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5 Considerations for a Sauna Build
The whos and hows of using your sauna
Who will you sauna with? For some a sauna is the ultimate in solitary meditation, for others a social occasion to share with friends and the traditional Finnish sauna was a family event on a Saturday afternoon!
Will you be purely sitting and sweating - or will you bring washing, body scrubs, birch whisks or other sauna rituals into the space? All these considerations will affect your stove choice, bench height and layout, window placement and floor space.
All wood is not created equal
Wood type is a big consideration in a sauna build - it affects the costs, style, longevity, smell and comfort. Less dense woods are used inside the sauna as they don't get as hot and for the same reason wood without knots is preferred.
Wood is a beautiful material and you will be able to choose colours and finishes that feel right for you. It can be rustic or modern, light or dark, sharp or soft - in folklore it has varying properties of healing or nourishing the soul. You can feel it in your bones when the sauna is built in quality timber.
Think carefully about your bench width and height
You don’t have to have a 50cm wide sauna bench. In fact in many Finnish saunas there are platforms as wide as 2m. You can really experiment with bench layout, and the more tiers the better as you will be able to have more choice in heating your body.
The Finnish rule is to have your foot level at the same height as the top of the stove, to ensure your whole body stays warm, even when sitting up.
Now you know how many people will be in your sauna - who are you catering for? Do you need a space under the benches for the children to play?
Sauna bathing is all about contrast
A sauna session is really a session of heating and cooling the body - you’ll spend much time doing each - in fact you can have too much of a good thing - and a long sauna session without proper cool-downs will leave you drained.
All the feel-good chemicals and health benefits are released when you have a effective cool down between saunas - the more extreme - the more the buzz! You can cool in the air, but the more you sauna - the more you’ll want the cold - so at the very least a shower (or hose) - and soon enough you’ll be dreaming of a plunge pool!
Don't forget!
Some additional vital factors that make your sauna really wonderful;
Ventilation - you need fresh oxygen so you can breathe easy and relax.
Windows - How much light do you want? You can have full glass walls for a bright and airy feel or a tiny window to keep it dark and cosy.
Rest Area - at least a bench/chair for relaxing after your session.
All the fun - Body treats, birch whisk and plenty of water for your löyly (sauna steam)!
'Very professional service - it was clear that she is both passionate and extremely knowledgeable about everything sauna related. We had definitely found the right person to help us realise our vision.
We went through a series of sketches finalise the design and the drawings were clear and accurate.
During the build the entire team were very reliable and had a high standard of workmanship. The project ran really smoothly and was completed bang on time.'
Living your best sauna life
Every sauna experience should leave you feeling revived, relaxed and clean - and theres many ways to get there. The key element is the sauna hot room itself, combine this with a gorgeous cool down, a lush rest area and you're ready to have the best sauna experience.
Bespoke build prices start at £16,000
See some previous projects here (click on each link for more info):
'For our first sauna, Katie was on hand to explain everything we needed to know, she also performed a sauna master session which was wonderful.
Katie’s eye for detail is really strong and the finished sauna not only looks beautiful but also works very well too. It definitely exceeded our expectations. We absolutely love our sauna and have used it daily since it’s installation. We are already starting to feel the health benefits.
I cannot recommend Katie highly enough. If you’re thinking of having a sauna built;
go for it, you won’t regret it!'
Carly and Ed
As a professional sauna master, creator of Wild Spa Wowo, vice-chair of the British Sauna Society and board member of the Interntional Sauna Association you can be assured I design and build with knowledge and passion. Quality and technical specification are key, followed by strong design, carefully chosen materials and a team of highly skilled craftspeople.
International research into different bathing cultures informs my design process, with a wide range of professional connections and a deep understanding of sauna practices and rituals.
With an eye for detail, understanding of materials and interest in innovation, we bring something new to each project. I'd love to talk through your ideas and help create your dream sauna.