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!
@tysonogloff are you high? Cedar is universal when it comes to saunas. It has a life of 40-70 years depending upon how you take care of it. What else would you use??
@@erickosmicki7812 Cedar is only used in the US. Traditionally, it doesn't even make the list. Aspen, Alder, and Pine are the traditionally used woods. Personally, I wouldn't use a Cedar sauna long term. The same chemicals that keep moths away from cedar closets may have longterm impact on health.
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.
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 video! I’m an insulation contractor who insulates a ton of residential saunas. The best in my opinion is 2-3” of closed cell foam on all four walls plus ceiling. Completely eliminates condensation at both exterior and interior partitions. No need for an extra vapor barrier either because the foam itself is a VB. For the DIYer, foam board works well too but then you need to make sure to use cans of foam for the seams and gaps! I just moved and am in the process of building a new sauna at the new house. I was thinking about installing a water line inside for drinks and after hearing you mention, im def doing it now! I’m thinking a recessed speaker in there would ice the cake too!
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.
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.
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.
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!
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 ....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
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 🙏🏽
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.
@@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 🙂
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 💪🍻
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 👍🏽.
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/
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/
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.
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.
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 👊🏽
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?
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! 👍🏼
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.
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.
Hello! Love that videos, very usefull, thanks. Is that a good idea to have the drain system inside the sauna ? If the water evaporates, it smells bad. Maybe to do it ouside the sauna ? Thank you very much !!
It flies on the p-trap from the shower beside the sauna. That p-trap is always full of water. Good point though & that is something worth considering. You might have to install a drain primer line in some situations.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
@@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.
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 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.
@@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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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
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 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.
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?
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
@@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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Here's how to calculate the proper heater power: the size of the sauna in m2 plus the square meters of all the uninsulated wall space multiplied by 1.2. So, you have 240 cu ft =6,796 m³, and that glass wall is 7 ft by 4ft = 2,6m2, multiplied by 1.2 that's 3,12. 6,796+3,12 =9,916. You need about a 10kW heater.
13.5 hours. Hahah I’m kidding. I couldn’t give you a time frame. I worked on it on weekends for about a month. Filming the process also adds a lot of time as well. The build process will come down to the skill set of the installer and having all materials on hand. Finish carpentry is not my forte so it took a little longer.
That's a tough question to answer. There were various trades involved and this project wasn't completed in one shot. Here is a break down of the various trades to help you out with planning your build time. Framing, electrical, plumbing, waterproof pan, tiling, insulation, vapour barrier, cedar wall/bench install, heater install & glass panel/door install. I hope that helps.
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!
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
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?
@tysonogloff are you high? Cedar is universal when it comes to saunas. It has a life of 40-70 years depending upon how you take care of it. What else would you use??
@@erickosmicki7812 Cedar is only used in the US. Traditionally, it doesn't even make the list. Aspen, Alder, and Pine are the traditionally used woods. Personally, I wouldn't use a Cedar sauna long term. The same chemicals that keep moths away from cedar closets may have longterm impact on health.
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.
Great work on this video, details many are not covering on doing one of these for real inside a home.
Great video! I’m an insulation contractor who insulates a ton of residential saunas. The best in my opinion is 2-3” of closed cell foam on all four walls plus ceiling. Completely eliminates condensation at both exterior and interior partitions. No need for an extra vapor barrier either because the foam itself is a VB. For the DIYer, foam board works well too but then you need to make sure to use cans of foam for the seams and gaps!
I just moved and am in the process of building a new sauna at the new house. I was thinking about installing a water line inside for drinks and after hearing you mention, im def doing it now! I’m thinking a recessed speaker in there would ice the cake too!
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.
He never show the finishing product...
It was shown in the introduction 🙄
A sauna to make anyone envious. Looks fabulous.
Thanks!
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.
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.
As a Finn I approve this sauna :)
This puts a smile on my face 😬 thanks!
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.
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 💡
Good stuff. Best sauna construct I’ve seen
Wow, 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 🙏🏽
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.
Thanks for the comment. Hopefully others read it and can use similar lighting in their build.
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!
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 🙂
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.
you have summoned the whole of finland 😁
🫡
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 👊🏽
Thank you so much for covering this beautiful project. Super helpful! :)
I appreciate your feedback 🙏🏽
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 👍🏽.
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/
See Trumpkins notes on sauna building for proper ventilation and bench height placement.
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/
Air gap helps with the R value as well.
That’s good to know. Thanks for sharing.
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.
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 👊🏽
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
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.
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.
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 😁
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!
Great presentation!!!
Thanks 🙌🏽
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
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!
Good job
Thanks Russ 🙌🏽
Hello! Love that videos, very usefull, thanks. Is that a good idea to have the drain system inside the sauna ? If the water evaporates, it smells bad. Maybe to do it ouside the sauna ? Thank you very much !!
It flies on the p-trap from the shower beside the sauna. That p-trap is always full of water. Good point though & that is something worth considering. You might have to install a drain primer line in some situations.
WELL DONE
Thanks 🙏🏽
Fab thanks!
No problem. Thanks for watching & your support 🙏🏽
This video was amazing. Everything I needed to know
Thanks! I appreciate the feedback. Good luck on your build.
That‘s a sick style you got going on with the beard and your hair!
Looks good on you.
Haha thanks
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.
Wonderful video . Thank you .
Thanks for watching!
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
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.
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
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.
GREAT VIDEO!
Thanks for the feedback and watching 🙏🏽
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.
Top notch pro!
Thanks Brandon 🙌🏽
Impressive!!
Thanks!
You have a new subscriber from a fellow creator. 👍🏼
Thanks for the sub Dan it’s much appreciated 🙌🏽
Just beautiful 😍
Thanks 🙏🏽
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 👍🏽
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!
Very nice sauna! thanks for sharing. Price in USD or CAD?
Thanks! Pricing is in Canadian dollars.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
Which lumber yard did you buy from??
I bought the cedar from Central Fairbank Lumber.
What’s the measurement of the glass door? What are your measurements for your rough opening?
The glass door is 26” (wide) x 75-3/4” (height). The total width of the front glass section is 34”.
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.
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.
Need to FaceTime and get some info on my bathroom remodel
For sure. I’ll shoot you a text.
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
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.
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.
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.
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 $$$$).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Here's how to calculate the proper heater power: the size of the sauna in m2 plus the square meters of all the uninsulated wall space multiplied by 1.2. So, you have 240 cu ft =6,796 m³, and that glass wall is 7 ft by 4ft = 2,6m2, multiplied by 1.2 that's 3,12. 6,796+3,12 =9,916. You need about a 10kW heater.
where did you get the led light strips?
I bought them from an electrical supplier in Toronto called Dark Tools.
How long did it take to build?
13.5 hours. Hahah I’m kidding. I couldn’t give you a time frame. I worked on it on weekends for about a month. Filming the process also adds a lot of time as well.
The build process will come down to the skill set of the installer and having all materials on hand. Finish carpentry is not my forte so it took a little longer.
Approx. how many hours did this project take to complete?
That's a tough question to answer. There were various trades involved and this project wasn't completed in one shot. Here is a break down of the various trades to help you out with planning your build time. Framing, electrical, plumbing, waterproof pan, tiling, insulation, vapour barrier, cedar wall/bench install, heater install & glass panel/door install.
I hope that helps.
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
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.
Where did you get your pot light, I can’t find one anywhere?
I bought my pot lights from Vaughan Electric:
www.vaughanelectrical.com