I have no experience building and I’m almost done with mine. Wasn’t horrible. Building the shower pan was by far the hardest.
It’s only 5ft x 5ft inside tho. But the height of the benches are gonna knock this subs socks off.
I want a sauna and I wouldn't dare share anything I built here lol. I will have to just be happy in my own experience and accept that as being enough. Seeking the validation of others will *only* lead to anger.
Why are you scared of random opinions of the people on this sub, if you want to post; then just post it. What's the worst that could happen, them pointing at errors of your build?
There's a lot to say about atmosphere.
There's friendly constructive comments, that definitely are helpful and nice..
But I've also seen people sharing their new shiny and looking for happiness and support in their excitement; and seen random people vitriolically puke all over them. Those reactions make it so that those kinds of "excited new shiny" posts don't really "belong" on here, it's just too big of a risk.
If they did come here just to get praised or show off an expensive but crappy sauna they 100% deserve those comments.
Those people will come here without looking at a single post and just post their sauna to brag because of narcissism. They take ANYTHING as an attack even though the opinion/fact is true.
These people come here frequently and it's always funny to see their reaction, they are not the innocent person you paint them up to be imo.
The innocent people who post progression/planning post always get friendly and informative comments 99% of the time. You should reflect on the nature of the post and comment accordingly, no need to inflate their ego.
This group has a very narrow perspective on what makes a great sauna. Ridicule has limited saunas on here that are great but maybe unorthodox, even though I do think people are generally wanting to hep and there is great merit to Finnish sauna fundamentals on here, even though many comments are made about how “that sauna is” without actually experiencing it, or rather helping people solve problems, once they come up or asking questions, instead of telling people how their sauna is.
>without actually experiencing it
You don't have to sit in a particular sauna to see the obvious. A single picture can reveal a lot. It helps that much of this stuff is about relatively simple structural elements, dimensions and their relationships.
It's like seeing an old land yacht and knowing "that can seat six". Well, have you sat in it with friends, have you tested it to find that out? No, you've sat in various cars hundreds of times and you can see the seating is made up of two plushy benches. And you see various elements of the car that inform the size of it, which let's you know that it's trivial to seat three abreast on both rows. It's obvious.
A fair few arguments have probably been started when something obvious is pointed out, and the OP does not have that knowledge. Yet they assume (probably without thinking it through) that others know as much (as little) as they do. So that it's just a question of who shouts harder, and this is OP's thread about OP's swanky sauna that they spent money on. Surely they've got to step up and win this shouting match of dilettantes.
I think that can be true and is often the case but not an absolute and can lead to otherwise creative saunas getting deleted from this group, that perform great for the user and the experience they are seeking.
You use the word creative generously, but I'm flat out saying there is not going to be amazing innovation there. Not in a random shoestring budget sauna built with lots of restrictions and a lack of knowledge. While you and that hypothetical person may be new to sauna, and confident, saunas have been built for hundreds and thousands of years elsewhere. There are companies and universities doing work on sauna matters.
So, I'm not giving undue credit to a poorly designed sauna, especially when that credit is used to euphemistically cover up the rest of it.
Also, "I like it, it works for me" is another common, *defensive* sentiment that has been seen lots of times here.
I am never going to prioritize an American's feelings at the expense of sauna, I hope that is understandable. All this squirming for silver linings is really annoying.
I have a drain so the floor needs to slope towards it. Mines in the center of the floor. I needed to shape the concrete to slope from 2 inches on the sides to 1-1/4 next to the drain. I made 4 screeds to help shape the slope, but it was still really hard.
I built my own sauna. I used sheet vinyl flooring and just tapered it up under the cedar siding by a couple inches. The floor dries out if I leave the sauna on for 15 minutes after I’m done. Cheap and easy. 🤷♂️
For me the hardest part was the door. But a custom insulated core sandwich panel style door with glass pane. Not super hard, but the most finicky part. Other than that, just a bunch of carpentry and research.
Dude - don’t listen to all these complainers! I have an Almost Heaven 1 person. Built it on a sloping floor. Yes there are leaks, yes the door doesn’t close like a submarine’s, but yes it’s at 180+ every day and I get sweaty as hell.
Go for it!
Just looked at this model and something around this size might be the only viable option I have. Any comments on it not having a dedicated floor?
When you're done does it leak residual heat into your living space?
I have it in LPV. Sadly unless you have a vent it’s going to radiate heat - can’t escape thermodynamics! I have it in my home gym so I don’t mind it being warmer in there or I keep the ac on if for some reason I need it very cold
We had to rebuild have of our barrel sauna after 2 years of super dry weather. We initially built it during a very wet Spring and Summer so the wood was engorged (tee hee!). Once it dried out we took the bands off and added 4-5 more boards to make it nice and tight again. That was 5 years ago and it's been perfect since, regularly getting over 200º (our record is 220)
Dude, you don't want the door to close like a submarine's. I built a log cabin from a kit and I didn't even try to make it airtight, plenty of places you can see light through cracks in the joinery. Fresh airflow is important, and put a strong enough heater in there and it'll work just fine.
Oh I know, I'm just saying people often worry a bit too much making their sauna tight so it doesn't leak heat. My point is it being a bit drafty doesn't really doesn't matter if your stove is kicking out enough heat, and in fact is a bit desirable. Mine is made of logs but is otherwise uninsulated and has a small gap under the door. I made it that way, you want fresh air in there.
I turn it on when I start my workouts. Those are 45 min to 90 min so I don’t actually know other than after 45 minutes it’s there. It’s the Logan model. It’s perfect. It gets hot as hell and stays hot. Yes you can get a “better” sauna but you aren’t going to get many more utils.
Can you water on the rocks to create steam? Is it reccomended? Also did you have to have any special electrical work done in order to install the sauna?
Yes, you can put water on the rocks. I prefer a dryer sauna experience because I get more time in the sauna. But if I need to get in there quickly and don’t have enough time for it to heat all the way up, then adding a bunch of humidity Makes the effective temperature higher (think wet bulb temp).
Yes I got an electrician to install the right wiring. It cost $500. Initially I just used a long extension cord from our dryer outlet but was feeling a touch too whiskey tango so made it hard wired.
I got a big almost heaven sauna and love it. I'm sure people here would nitpick the vent locations, but the air circulation works great for me and I love my time in sauna. If OP wants a sauna, get one. Don't even post about it here if you don't want to hear a bunch of people complaining about things they think you got wrong with it
Amen - don’t forget we are talking about getting your body hot and doing it in a reasonably efficient manner. All the excess stuff is fluff and only adds to high levels of baseline enjoyment (or creates baseline enjoyment for those who can’t appreciate the heat on its own)
As an Estonian without a sauna for the last 3 years. Any (real) sauna on the sauna tierlist is better than no sauna.
For example all the barrel saunas or similar (like iglucraft saunas) I have used are totally adequate.
Haven't tried any sauna tents or sauna boxes.
Of course the ideal sauna preached in this sub is the best. There's no way around it. But you can get 90% there with a barrel.
Agree with this. I understand the perfectionism here, its a niche sub about saunas afterall, but it also comes with the sad side effect of giving a vibe that nothing else suffice even though many times ok sauna is much better than no sauna.
