Choosing sauna location, kit, heater type and size

If you intend to buy a home sauna kit, then you have a number of alternatives and options that you need to consider. Many of these options, and the advantages and disadvantages associated with them, are elaborated on in greater detail on some of the other pages on this site. Here however, is a summary of the decisions that you need to make.

Selecting the best sauna location

Consider the following in choosing a site for your sauna kit.

• Where is the sauna going to be located, i.e. will the sauna kit be assembled in an existing room in the house, or a purpose built independent structure like a cabin.
• If the sauna is to be located in a house, is there an available room of adequate size and sufficient natural ventilation.
• If the sauna will be installed in a cabin, does this cabin already exist, will this cabin be purchased separately, or will it be part of a pre-fab sauna kit.
• Based upon the installation location, will a material sauna kit need to be supplemented by the addition of a supportive load bearing framework, thermal insulation or secondary supporting walls.

Sauna kit types

Consider the following when deciding on the type of sauna kit that you want.

• What kind of sauna kit do you want, what level of DIY (do it yourself) skill do you have, and how suitable is your intended sauna location for a materials only sauna kit.
• Are you after a complete and easy to assemble pre-fab sauna, i.e. where all components of the sauna are delivered in a “near complete” degree of assembly requiring only 2 or 3 hours of DIY work.
• Are you prepared for, and do you have the necessary skill to, assemble a material sauna kit along with any additional supportive walls that may need constructing.
• Does your budget give you a free reign to choose a material sauna kit or a pre-fab sauna, or are you restricted to the former.

Sauna stoves and heaters

Consider the following when deciding on the heater for a sauna.

• Do you want a genuine Finnish style sauna with an electric heater, hot rocks and the facility to have a wet or dry sauna bath. If the answer is yes, then you will need an electric stove heater. This kind of heater will create a real sauna atmosphere and is versatile and flexible.
• Would you consider an infrared sauna, i.e. a sauna that uses one or more infrared heaters to create the sauna sensation, but without the intense sauna room heat required for a Finnish sauna. If so, you will have a low energy sauna and one that creates little in the way of ambient heat, but it will have some limitations.
• Will your sauna be in a purpose designed building giving you the option to have a log or fossil fuel burning stove along with a flue and any necessary ventilation. If this option is available to you, you may still find that an electric stove is the best option and it will not require the same level of cost and contractor expertise to build and fit.

Sauna size

How many people do you envisage using the sauna at any one time. The sauna size should be determined based upon the maximum simultaneous anticipated sauna session use.

Other sauna size considerations include the heat-up time and economic cost of heating. The larger the sauna, the longer it will take to heat up (and cool down) and the higher will be the running costs. The larger saunas are at there most effective when occupied by several bodies.

The size of the sauna will also determine the power output of the stove required to heat it. It should always be born in mind that with an electric stove (the only stove type generally available for in-home saunas) there is a maximum power output that a conventional home electricity supply can handle. As a general guide, stoves with an output of more than 10 Kilowatts cannot be accommodated by most home electricity supplies. You can of course check this out with you energy supplier.