Build your own Sauna - How to Build a Sauna

Sauna is defined as a steam bath/bathhouse in which the steam is generated by pouring water over a pile of heated rocks. Sauna finds its roots in Finland and is known to human beings for more than 1000 years. Sauna gives the joy of relaxing and the satisfaction of deep cleansing. During home sauna, the body temperature increases and leads to perspiration. This opens the pores of the skin and assists the body in the process of detoxification. The increase in temperature affects the chemical reactions taking place in the body that eventually raises the heart rate, and increases blood circulation towards the skin. A small change in the blood pressure is a normal effect of sauna. Studies have proved that sauna is safe for humans and has many health benefits like calorie loss, cleansing and above all, physical and mental relaxation.

Nowadays, life is so hectic that most people don't find the time to go to a sauna spa. Considering its multiple health benefits, a home sauna is the latest trend. It's a real boon for today's stressful life. To have a sauna at home is a fantastic idea. Anyone skilled in basic carpentry can build a sauna. The following description gives the basic information about how to build a sauna.

Suitable Place: Every house has a spare room or at least a spare corner that can be used to build a sauna. Such an area should satisfy the following requirements.

Nearness of a Water Source: The area should be close to a water source like a swimming pool. An extension of the bathroom would be perfect place to set up a home sauna.

Availability of Space: The area should be large enough to accommodate 5-6 people.There should also be enough space to place wooden benches across the walls. This is required so that occupants can lie down comfortably if they wish to. The space required can be even larger if you wish to have a shower and a changing or cooling off area.

Wooden Flooring and Roof: A wood sauna has always been the best. The aroma of wood is magical and is best-suited for relaxation. Another advantage is that a wood sauna requires less maintenance. Make sure that the wood flooring is heat and fire resistant. Hickory, apple wood and Cedar are some varieties used to build a sauna. Cedar wood is known to be the best among them.

Height of the Roof: The roof must be high enough to allow good circulation of heat around the sauna. The ideal roof height is seven feet.

Absence of Metallic Fittings: See to it that there are no metallic pieces or fixtures in that area. In case they have to be there, ensure that the metallic fittings are deeply embedded in the roof or flooring. This is very important as the temperature is so high that it can cause the metal to heat up.

Ventilation: There should be an outlet for the stove, stone fire or wood fireplace to produce the heat without causing any damage to the sauna. The room must be properly ventilated to avoid stuffiness and discomfort.

Source of Heat: Wood, electricty, gas and infrared are the sources of heat used in saunas. Following is a brief description of each source; select the one that suits your needs.

Wood: Wood is easily available in the countryside and is the obvious choice for people inhabiting that area. But using wood has many disadvantages. The biggest drawback is that it takes more than 45 minutes to produce the required amount of heat. Secondly, it is a laborious task to cut down wood into pieces. Thirdly, it is not an environment-friendly option.

Electricity: Electric heater to generate steam is a good choice, especially for those who are living in cities. It is fast in steam generation and is absolutely clean to use but it's quite expensive.

Gas: Using gas as a heat source is a relatively better option as it is cheap and clean to use.

Infrared: The latest trend in sauna is to use infrared rays directly to warm up the body. This is known as infrared sauna. Special infrared devices are available to generate infrared rays. Using infrared as a source of heat has many advantages. The most significant benefits are, comfortable temperature range, calorie loss and energy efficiency. It greatly lowers down the risk of burns and fires.

Design Features for a Sauna: A sauna is meant to provide comfort. The meaning of comfort is different for different individuals. Therefore, saunas are available in different design features. The following description would help you to find out which type of home sauna fits your definition of 'comfort'.

A sauna has two types: wet and dry. In wet saunas, heat is obtained by splashing water on heated rocks while in dry saunas, water is not used to generate heat. Heat is generated directly by heating rocks, or using a gas stove or electric and infrared devices. Both produce the same results on health. Steam sauna is another term for wet sauna. Infrared sauna is an example of dry sauna. Now, the selection of the sauna type depends entirely on you.

A home sauna can be built in two ways. One way is to cut the wood and collect the stones yourself. The second option is to assemble prefabricated materials and join them to build a sauna. Generally, manufacturers send professionals to set up a sauna in your home. They trim the precut materials and fit them in the area of your choice.

In order to build a sauna, design a layout and plan effectively according to your budget and availability of resources. Build one and experience the pleasure of relaxing at home.