By popular demand, here is a complete list of what you’ll need to build your own sauna. Life is short: you deserve your own authentic Finnish sauna!!
Step one: Go out to your backyard with some string and mark off an 8×12 space. You can build your own sauna by sticking it against your garage, or tucking it in a quiet corner in your backyard. When you choose the location for your backyard sauna, keep in mind that you may want to allow for a nice courtyard or patio space. Bring a couple patio chairs and maybe a picnic bench to complete the simulation.
Step two: Before you build your own sauna, imagine what your own sauna party will be like. Family, friends, business associates or the whole hockey team? When you build your own sauna, consider inviting your sauna party friends to help frame it up.
Step three: Go for it, and start enjoying your own authentic Finnish sauna. Click here to learn how to prep your area for the sauna
| 8×12 Sauna Building Materials List | |||||
| Subfloor | qty | price | extended | ||
| rim joist | 2×6-12′ green | 2 | $5.58 | $11.16 | |
| floor joists | 2×6-8′ green | 10 | $3.54 | $35.40 | |
| sub floor | 3/4” 4×8 AC2 | 3 | $28.00 | $84.00 | |
| Walls | |||||
| wall studs | 2×4-7′ studs | 43 | $1.48 | $63.64 | |
| treated plate | 2×4-12′ green | 2 | $4.58 | $9.16 | |
| treated plate | 2×4-8′ green | 2 | $2.29 | $4.58 | |
| top bottom plate | 2×4-12′ | 2 | $2.47 | $4.94 | |
| top bottom plate | 2×4-8′ | 2 | $1.68 | $3.36 | |
| wall sheeting | 1/2# 4×8 CDX plywood | 13 | $11.14 | $144.82 | |
| siding | 3/4x 8-8′ cedar beveled siding | 26 | $8.48 | $220.48 | |
| siding | 3/4x 8-12′ cedar beveled siding | 26 | $8.48 | $220.48 | |
| Roof | |||||
| truss | 2×6-12′ | 8 | $5.00 | $40.00 | |
| ridge beam | 2×6-16′ | 1 | $6.48 | $6.48 | |
| roof sheeting | 1/2# 4×8 CDX plywood | 7 | $11.14 | $77.98 | |
| shingles | 25 year | 6 | $23.65 | $141.90 | |
| felt | 15# underlay | 1 | $21.80 | $21.80 | |
| soffit | 16”x12′ pro vented soffit | 5 | $15.58 | $77.90 | |
| fascia | 6”x12′ r/s fascia | 6 | $10.49 | $62.94 | |
| trim | 12′ j-trim | 1 | $8.23 | $8.23 | |
| Interior | |||||
| insulation | R11 3.5x15x40′ 50 sf roll | 14 | $10.69 | $149.66 | |
| bubble wrap | 48”x25′ Reflective bubble stndrd edge | 6 | $31.48 | $188.88 | |
| wall cedar | 1×6-8′ WP-4 cedar (sqft=lftx.42) | 68 | $10.39 | $706.52 | |
| roof cedar | 1×6-8′ WP-4 cedar (sqft=lftx.42) | 17 | $10.39 | $176.63 | |
| benches | 2×4-6′ cedar | 38 | $4.86 | $184.68 | |
| sauna floor | 1/2”x3′x5′ durock | 4 | $8.49 | $33.96 | |
| Hardware/etc. | |||||
| finish nails | 1-1/4” nail 11b aluminum white | 1 | $8.23 | $8.23 | |
| door | E-10 half lite door PH 32×80 LH DB | 1 | $194.00 | $194.00 | |
| window | 24×36 Jeldwen Vnl Rep DH Low-E | 1 | $124.00 | $124.00 | |
| lights | 3 lights: sauna, chnging room, outside | 3 | $8.00 | $24.00 | |
| switches | 3 switches, one dimmer (sauna room) | 3 | $2.00 | $6.00 | |
| electric | wire, outlet, etc. | 1 | $5.00 | $5.00 | |
| Stove | |||||
| sauna stove | Kuuma wood | 1 | $850.00 | $850.00 | |
| reflective panels | Kuuma side and back | 1 | $140.00 | $140.00 | |
| water tank | stainless steel | 1 | $200.00 | $200.00 | |
| pipe | 36” steel snap | 2 | $24.00 | $48.00 | |
| flashing kit | 14.5” | 1 | $89.00 | $89.00 | |
| chimney | 3′ double ins. | 1 | $155.00 | $155.00 | |
| chimney cap | aluminum rodent seal | 1 | $48.60 | $48.60 | |
| total materials…… | $4,571.41 | ||||
| labor…. | $2,345.00 | ||||
| dealer prep, clear coat BS | $33.59 | ||||
| total….. | $6,950.00 |
Many thanks for the materials list Glenn. It gives a great insight into the approx costs and materials to be expected.
Thanks again for the effort in putting this list together.
Alan, you’re on! It’s great to share: i’m always open for ideas, thoughts, opinions. Example: the interior wall can be framed with 2x2s (vs 2x4s) and positioned to allow for a slightly longer or shorter sauna room. Optimally, I like a sauna width that allows for about a 6’4″ sauna bench. 6’4″ is adequate for 3 people to sit, or one person lying flat with a beer balancing on the forehead singing Finnish folk songs. jk
My entire life I have been taking saunas. I have half Finnish and when my parents built out cabin in Northern MN, they built the sauna first. Well, now it is my time to build my own sauna and I plan to do it this summer. I am looking forward to using your website to develop a plan to build. Thank you!
You’re welcome Rhonda! Not sure if you’re in MN, but I’ll be bringing around my 8×12 mobile Finnish sauna to a bunch of events in the Twin Cities this winter. Stay tuned to saunatimes.com for an agenda and maybe you can come by and experience it in action. Glad you dig the site.
These guys over at Cedarbrook have a few videos posted on YouTube about How to Build a Sauna in a room and an outdoor one. The outdoor sauna is really their prefab ceiling and walls and roof, I guess. Thought it deserved mention here… I’m hoping it gives some good building tips, especially the indoor videos which would apply to any structure.
One thing I want to add to the discussion is IF you build an outdoor sauna in the Southern US … everything wants to move in, especially ants. I have found that if you can put diatomaceous earth under your floor plate and inside the walls atop the base plate, you can stop the critters from coming in for good. This non-toxic earth acts like knives to ants and cuts them up. Most will touch it with their antennae and then back-off, cause they know they have no defense. Ideally, you should not breath the diatomaceous earth either. While non-toxic it’s just not good for your lungs. You can also put it around the base outside, but you’ll have to do it every so often.
In northern climates our issue is more BTU’s than bugs. We find a changing room space critical as it’s a buffer between 180 degree f. sauna and 8 degree f. outside air temp.
Sorry I forgot to add the link to the videos on YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/user/cedarbros/videos or look ‘em up.