Tips to Build Your Own Sauna

It takes careful planning to build a sauna from scratch.

Here's an overview of the steps:

• buy or design your plans

• find/buy the wood

• accurately measure and cut the wood or have a professional do it for you

• assemble all the pieces, including a heater, bench and door

Choose A Location

Location is an important consideration when building a sauna. It's the main thing that will influence your sauna design. For example,

• Will you convert an existing room?

• Will it be freestanding?

• Do you want it inside or outside your house?

• Will it be in the city or country?

After your location is chosen, you'll have to decide what kind of sauna heater you're going to use.

Depending on your chosen location, you may not have much of a choice.

Choosing A Sauna Heater

Electric sauna heaters are the most popular choice. You'll need access to electricity if you want to use one.

If you plan to build a sauna in the country, a wood sauna heater may be your only option.

You can also buy a gas sauna heater, but they are more expensive.

Professional installation will be a requirement and the sauna will need to be ventilated. Gas heaters also require more clearance than an electric heater.

Before making any final decisions, find out what the local building codes are. For example, there may be an ordinance for your community that restricts the use of a wood burning sauna heater.

Sauna Construction

If you want to convert an existing room into a home made sauna, you'll have to take protective measures against the moisture that'll come from the sauna. The room will need to be properly insulated and include a vapor barrier to guard against possible damage.

You'll have to find-and-buy or special order the wood you're going to use, then you'll have to carefully measure and cut it (or have a pro handle that part).

If you don't purchase tongue-and-groove lumber, you'll have to make tongue-and-groove joints in the sides of the wood for strength and tight seals, and it takes a special tool for that.

Of course you'll also need a door for your sauna. Manufacturers sell them in different shapes and sizes.

You can also buy a bench for your sauna or you can build your own.

It's very doable, but if you're not skilled with your hands then building your own sauna will be a major task.

Visit www.steam-sauna-benefits.com for more info about home saunas.