looking for then it is best that you hire a general contractor (who has experience and knows what they are doing with a sauna build).

We encourage you to thoroughly evaluate the design of the barrel sauna to ensure it maintains the authenticity of the sauna experience. Our belief is that it deviates from this experience due to its unique shape, making a 2-tier bench layout impossible, a crucial feature for elevating the feet above or near the rock height. Most people experience the dreaded “cold feet syndrome” in barrel saunas, especially when the weather is cold outside.

Additionally, these saunas frequently lack robust insulation, proper ventilation and a draining floor, all of which are essential elements in an authentic traditional sauna.

Barrel saunas may be visually appealing but they are horrible when it comes to function. We consider them to be faux saunas.

We do not currently offer a wood-burning heater. Every sauna we build today runs on a Canadian-made electric heater, sized to the interior floor area of the build it goes into.

The full lineup, and how we match a heater to a sauna, is on our heaters page.

Choosing between an electric or wood-burning sauna depends on personal preferences and usage. Both have pros and cons, influenced by factors like location and primary users. While many believe wood-burning saunas are necessary for a hot löyly, especially in colder weather, our electric sauna challenges this notion. Tested at -25°C and warmer temperatures, it performs consistently well, providing an excellent löyly experience.

When shopping for a sauna, it’s crucial to inquire about its performance in extreme cold weather. A quality sauna, like ours, is designed to work effectively in every season. Online forums often discuss challenges people face when their outdoor saunas fail to reach optimal temperatures in cold weather.

Here are a few items to compare the pros of each heater type:

Electric pros:

• Easy to turn on and off
• No buying, splitting, storing wood
• Requires a much smaller sauna building
• Modular design allows portability when moving
• No need to deal with cleaning and disposing of ash

Wood-burning pros:

• Ability to achieve sauna temperatures higher than 90 degrees Celsius (although most people don’t prefer it above 90°C)
• Larger sauna building needed which can accommodate more people
• Sauna design can incorporate more glass/windows
• Ideal for sauna locations with scenic views that are far removed from an electric power source

Please note that personal preferences and usage scenarios play a significant role in choosing the right heater type.

No. Some manufacturers may claim their units are ‘built to CSA standards’ without having a CSA label on their heaters. Others lack any label or mention of safety standards, while some have UL certification. As a customer, caution is advised when purchasing an electric sauna heater. If it lacks the proper approval, potential insurance issues may arise in the event of a claim.

Another important consideration is that each heater comes with its own set of instructions regarding the proximity of combustible materials. It’s crucial to note that not all manufacturers adhere to these instructions, potentially resulting in unsafe designs and insurance issues.

Our sauna has been meticulously designed to adhere fully to the specifications listed on the heater’s CSA label and the manufacturer’s instructions.

The same question applies to everything around the heater, and the answer depends on which of our three electrical options you take. On the first, we build the full electrical assembly onto the sauna in our shop, test it, and certify it through eSAFE Product Approval Services before it leaves us. As far as we know, we are the only sauna company in North America offering this. Inspectors recognise the eSAFE sticker immediately, which makes sign-off faster.

The second is a components package rather than a certification: we supply CSA-certified components — sub-panel, breakers, control box, wiring — and your own electrician installs the assembly and certifies it. The third is a referral and nothing else. We supply no electrical parts and do no electrical work, so there is nothing of ours to certify; your electrician sources everything. The heater, its rocks and the controls ship with every sauna either way. All three are set out on our electrical page.

Absolutely. Regarding our larger 4 person sauna, we’ve meticulously designed it to be the smallest allowable size for the 6 kW heater, ensuring maximum efficiency. Furthermore, we’ve implemented extensive insulation measures to ensure excellent heat retention for an exceptional sauna experience. It’s always preferable to have a slightly more powerful heater than one that’s underpowered. With an overpowered heater, adjusting the temperature downwards is effortless, whereas an underpowered heater poses challenges if the sauna struggles to heat up adequately or produce satisfactory löyly.

Some manufacturers might opt for a 4.5 kW heater in a sauna of similar size and with less insulation. However, through rigorous testing in Canadian winters, we know that a 4.5 kW heater would be insufficient.

