You are here: Home / Archives for backyard sauna

Sauna firewood in unlikely places.

May 11, 2013 By Glenn Leave a Comment

Wood pile at Uncommon Gardens

I am building another sauna in the parking lot at Uncommon Gardens, Minneapolis, MN.  Initially, the owner was going to carve out an area within the garden area for me to build.  However, I was taken to this woodpile as an alternative area.

  1. I’d rather stay out of their way.
  2. I want to show how anyone can turn a neglected corner of their own property into a fabulous up north retreat.
  3. I enjoy helping the great folks at Uncommon Gardens.
  4. I ended up with a ton of scrap wood to fire up my own outdoor backyard sauna, vs. tossing in landfill.

Burning this scrap firewood, I can get my wood burning sauna to 150 degrees f. in 25 minutes. Insane.

 

Filed Under: Burning wood Tagged With: , , , ,

Outdoor saunas with and without electricity

May 11, 2013 By Glenn 4 Comments

wiring an outdoor sauna for power and in this case speaker volume control.

As mentioned in this video here, many country and lakeside saunas don’t have electricity.

In Finland and everywhere, many traditional saunas were built before electricity.   Also, many saunas are built away from the main house, cabin, cottage.  To the positive, this reality is what helps make the sauna building a true escape, a step back in time and towards simplicity.

There is a wind of change: solar and wind systems are becoming more affordable for the average bear.

Saunas that have been lit exclusively by candle or lantern may now, with the flick of a switch, be powered up like the LM in Apollo 13.

When building an outdoor sauna, spend the extra time and cash to wire the structure for lights and outlets.

A simple hot room light, a couple wall sconses in changing room, and an outdoor patio light is all is needed (the power of three).   Oh, and put ‘em all on dimmers.  One can bring power into the structure by wiring an RV electrical plug (expensive) or a simple male plug tucked under the structure outside.  The system can be tested and powered for sauna parties by running extension cord from nearest power source.

Run 12/2 wire from the outside plug under the bottom plate directly to a GFI outlet, then run power to lights and additional outlet(s). This keeps your entire system safe from power surges and accidents eg. when a drunken guest thinks your triple light switch is a sink.

When you step up to get the solar panel or wind turbine, your structure is wired and ready to go.

 

Filed Under: Building a sauna Tagged With: , , , , ,

Alert: Extreme Temperature Drops Ahead.

April 30, 2013 By Glenn Leave a Comment

Members of the Twin City Sauna Club will be gathering in the 5621 outdoor sauna to celebrate this May Arctic blast.

What is your crappy weather insurance policy?

Is it time for you to consider your own authentic Finnish sauna?  Life is short.  The  benefits are many. The enjoyment is extensive.  Come join our authentic sauna tribe.

Filed Under: Weather Tagged With: , , , , ,

An authentic sauna enthusiast chimes in

February 12, 2013 By Glenn 3 Comments

Below is an email received today from Mike in Wisconsin.

This is why we do Saunatimes: building a tribe of sauna enthusiasts who overcome their lizard brain, and put their own dent in their universe, making something happen for themselves that embraces:

  • Health and wellness.
  • Escape.
  • Fun.

These are the three pillars that keep saunatimes afloat, from our inception four years ago, amidst all the misconceptions of what sauna is, its false claims, and marketing theater.  Thanks Mike for joining our tribe.

Enter Mike:

“I have been reading your blog for a couple years now.  I love your humor and insight.  Our kids are a bit older now, and we were at a crossroads of whether to put more money into our house in Wisconsin or move.  We agreed to stay put, and I have to say, your website influenced our decision!  My wife doesn’t enjoy sauna as much as me, but our two children love sauna – we get to use my uncle’s cabin from time to time and kids love taking multiple sauna rounds there.

Anyhow, we were so liberated to hear about how to add an outdoor sauna to our backyard.  It makes so much sense!  We both work, and facing traffic on weekends and holidays has become such a strain on us. We would arrive at my Uncle’s cabin whipped out and spend all day Sunday dreading the trip home.