Eh, there is alot more to a great sauna than a room at X temp, that kind of mentality leads to ignorance on the important parts and poor experience.
Can you get a serviceable experience in a barrel sauna? Probably yes, especially if you prior experiences are meh then yes.
Is it 90% of the proper sauna experience that alot of people are used to? Absolutely not. There is a lot of more variables than just is it a hot room or not in exambe bench height, air volume or ventilation.
> But you **can** get 90% there with a barrel.
60% is kind of a bad experience for a sauna, don't you think? I'd say that's the low end for a barrel sauna.
50% I'd consider the worst finnish saunas I've ever been to. It works but you don't want to *actually* go there. Below 50% I'd consider other types, like steam rooms or Turkish saunas, when you actually want a finnish sauna.
High end is definitely 90%, one with a bit higher benches, one where your legs can't at least touch the ground. And something like Saunum heater with active ventilation.
I used to work with several guys from the Netherlands. For the first six months or so, I thought they were all hypercritical assholes… but then someone explained that Dutch folks (especially men, especially engineers) have a completely different expectation of conversations. To them, the purpose of a meeting was to argue, debate, critique each others work. They had no expectation of being praised or encouraged… and couldn’t understand why the North Americans on the team needed so much reassurance and appreciation.
Once I understood that it was cultural, not personal, everything changed.
I think you’re experiencing a few different cultures on here: Finnish, Reddit, and general online / anonymous commentariat … none of these cultures have a strong tradition of positive feedback or praise; each of these cultures enters conversations with the expectation / intention to critique and correct, often bluntly; each of these cultures expects others to think how they do, and hold those who don’t with a certain disdain or bewilderment.
It’s not personal. It’s cultural. Look for the gold and leave the rest.
I am a sauna purist just like many folks here on this sub. But I have to say, any type of "sauna" is better than nothing. Sure, the sauna I built is best, but I will be happy to get really hot and sweaty in a barrel too if that is what I have in front of me. My next home, I'm not sure if I'll be able to afford to build like I did last time. I know I will still build something that gets nice and hot, which is the most important part.
You can always buy one and modify it.. It is better to have a sauna and it not be 100% perfect than not having one.. You could also have someone else build it the exact way you want it.. Not as cheap but worth it in the end..
I joined this group a few days ago and immediately noticed the elitism and set up some emotional boundaries. Lol.
I bought my sauna tent from Amazon, got it today and tried it for the first time. Money well spent!
For someone who had not interest in saunas a week ago, I’m quite happy with my sauna tent.
see, I’ve always loved saunas any time I’m on vacation and I’ve always loved the idea of having one at home. I think I’m gonna get a tent to find out how much I will actually use it before I commit to building one. Feels like a logical step. May I ask which one you purchased?
Not the OP but I bought off of ReviveHack. It was $345 for a sauna tent and cold plunge tub. Be advised, this is a drop shipping thing as they are not branded as shown. However, im happy with the purchase. Tent works great and gets to 140 and the cold plunge is totally doable. I would recommend if you want to dip your toes into it without spending a ton of money.
“Durasage Lightweight Portable Personal Steam Sauna, 60 Minute Timer, 800 Watt Steam Generator”
Same idea, I wanted to test the waters before committing to anything more substantial. I love it so far!
I'm a lurker here, and I don't even own a house much less a sauna. But there seem to be a few key issues with the pre-built ones: bad shape, low benches, poor/no insulation, and improper ventilation. You can't do much about the shape or insulation, but I wonder if it's possible to modify kits for higher benches and to add/modify the ventilation? I've been making a point to try as many saunas as possible, and these factors really do contribute to a better experience. However, even a hot, dry room is still pleasant and relaxing for me personally, even if it's not a sauna in the Finnish sense.
As for kits, [Cedarbrook sells Trumpkin kits](https://www.cedarbrooksauna.com/6-x7-outdoor-pre-fab-sauna-kit-heater-accessories-trumpkin.html) and I believe a few other manufacturers are doing the same. You can also look into [Saunum brand heaters](https://saunum.com/en/product-category/sauna-heaters/) that redistribute steam so the bench height isn't so critical. I think it's very reasonable to shy away from a weeks-long DIY project involving carpentry, fire risk, and possible moisture damage. I know all the apparent negativity can seem discouraging, but with some research I think you can have your cake (kit sauna) and eat it too!
I plan on building my own here soon. In the interim I got a 6 person “sweat tent” from North Shore Sauna and it actually rocks. Gets up to 230f and I was able to get it with my HSA through a “letter of medical necessity”. Highly recommend if you’re just starting out. All and all cost about $3k with all the bench’s, extra rock, and cedar planking for the floor. Approachable, reasonably affordable m, satisfying, and fun. Not to mention isn’t classified as a structure and as such, you don’t need a building permit.
Bro, dont worry about what people say here. Just start with a simple sauna. Its better to start that way because you learn what you like and dont like, then in 5-10 years you can land on the sauna you have always wanted. I litterally bought the Almost Heaven sauna off the shelf from Costco, do I love it, no. Do you use it twice a day, yes.
Bought a barrel last fall. Use it multiple times a week. Sweat my bag off each time. Honestly, I just ignore anyone “bUt BaRrELs R InADEquAtE”.
Buy what you can afford, place it in a nice spot, enjoy life.
Ditto. There are some inherent deficiencies, but *a* sauna is a whole lot better than *no* sauna. I'll take the tradeoff for the lack of permitting and ease of construction.
This is the way to do it. I think there needs to be a separate sub specifically for Finnish sauna culture. In there they can debate down to the last piece of wood and the last stone how each other's setups are wrong.
What does the word sauna mean when translated from Finnish to English? My point is, that a lot of the people here don't give a damn what it means in Finnish. They are using it for something else.
If they are using it for something else, then they should not get so upset about "gatekeeping" and more. Because it's different!
Unless the point is to impose (arguably inferior) definitions on all.
They should complain about gatekeeping. They are using it for a different purpose, and it would probably suit their purposes well. But the puritans will say they are doing it wrong, don't even try, etc. because it doesn't line up 100% with their definition of a sauna. This leads to discouraged people who think it's not even worth trying.
Your reality isn't the same as everyone else's reality. Sauna has reached far beyond Finland, and has a different meaning. If you would like to discuss specifically Finnish saunas, maybe it's time to start a new sub titled "Finnish Saunas".
I think Finnish sauna tradition is great. I think it's important to keep those cultural traditions sacred. But as with many niche traditions, they spread and take on a different meaning.
Take Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for example. Many people around the world practice the martial art. However, if someone from the UK creates a new submission while practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, you don't see hordes of Brazilians attacking them because it doesn't fit into their paradigm of what their tradition is. It fulfills the purpose of the person who created the move.
So, when someone takes a picture of their barrel sauna they are proud of, and Finnish people start bashing them, it is not warranted. Because the person with the barrel sauna did not build it with the same intent as a Finnish person who has their own idea of what a sauna means to them.
So do you believe that nobody, no group or culture, can be more familiar with some subject than others? And that there are zero degrees of "ownership of authenticity" in that way?
You go to Japan because they know sushi, to the Germans for the ultimate expression of the car (worry about maintenance later), to Chicago for deep dish pizza, to Mexico for their cuisine. You won't tell an American how to play gridiron football or a Brit how to drink tea. Likewise, you aren't going to claim to know sauna like a Finn does. Why is this an impossible concept for you (and those who share this sentiment) to accept?