Many electric heaters available on the market are primarily designed for interior sauna builds. That’s why we’ve gone the extra mile to ensure that our heater is appropriately sized and capable of performing optimally in the Canadian climate throughout the year.

Our smaller saunas still retain the exact same insulation value and so the heaters will definitely be strong enough to get you sweating.

Glass has minimal insulating value and can compromise the löyly experience, making it challenging to reach optimal temperatures. We’ve experienced saunas with full front glass walls in mild climates, where they struggled to achieve optimal temperature, affecting the löyly experience negatively.

Privacy is also a significant consideration; excessive glass may not be suitable for those who prefer a more private sauna session. We understand that having your neighbours watch you sweat it out in the sauna is not something you would want. Also, if your sauna location is quite private, then you can enjoy going to sauna naked, the true Finnish way.

We recommend the less glass the better.

If you prefer a larger glass for its aesthetic appeal, you have the option to select the door with full-length glass. Our saunas are highly insulated, and after thorough winter testing, we have confirmed that the sauna will perform just as effectively even with a larger glass area. Initially, our first sauna build only included the door with a smaller glass panel, as we had not yet conducted winter testing at that time.

We also can install a larger glass window in the front and move the door to the side but we would recommend making the door fully insulated.

The two options available are:

1. We deliver and assemble the unit for you.
2. We package the sauna into a wood crate unassembled, and we ship it to you. For extra cost, we can come to you and do the assembly for you. Or you could do the assembly yourself.

If you are assembling it yourself, you get a full installation video and a detailed written manual covering every step. Both are provided with your build. Self-assembly is available on any model up to The Enthusiast, 77" × 64" interior. Past that the panels get difficult for two people to handle. If you want something larger shipped, talk to us. We are open to it, we just want to have the conversation first.

Each sauna size and location will require a different size of breaker and wire gauge.

To give you an idea, our standard 4 person requires a non-GFI 30 amp breaker, single phase, 220 volts, and 10-gauge wire, as specified on the CSA label. Most people think it needs a GFI breaker but it does not. If you install a GFI breaker it will constantly trip the breaker. The heater is tested and CSA approved for a non-GFI breaker.

We recommend installing a 40 amp breaker into your main panel and then install a sub panel onto the sauna that will split the power to the heater (30 amp) and light (15 amp).

Feel free to reach out to us and we can recommend an electrical contractor who is familiar with our saunas.

What this means for your build. There are three ways to handle the wiring, and all three are available on every build, whether we deliver it or crate and ship it to you. We can build the full electrical package onto the sauna in our shop and certify it before it leaves, which reduces your electrician’s job to running the power line and making the final connections. We can supply an electrician-ready components package — sub-panel, breakers, control box, dimmer, cover plate, high-heat RW90 wire and every screw, clip and connector your crew needs — for your own electrician to install and certify. Or we can refer you to an electrician who has wired our saunas before, in which case no electrical parts come with the sauna beyond the heater, its rocks and the controls, which are in the base price of every model.

Heaters larger than 6 kW need a contactor and heavier wire to the heater on top of the above. The three options, the breaker and wire figures your electrician needs, and current pricing are on our electrical page.

We do not believe that a bluetooth or WiFi controller is a wise decision for an outdoor sauna.

We advise against it for a few important reasons. A sauna, much like a BBQ, pool heater, or space heater, requires careful attention to safety before activating the heating element. Just as you wouldn’t start a fire without ensuring the area is clear of potential hazards, you also should not turn on your sauna heater until you have inspected the heater.

Consider the scenario where a child leaves a toy or towel on the sauna heater, unbeknownst to you, and the heater is activated remotely. The potential for fire hazard increases significantly. Hence, prioritizing safety, we discourage the use of wireless control units.

Additionally, maintaining the sauna’s optimal condition requires a bit of pre and post-use preparation. After each session, we recommend closing most vents and allowing the sauna to heat for an additional 15–20 minutes to facilitate drying. Rearranging benches and elevating the floor duct board further aids in this process of drying. The following day, it’s essential to open all vents to allow proper airing out. This routine ensures longevity and functionality, underscoring the importance of preparation before operating the sauna.

As evident, the preparation involved underscores the necessity of visiting the sauna and doing some ‘hands on’ work before turning the sauna on.

