How to Build a Home Sauna - Three Important Questions to Answer Before Building

Considering that home saunas are believed to produce numerous health benefits and provide a relaxing spa experience, it's no wonder than more and more people want to know how to build a home sauna. The answer to this question depends on several factors, including your budget, the space available, and how handy you are. There are three important questions to answer before you begin building your home sauna.

What Will You Use For Heat?

The first factor to evaluate when planning how to build a sauna is your heat source. Will you use electricity, gas, wood or some other type of energy? Many people consider the wood-burning sauna to be the top choice, especially if you have easy access to wood and no hesitations about burning it.

Wood provides a pleasant aroma and a traditional atmosphere, but obtaining the wood can be quite labor intensive unless you buy it already cut. Before choosing this heating method, it is also important to know if local building regulations will allow a wood stove, and if your home owner's insurance will cover it.

Electric stoves are most popular with people who don't have a wood supply available or who don't want to spend time and money cutting and hauling wood or dealing with ash disposal. Nearly all homes have electricity available already, so it is a convenient heat source for both indoor and outdoor saunas. In addition, electricity is the standard power source for infrared saunas, which produce radiant heat with special electric heaters. If you are interested in infrared saunas, electricity will likely be your heating source.

Gas is usually cheaper than electric and provides a practical choice for those concerned about budgets. It is a clean fuel source and relatively easy to obtain no matter where you live. When using gas as a heating source, it is important to test for carbon monoxide.

Often times, your heat source will determine whether you build an indoor sauna or an outdoor structure. If you use wood for heat, it may be inconvenient and messy to haul wood into the house. And insurance policy may only allow wood heat in a separate, outdoor building. Also, an electric heater requires wiring that may not be available for a large model or outdoor sauna without an expensive bill to an electrician.

Where Will You Put Your Sauna?

Once you have decided how you will generate heat in your home sauna, the next step is to decide where you will put the sauna. As has been mentioned, your heat source may impact where you decide to locate your sauna.

For example, if you intend to heat with electricity, you may not be able to put your sauna down on the edge of the lake without special wiring brought in. If you plan to cut your own wood, you may want to place your sauna close to the woodpile.

In addition, for steam saunas, a water supply is an important consideration when deciding on a location. Indoor saunas may need to have plumbing and drains installed. Outdoor saunas will also need plumbing unless you intend to collect water or haul if from a faucet or nearby pond.

But many of these choices are purely for convenience or budgetary reasons. In reality, your choices for a sauna location are limited only by your imagination, and people have come up with some very creative sauna locations and designs.

In addition to more traditional home saunas built in bathrooms, basements or in separate sauna buildings, people have put saunas on floating platforms in a pond or lake; they have built them on trailer beds, and even in a van or the back of a pickup. Of course these unique plans may require a bit more adaptation or special materials, but the Internet is filled with design plans for all types of saunas from standard to sensational.

What Design Features Do You Want?

Choosing your design is the next step in building a sauna. Do you want something simple that is prefabricated and ready to put together? Or do you want to cut the wood and collect the stones yourself? Are you handy with tools or at least willing to learn? Or would you prefer to hire someone who knows how to build a sauna?

Another design aspect is the size of the sauna. How many people do you plan to accommodate? How big do you want your stove or heater to be and how much are you willing to spend for heat and materials? Do you want a shower area included? How about a room for changing or cooling off? All of these questions will help you determine the size of your sauna, which in turn will impact your overall design.

Infrared saunas and some smaller, standard saunas come as precut kits with the wood, heaters, rocks, or other materials all included. These kits can often be assembled in just a few hours. Many manufacturers will take your dimensions and cut the materials to fit, often including benches and pre-hung doors.

Maybe you want to use an existing design or create one of your own. Brochures from sauna manufacturers and retailers provide good ideas, and staff usually are willing to answer questions. In addition, there are numerous Internet sites that are devoted purely to saunas and related information. Many include design plans and instructions as well as discussion forums to ask questions and learn from others' experiences. A simple search will bring up both personal Web sites and those from manufacturers.

When deciding how to build a sauna, the wide variety of choices in designs, locations, materials and heat sources make the planning fun, yet essential, to the overall success of the project. The nearly limitless options available in saunas make it easy to find a home sauna to fit any budget, location, and lifestyle.

About the Author:

C.J. Gustafson is a successful writer for Saunas-N-Sauna-Kits.com, providing consumer information on sauna kits. She is a self-proclaimed sampler of Finnish saunas, and is always on the lookout for unique designs in home saunas.

---

Better Links Directory

Modern Rugs Add Color, Texture, Interest and Space Definition To Your Room

Modern Design is sleek, stark, and spacious with angular and... Read More

Spring Deck Prep Tips

It's finally spring! Time to move out the patio furniture... Read More

Create a Luxurious Laundry Room

Give your home a luxurious feel with a beautiful laundry... Read More

Deck Design - Why Firm Foundations Are Essential

Preparing a deck design for your backyard is all the... Read More

Flooring: Installing Ceramic Tile

Ceramic Tile brings a texture, richness and color to a... Read More

The Techno-Witch and Magickal Appliances

My favourite episode of Bugs Bunny is the one where... Read More

How to Replace the Rollers on Your Patio Sliding Glass Glass Door

Hiring a professional to replace your rollers could cost you... Read More

Three Types of Lighting for Room Remodeling

When remodeling a room, choosing the correct lighting is one... Read More

With A Stylish Bathroom Vanity You Can Take Pride In Your Bathroom?s Appearance!

An easy way to instantly improve your bathroom's image is... Read More

Sparkling, Clean Lighting Will Add The Perfect Touch To Your Home

When one thinks of the many factors that affect the... Read More

Complete Home Rehab In 10 Days

This report is about taking a house and restoring it... Read More

Acting As Your Own General Contractor When Building Your Dream Home

This article is intended for the DIY (Do It Yourself)... Read More

A Few Simple Facts About Gas And Electric Heating Systems

To make your home more energy efficient, you need to... Read More

An Interview with Design Psychology Expert Jeanette Fisher

Interview with Jeanette Fisher by Gary Anderson, of ... Read More

Area Rug Buyers Guide

When you begin decorating your home there are some important... Read More

Planning Permission Tips UK - Conservatories - Dispelling a Myth

It's now well into the new year and the residential... Read More

Building or Decorating Your Home Requires House Plans

There are some things to consider when creating plans for... Read More

Color Help: Many Factors Affect Color Preference

Understanding color psychology helps home makers choose colors for home... Read More

Eclectic Patio Furniture Shows Your Style

Your home's interior is exquisitely decorated in your favorite style;... Read More

Choosing Window Frames

There are three main types of material used to manufacture... Read More

10 Things To Consider Before Planning And Installing A New Bathroom

Whether you want to install a new bathroom or make... Read More

How Stained Glass Can Add Elegance To Your Home

If there is one way to throw a new light... Read More

Buying The Right Comforter For Your Bed

Putting the right comforter on your bed can make the... Read More

Waterproofing Basement Walls

Although representatives from waterproofing companies may guarantee results from their... Read More

Removing Your Old Wood Double Hung Windows

Last week I told you how to measure your wood... Read More