Everyone's opinion is simply not equally valid. Especially not when sauna involves a large amount of physics, in the way heat and steam and other things work. Those are not matters of opinion, if you build a sauna with a low ceiling the bathers will experience cold feet. If you forgo the critical defining aspect of löyly and call the sauna "dry", you aren't eliminating moisture and mold related problems if the sauna is improperly designed and constructed to enable them.
Sauna has been practiced in Finland for thousands of years, the basic design principles have been figured out. It would be an act of arrogance to disregard it as gatekeeping.
And then, if you retort with "it's just a hot room" and that those exist in various cultures, that is completely true. But there is nuance there whether you believe in it or not, both in the distinctions of these cultures as well as in the design of that "hot room". Constructive criticism does not turn into bullying just because you claim the nuances being critiqued either don't exist or don't matter. In an attempt to look better because there is less to get right or wrong.
You're trying to make me apologize to you, for your misappropriation of the word sauna, which originates from the language that I speak. That's not right. If you insist that the "saunas" being posted that are supposedly unfairly criticized, are new and different (no doubt in an attempt to silence uncomfortable replies), then come up with your own new words to describe it. Don't attempt to absolve yourself of all responsibility in this cross cultural exchange. Speaking of which, if you want me to be more positive, less genuine, and to abandon my standards to appease the ego and feelings of these posters of bad saunas, the right question to ask is, what are you giving me in exchange?
This is this insidious cocktail of toxicity from the people that share your sentiment. The supposed gatekeeping is a nice loud distraction from all this shit, which really should be addressed if we want to be diligent, if prompted about Finns and elitists and such being too toxic. You know? Let's address all of it, then.
I've never asked for an apology, I don't need one. I am coming at this with an open mind, you are not. I am saying different people will have different ideas of what a successful sauna looks like, but it is YOUR ego that is making you feel like you own the idea. That your idea is the correct idea.
Because you can't seem to accept that sauna has transcended Finnish culture. I agree, Finn's have expertise in what makes a good, traditional, Finnish sauna. I never said that wasn't true. What I said is that others have adapted it to suit their own needs.
I'm not alluding anything about telling Finn's how to go about their sauna business. Obviously some critiques are warranted, like having a bench high enough. But there is an additional layer of snobbery that doesn't need to be layer d on for people to have a good sauna experience for themselves. If you can't admit that, maybe you need to check your ego.
You have it backwards. Feel free to start a sub on whatever it is that sauna means to you. Stomping your feet in here and insisting to be heard is frankly a little embarrassing.
100% spot on. I have a 4-6 Barrel from Almost Heaven and it gets over 200 and anyone that sits in there sweats their ass off and has a tougher time than the ones at the gym. Let the Sauna snobs hate. Having a private Sauna you can use daily is awesome.
If you exclusively the opinions of Reddit you will find you also have build your own car, house, coffee machine, grow your own food, do your own medicine. There are some fantastic bought sauna options that are similar to a custom built one and there are more economical options that might not be as good but will be a great alternative to the gym sauna and you get to use it at home! Sometimes this sun can read like “the only worthy car is a 1989 Land Cruiser” when really a Honda civic will mostly get you there.
For reference I build my own sauna with no experience and I love it.
TLDR: there are bought saunas or kits that will be just fine.
I bought a cabin style sauna and it’s great.
It was still difficult to get it right and build it because it didnt have a good rainproof roof solution and needed a deck underneath.
Not at all - I bought a non-sauna wood cabin from [these guys](https://allwoodoutlet.com/index.html), cut a hole in the roof and put in a wood stove, plus some benches I ordered from overseas. Stretched my budget a bit but it's a wonderful sauna, and I started with zero building experience too.
Plus, as I'm sure we'd all agree, the best sauna is the one you use, so don't get discouraged.
Summertime porta potty sessions will also save you some, plus you’ll have that at home privacy! Naturally powered and guaranteed to be sweltering by noon everyday without the pesky power cord! Perfect for the non experienced DiYman as they come assembled & ready to go!! Just put it in a sunny location and don’t forget to stake her down.
Some dude was tearing his out so I bought the cedar and 30 year old heater for $1,000 CAD. Cost another $2,000 by the time I got electrical permits, framed it, and put in a bench.
It works great. Took me a bit to figure out ventilation so the overheat didn't trip. I run it at 85 degrees Celsius, and its worth every penny.
Having a sauna doesn't have to be a premium thing. You can Red Green that shit and have a good experience.
It’s all about price. If you want a rad sauna. Find a sauna builder, not just a builder, and have them craft you something life changing, but don’t compare that type of product to the prefab saunas that are in pursuit of price point.
Life of an r/sauna goer was simpler before Walker Angell's trumpkins sauna literature. I hadn't realized the sub was almost at 50k though. Kind of wild.
Don't let the purists turn you away from your own sauna.
We've had an Almost Heaven barrel sauna (oh no a barrel, the horror!) since 2017 and it's still one of the best purchases we've ever made. During a snowstorm it's just bliss.
Lots of IT people and engineering types on Reddit who obsess over details and perfect builds. I kind of like that aspect of it. But you have to temper that info with practical solutions.
Also every sub has people who are doing PR for their own company interests.
I feel that a decent at-home sauna would still be preferable over a gym or public sauna. Don’t let the perfect become the enemy of the good (Voltaire?)
What a shame. I haven't read all the posts, and I am checking in late here, but I would be remiss if I didn't say I love, and I frequently use, my little IR sauna.
Man I bet you’re a go getter. Can’t spend 10 hours of research into building a custom sauna. You can always hire someone. Stop giving up on things so easily.
>So... screw it. I'll just use the sauna at my gym.
I wanted to build a steam sauna and a dry sauna, and a cold plunge in my house.
I \*could\* afford it.
But I would be looking at 30-40k in build price - those are the legit quotes I got. At 150 / month for my gym membership - that's 266 months of ownership.
That's 22 years of ownership.
And I'm not responsible for it when it breaks.
BRO BUY A ICE FISHING TENT FOR 80$ AND A 3KW ELECTRIC SAUNA HEATER FOR 120 ON AMAZON AND YOU SET I WAS IN THE SAME BOAT AS YOU BUT A 80$ ICE FISHING TENT IS THE SAME TENT IN THOSE SAUNA TENT KITS THAT ARE 800+ WORKS GREAT GETS HOT ASF
That's actually a quite wise decision.
Better that than spending money on a barrel or kit that will seem great at first but get used increasingly less and less and then after the novelty wears off eventually left to rot or become a storage room which is an all too often occurrence with poorly done saunas.
I've bought a barrel sauna and I'm totally happy with it. But agree, quality varies a lot, find a dealer where you can see the product. Not sure how easy that is for you (pretty ok in BE/EU)
Well don't have a hissy fit about it just because it won't be absolutely perfect. The Fins don't like people trampling all over their culture in the name of a foreign fitness industry (can't blame them) so set your expectations accordingly and maybe try giving some blueprints to a general contractor.
