Cabin sauna guides
Everything here is about the small wooden room down by the water: how to build one that heats evenly, breathes properly and dries out between sessions, and how to use it well once it's done. The guides lean toward outdoor and wood-fired saunas because that's what most cabins have, but the airflow and temperature advice applies to electric heaters too.
If you're starting from an empty lot, read the build guide first, then the pages on ventilation and floors before you frame anything. Those are the two things that are hardest to fix later.
Planning and building
How to build an outdoor sauna
Siting, sizing, foundation, insulation, benches, door, heater and permits for a DIY outdoor sauna.
Backyard sauna ideas
Placement, paths, porches, cooling spots, privacy and styles for a sauna in the backyard or at the cabin.
Barrel sauna
How barrel saunas are built and heated, sizing by person, upkeep, and a barrel vs cabin comparison.
Diy sauna kits
Precut, panel, barrel and outdoor cabin sauna kits: what's included, assembly, heaters and a buying checklist.
Sauna floor
Sauna flooring compared: concrete, tile, stone and duckboards, with drains, waterproofing and insulation.
Best wood for sauna
Cedar, spruce, aspen, basswood, alder and thermo-wood compared for sauna walls and benches, plus care.
Heat, air and using the sauna
Wood-fired sauna
How wood sauna stoves heat the room, stove types, chimney and clearance basics, firewood and CO safety.
Sauna ventilation
Vent placement for electric and wood-burning saunas, vent sizes, and an airflow calculator.
Sauna temperature
Normal sauna temperature ranges in °F and °C, bench height, humidity, session length and a converter.
Sauna and cold plunge
A sauna and cold plunge routine for the cabin, the research behind contrast therapy, and the safety rules.