For this recent project in Southeast Oakville, the goal was to create more than a standalone backyard sauna. The homeowners wanted a purpose-built outdoor wellness space that felt integrated into the existing property and landscape, with a spacious sauna, a dedicated changing room, and a design that complemented the surrounding home and backyard.
With an overall footprint of approximately 16′ × 9′, this was a complete ground-up custom build. ELU managed the project from the structure itself through to the finished sauna interior, allowing every part of the building to be designed around how the space would ultimately be used.
Designing the Sauna Around the Property
One advantage of a fully custom outdoor sauna is that the building doesn’t have to be designed in isolation.
For this project, we considered the location, footprint, windows, and entrances in relation to the existing backyard. Rather than bringing in a predetermined sauna structure and finding a place for it, we designed the building specifically for the available space.
The approximately 16′ × 9′ footprint provided enough room to create two distinct areas: a dedicated sauna room and a large adjoining change room. This gives the homeowners a comfortable transition space before and after using the sauna while keeping everything contained within one structure.
The design incorporates three windows. Two are positioned within the sauna itself, providing views into the backyard, while another brings natural light into the changing area.
Built From the Ground Up
This project is also a good example of what we mean by Sauna Design + Build.
ELU completed the full scope of construction rather than working within an existing shed or accessory structure. The team framed and sheathed the building on site, with the walls, floor, and ceiling insulated to create an envelope suitable for year-round sauna use in Ontario.
The exterior assembly included house wrap, insulated board-and-batten siding, and a properly sloped shingled roof. Cedar soffits were used around the roof overhang to introduce a natural detail that ties the exterior back to the cedar used inside.
The design incorporated proper ventilation in both the sauna and changing-room areas.
For an outdoor sauna in Southern Ontario, these details matter. A sauna building needs to perform through hot summers, freezing winters, rain, and snow while also handling the heat and moisture generated inside the sauna itself. Insulation, ventilation, weather protection and the overall building envelope therefore need to be considered alongside the sauna interior.
A Clear Cedar Sauna Interior
Inside the sauna room, we used clear Western red cedar to create a clean, warm finish.
The layout features two straight bench levels, providing both upper and lower seating while keeping the room open and functional. The two windows connect the sauna to the surrounding backyard and bring natural light into the space without overwhelming the room with glass.
A Homecraft Apex electric sauna heater, paired with Wi-Fi controls, heats the sauna. This lets homeowners start and manage the sauna remotely, a particularly useful feature for an outdoor sauna during an Ontario winter.
A Dedicated Cedar Change Room
Rather than maximizing the sauna room at the expense of everything else, we intentionally allocated a significant portion of the building to the changing area.
The change room is finished in knotty cedar, creating continuity with the sauna while differentiating the two spaces. A separate exterior entrance and an interior connection between the rooms make the building function as a complete backyard sauna space rather than simply a hot room.
Using clear cedar in the sauna and knotty cedar in the changing room also allowed us to prioritize the premium clear material where occupants spend their sauna sessions while maintaining the warmth and character of cedar throughout the rest of the building.
Exterior Details That Tie Everything Together
The finished exterior uses dark board-and-batten siding contrasted against natural cedar soffits. Pot lights integrated around the exterior provide functional lighting while highlighting the roofline and cedar detailing after dark.
The result is intentionally contemporary without feeling disconnected from the surrounding mature landscaping.
The windows, doors, roof overhangs and siding were all selected as part of the overall design rather than treated as separate components. That approach matters especially with larger outdoor sauna buildings, where the structure becomes a permanent architectural element in the backyard.
More Than Installing a Sauna
One of the biggest differences between a custom outdoor sauna and many prefabricated options is the ability to design the entire building around the sauna experience.
For this Oakville project, that meant considering the foundation and structure, insulation, weatherproofing, ventilation, electrical requirements, windows, lighting, the change room and the exterior appearance alongside the sauna itself.
By managing the project as a complete build, ELU took the project from an open section of the backyard to a purpose-built sauna and change-room structure.
The Finished Result
What began as an approximately 17′ × 9′ footprint in the backyard became a fully insulated, year-round outdoor sauna building designed specifically for the property.
The finished space combines a clear cedar sauna, a dedicated knotty cedar change room, a Homecraft Apex heater with Wi-Fi control, multiple windows, integrated ventilation, exterior lighting, and a fully weather-protected building envelope.
More importantly, it feels like it belongs in the backyard.
That’s ultimately the advantage of building custom: the sauna can be designed around the property, rather than the property having to accommodate the sauna.
Considering a Custom Outdoor Sauna in Oakville or the GTA?
Every property presents a different opportunity.
At ELU – Sauna Design + Build, we design and build custom indoor and outdoor saunas throughout Oakville and the Greater Toronto Area. For outdoor projects, we can manage the complete build—from the initial layout and structure through insulation, exterior finishing and the finished sauna interior.
Whether you’re considering a compact backyard sauna or a larger dedicated wellness space with a changing room, we can design around your property, available space, and how you want to use it.