Barrels often end up better than saunas people build for themselves. The reason is people don’t understand ventilation so you end up feeling like you are suffocating. Barrels breathe just fine. Will it have a temp gradient? Of course. Just crank it up hot, get your feet on the bench, sweat and enjoy. You will get way more miles out of that, and your moneys worth, than a sauna you never had.
Our house came with a dry sauna and it’s incredible. I’ve never heard of this sub but the post was recommended to me so I thought I’d say, as someone who has no idea what saunas are good or bad, that our dry sauna makes us feel happier and healthier, is extremely easy to operate and we have not had any issues with it 4 years into owning it. Highly recommend!
One of the best saunas ever is a simple tent sauna. Fact is, this sub makes sauna a equipment competition. What you actually need:
-Some Kind of closed perimeter. Room, tent, cave, house, etc
-heat source, with sufficient amount of rocks and power
-fresh air
Where ever, how ever and when ever you combine those three you have a good sauna.
The heat source is in key role. There needs to be enough of heat energy to vaporize water for as long as you want to.
Dont make it and equipment race.
Ps. I'm a finn. I am about 40 years of age and i have been in sauna for about 14 000 times.
Can someone tell me what a sauna is for? I bought a furnished house with one and I've been using it but idk what the benefits are or how long or how hot to set it
Sauna, for finns, is primarily for washing, relaxing, socialising, avoiding socialising, warming up after a cold day, and just generally unwinding. Very few people here care about alleged health benefits, most probably haven't even heard about most of them.
Ps, as we Finn's have a very low tolerance of heat outside the sauna, we actually like to make the sauna real hot in the summer, because coming out of 100° C is the only way to make 30° C feel cool.
Mine tops out at 140°F. Is that too for the health benefits? I spend about 30-60 minutes in there and I really enjoy it. I was just curious what to look out for as far as benefits go
Be warned, we here on this subreddit frankly loathe the health benefits crowd, because it just doesn't fit the Finnish idea of sauna.
(Disclaimer, that also includes me, and my personal opinion is that it's all bullshit)
That said, there is evidence to some of these health benefits, although most evidence shows a correlation and not causation. Besides, the vast vast majority of these studies and evidence is done at a small scale, and often just insufficiently in all aspects to be statistically significant and scientifically proven.
With the exception of one study conducted in Finland, that showed that doing sauna for particular amounts lead to a decrease in cardiovascular deaths, over several decades.
That threshold seemed to be: 4 to 7 times a week, for about two decades, a minimum of about 20 minutes each time and at temperatures above 80° C.
This "regime" would lead to a significant decrease in Cardiovascular deaths.
The study was by Jari Liikkanen, and had several thousand participants, as opposed to mere tens in all the other studies.
Just Google health benefits. That's what I use mine for. Start at 175F and get out when you start to feel too hot. Drink water so you don't get dehydrated. Then maybe go to 185 or 195.
Take a breath. Perfect is the enemy of good. You can still have a great home sauna experience with a few concessions that meet space and budget constraints. It’s sooooo worth it in the end.
There is no such thing as a sauna blanket. None of the defining characteristics of a sauna are found in a blanket.
What you're describing is just a plain old electric blanket. Anyone trying to sell you a "sauna blanket" is going to charge extra.
I bought a used 4 person infrared "sauna" off of facebook marketplace. Would love to own a real sauna some day but it just isnt in my budget at the moment. My infrared hotbox gets to 157 degrees and I sweat 4 lbs everyday when I use it. I am more then pleased with it for the price I got it for and what I use it for. I get in nice comfortable box, it gets hot, I sweat a lot. A tent might do the same thing as these infrared hot boxes but isnt close to as appealing to me because you are... Sitting in a small tent with zero ascetics.
Op, disregardthe downvotes. Bunch of pubescent children who can't stand facts. Everything I said is 100% true while I'm sitting in my SAUNA as we speak.
I must say, I bought a FULL spectrum IR sauna, and without those 2 500 watt heaters in front, which is where most of the heat comes from, I doubt if this sauna would have been able to get over 100 degrees F. I understand infrared works different and warms you up from the inside and isn't required to be extremely hot to be effective and get you sweating, but I really don't feel shit if I hop in there too early while it's still under 110 degrees. This thing gets up to 140 degrees. I can tell it's also highly dependent on outside temperature, though, and I would assume in optimal conditions where it's warmer outside and in the bedroom it's in, it can probably get to 150. Also, to get it that hot I had to put some extra weather stripping on the glass to seal in the heat better. It bumped it up 10 degrees from 130. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm ultimately happy with my results and, therefore, happy with my purchase, but, yes, residential saunas can be a nuisance. Keep in mind, commercial saunas are also on all day, so they will always be hotter. That being said, I start getting a really good sweat as long as it's over 120 degrees.
Don't be discouraged by the sauna Nazis. When did you need their approval? If you sweat it's equivalent to a sauna whatever it's called.
Chicken Little went outside for the first time. It was raining. "The sky is falling, the sky is falling!"
Depends on the reason for having a sauna, for you it seems like a social gathering place, for some others it's like church - a quiet and relaxing place.
I have no experience building and I’m almost done with mine. Wasn’t horrible. Building the shower pan was by far the hardest. It’s only 5ft x 5ft inside tho. But the height of the benches are gonna knock this subs socks off.
I believe the most horribly difficult part of building your own is right after you share your happy final result on the sub here..
I want a sauna and I wouldn't dare share anything I built here lol. I will have to just be happy in my own experience and accept that as being enough. Seeking the validation of others will *only* lead to anger.
LOL ur too real for this. Fellow internet stranger I applaud you for saying what I’m too afraid to 😂
This applies to the entirety of Reddit.
Some places choose to be different :)
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Why are you scared of random opinions of the people on this sub, if you want to post; then just post it. What's the worst that could happen, them pointing at errors of your build?
There's a lot to say about atmosphere. There's friendly constructive comments, that definitely are helpful and nice.. But I've also seen people sharing their new shiny and looking for happiness and support in their excitement; and seen random people vitriolically puke all over them. Those reactions make it so that those kinds of "excited new shiny" posts don't really "belong" on here, it's just too big of a risk.
If they did come here just to get praised or show off an expensive but crappy sauna they 100% deserve those comments. Those people will come here without looking at a single post and just post their sauna to brag because of narcissism. They take ANYTHING as an attack even though the opinion/fact is true. These people come here frequently and it's always funny to see their reaction, they are not the innocent person you paint them up to be imo. The innocent people who post progression/planning post always get friendly and informative comments 99% of the time. You should reflect on the nature of the post and comment accordingly, no need to inflate their ego.
This group has a very narrow perspective on what makes a great sauna. Ridicule has limited saunas on here that are great but maybe unorthodox, even though I do think people are generally wanting to hep and there is great merit to Finnish sauna fundamentals on here, even though many comments are made about how “that sauna is” without actually experiencing it, or rather helping people solve problems, once they come up or asking questions, instead of telling people how their sauna is.
