Home Sauna

History of the Home Sauna
For eons, saunas and steam baths were used for relaxation and as therapy. Up until about the Second World War, the Nordic countries used saunas, Finland being the most prominent. Shortly after the war, Finnish doctors and architects began to study and improve saunas for more convenience and overall effectiveness. A short time later, the sauna was on the world market, sold as a household amenity to people everywhere. Today, 2.5 million households in Finland have saunas for the six million people who live there! And in other countries, the sauna has become such a symbol of luxury and relaxation that you can find them in homes, at cottages, and in health and fitness clubs.

What Is A Sauna?
To put it very simply, a sauna is a very hot, enclosed room. Sauna sizes tend to vary; public saunas can be equivalent in size to a large bedroom while those found in private homes tend to be smaller, closer to a medium-sized closet. The inside of a sauna is usually quite basic. A wooden bench, typically cedar, will line a wall or multiple walls. In larger saunas, especially public ones, the bench seating is often tiered.

Saunas are usually heated by hot, natural stones, which can produce temperatures up to 150 degrees or more. To increase the humidity level in the sauna, water is poured or ladled over the rocks. In order to trap the heat within the room, saunas generally have a ceiling height of no more than 7'. In order to accomodate taller people as well as regulate the amount of heat you feel, some saunas may have adjustable benches.

Sizing Up Your Sauna
If you are planning on installing a sauna within your home, you'll want to make sure you it is large enough to enjoy. Obviously, the main consideration when deciding on the size of your sauna will be how many people plan to use it. The easiest way to calculate how much space you need is to plan for 2 feet of bench space per user. So, if you're a family of four, you'll need a room large enough to accomodate 8 feet of bench space.

Since saunas do not need any plumbing connections, you can build your sauna almost anywhere in your home, both inside and out. However, some saunas do use electrical heaters which means you will need access to an electrical circuit. These heaters help to regulate the temperature within the sauna and work on either timer controls or just an on/off switch.

Builing Your Own Home Sauna
Many people are put off the idea of building a home sauna becuase of the work involved. Yet, home saunas are actually quite easy to build. In fact, there are many do-it-yourself kits that you can buy which significantly reduces the amount of work you need to do. You just need to assemble the pieces; think of it as the Ikea of home saunas. Plus, these at-home sauna kits make it easy to disassemble and take the sauna with you if you ever move.

Have more questions about your home sauna? Trek over to our Hot Tubs forum and speak with others in your predicament!