Also, the whole sauna experience is to get you out of the life of busyness and one-touch convenience. The ritual with sauna-ing starts as you prepare for it. You go out and turn it on, adjust vents and benches and grab your water bucket to fill it up. You take the time to make sure everything is ready for when it is time to go in and relax.

Lastly, regarding the standard digital WiFi modules, it’s essential to note that they are typically designed for indoor use where the control panel is situated close to a wireless router therefore facilitating proper WiFi signal reception. However, for outdoor saunas located far from the wireless router, there may be concerns regarding the effectiveness of wireless features. Additionally, the control panel of outdoor saunas needs to be housed in a weatherproof box, which would impede the wireless signal further.

Aside from connectivity issues, the control panels are not designed to be exposed to freezing temperatures. Harvia’s manual clearly states this and if you search some internet forums you will find people who have this exact problem that the controls do not work in freezing temperatures. Installing them outside would also void your warranty.

For these many reasons, we do not suggest getting a WiFi control panel.

If you’d still like a heater with Bluetooth or WiFi controls, we can source that specific model and include it with your sauna. We will build the sauna to the heater’s exact specifications. Please note, however, that we will not install the heater ourselves. While the heater will still be covered by the manufacturer’s warranty, our company will not provide a separate warranty for the heater or its controls.

The sauna comes with a control unit featuring two mechanical knobs mounted on the exterior. One knob adjusts the temperature from 10°C to 90°C, while the other controls the timer, allowing settings from 0 to 60 minutes. To use the sauna at 90°C, simply turn the temperature knob to the maximum and set the timer for your desired duration. You can easily extend the session by adjusting the timer knob as needed.

Our controls are located on the outside of the sauna for several reasons:

1. You can add more time without entering the hot sauna during the warm-up phase, resulting in quicker heating.
2. Built-in controls are often at the bottom, obstructed by safety railings or benches, making them hard to reach.
3. External controls avoid exposure to extreme temperature changes, reducing wear.
4. External controls allow for potential future upgrades, such as WiFi-enabled controls.

No. Contrary to common belief, using an electric sauna is not very expensive. Let’s break down the cost with some basic math. In Ontario, the all-in electricity cost, including fees and taxes, is roughly $0.14 to $0.20 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). We’ll use $0.18 as the average cost. Our sauna has a 6-kilowatt heater, and on the coldest winter days, it takes 1 hour to heat up. So, 6 kW × 1 hr = 6 kWh used × $0.18 per kWh = $1.08 to heat up the sauna.

Once the sauna is heated up, you’ll typically use it for an average of 30–45 minutes. Let’s assume a full 1-hour usage for easier math. While in the sauna, the heater doesn’t run continuously. It turns on to reach the set temperature (usually 90 degrees Celsius) and then turns off until the temperature drops a few degrees. Let’s assume the heater is on for 75% of the time during your 1-hour usage. Therefore, 6 kW per hour × 75% = 4.5 kW used for 1 hour of usage. At an average cost of $0.18 per kWh, the cost for 1 hour of usage would be approximately $0.81.

Now we add up the two: heating up time and the usage. We get $1.08 + $0.81 = $1.89 total cost to use the sauna. This example is for using it in the cold winter at –10 degrees Celsius for a full hour. So, this is the most it will cost you. In warmer weather, it will take less time to heat up, and less heat will be needed to maintain the optimal temperature each time the door is opened during usage. In the spring, fall, and summer, your cost could be $1.07–$1.50 for each sauna session. That’s less than a cup of coffee.

If you use the sauna once every three days (365 days in a year / 3 = 122 days), it would cost you 122 days × $1.41 average cost = $172 for the year.

These numbers are based on our very well-insulated sauna. If you use this math when looking at competing models, remember that insulation plays a huge role in the cost of usage, especially when the weather starts to cool.

You can see from the cost that if you were thinking of getting a smaller sauna to save on electricity, it won’t save you much. Giving up the option of laying down on the bench or having others join you is not really worth the savings. This is why we have designed ours to be a 4 person sauna.

If you want to go with a larger sauna, it will require an 8–9 kW heater, and if the sauna is not as well-insulated as ours (which most are not), then your cost could be more than double. A larger heater will also require larger breakers and wiring.