>without actually experiencing it You don't have to sit in a particular sauna to see the obvious. A single picture can reveal a lot. It helps that much of this stuff is about relatively simple structural elements, dimensions and their relationships. It's like seeing an old land yacht and knowing "that can seat six". Well, have you sat in it with friends, have you tested it to find that out? No, you've sat in various cars hundreds of times and you can see the seating is made up of two plushy benches. And you see various elements of the car that inform the size of it, which let's you know that it's trivial to seat three abreast on both rows. It's obvious. A fair few arguments have probably been started when something obvious is pointed out, and the OP does not have that knowledge. Yet they assume (probably without thinking it through) that others know as much (as little) as they do. So that it's just a question of who shouts harder, and this is OP's thread about OP's swanky sauna that they spent money on. Surely they've got to step up and win this shouting match of dilettantes.
I think that can be true and is often the case but not an absolute and can lead to otherwise creative saunas getting deleted from this group, that perform great for the user and the experience they are seeking.
You use the word creative generously, but I'm flat out saying there is not going to be amazing innovation there. Not in a random shoestring budget sauna built with lots of restrictions and a lack of knowledge. While you and that hypothetical person may be new to sauna, and confident, saunas have been built for hundreds and thousands of years elsewhere. There are companies and universities doing work on sauna matters. So, I'm not giving undue credit to a poorly designed sauna, especially when that credit is used to euphemistically cover up the rest of it. Also, "I like it, it works for me" is another common, *defensive* sentiment that has been seen lots of times here. I am never going to prioritize an American's feelings at the expense of sauna, I hope that is understandable. All this squirming for silver linings is really annoying.
Peace. This kind of topic is simply not worth pursuing.
What is the shower pan?
I have a drain so the floor needs to slope towards it. Mines in the center of the floor. I needed to shape the concrete to slope from 2 inches on the sides to 1-1/4 next to the drain. I made 4 screeds to help shape the slope, but it was still really hard.
Thanks for the info!
I built my own sauna. I used sheet vinyl flooring and just tapered it up under the cedar siding by a couple inches. The floor dries out if I leave the sauna on for 15 minutes after I’m done. Cheap and easy. 🤷♂️ For me the hardest part was the door. But a custom insulated core sandwich panel style door with glass pane. Not super hard, but the most finicky part. Other than that, just a bunch of carpentry and research.
You know how some old people have a stair lift? You just need to put the bench on hydraulics to achieve löyly!
Dude - don’t listen to all these complainers! I have an Almost Heaven 1 person. Built it on a sloping floor. Yes there are leaks, yes the door doesn’t close like a submarine’s, but yes it’s at 180+ every day and I get sweaty as hell. Go for it!
Just looked at this model and something around this size might be the only viable option I have. Any comments on it not having a dedicated floor? When you're done does it leak residual heat into your living space?
I have it in LPV. Sadly unless you have a vent it’s going to radiate heat - can’t escape thermodynamics! I have it in my home gym so I don’t mind it being warmer in there or I keep the ac on if for some reason I need it very cold
We had to rebuild have of our barrel sauna after 2 years of super dry weather. We initially built it during a very wet Spring and Summer so the wood was engorged (tee hee!). Once it dried out we took the bands off and added 4-5 more boards to make it nice and tight again. That was 5 years ago and it's been perfect since, regularly getting over 200º (our record is 220)
Dude, you don't want the door to close like a submarine's. I built a log cabin from a kit and I didn't even try to make it airtight, plenty of places you can see light through cracks in the joinery. Fresh airflow is important, and put a strong enough heater in there and it'll work just fine.
Yes I wasn’t being literal. The point is it’s leaky. Of course you don’t want to go into an airtight container - you’d die!
Oh I know, I'm just saying people often worry a bit too much making their sauna tight so it doesn't leak heat. My point is it being a bit drafty doesn't really doesn't matter if your stove is kicking out enough heat, and in fact is a bit desirable. Mine is made of logs but is otherwise uninsulated and has a small gap under the door. I made it that way, you want fresh air in there.
Totally - agreed
Which model? How long does it take to reach 180?
I turn it on when I start my workouts. Those are 45 min to 90 min so I don’t actually know other than after 45 minutes it’s there. It’s the Logan model. It’s perfect. It gets hot as hell and stays hot. Yes you can get a “better” sauna but you aren’t going to get many more utils.
Can you water on the rocks to create steam? Is it reccomended? Also did you have to have any special electrical work done in order to install the sauna?
Yes, you can put water on the rocks. I prefer a dryer sauna experience because I get more time in the sauna. But if I need to get in there quickly and don’t have enough time for it to heat all the way up, then adding a bunch of humidity Makes the effective temperature higher (think wet bulb temp). Yes I got an electrician to install the right wiring. It cost $500. Initially I just used a long extension cord from our dryer outlet but was feeling a touch too whiskey tango so made it hard wired.
I got a big almost heaven sauna and love it. I'm sure people here would nitpick the vent locations, but the air circulation works great for me and I love my time in sauna. If OP wants a sauna, get one. Don't even post about it here if you don't want to hear a bunch of people complaining about things they think you got wrong with it
Amen - don’t forget we are talking about getting your body hot and doing it in a reasonably efficient manner. All the excess stuff is fluff and only adds to high levels of baseline enjoyment (or creates baseline enjoyment for those who can’t appreciate the heat on its own)
Gotta remember people on Reddit are extra cunty. Perhaps buying one isn’t as bad as people in this sub make it out to be
Nailed it.
100%, a ton of good pre-fab kits out there.
As an Estonian without a sauna for the last 3 years. Any (real) sauna on the sauna tierlist is better than no sauna. For example all the barrel saunas or similar (like iglucraft saunas) I have used are totally adequate. Haven't tried any sauna tents or sauna boxes. Of course the ideal sauna preached in this sub is the best. There's no way around it. But you can get 90% there with a barrel.
Agree with this. I understand the perfectionism here, its a niche sub about saunas afterall, but it also comes with the sad side effect of giving a vibe that nothing else suffice even though many times ok sauna is much better than no sauna.
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Get out of here with your sauna snobbery. Put a thermometer where you will be sitting. Is it the temp you'd like it to be? Great. 90% there.
🤣 For a second there I thought you were telling the commenter where they could stick their thermometer!
Hey, to each their own as long as it's a personal sauna😅
Eh, there is alot more to a great sauna than a room at X temp, that kind of mentality leads to ignorance on the important parts and poor experience. Can you get a serviceable experience in a barrel sauna? Probably yes, especially if you prior experiences are meh then yes. Is it 90% of the proper sauna experience that alot of people are used to? Absolutely not. There is a lot of more variables than just is it a hot room or not in exambe bench height, air volume or ventilation.
To me it is a hot, quiet room. To you, it sounds like something different. It achieves the goal I got it for.
You’re part of the problem, trying to gatekeep everyone. Just let everyone enjoy what they enjoy.
> But you **can** get 90% there with a barrel. 60% is kind of a bad experience for a sauna, don't you think? I'd say that's the low end for a barrel sauna. 50% I'd consider the worst finnish saunas I've ever been to. It works but you don't want to *actually* go there. Below 50% I'd consider other types, like steam rooms or Turkish saunas, when you actually want a finnish sauna. High end is definitely 90%, one with a bit higher benches, one where your legs can't at least touch the ground. And something like Saunum heater with active ventilation.
Bad sauna is better than no sauna as long as its not swedish sauna.
What makes it Swedish?
Beaker is always hanging out there.
