| dering that home saunas are believed to produce | | | | In addition, for steam saunas, a water supply is |
| numerous health benefits and provide a relaxing | | | | an important consideration when deciding on a |
| spa experience, it’s no wonder than more | | | | location. Indoor saunas may need to have |
| and more people want to know how to build a | | | | plumbing and drains installed. Outdoor saunas will |
| home sauna. The answer to this question depends | | | | also need plumbing unless you intend to collect |
| on several factors, including your budget, the | | | | water or haul if from a faucet or nearby pond. |
| space available, and how handy you are. There | | | | But many of these choices are purely for |
| are three important questions to answer before | | | | convenience or budgetary reasons. In reality, your |
| you begin building your home sauna. | | | | choices for a sauna location are limited only by |
| What Will You Use For Heat? | | | | your imagination, and people have come up with |
| The first factor to evaluate when planning how to | | | | some very creative sauna locations and designs. |
| build a sauna is your heat source. Will you use | | | | In addition to more traditional home saunas built in |
| electricity, gas, wood or some other type of | | | | bathrooms, basements or in separate sauna |
| energy? Many people consider the wood-burning | | | | buildings, people have put saunas on floating |
| sauna to be the top choice, especially if you have | | | | platforms in a pond or lake; they have built them |
| easy access to wood and no hesitations about | | | | on trailer beds, and even in a van or the back of |
| burning it. | | | | a pickup. Of course these unique plans may |
| Wood provides a pleasant aroma and a traditional | | | | require a bit more adaptation or special materials, |
| atmosphere, but obtaining the wood can be quite | | | | but the Internet is filled with design plans for all |
| labor intensive unless you buy it already cut. | | | | types of saunas from standard to sensational. |
| Before choosing this heating method, it is also | | | | What Design Features Do You Want? |
| important to know if local building regulations will | | | | Choosing your design is the next step in building a |
| allow a wood stove, and if your home | | | | sauna. Do you want something simple that is |
| owner’s insurance will cover it. | | | | prefabricated and ready to put together? Or do |
| Electric stoves are most popular with people who | | | | you want to cut the wood and collect the stones |
| don’t have a wood supply available or | | | | yourself? Are you handy with tools or at least |
| who don’t want to spend time and | | | | willing to learn? Or would you prefer to hire |
| money cutting and hauling wood or dealing with | | | | someone who knows how to build a sauna? |
| ash disposal. Nearly all homes have electricity | | | | Another design aspect is the size of the sauna. |
| available already, so it is a convenient heat source | | | | How many people do you plan to accommodate? |
| for both indoor and outdoor saunas. In addition, | | | | How big do you want your stove or heater to be |
| electricity is the standard power source for | | | | and how much are you willing to spend for heat |
| infrared saunas, which produce radiant heat with | | | | and materials? Do you want a shower area |
| special electric heaters. If you are interested in | | | | included? How about a room for changing or |
| infrared saunas, electricity will likely be your | | | | cooling off? All of these questions will help you |
| heating source. | | | | determine the size of your sauna, which in turn |
| Gas is usually cheaper than electric and provides a | | | | will impact your overall design. |
| practical choice for those concerned about | | | | Infrared saunas and some smaller, standard |
| budgets. It is a clean fuel source and relatively | | | | saunas come as precut kits with the wood, |
| easy to obtain no matter where you live. When | | | | heaters, rocks, or other materials all included. |
| using gas as a heating source, it is important to | | | | These kits can often be assembled in just a few |
| test for carbon monoxide. | | | | hours. Many manufacturers will take your |
| Often times, your heat source will determine | | | | dimensions and cut the materials to fit, often |
| whether you build an indoor sauna or an outdoor | | | | including benches and pre-hung doors. |
| structure. If you use wood for heat, it may be | | | | Maybe you want to use an existing design or |
| inconvenient and messy to haul wood into the | | | | create one of your own. Brochures from sauna |
| house. And insurance policy may only allow wood | | | | manufacturers and retailers provide good ideas, |
| heat in a separate, outdoor building. Also, an | | | | and staff usually are willing to answer questions. In |
| electric heater requires wiring that may not be | | | | addition, there are numerous Internet sites that |
| available for a large model or outdoor sauna | | | | are devoted purely to saunas and related |
| without an expensive bill to an electrician. | | | | information. Many include design plans and |
| Where Will You Put Your Sauna? | | | | instructions as well as discussion forums to ask |
| Once you have decided how you will generate | | | | questions and learn from others’ |
| heat in your home sauna, the next step is to | | | | experiences. A simple search will bring up both |
| decide where you will put the sauna. As has been | | | | personal Web sites and those from |
| mentioned, your heat source may impact where | | | | manufacturers. |
| you decide to locate your sauna. | | | | When deciding how to build a sauna, the wide |
| For example, if you intend to heat with electricity, | | | | variety of choices in designs, locations, materials |
| you may not be able to put your sauna down on | | | | and heat sources make the planning fun, yet |
| the edge of the lake without special wiring | | | | essential, to the overall success of the project. |
| brought in. If you plan to cut your own wood, you | | | | The nearly limitless options available in saunas |
| may want to place your sauna close to the | | | | make it easy to find a home sauna to fit any |
| woodpile. | | | | budget, location, and lifestyle. |