When you compare this to owning and using a hot tub (especially in colder climates) the cost savings are huge. From our research, we found that it is estimated to cost about $60+ on average per month to have a hot tub in Canada. That is $720 per year. Plus, you have to factor in your time commitment to maintain the water.

The beauty of a sauna when thinking about the cost is that it doesn’t cost you anything if you don’t have time to use it. Unlike pools and hot tubs, the sauna requires no ongoing electricity, water, or chemicals. It costs nothing when you are not using it.

We have designed it so that 4 medium size adults can sit on the top bench. There would still be room for 2 adults to stand. As we were testing the sauna we had 8 people in it: 5 adults and 3 children. It was definitely a full house, but possible.

The top bench is 73” long and 20” deep.

We can adjust the sizing of the sauna in many different ways. Contact us to discuss it further. Adjusting the sizing will add some extra cost to the build.

We recommend that you buy a sauna for 80% of your regular usage. We sell the 4 person the most because it is the best size for almost any situation. The bench is long enough to lie down on if you are by yourself and the sauna has enough room to have 5–6 people in it for the times that you have a crowd.

Our price includes:

• The sauna building, benches, floor boards and safety railing
• Heater and rocks, thermostat (uninstalled)
• Controls (timer and temperature) (uninstalled)
• Delivery and set up (see Pricing and Options for more details on delivery and set up)

Heater and control models will vary depending on the size of sauna.

For our 4 person sauna, we use a 6 kW heater from Fenno Manufacturing. It is a tried and tested great heater that will last decades. For large saunas we use the Fenno 9 kW.

For our builds that are smaller or in between a 6 and 9 kW we use Saunacore. Saunacore heaters come with a digital control panel (not WiFi or bluetooth).

Fenno and Saunacore are what we build with. If you specifically ask for Harvia, we can source it, but we will not warranty it. Their control module is not allowed to be exposed to temperatures below 10 Celsius, which is obviously a problem for our winters.

Check out our Heaters and Electrical pages to find out more about the option to have the electrical controls and light pre-installed. As far as we can tell, we are the only sauna builder in North America that can provide this legally.

Maintaining the inside of the sauna is straightforward. After each use, it’s recommended to pour water onto the benches, walls, and floor of the frequently used areas. With a gentle brush, give it a light scrub to wash away dirt and sweat to keep it looking and feeling clean. If you forget to scrub it down, it’s not a big deal; you can do it next time or the time after that.

Every once in a while, depending on usage, you can give it a more thorough washing with mild detergent or hand soap.

It’s also recommended to seal the inside of the sauna with a natural wood finish. Sealing helps keep it looking clean and prevents sweat from absorbing into the wood. ‘Conpert Natural Wood Finish’ is suggested for sealing. The sealing process is simple; you just brush the sealant on with a paintbrush in high-traffic areas. The sealant is clear and doesn’t darken the wood. The Aspen wood used in the sauna is light in color, so the sealant helps repel dirt. The sealant is available for purchase, and the sauna can be sealed for an additional cost.

Since our saunas are built to withstand plenty of water usage, keeping them clean is super easy. Unlike most saunas on the market, ours has draining waterproof floors, making it much easier to maintain cleanliness. It is recommended to leave the heater on for 10–15 minutes after use to help dry out the sauna. This practice contributes to the overall maintenance and cleanliness of the sauna.

Maintaining the exterior of the sauna is quite simple. If it gets dusty and dirty, wash it down gently with soap. It is recommended to use hand soap or even car wash soap, but avoid using dish soap, as it can be too strong. Regular, gentle cleaning should be sufficient to keep the exterior of the sauna in good condition.

We build our saunas with ¾” shiplap Aspen. Aspen is a beautiful light coloured wood with many great properties making it a great wood for saunas.

The wood is locally sourced in Ontario and Quebec.

What we stock, both clear (no knots) Aspen:

• 1×6 Shiplap, our standard
• 1×6 Tongue and Groove, the upgrade

See pricing for these options.

What we can source on request: 1×4 Tongue and Groove Aspen, or another wood entirely, including cedar and pine, if you are set on it. We used to stock the 1×4 and no longer do, which is why you will see it in some of our older photos. We can still special order it if you want it. We do not stock anything other than Aspen, so the price will increase significantly if we switch. We recommend the 1×6 Aspen and that is what we steer people toward. Feel free to contact us and we can talk through the options.