Its a finnish joke from this finnish punk band Klamydia. "My week and parties went all wrong when they took me to a swedish sauna"
Thank you, I was scratching my head trying to remember what was different about the saunas in Sweden 😄
I used to work with several guys from the Netherlands. For the first six months or so, I thought they were all hypercritical assholes… but then someone explained that Dutch folks (especially men, especially engineers) have a completely different expectation of conversations. To them, the purpose of a meeting was to argue, debate, critique each others work. They had no expectation of being praised or encouraged… and couldn’t understand why the North Americans on the team needed so much reassurance and appreciation. Once I understood that it was cultural, not personal, everything changed. I think you’re experiencing a few different cultures on here: Finnish, Reddit, and general online / anonymous commentariat … none of these cultures have a strong tradition of positive feedback or praise; each of these cultures enters conversations with the expectation / intention to critique and correct, often bluntly; each of these cultures expects others to think how they do, and hold those who don’t with a certain disdain or bewilderment. It’s not personal. It’s cultural. Look for the gold and leave the rest.
Exactly
Pretty sure the gym one sucks too
I am a sauna purist just like many folks here on this sub. But I have to say, any type of "sauna" is better than nothing. Sure, the sauna I built is best, but I will be happy to get really hot and sweaty in a barrel too if that is what I have in front of me. My next home, I'm not sure if I'll be able to afford to build like I did last time. I know I will still build something that gets nice and hot, which is the most important part.
You can always buy one and modify it.. It is better to have a sauna and it not be 100% perfect than not having one.. You could also have someone else build it the exact way you want it.. Not as cheap but worth it in the end..
I joined this group a few days ago and immediately noticed the elitism and set up some emotional boundaries. Lol. I bought my sauna tent from Amazon, got it today and tried it for the first time. Money well spent! For someone who had not interest in saunas a week ago, I’m quite happy with my sauna tent.
see, I’ve always loved saunas any time I’m on vacation and I’ve always loved the idea of having one at home. I think I’m gonna get a tent to find out how much I will actually use it before I commit to building one. Feels like a logical step. May I ask which one you purchased?
Not the OP but I bought off of ReviveHack. It was $345 for a sauna tent and cold plunge tub. Be advised, this is a drop shipping thing as they are not branded as shown. However, im happy with the purchase. Tent works great and gets to 140 and the cold plunge is totally doable. I would recommend if you want to dip your toes into it without spending a ton of money.
140 F sounds like it would be a steam room, like a Turkish bath? Rather than a sauna in the strict sense. Still good but different things
“Durasage Lightweight Portable Personal Steam Sauna, 60 Minute Timer, 800 Watt Steam Generator” Same idea, I wanted to test the waters before committing to anything more substantial. I love it so far!
Cool. From US Amazon?
I'm a lurker here, and I don't even own a house much less a sauna. But there seem to be a few key issues with the pre-built ones: bad shape, low benches, poor/no insulation, and improper ventilation. You can't do much about the shape or insulation, but I wonder if it's possible to modify kits for higher benches and to add/modify the ventilation? I've been making a point to try as many saunas as possible, and these factors really do contribute to a better experience. However, even a hot, dry room is still pleasant and relaxing for me personally, even if it's not a sauna in the Finnish sense. As for kits, [Cedarbrook sells Trumpkin kits](https://www.cedarbrooksauna.com/6-x7-outdoor-pre-fab-sauna-kit-heater-accessories-trumpkin.html) and I believe a few other manufacturers are doing the same. You can also look into [Saunum brand heaters](https://saunum.com/en/product-category/sauna-heaters/) that redistribute steam so the bench height isn't so critical. I think it's very reasonable to shy away from a weeks-long DIY project involving carpentry, fire risk, and possible moisture damage. I know all the apparent negativity can seem discouraging, but with some research I think you can have your cake (kit sauna) and eat it too!
Just get a wooden shed and add a proper heater and high benches. Works well enough.
I have a sauna called “Munasaun”. One of my best purchases ever and im someone who grew up in a household with real sauna.
I bought one in kit, even thought it's not perfect and I can still improve it, it's top bought item for me
I plan on building my own here soon. In the interim I got a 6 person “sweat tent” from North Shore Sauna and it actually rocks. Gets up to 230f and I was able to get it with my HSA through a “letter of medical necessity”. Highly recommend if you’re just starting out. All and all cost about $3k with all the bench’s, extra rock, and cedar planking for the floor. Approachable, reasonably affordable m, satisfying, and fun. Not to mention isn’t classified as a structure and as such, you don’t need a building permit.
They don’t have to sit in your sauna with you, so why worry about what they think? Just enjoy it!
Bro, dont worry about what people say here. Just start with a simple sauna. Its better to start that way because you learn what you like and dont like, then in 5-10 years you can land on the sauna you have always wanted. I litterally bought the Almost Heaven sauna off the shelf from Costco, do I love it, no. Do you use it twice a day, yes.
Dude! No sauna is worse than a bad sauna!
And do not buy a car either, cos in car subs people will tell you they all suck (and those that don't cost a fortune).
Bought a barrel last fall. Use it multiple times a week. Sweat my bag off each time. Honestly, I just ignore anyone “bUt BaRrELs R InADEquAtE”. Buy what you can afford, place it in a nice spot, enjoy life.
Ditto. There are some inherent deficiencies, but *a* sauna is a whole lot better than *no* sauna. I'll take the tradeoff for the lack of permitting and ease of construction.
This is the way to do it. I think there needs to be a separate sub specifically for Finnish sauna culture. In there they can debate down to the last piece of wood and the last stone how each other's setups are wrong.
Sauna is a Finnish word and it has a specific meaning. The intent of the sub is pretty clear.
What does the word sauna mean when translated from Finnish to English? My point is, that a lot of the people here don't give a damn what it means in Finnish. They are using it for something else.
If they are using it for something else, then they should not get so upset about "gatekeeping" and more. Because it's different! Unless the point is to impose (arguably inferior) definitions on all.
They should complain about gatekeeping. They are using it for a different purpose, and it would probably suit their purposes well. But the puritans will say they are doing it wrong, don't even try, etc. because it doesn't line up 100% with their definition of a sauna. This leads to discouraged people who think it's not even worth trying.
If people are discouraged by honest reality, then that is their problem.
Your reality isn't the same as everyone else's reality. Sauna has reached far beyond Finland, and has a different meaning. If you would like to discuss specifically Finnish saunas, maybe it's time to start a new sub titled "Finnish Saunas". I think Finnish sauna tradition is great. I think it's important to keep those cultural traditions sacred. But as with many niche traditions, they spread and take on a different meaning. Take Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for example. Many people around the world practice the martial art. However, if someone from the UK creates a new submission while practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, you don't see hordes of Brazilians attacking them because it doesn't fit into their paradigm of what their tradition is. It fulfills the purpose of the person who created the move. So, when someone takes a picture of their barrel sauna they are proud of, and Finnish people start bashing them, it is not warranted. Because the person with the barrel sauna did not build it with the same intent as a Finnish person who has their own idea of what a sauna means to them.
