Your in home sauna design should be a blend of form and function.

Before you build your own sauna it is important to decide on the sauna design that will fit your situation the best. Some in home saunas are big, some small, some for lots of people and some for individuals. Your sauna design is up to you to decide. If you are going to build your own sauna here are some guidelines that will help you decide which in home sauna layout is right for you.

WHAT SIZE SHOULD YOUR SAUNA BE?

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• Saunas are low to conserve heat and materials. There can be a heat difference of 1 degree for each inch of elevation. Most are no taller than 7’. If you only intend to have one low bench you can lower the ceiling even more.
• The smaller they are the faster they will heat up.
• A good rule of thumb is to have the lower bench about 18" tall and extend 16” beyond the upper benches. The second level is about 36” tall and 20” wide.
• A least one set of benches should be a minimum of 6’ long for laying down. Some of the smaller personal saunas are only wide enough to sit in. This works but limits your comfort options. Consider this before finalizing you sauna design.
• The minimum size is about 3’ x 4’ which will hold one person (two if they are very good friends).
• I am not sure there is a maximum size but you quickly loose efficiency when you go beyond 9’ x 9’. This size could very easily hold 8 people. Good friends could fit several more without being too cramped.
• The going rate is about 105 cubic feet for each person in small saunas. For the bigger ones you can figure about 80-90 cubic feet per person.

  
  
  
  

  WHAT SHAPE SHOULD YOUR SAUNA BE?

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• The traditional shape is a rectangle or square.
• There is almost no limit to the shape that you can use. Some of the new kits come in all kinds of shapes from pentagons to round. There are even kits shaped like a barrel lying on its side. Kits are easy to put together but if you are a not-so-experienced builder planning to build your own sauna from scratch remember that "rounder is not easier".
• Be sure there is enough room so that people are not sitting too close to the stove. 12" is a minimum, more is a lot better.
• It's nice to design a seperated dressing/resting room as part of the sauna. This can be used to hang clothes, rinse off, keep wood or just relax as you are cooling down. This can just be a porch or deck that is covered and blocks the wind.
• The best way to layout your plan is to sketch it on a piece of graph paper. If each square is equal to 4” or 6” you will get a good feel for the proportions and functionality of your sauna design.
  
  
  When planning your in home sauna design you should strike a balance between form, function, building method and ease of construction. Assuming you are going to build your own sauna, ease of construction should be a major consideration. Most houses are based on squares and rectangles for a reason; they are easier to build. Some building methods (like cordwood construction) make building unconventional shapes less of a problem.
  
  
  
  

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