Building a backyard sauna

I'll take you through my experience building a sauna from framework to finished build. I used many reclaimed materials including old steel siding, chalkboard slate, and the cedar interior siding.

I'm not a professional builder. This will not win awards for beauty and design. But it works amazing well, smells great, and fills the room with rich heat and steam. Total cost was under $5k, compared with a delivered pre-built sauna this size costing well over $20k.

I was inspired by other YouTubers sharing their projects, so this video is my way of giving back. I hope it inspires someone to give it a try.

[calbackk]

Very nice!. Congratulations. As a Finn I appreciate that you have the good sence to throw WATER on the stove. This, to my amazement, is not understood to all sauna builders here on YT.

[nakoradiomies]

As a Finnish guy i am i spotted few things you might want to change, first the benches, we make them removable so they are easier to clean, also make tiny gap between wall and the bracket that holds the bench that way the wall does not trap moisture too much and the wall does not start to rotten over time.

Second important is fresh air ventile, even it is sauna you will want that. Helps drying the sauna too after use too.
🙂

[HannuPulkkinen]

As a few Finns have already commented, some improvements should be made to get a really good sauna experience, and the most important of them is improving the ventilation. A small ventilation hole in the wall is not enough. You have to make sure that air also gets on top of the stove and in the sauna room under the door. You also have to make sure that the air can escape both during the sauna and also after the sauna. Even if you don't wash you in the sauna, the steam bath moisturizes all surfaces and they become moldy if they don't dry properly. There are more saunas in Finland than cars, and we have a thousand years of experience in how to build a good sauna. It is worth learning online what is required for a good sauna.

[georgestanley]

I enjoyed seeing your home grown build. It was nice to see you include your Son. The reclaiming of the wood to repurpose was really neat. You preserved the history and knowing that at some moment back in time, kids carved into the cedar whatever made sense to them at that moment in time. The wood burning stove really adds the charm. Low voltage lighting set up was smart. Enjoy your creation and time spent, My Friend.

[paraworth]

Well done Good to see someone building from scratch using bits and pieces and making a great job without spending unnecessarily

[alexv]

I’ve watched SO MANY videos about building a sauna. Yours is the BEST in terms of SIMPLICITY of building a sauna, and most importantly, making the sauna floor. I came to your video through the link in Morrison Stove Company. I’m looking into buying one of their stoves.

[jonahmestas]

One of my favorite sauna builds, thanks!!

[TheVolquard]

Cool Project, everyone needs a sauna :-)

[mikev]

I totally love your talent of
improviseing.
Well Done

[thegreenmercenary]

I am watching this for the vicarious sauna experience. That looks soooo relaxing. God, I need a schvitz.

[moirarussell]

😂🤣every sauna expert in the world is here in your comment section. I’m revamping my old sauna and really enjoyed the video. Thanks for the inspiration. 👍🇨🇦

[赵志刚-rf]

The Stones and their Heating and Placement Methods
The sauna room is an ancient and enjoyable therapy that brings many benefits to the body and mind. In the sauna room, stones play a crucial role. This article will focus on the role of sauna room stones, why they need to be heated, and how to place them properly.

Firstly, let’s talk about the role of sauna room stones. Stones serve as the heat medium in the sauna room and have excellent insulation properties, allowing them to maintain high temperatures for a long time. When the sauna stove heats the stones, they absorb heat and release it in the sauna room, creating a warm and comfortable environment. Additionally, the stones help maintain humidity, keeping the air in the sauna room moist. The insulating and humidifying characteristics of the stones are essential for creating an ideal environment in the sauna room.

To make the most of the stones’ role, we need to heat them. There are several reasons for heating the stones. Firstly, heating increases their temperature, allowing them to release more heat This results in higher temperatures the sauna room and better therapeutic effects. Secondly, heating helps evaporate moisture on the surface of the stones, ensuring appropriate humidity in the sauna room. Lastly, heating also helps remove dirt and bacteria from the stones, keeping them Role of Sauna Roomclean and hygienic.

Before heating the stones, we need to choose suitable ones. The commonly used stones in sauna rooms are granite or basalt because they have excellent insulation and high-temperature resistance. Additionally, we should select stones with smooth surfaces and no cracks to avoid any hazards during the heating process.

When placing the stones, we need to pay attention to proper arrangement. Firstly, distribute the stones evenly above the sauna stove. This ensures even heat distribution and uniform temperature throughout the sauna room. Secondly, we can also place some stones at the bottom of the sauna room to increase radiant heat. This way, even in the lower positions, people can feel the warm heat. Lastly, to maintain the stones’ humidity, we can sprinkle water on them to generate steam.

It is important to note that the placement of stones should comply with the design and safety regulations of the sauna room. When placing the stones, avoid stacking them too high to prevent them from slipping or becoming too heavy, which may cause danger. Additionally, there should be a certain distance between the stones and the sauna stove to prevent the stones from overheating and cracking.

In conclusion, sauna room stones play a significant role in sauna therapy. By heating and placing the stones properly, we can create a comfortable, warm, and humid sauna environment, helping the body and mind relax and recover. Therefore, in the construction and use of sauna rooms, we should pay attention to the selection, heating, and placement of stones to ensure the effectiveness and safety of sauna therapy.

[SamuelGoff-ns]

This is a wonderful video. I am in the framing stages of my backyard sauna build, and I learned a lot of little details from your video. Thank you!

[dmon]

Great build, what I learned coming from Europe, saunas can be made our of any scrap wood. I personally liked the fresh saw mill look. I turned my shed into a sauna as well. Can't wait for summer to end. Been collecting wood from all over.

[scotthaskins]

Just stumbled across this. Absolutely superb mate. Bravo Zulu buddy. Love it 💪🇬🇧

[marianfrances]

Oh wow! Thats one beautiful sauna! 👍😎🇨🇦🌲🔥❄

[Ounouh]

Looks good. You might want to look an online guide on sauna stones and how to choose and pile those to get the best sauna experience. If those are too loose, the stones will not transfer heat from the bottom to top as effectively.

[PeeterJoot]

I like how your upper bench is along the angled ceiling. That way you can accommodate a range of upper body heights.

[jinstr]

115 subscribers? 10k in no time. thank you for this awesome wholesome video + explanations on costs and materials. looking forward to following your journey!

[helmutNO]

Beautiful build, John! I love that you used old materials to build the sauna. I am looking to do something along these lines and seeing how it turned out in your video gave me further hope.