My wife wanted to look at moving somewhere warmer.  She was fed up with winter.  We read on your site about how other people with saunas love winter.  We wondered if they are crazy or if it’s true.  I have to tell you.. it’s true!  We all love winter now!

So, we started with what you said, some string and four sticks, and we staked out an outdoor sauna space in our backyard.  We followed your 8′x12′ plan, and my wife designed a deck courtyard area in our back corner lot.  We had a shed company build the structure and me and a friend finished the interior.  Not sure if you remembered me, but I emailed you a few times and you were great about answering my questions.

My brother has plenty of wood on his property, and so built a wood burning outdoor sauna… what a great decision!

I can’t begin to tell you how much we love our outdoor sauna.  Kids bring friends over – they all say we have the coolest backyard in town.  We look forward to checking the weather and cross our fingers for fresh snow.  Twice now, i’ve taken off work early to be home for snow storms.  We love to hunker down in our backyard and sauna, watching the snow fly and doing snow angels.

My wife used to suffer from lower back pain.  She started going to yoga, and she tries to use the sauna more too.  Her back is much better.  I find I work out more frequently.  I used to use the health club sauna, but now, I hit the gym on my way home from work, and avoid the smelly health club sauna completely.  What a difference my sauna is compared to the health club sauna!  I’m thinking about buying an exercise bike and losing the health club membership.

We can’t wait for spring.  I”m hooking up an outdoor shower like you suggest (that was one of the first articles I remember reading from you).  Thanks for all your work on your website.  If you’re ever in the Milwaukee area, please come sauna!”

EDITOR: Here’s a few links to posts that Mike talked about:

Sauna in the snow.

Bring the family together.

Building your own sauna – where to start.

Kids in the sauna.

Build your own backyard shower.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Sauna Culture Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

An authentic sauna we built, then delivered to Ohio.

December 8, 2012 By Glenn 5 Comments

We consider this the perfect authentic Finnish sauna outdoor retreat.

Yet, we welcome any input, suggestion, idea on how it can be improved.

8'x12' structure. (under 100sf - no building permit!). Door to changing room. window to hot room. Half log siding that could easily be cedar shake or siding to match existing primary house or cabin.

 

12′ side with exterior light and reverse gable, a perfect side to extend the space with a deck or screen porch overhang.

6'x8' changing room. 2'x6' cedar bench. Upper shelf for storage. Two 28"x36" double hung windows for plenty of cross light and open feel.

24″x80″ cedar sauna door with 12″x12″ tempered glass window leading into hot room along 8′ wall.

 

6'x8' hot room. 2'x8' upper bench. 18"x8' lower bench. Wood burning sauna stove with glass window and aluminum hot water tank.

 

 

loading sauna on flatbed trailer.

Looks crazy, but we carefully loaded sauna on flatbed trailer and..

...delivered it to a backyard 644 miles away. Don't you deserve your own health and wellness retreat?

Filed Under: Building a sauna Tagged With: , , , ,

A sauna investment that brings the family together.

November 27, 2012 By Glenn Leave a Comment

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a guest post from Mike, who has been in contact with me for months, keen on building his own sauna escape.  We started with 50′ of carpenter string. The results and smiles speak for themselves:

“The sauna is finished. A fifteen degree afternoon. Seven family members gathered for a test-run. The new Kuuma purring in the corner, breathing steam into the room. Chatter from the kids. Laughter from us all. Water splashes on the rocks and the pure smell of cedar hangs in the steamy air. Hasty plans to roll in the fresh snow. Another blast of steam then a count of three. Kids burst into the chilly air, rolling, laughing, screaming. Back into the warmth for another round. A new building worth every penny. A question put to my 1/2 Finnish nephew–”does this touch your Finnish soul?” His reply–”Yes. Yes it does.”

Another facet of heaven at the lake.”

 

Filed Under: Sauna Culture Tagged With: , ,

Tis the season to build sauna, fa la la la la

November 2, 2012 By Glenn 2 Comments

All the leaves have fallen.

