Almost Heaven Barrel Sauna Review: Is it waterproof / watertight???

This review is for the Almost Heaven 2-4 person Audra Barrel Sauna.

[NPow]

Please continue to post content about your sauna. There are few resources available to potential buyers like myself. Thanks in advance!

[hoover]

Also, prop the door open after you use it and let it dry out. At first I had a little bit better luck sealing mine because I placed a caulk in between those c-shaped tongue and grooves at about the 3/4 mark on each plant coming up towards the peak. Probably too late for you to do that if you did not do that so I suggest clear flex seal across the seams starting from the 9:00 and 3:00 up over the top. The roofing will also do the trick. Another tip. If you're not using it all during the summer make sure that you put lots of mouse traps in it. The mice go up into the rocks and build nests and then when you go to turn it on the next time it will start billowing smoke and the smell of mouse urine. I had to take the rocks out and soak them in vinegar for a day. Anyway if you have any other questions having owned one for 22 years I could tell you what to do to preserve it. Mine is still going but it did get a little ugly in some places because of rot but I have addressed that and I'm still enjoying it

[sugelanren]

Here in Ireland you get bitumen roof sheets with a sauna like that. You could loosen the straps, add some roofing sheets, and re tighten

[VenilaRice]

Thanks for doing this and uploading for everyone to see! Helped me make my decision!

[hoover]

If I don't comment no one will. I've owned and almost heaven sauna now for 21 years. At one point I put a tarp over the top but that was kind of ugly but it did the trick of keeping the water out. The other thing you've got to watch is rot on the edges of those planks. Every other year I would hit them with some spar varnish Marine type. As for the scenes if you want to keep the exact look that you have get some clear flex seal in a can and spray all of the seams above the midriff across the top to the other side midriff. I actually ended up using flex seal black paint to make a black cap and spar varnishing the entire rest of the sauna. Now keep in mind I've made the mistakes and I'm remedying them now so what I'm doing is a bit to catch up. Being preventative is the best way to go. I would also make sure that plenty of air is passing underneath it. I made the same mistake of just having the choice place it above the service but couple of railroad ties That crisscross the Joyce would avoid the bottom being to damp. I had to have my electric stove repaired one time but I used this still very frequently. Good luck. you can also shingle the top of it like a shingle roof and that would look really nice too you just have to cap the peak. They also have a corrugated metal roof that you can just drape over the top and that certainly works too

[pslam]

Hey everyone. They sell a rain jacket for it!

[hoover]

I think that the corrugated roof is the easiest and most practical solution. What I had to do was a bit drastic but I was able to save it. That said if you like the look of the sauna as is try that clear flex seal from the spray can. Make sure that you really drive it into the seams between the boards from 9:00 to 3:00 across the top. You might need two or three cans. After it cures try soaking the sauna again and see what you missed. It took me three tries to get everything sealed. Good luck and getting that sauna!

[marko_._]

Without bitumen shingle roof it will leak like OceanGate's Titan

[elbison]

Buahahahha “little bit of water!!!!” 🤣 that shit will be full of water in one rain fall

[martindagoberto]

wow, thanks for posting this. We were considering getting one of these, but seems pretty low quality...

[OGPANCHO]

I put a 8x6 tarp over the top half on mine. Left the bottoms uncovered for ventilation.

[wallstbull]

Tap down the cedar in the corner where the door is catching. Work your way left until it closes. Take your time, go easy. It’s a simple fix.
Also, make sure that you have enough staves in. You have to put more then actually fit around the front & back walls so the boards are popping up. Then, tighten the crap out of it for a good seal. It’ll never be water tight until the wood expands or you seal it (which I wouldn’t do).
Good luck!

[jessehernandez]

Can you put wood glue in between each of the wood slats? Would that stop the water

[drubie]

You have convinced me that if I'm to get this brand and model, it will need to be under a roof or in the basement.

[cbingham]

Can’t you caulk the joints before install?

[gtbpdx]

Oh no! My brand new untreated cedar barrel sauna from Almost Heaven is not waterproof!
Ah, duh. It is a barrel, constructed of untreated wood. Ask any cooperage; wooden barrels, like wooden boats, leak until the staves (planks on a boat) swell from moisture, making them “watertight”. Your stated concern about barrel sauna owners, living in “wet areas”, may always have a leaking, wet sauna. Not after in rains. I know this because we have an Almost Heaven Huntington cedar barrel sauna and live on the North Oregon coast. An area climatically known as a “Seasonal rain-forest zone” which means it rains a lot. In fact, our sauna arrived just before Thanksgiving last fall. It was stored indoors until the middle of January, when we actually had three days in a row without rain to assemble it. At first, it leaked. Within three days of scattered showers, it is tight and remains so.
Looking at your video I can only guess you might be living in an arid or semi-arid location. If so, you might consider eventually covering just the top half of the sauna. There are different “covers” commercially available; some are tarp like, others a composite roofing material. My choice would be sheet metal roofing. You can find images of barrel saunas with DIY coverings around the internet. You can also apply an exterior “waterproofing” sealer (which we did to ours because salt air, wind and rain just beat the crap out of any exposed wood, including cedar) but be aware: use ONLY non-toxic, preferably all natural sealers. They are fairly expensive but better than breathing in heated VOCs.
Lastly, if you sauna continues to leak, consider adding another stave or partial stave. Almost Heaven supplied us with extras, lots of extras. So, you got that going for you. Happy sweating.

[winteriscoming]

Did you treat the wood with anything, I’ve ordered one and the wood hasn’t been treated and thinking of treating with some deck oil .

[wcwcwc]

Your temp sensor on the back wall is too low.

[calebfrey]

Dang that stinks that it leaks that bad. Thanks for the review

[NYRunnerJai]

Are the 6 person saunas better? I’m thinking a tarp will do the trick (who cares about looks anyway) but the mice issue sucks big time.