Is an indoor sauna or an outdoor sauna best for you?

Deciding whether you should construct a custom indoor sauna, an outdoor sauna kit or something in between is a major decision. Let’s look at the key factors. Indoor sauna, outdoor sauna, kit or custom, they all have some factors in common but each also has unique advantages.

FACTORS COMMON TO ALMOST ALL SAUNAS

There should be some water supply available. Where there is smoke there is fire and where there is steam there was water. Cooling off water is very desirable during and after the sauna experience. This can be from several places such as a shower, tub, lake, stream, hot tub, bucket…….
Heaters have requirements. Gas and wood burning stoves will require exhaust venting. Electric and Infrared will need power. Think about the work involved in getting your heater what it needs.
Although not required, it is best if the floor of your sauna has drainage of some sort.
Space is needed. The smallest personal sauna will take up at least 3’ x 4’. Large saunas can take up considerable room, especially with an attached shower and changing room. Be sure there is enough room where you plan to locate yours.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER FOR INDOOR SAUNAS
Water may be easy to come by. Locating near an existing bathroom with a shower can give you easy access to water.
Drainage? This may be easy if existing plumbing is accessible but having to break up your basement floor to add drainage is no easy task. It is possible to have a drain-free indoor sauna but you need to limit water use. Think through this one carefully.
Some of the construction has been done already. Building a foundation is generally not needed, just use the existing floor. If you use the corner of a room 2 of your walls are up already.
You can make use of little-used areas of your house. Finishing a basement is the cheapest way to increase the usable square footage of your house.
Weather conditions won’t affect your use of the sauna.

Near bathrooms and in basements are the most common locations for indoor saunas.

FACTORS TO CONDSIDER FOR OUTDOOR SAUNAS

Being outside the house can increase the feeling of escape from the day-to-day grind.
An outdoor sauna can take advantage of special features of your property like the view, ponds, lakes, etc.
There may be more opportunity to use diverse, creative building styles. You don’t have to match existing interiors. A cordwood sauna doesn’t fit the décor of most basements.
Venting a stove in a new small building is no big deal. Running a chimney up through 2 floors from the basement of your existing house may be a challenge.
The building can do double duty. It could also be designed as a guesthouse, storage, kids playhouse, etc.
If it's built as an addition to the house you can get a lot of bang for your buck. Building next to an existing exterior door gives you the option of creating a mudroom / breezeway situation. As you exit the old door on one side is the sauna. The other side is a space that can be used as a changing/storage/mud/wood room. Walk 8’ ahead and you exit the new exterior door. That gives you lots of flexibility from a small addition.
A simple drainage system is pretty easy to build in.
Building an entire building is more involved than partitioning a space in an existing room.
There may be local codes and permits to worry about.
Neighbors and privacy can be an issue.
Getting water and/or power to the sauna might be difficult.
If you do decide the build an outdoor sauna, plan for local prevailing winds and sun patterns. Don’t have your door open into the cold prevailing winter wind but do have windows take the best advantage of the any available sun.

THE PORTABLE SAUNA OPTION
There are portable saunas that can make the location decision easier. “Knockdown” saunas can be disassembled and stored when not in use. They are obviously limited in size but it might be worth considering.
Indoor saunas are good. Outdoor saunas are good. Kits are good. Custom built is good. It’s all good, but which is best for you? The answer is up to you but don't jump in too quickly. Be sure to think through your options carefully.

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ventilation Location Layout