Most people who are new to saunas think that cedar is what saunas are ‘supposed’ to be made from. The reality is that saunas in Finland don’t use cedar. Cedar is not native to Finland. So cedar in a sauna is only native to North America. It is a great wood, but it does have some negatives against it, and so that is why we prefer the gorgeous clear Aspen.

Also, people can be allergic to cedar and not realize it until they are in a cedar sauna. It is rare for anyone to be allergic to aspen.

I, Mark, will always prefer an outdoor sauna. There is something so relaxing about stepping out into the fresh air after a good sweat in the sauna, especially when the weather is cold outside.

Everyone has their own preference and reasons for either an indoor or outdoor sauna. It depends on the space you have in your house or in your yard. It depends if you rent your house and can’t build one inside. Our sauna is modular so you can always move it to your next outdoor space when you move.

An indoor sauna has the convenience of usually having a shower close by. That is why we offer outdoor shower solutions also.

We are biased, but we do think you should buy our outdoor sauna.

You sure can. And we hope you do. Our saunas are built for this. Bathing in the sauna with buckets of water is a traditional and authentic practice in Finland. Generations of Finns have used this method, especially in cottage areas without running water or during winter when pipes are turned off. To facilitate this, it’s recommended to move benches aside to avoid soapy water on them.

You can also bring in your garden hose and use that on yourself if you want.

Our saunas are specifically designed to handle significant water use, with walls and floors built for this purpose. When shopping for a sauna, it’s advised to inquire about its suitability for water usage. Additionally, users are encouraged to check local by-laws for proper disposal of soapy water (gray water).

The sauna base is designed to drain to one side, allowing users to create a catch basin for gray water if needed.

Absolutely YES. This is one of the features that make it truly authentic.

How much water should you throw? It all depends on what you like. I, Mark, personally like to throw an equivalent of a cup of water spread out on the rocks every minute or so. I like lots of löyly. You might like less löyly and just enjoy sitting in the dry heat more.

The heating elements are designed for this purpose, but just like most things, they are not designed for abuse. So we don’t recommend dumping a full bucket of water on them. The main idea is to throw small amounts of water that spread out over the rocks, which creates the steam. It is also good to let the water evaporate from the rocks before you throw more water on.

Our warranty breaks down by component:

• Workmanship and materials: 2 years. The structure, panels, framing, benches, insulation, doors, glass, and our installation workmanship. This covers paint chipping on the Smartside panels, water penetration or drainage issues, interior wood warping or twisting, the functioning of doors and windows, and anything else that does not work the way it was supposed to.
• Exterior shell and weatherproofing, including the door: 5 years. The exterior is a maintenance-free design and we back it for five years. That includes the door, which is the part of an outdoor sauna most likely to twist and warp over time.
• Heater, controls, timer and sensors: 2 years total. Year one runs under the manufacturer’s warranty and we help you work through their process. Year two is us directly.
• Electrical Package with eSAFE Certification: 2 years on parts, components, and labour.
• Performance guarantee: your sauna will reach 90°C even when it is −25°C outside. If a sauna we deliver and install does not, we get one attempt to correct it, and if we cannot, we collect it and refund you in full. Twelve months from delivery, and there are conditions on how it is measured, so see section 5.7 of the warranty policy for the full terms.

LP Smartside wood panels has its own warranty which is a 5/50 year prorated limited warranty. See their site for specific details: lpcorp.com/products/siding-trim/build-with-lp-smartside/warranty-information.

Exterior aluminum: 5 year on colour fading and any water penetration.

Important note: the warranty is void if the sauna is not connected by a licensed electrician with an invoice or papers to prove it. We will not warranty any of our products if not connected properly, as improper connections can lead to excessive heat, lack of heat, fires, and various other issues.

Even if it is past the warranty period and you are having an issue, please give us a call and we can see if we can fix it at no cost, or minimal cost. We have built this sauna to last for 20+ years, so we are not expecting any warranty issues, but you never know. So just give us a call.

In the industry, the average warranty is only 1 year. We know we have a superior product and so that is why our warranty is above the competition.

Full terms, exclusions, and the claims process are on our warranty page.