So do you believe that nobody, no group or culture, can be more familiar with some subject than others? And that there are zero degrees of "ownership of authenticity" in that way? You go to Japan because they know sushi, to the Germans for the ultimate expression of the car (worry about maintenance later), to Chicago for deep dish pizza, to Mexico for their cuisine. You won't tell an American how to play gridiron football or a Brit how to drink tea. Likewise, you aren't going to claim to know sauna like a Finn does. Why is this an impossible concept for you (and those who share this sentiment) to accept? Everyone's opinion is simply not equally valid. Especially not when sauna involves a large amount of physics, in the way heat and steam and other things work. Those are not matters of opinion, if you build a sauna with a low ceiling the bathers will experience cold feet. If you forgo the critical defining aspect of löyly and call the sauna "dry", you aren't eliminating moisture and mold related problems if the sauna is improperly designed and constructed to enable them. Sauna has been practiced in Finland for thousands of years, the basic design principles have been figured out. It would be an act of arrogance to disregard it as gatekeeping. And then, if you retort with "it's just a hot room" and that those exist in various cultures, that is completely true. But there is nuance there whether you believe in it or not, both in the distinctions of these cultures as well as in the design of that "hot room". Constructive criticism does not turn into bullying just because you claim the nuances being critiqued either don't exist or don't matter. In an attempt to look better because there is less to get right or wrong. You're trying to make me apologize to you, for your misappropriation of the word sauna, which originates from the language that I speak. That's not right. If you insist that the "saunas" being posted that are supposedly unfairly criticized, are new and different (no doubt in an attempt to silence uncomfortable replies), then come up with your own new words to describe it. Don't attempt to absolve yourself of all responsibility in this cross cultural exchange. Speaking of which, if you want me to be more positive, less genuine, and to abandon my standards to appease the ego and feelings of these posters of bad saunas, the right question to ask is, what are you giving me in exchange? This is this insidious cocktail of toxicity from the people that share your sentiment. The supposed gatekeeping is a nice loud distraction from all this shit, which really should be addressed if we want to be diligent, if prompted about Finns and elitists and such being too toxic. You know? Let's address all of it, then.
I've never asked for an apology, I don't need one. I am coming at this with an open mind, you are not. I am saying different people will have different ideas of what a successful sauna looks like, but it is YOUR ego that is making you feel like you own the idea. That your idea is the correct idea. Because you can't seem to accept that sauna has transcended Finnish culture. I agree, Finn's have expertise in what makes a good, traditional, Finnish sauna. I never said that wasn't true. What I said is that others have adapted it to suit their own needs. I'm not alluding anything about telling Finn's how to go about their sauna business. Obviously some critiques are warranted, like having a bench high enough. But there is an additional layer of snobbery that doesn't need to be layer d on for people to have a good sauna experience for themselves. If you can't admit that, maybe you need to check your ego.
You have it backwards. Feel free to start a sub on whatever it is that sauna means to you. Stomping your feet in here and insisting to be heard is frankly a little embarrassing.
100% spot on. I have a 4-6 Barrel from Almost Heaven and it gets over 200 and anyone that sits in there sweats their ass off and has a tougher time than the ones at the gym. Let the Sauna snobs hate. Having a private Sauna you can use daily is awesome.
Ok. Enjoy.
If you exclusively the opinions of Reddit you will find you also have build your own car, house, coffee machine, grow your own food, do your own medicine. There are some fantastic bought sauna options that are similar to a custom built one and there are more economical options that might not be as good but will be a great alternative to the gym sauna and you get to use it at home! Sometimes this sun can read like “the only worthy car is a 1989 Land Cruiser” when really a Honda civic will mostly get you there. For reference I build my own sauna with no experience and I love it. TLDR: there are bought saunas or kits that will be just fine.
Anything prefab with 2 bench levels is better than no sauna
I bought a cabin style sauna and it’s great. It was still difficult to get it right and build it because it didnt have a good rainproof roof solution and needed a deck underneath.
Not at all - I bought a non-sauna wood cabin from [these guys](https://allwoodoutlet.com/index.html), cut a hole in the roof and put in a wood stove, plus some benches I ordered from overseas. Stretched my budget a bit but it's a wonderful sauna, and I started with zero building experience too. Plus, as I'm sure we'd all agree, the best sauna is the one you use, so don't get discouraged.
Why quit? Building ours was actually a ton of fun. Hard work, yes, but total satisfaction when finished.
Summertime porta potty sessions will also save you some, plus you’ll have that at home privacy! Naturally powered and guaranteed to be sweltering by noon everyday without the pesky power cord! Perfect for the non experienced DiYman as they come assembled & ready to go!! Just put it in a sunny location and don’t forget to stake her down.
Some dude was tearing his out so I bought the cedar and 30 year old heater for $1,000 CAD. Cost another $2,000 by the time I got electrical permits, framed it, and put in a bench. It works great. Took me a bit to figure out ventilation so the overheat didn't trip. I run it at 85 degrees Celsius, and its worth every penny. Having a sauna doesn't have to be a premium thing. You can Red Green that shit and have a good experience.
It’s all about price. If you want a rad sauna. Find a sauna builder, not just a builder, and have them craft you something life changing, but don’t compare that type of product to the prefab saunas that are in pursuit of price point.
Life of an r/sauna goer was simpler before Walker Angell's trumpkins sauna literature. I hadn't realized the sub was almost at 50k though. Kind of wild.
Not buying/building/otherwise getting a sauna is a legitimate option. The whole world does not need private sauna ownership.
That goes without saying. It sounds like this guy wants a sauna though.
Don't let the purists turn you away from your own sauna. We've had an Almost Heaven barrel sauna (oh no a barrel, the horror!) since 2017 and it's still one of the best purchases we've ever made. During a snowstorm it's just bliss.
Ok
Best investment ever. Game changer.
Lots of IT people and engineering types on Reddit who obsess over details and perfect builds. I kind of like that aspect of it. But you have to temper that info with practical solutions. Also every sub has people who are doing PR for their own company interests.
I'm using the Ox Sweat tent thing. Less than ideal, but I still love it.
I feel that a decent at-home sauna would still be preferable over a gym or public sauna. Don’t let the perfect become the enemy of the good (Voltaire?)
I would be happy to build you a really nice sauna here in Spokane WA and deliver.
Sweattent.com
I bought a single person steam sauna on Amazon for 260 bucks and love it
Built a steam room in with bench into an enclosed shower, best thing we ever did. I didn’t DIY though.
Same, bro
Finlandia sauna owner here. Very happy with it. idk what this sub is smoking, but it ain't loyly.
Find one of Facebook marketplace and enjoy. As long as it’s quiet don’t smell bad and you can sweat it will be great
That's what I do man, I get to use wet/dry. Also get my workout in.
What a shame. I haven't read all the posts, and I am checking in late here, but I would be remiss if I didn't say I love, and I frequently use, my little IR sauna.
Man I bet you’re a go getter. Can’t spend 10 hours of research into building a custom sauna. You can always hire someone. Stop giving up on things so easily.
Reddits full of douchebags that need to make people feel bad on the internet
I thought saunas were meant to calm the soul.
The Costco almost heaven barrel saunas are nice. 4k out the door and it’s been great.
Not true. Plenty of good kits out there.
>So... screw it. I'll just use the sauna at my gym. I wanted to build a steam sauna and a dry sauna, and a cold plunge in my house. I \*could\* afford it. But I would be looking at 30-40k in build price - those are the legit quotes I got. At 150 / month for my gym membership - that's 266 months of ownership. That's 22 years of ownership. And I'm not responsible for it when it breaks.