Crisp cold mornings are met with fat squirrels running around like mad, stocking up for the winter.  We know what’s around the corner, and more and more people are embracing the cold weather inevitability by building their own authentic Finnish sauna.  Taking a bite of a fresh apple, hammer in hand, “If I can get the exterior buttoned up before the snow flies” becomes the primary focus.

Mornings have been spent sipping coffee.

Drawing up the design, and like squirrels, many have collected their building materials and have dove head first into the pile, turning a stack under black tarp into a semblance of an actual building.  What pride comes with shelling and finishing the exterior!  The satisfaction of turning a drawing into an actual building.

Saunatimes gets lots of inquiries this time of year.

And we try to dispel the mystique of building your own sauna.  There are many tips, like:

1. Foil Bubble Wrap. A sauna without it is just another word for nothing left to lose.

2. Bottom Drip Edge. The perimeter base for the first course of t&g cedar to rest on.  Kids can have a water party in your sauna, and the drip edge is an integral first step toward shedding water.  (NOTE: Speaker wire along the base of sauna hot room where it’ll work just fine, away from the heat).

Most saunas are electric, inside the house.

And we understand this reality.  Ease of use, flip a switch, “My wife won’t go outside in a bathrobe.”  “I don’t have time to light a fire, it’s such a hassle.”  Yet there are folks who relish the authenticity of a wood burning sauna.  Today, wood burning sauna stoves are safe and extremely efficient.  They light easily and reliably via Nate’s Firestarters, and get up to serving temperature in about the same time as an electric sauna stove.  BONUS:  As an anonymous Finlander quietly announced: “wood keeps you warm three times.  1) when you cut it.  2) when you stack it.  3) when you burn it.”

There’s a movement away from mass culture Miller Genuine Draft and over to hand crafted microbrews.

These same folks are moving away from infrared light bulb closets and into authentic Finnish saunas.  Come join us.

Filed Under: Building a sauna Tagged With: , , ,

Summertime Sauna

May 20, 2012 By Glenn Leave a Comment

With the awesome spring we’ve had and temperatures soaring near 90F and with the Twins on a miniature roll , what better time then a late afternoon summer-time sauna?   Three rounds, complete with intermittent dips in the pool between rounds to properly cool down, another successful sauna in the books!  Now it’s time for some pizza and beer.  Even though the motto of “the worse the weather the better the sauna” remains paramount, sometimes, with the better weather your better off saunaing.  Enjoy the good weather and good times.

Filed Under: Weather Tagged With: , ,

Sauna enthusiast wins $12mm lottery and is giving away 500 authentic Finnish backyard saunas

April 1, 2012 By Glenn 2 Comments

The Illinois State Lottery reported today that Jari Tikkinen won the $12 million Powerball jackpot.  At a press conference, Mr. Tikkinen responded modestly when asked about his plans for the winnings:  “sauna.  Lots of saunas.”  Though it’s not clear how Mr. Tikkinen plans to fulfill requests for his sauna philanthropy, here’s some more information to get you charged up.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: ,

Are you benefiting from the clean rinse after every sauna round?

March 11, 2012 By Glenn Leave a Comment

A Clean Rinse after EVERY round:

  1. Flushes out open pores on your skin – ridding toxins, sweat, dirt.
  2. Contracts muscles, mind, body – accentuating the benefits explained in the rubber band theory.
  3. Stimulates euphoria – endorphin rush akin to intense exercise (yoga, running, biking).

BONUS:  A three round, three clean rinse sauna:  no post sauna shower needed, no soap, no messing around in front of a mirror, just a refreshed post sauna glow.

A clean rinse after EVERY round:

  1. At a lake cottage or cabin? Jump in the lake.
  2. At a backyard sauna? Stand under an outdoor shower or cold water bucket dunk.
  3. At an Indoor, health club or hotel sauna? Find the cold lever on the shower handle.

Like it says on the laundry detergent box:  Heat up, cold rinse, repeat.

Filed Under: Sauna how to Tagged With: , , , ,
« Older Posts