When you set your butt down, do your sauna benches move and creak like an antique dining room chair?
Maybe it’s time for new sauna benches.
I’ve sat on my share of sauna benches, and I can’t get over how this design kicks (cough) butt.
Sauna benches basking in the sun prior to installation.And once installed, the upper bench triangle brackets keep things simple and sleek, underneath. This allows for the non-patentable “tuck under” lower bench so nobody can get their leg jammed as they climb down from the upper bench after a long hot sauna round.
Same theory as Google maps, but different. Instead of showing us where we are on our phone, here we install triangulated supports underneath the upper bench to transfer the load down and to the back wall.THE BIG UPSELL: My Build Your Own Sauna ebook will show you how to build these benches.
BONUS: We’re not messing around. Though this drawing is lame, these dimensions for triangle supports guarantee a right angle – and no squeaky benches.
You can build these to support your upper benches. Just get your chop saw set at 45 degrees and go to town.Check out this sauna bench makeover. Are you ready for new sauna benches?
8 thoughts on ““Get off your butt and let’s make some new sauna benches””
The triangle works to support the upper bench, but what about support for the lower bench?
How do you feel about wider benches? 28″? or even more?
Hi Jeff, i’ve settled in on 24″ wide benches. Wider than that and you need a deep backrest so that your knees get over the bench. So you’re back to about 24″ anyway.
In the process of sauna build. Toying with the idea of boxing in under top and bottom bench and still have cedar tops to sit on. Not sure if juice is worth the squeeze but as a kid i always hated cleaning under the benches so that is my one motivator and perhaps less space to heat
Hi Dan, boxing in benches gets debated, time to time. Those against it talk about air flow. Those for it talk about less space to heat, as you point out,
Thanks. I have 6 older brothers and all have wood burners in their saunas. Fully expecting lots of good natured criticism on how the electric stove performs. Nervous about it being hot enough so i thought boxing in under the benches might give me a slight edge heat wise. Room is 6×9 with 7ft ceiling. Went with a 9kw stove.
The triangle is supporting the upper bench, but what is supporting the lower bench?
side “cleats” or runners.. it’s detailed in the ebook (I’m pretty sure!).