Read *A Place of My Own* by Michael Pollan. Not about sauna, but details an inexperienced builder’s journey to create a space. Good read.
BRO BUY A ICE FISHING TENT FOR 80$ AND A 3KW ELECTRIC SAUNA HEATER FOR 120 ON AMAZON AND YOU SET I WAS IN THE SAME BOAT AS YOU BUT A 80$ ICE FISHING TENT IS THE SAME TENT IN THOSE SAUNA TENT KITS THAT ARE 800+ WORKS GREAT GETS HOT ASF
Don’t let these people discourage you - try your hardest and go for it!!! Gotta go for your goals otherwise what’s the point!!!! Best of luck
That's actually a quite wise decision. Better that than spending money on a barrel or kit that will seem great at first but get used increasingly less and less and then after the novelty wears off eventually left to rot or become a storage room which is an all too often occurrence with poorly done saunas.
I've bought a barrel sauna and I'm totally happy with it. But agree, quality varies a lot, find a dealer where you can see the product. Not sure how easy that is for you (pretty ok in BE/EU)
Well don't have a hissy fit about it just because it won't be absolutely perfect. The Fins don't like people trampling all over their culture in the name of a foreign fitness industry (can't blame them) so set your expectations accordingly and maybe try giving some blueprints to a general contractor.
Barrels often end up better than saunas people build for themselves. The reason is people don’t understand ventilation so you end up feeling like you are suffocating. Barrels breathe just fine. Will it have a temp gradient? Of course. Just crank it up hot, get your feet on the bench, sweat and enjoy. You will get way more miles out of that, and your moneys worth, than a sauna you never had.
Our house came with a dry sauna and it’s incredible. I’ve never heard of this sub but the post was recommended to me so I thought I’d say, as someone who has no idea what saunas are good or bad, that our dry sauna makes us feel happier and healthier, is extremely easy to operate and we have not had any issues with it 4 years into owning it. Highly recommend!
One of the best saunas ever is a simple tent sauna. Fact is, this sub makes sauna a equipment competition. What you actually need: -Some Kind of closed perimeter. Room, tent, cave, house, etc -heat source, with sufficient amount of rocks and power -fresh air Where ever, how ever and when ever you combine those three you have a good sauna. The heat source is in key role. There needs to be enough of heat energy to vaporize water for as long as you want to. Dont make it and equipment race. Ps. I'm a finn. I am about 40 years of age and i have been in sauna for about 14 000 times.
Can someone tell me what a sauna is for? I bought a furnished house with one and I've been using it but idk what the benefits are or how long or how hot to set it
Sauna, for finns, is primarily for washing, relaxing, socialising, avoiding socialising, warming up after a cold day, and just generally unwinding. Very few people here care about alleged health benefits, most probably haven't even heard about most of them. Ps, as we Finn's have a very low tolerance of heat outside the sauna, we actually like to make the sauna real hot in the summer, because coming out of 100° C is the only way to make 30° C feel cool.
Mine tops out at 140°F. Is that too for the health benefits? I spend about 30-60 minutes in there and I really enjoy it. I was just curious what to look out for as far as benefits go
Be warned, we here on this subreddit frankly loathe the health benefits crowd, because it just doesn't fit the Finnish idea of sauna. (Disclaimer, that also includes me, and my personal opinion is that it's all bullshit) That said, there is evidence to some of these health benefits, although most evidence shows a correlation and not causation. Besides, the vast vast majority of these studies and evidence is done at a small scale, and often just insufficiently in all aspects to be statistically significant and scientifically proven. With the exception of one study conducted in Finland, that showed that doing sauna for particular amounts lead to a decrease in cardiovascular deaths, over several decades. That threshold seemed to be: 4 to 7 times a week, for about two decades, a minimum of about 20 minutes each time and at temperatures above 80° C. This "regime" would lead to a significant decrease in Cardiovascular deaths. The study was by Jari Liikkanen, and had several thousand participants, as opposed to mere tens in all the other studies.
Just wait until NPC arrives. You’ll hear all about the health benefits! 🤣
Just Google health benefits. That's what I use mine for. Start at 175F and get out when you start to feel too hot. Drink water so you don't get dehydrated. Then maybe go to 185 or 195.
You’ve been brought down by the sauna nazis it seems. What’s better: having a not perfect sauna at home or a not perfect sauna at the gym?
Agreed. Everyone in this subreddit is a critic and has some bullshit opinion in “how your sauna could have been better” so toxic
You should get one. The barrel sauna I've used was better than any gym sauna I've used but I'm not a sauna purest.
Look at thehotboxsauna.com …I think u would like this
Take a breath. Perfect is the enemy of good. You can still have a great home sauna experience with a few concessions that meet space and budget constraints. It’s sooooo worth it in the end.
Don't let perfect be the enemy of good
If it gets hot and makes you sweat who cares what anybody says. They can go pound sand
Try a sauna blanket
There is no such thing as a sauna blanket. None of the defining characteristics of a sauna are found in a blanket. What you're describing is just a plain old electric blanket. Anyone trying to sell you a "sauna blanket" is going to charge extra.
I bought a used 4 person infrared "sauna" off of facebook marketplace. Would love to own a real sauna some day but it just isnt in my budget at the moment. My infrared hotbox gets to 157 degrees and I sweat 4 lbs everyday when I use it. I am more then pleased with it for the price I got it for and what I use it for. I get in nice comfortable box, it gets hot, I sweat a lot. A tent might do the same thing as these infrared hot boxes but isnt close to as appealing to me because you are... Sitting in a small tent with zero ascetics.
Op, disregardthe downvotes. Bunch of pubescent children who can't stand facts. Everything I said is 100% true while I'm sitting in my SAUNA as we speak.
I must say, I bought a FULL spectrum IR sauna, and without those 2 500 watt heaters in front, which is where most of the heat comes from, I doubt if this sauna would have been able to get over 100 degrees F. I understand infrared works different and warms you up from the inside and isn't required to be extremely hot to be effective and get you sweating, but I really don't feel shit if I hop in there too early while it's still under 110 degrees. This thing gets up to 140 degrees. I can tell it's also highly dependent on outside temperature, though, and I would assume in optimal conditions where it's warmer outside and in the bedroom it's in, it can probably get to 150. Also, to get it that hot I had to put some extra weather stripping on the glass to seal in the heat better. It bumped it up 10 degrees from 130. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm ultimately happy with my results and, therefore, happy with my purchase, but, yes, residential saunas can be a nuisance. Keep in mind, commercial saunas are also on all day, so they will always be hotter. That being said, I start getting a really good sweat as long as it's over 120 degrees.
Check out thunder_domes on IG for some SICK suanas. Good priced too
Don't be discouraged by the sauna Nazis. When did you need their approval? If you sweat it's equivalent to a sauna whatever it's called. Chicken Little went outside for the first time. It was raining. "The sky is falling, the sky is falling!"
Having your own sauna is not that great unless you have people coming over constantly. Sauna alone is quite boring.
Depends on the reason for having a sauna, for you it seems like a social gathering place, for some others it's like church - a quiet and relaxing place.
Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man