Strong NO. There is so much bad and misleading info on the web. If you search internet forums you will find many people with saunas advocating that you should definitely upsize your heater to make sure you can get your sauna hot in the winter. We understand their logic, but it is very wrong and dangerous. These comments would be from sauna owners who have bought and use the typical kit saunas that have no insulation.

Electric heaters are designed by the manufacturers with the assumption that you will be installing the heater into an indoor space that already has some insulation. The sauna itself should also have an R14 value even when indoors. So the heater’s output and performance is based on the assumption that it will be used in an INSULATED sauna. Once you install an electric heater in a NON INSULATED sauna, you run into problems. The main problem is that the heater can’t produce enough heat to get the sauna to the max temperature of 90 Celsius. Along with that problem you will also have:

1. The heater will be on longer than it is supposed to and the elements will burn out prematurely.
2. A lot of wasted electricity.
3. Illegal installation.

Let me now explain this in more detail.

Each sauna heater has a CSA label that specifies the AMPS and Watts but also the MINIMUM sauna floor square footage that the heater needs. This is where almost all non-insulated kit saunas fail. The manufacturers know that their non-insulated saunas will not work well in the winter (ESPECIALLY with all the glass they use: glass has almost no insulating value) and so they sell you an upsized heater. But this heater is technically not allowed to be installed because there is not enough floor square footage. This creates a couple very serious legal problems:

1. The electrician that installs it is risking their license and/or risking getting a warning from ESA (Electrical Safety Authority).
2. You will not be able to pull an electrical permit for the work completed in hooking up your sauna because it will not pass.
3. If you can’t get a permit, then you pretty well don’t have house insurance coverage for it if anything goes wrong. In the event that the sauna catches on fire (which is rare but it can happen because of poor electrical work or leaving something on the heater) and your insurance does an investigation, they will find out that there was no permit for the electrical work and the install was not properly done and the heater was oversized. I can only imagine that they would deny any claim you have for the fire damage.

So should you oversize your heater? NO. The whole idea of oversizing the heater is simply because their saunas are poorly designed. Our saunas are simply better and work just as they should. We use the correct size heater because our saunas are so well insulated, which allows the electrician to get a permit. And the homeowners can rest assured that they are covered in case something does happen.

No. Read the FAQ on “Should I upsize the heater?” and you will understand that lowering the thermostat bulb is a hack that people do who are using NON INSULATED saunas. If the sauna is insulated, then the thermostat will be able to do its job perfectly, allowing the sauna to warm up to the max temperature in the correct amount of time.

Lowering the bulb has many risks to it:

1. The heater will work harder than it is designed to do causing premature failure and it will most likely trip the high limit switch often.
2. It is illegal and no electrician should agree to do it and it will not pass an electrical inspection.

Reach out to us via our contact page or by phone, and we’ll prepare a personalized quote for you. You’ll have the opportunity to review the quote and make any adjustments. Upon your approval, we require a deposit to secure your place in our production queue. Nothing specific to your build is ordered at that point, so you still have time to settle the layout and the details with our team. Our deposit schedules are set out on the pricing page. We accept e-transfer, which we prefer, as well as bank drafts and cheques. A credit card can be used for the first deposit only, not for the later payments. The remaining balance is due in stages: a second payment when we order the materials specific to your build, and the final payment before your sauna leaves our shop. Once it is finished we send you a walkthrough video of it, the balance is due within 3 business days of that, and delivery is scheduled once payment clears.

Absolutely not. We’ve seen competitors offering showers inside electric saunas, but with a critical catch: it voids the heater warranty. This is fundamentally unsafe and irresponsible. Here’s why: CSA safety regulations strictly prohibit water faucets in the same room as electric sauna heaters. Installing a shower directly violates these rules. Furthermore, your insurance will likely deny any fire damage claims due to this illegal setup, leaving you financially exposed. Not to mention, your heater warranty becomes worthless. And, let’s be clear, the initial water from such a shower would be dangerously hot. A shower with a sauna is a fantastic idea, but it must be located outside the sauna itself. Contact us to discuss safe and effective sauna design options.

This is yet another instance of the sauna industry’s alarming disregard for safety and regulatory compliance. Just like the issue of oversizing heaters, this shows a pattern of carelessness. When you choose us, you’re choosing adherence to legal standards, ensuring a safe, enjoyable, and insurable sauna experience.