As of this writing, Cedar dog ear fence pickets cost $0.61/lineal foot. 1x6 tongue and groove Western red cedar is running $1.55/lineal foot. (Source: Menards.) With some resourceful digging via Craigslist, etc. we often are able to find #3 grade tongue and groove at lower price. As a sauna builder with a commercial account at a lumber wholesaler, I am able to purchase 1x6 Western Red Cedar at about $1.15/lineal foot. This is about the same price that one can find the product on Craigslist, via discount suppliers. With this pricing, it costs about $800 to panel a typical sauna hot room with 1x6 Western red cedar. #2 grade knotty. It would cost about $400, maybe less, to panel a hot room with Cedar dog ear fence pickets. We are … [Read more...]
Let’s make purchasing wood stove chimney components easy
I have had a few people ask me for a list of all the components needed for installing a wood stove. Home Depot doesn't stock the chimney gear. Selkerk website is pretty lame. For purchasing all the chimney and stove pipe components for your wood stove, I suggest: Visiting a fireplace supply center in your area. OrGo to Menards, if you have one in your area. Menards stocks all the Selkerk "Super Vent" line of products. I have built a bunch of saunas and have purchased many sets of wood burning stove components. Here is my list of what you need (not official names) from the stove up: A deep breath.Stove pipe. black. Hard to assemble but you put it on soft ground and snap together with your knee. … [Read more...]
How much does a sauna cost? Well, here’s your answer (down to the dollar)
A lot of people ask me "how much does a sauna cost?" or "I'm thinking of building my own sauna, about how much is it going to cost me?" The usual answer to these questions, unfortunately, is another question, which is usually: What size sauna building are you thinking? Are you talking inside your house or a free standing backyard sauna? Are you going to hire out the labor or do some or all of the work yourself? You're thinking changing room, too, right? (read: Do I really need a changing room?) Just checking... no infrared light bulbs, right? Well, these numbers are fresh off the press and are current as of December 2018. These numbers relate to a method and model that I particularly recommend for those seeking to realize … [Read more...]
Log sauna, stick frame sauna, and a practical frame up for building your own sauna (with thermal mass considerations)
Below is an email exchange that we thought worthy of putting out to the universe, for others who are in the planning (but not zoning) phase of building their own sauna. John: Hi Glenn, I hope you are doing well and enjoying winter saunas. I'm still working on plans for an outdoor sauna and would really prefer to build with rectangular logs. Having trouble finding someone who understands the answer to the following: will thicker log walls (eastern white pine) take longer to heat up due to the extra thermal mass having to first heat the logs, especially in colder weather we have in the UP? For example: 4" or 8" logs - will there be a noticeable difference in warm up time? Sauna interior … [Read more...]
He built his own sauna, now he is converting all his furniture to be sauna benches
"We enjoyed every part of our sauna build project, but making our own sauna benches was especially rewarding." The itch to build more things came a year or so after completing their sauna project. "My wife encouraged me to just keep going. I mean, we love the look and feel of our cedar sauna benches" he says, as he hands me 2x4 cedar boards from the back of his vehicle. Then, he turns to me with a knowing smile: "Besides, building things can be kind of cathartic." Though he prefers to remain anonymous, he's a kindred spirit to most of us. He built his own wood burning sauna. He and his family deeply appreciate the "sanctity of sauna". And like many of us, as he sits on his sauna bench and looks around, he's prone to start … [Read more...]
Custom Mobile Saunas wants you to have your own authentic sauna
When I first met Eric Bongard five or so years ago, he was elbow deep in building ice houses. What struck me about Eric is the quality of his craftsmanship as well as his entire command of the building process, from the chassis on up. Fast forward to a few months ago, and Eric and I began collaborating on his business shift to building quality mobile saunas. Working hard to make great mobile saunas Eric and I have had countless exchanges back and forth, discussing the many nuances of sauna building and design. We have had countless phone conversations, where we have hatched out such things as hot room size, stove location, sauna bench layout, proper drainage, lighting, window and door placements. Eric wants to make excellent AUTHENTIC … [Read more...]
Let’s review options for our new sauna hot room and changing room floor
Should you insulate the floor? You don’t have to insulate your sauna building floor, but why not do it? With a new sauna build, I would insulate the subfloor with 2” rigid foam ripped on a table saw to widths to fit between your floor joists flush up to your subfloor. The rigid foam can rest between the floor joist cavities via 2x2 or 1x2 strips screwed into your joists 2” down from the top. Rigid foam has an R-5 value per inch. R10 in the floor is adequate. This is the stage at which one would install sleepers on the insides of floor joists and lay down rigid foam: I’m not a fan of batting in floors. Rodents. And if there’s a leak, which will happen if someone tips over a 5 gallon bucket of water, batting becomes a soggy … [Read more...]
Where do I get sauna rocks? Landscape centers!, Landscape centers!, Landscape centers!
So, we are approaching the "Finnish line" of our authentic sauna build. We've followed along with every step of the way of the DIY ebook. We've cured our sauna stove with a good long burn, burning off the factory paint. We've put some finishing touches in place, like attaching our towel hooks and our hot room door hardware. We've checked the calendar and have now invited our friends over for inaugural Friday sauna. We're all set to go, but wait! "gasp! panic!" "I need sauna rocks!!" Well, a quick trip to the shores of Lake Superior is out of the question. And despite the metaphor of a million grains of sand, there's a guilt that comes with dragging a 5 gallon pickle bucket out to the beach shoreline to collect free range organic … [Read more...]
A cabin blueprint that is ‘sauna forward’
As sauna is becoming more and more popular, architects are being asked to incorporate sauna within the design of a house, cabin, or cottage. Sauna isn't for everyone, but in this case, the homeowner is an authentic sauna enthusiast, not satisfied with a small electro-closet model, tucked into a corner or under stairs. For this homeowner, sauna is not akin to a laundry room or linen closet. For this homeowner, sauna is an integral part of living well. This sauna is wood burning and front and center. This sauna recycles the heat back into the cabin. The chimney stack is in the center of the cabin. The function not only radiates heat throughout the entire building but allows the chimney stack to share a primary fireplace glowing … [Read more...]
Could LED dimmable rope lighting be the next big sauna building game changer?
Every sauna built from today forward shall have this lighting configuration: LED rope light extended underneath the upper bench. Two sconce lights, one on either side of the hot room door. Both light systems shall be controlled by dimmer switches via a dual switch box installed at a convenient height outside the hot room door, opposite of hinge side. ADVANTAGES: Lighting underneath upper bench casts indirect light, a pleasant vibe for sauna bathers. This light helps illuminate the path from the upper bench down to the floor, and out the door. What was once the dark dim underbelly of the sauna hot room now becomes a soft, glowing, appealing space, making our hot rooms feel that much larger. Thanks to the dimmer switch, … [Read more...]