OUTDOOR SAUNAS

An outdoor pre-fabricated sauna kit, often referred to as pre-fabs, is a sauna that is manufactured off-site in a factory or workshop setting and then transported to the final location for assembly.

It is a traditional sauna you can customize with many options to suit your size and needs.

When considering pre-fab saunas, there's a wealth of options available to enhance your experience, ensuring a blend of convenience and customization. For outdoor saunas, red cedar is a popular choice, renowned for its durability and aromatic properties, while knotty cedar adds a rustic charm to the ambiance.

The elegant design of these pre-fab structures seamlessly integrates with the surrounding landscape, creating a serene retreat. When it comes to heating options, wood-burning heaters offer a traditional touch, infusing the sauna session with the crackle and scent of burning wood, while electric heaters provide efficient and precise temperature control.

Inside, comfortable benches crafted from quality wood invite relaxation, while the soothing aroma of cedar envelops the senses. With pre-fab saunas, customization extends beyond the structure itself, allowing you to tailor the heating system, seating arrangements, and wood finishes to create a personalized oasis of warmth and tranquility.

Sauna Size Options:

Various Sizes: Our pre-fab sauna kits come in various sizes that will complement any outdoor space in your backyard or at your lake house. Choose from options that include external patio areas, round, square, or cabin styles equipped with engineered slope in the roof style. 

Materials for Pre-fab Saunas:

Thermospruce: A weather-resistant wood that has undergone heat and steam treatment to enhance durability, decay resistance, and dimensional stability.

Alder: Alder is commonly used in saunas. It is a softwood with a relatively low density, making it cooler to the touch when heated. It is also known for having few knots and a lack of resins that could seep out when exposed to high temperatures. Additionally, this type of wood is durable and can withstand exposure to moist and humid conditions.

Heat Options For Sauna:

Wood-Burning Heater: This traditional heating option generates heat by burning wood. It provides a classic experience complete with the crackling sounds and earthy scent of burning wood. Wood-burning heaters are a great choice for a traditional experience.

Electric Heater: Modern and efficient heating solution that offers precise temperature control, ensuring a comfortable experience with minimal hassle and maintenance. Learn More about our heater options here.

Interior Features For Sauna:

Benches: Comfortable seating options inside the sauna, typically crafted from quality wood for durability and aesthetic appeal, providing a relaxing space to unwind during sauna sessions. "Sitting"

Glass: Double-paned Tempered glass with an option for Mirrored windows

Sauna Customization Options:

Sauna Depth: Choose an option for added depth inside your sauna for an enhanced and more spacious sauna experience

Juniper Wall: Choose the option for a juniper wall adding a beautiful aesthetic inside your sauna further enhancing your sauna experience

Glass: Choose between mirrored glass and regular glass

Designed & Manufactured in Estonia - 1-year warranty and 5-year warranty for the heaters

There are so many benefits to a sauna. An outdoor sauna offers tranquility, a serene retreat amidst the hustle and bustle of daily life. It provides a sanctuary where individuals can reconnect with themselves and their surroundings. In the tranquil ambiance of nature, the soothing warmth of the sauna envelops the body, melting away tension and stress accumulated throughout the day. Reduce stress, gain mental clarity and overall improve well being.

As the body relaxes, the mind follows suit, allowing for a deeper sense of relaxation and well-being. Beyond its ability to promote relaxation, the sauna's dry heat contributes to improved circulation and detoxification and promotes healthier skin. This study showed that sauna bathing can improve cardiovascular health.

This combination of physical and mental rejuvenation makes the outdoor sauna an excellent choice for those seeking to prioritize their overall health and wellness. A sauna offers a holistic approach to relaxation and self-care amidst the beauty of the Canadian landscape. It also is a wonderful reprieve from our cold winters in Canada, offering a warm and comforting space after a long day.

Whether you enjoy your sauna alone as a moment of solitude or shared with friends and family as a social experience, the outdoor sauna is a beacon of warmth and rejuvenation, inviting all who enter to escape, unwind, relax, and emerge feeling renewed.

When considering the placement of an outdoor sauna, several factors come into play to optimize its utility and enhance the overall experience. In Canada, where natural beauty abounds, placing the sauna in the backyard offers a convenient and picturesque setting for relaxation and rejuvenation. Whether nestled amidst lush greenery or overlooking a tranquil lake, the outdoor sauna becomes a focal point of luxury in the landscape, seamlessly blending with its surroundings.

For those with a pool, situating the sauna nearby creates a spa-like atmosphere, allowing for seamless transitions between invigorating dips and soothing sauna sessions. Alternatively, for a cozy cabin retreat, placing the sauna adjacent to the house or within a cabin's rustic confines offers easy access and a sense of seclusion.

Ultimately, the ideal location for an outdoor sauna depends on available space, desired ambiance, and personal preferences. Each offers its own unique charm and allure.

An outdoor sauna can transform a modest backyard into a tranquil oasis, offering a luxurious retreat without needing a fancy cottage or sprawling estate. Its compact design and versatile placement options suit various outdoor spaces, from small yards to urban gardens.

Homeowners can create a serene sanctuary and luxury that feels like a private escape from the everyday hustle and bustle by strategically integrating the sauna into the backyard landscape, whether tucked away in a corner or positioned as a centerpiece.

With the addition of lush greenery, comfortable seating, and perhaps a bubbling fountain or soothing garden features, the outdoor sauna becomes not just a place for relaxation but a destination for blissful rejuvenation right in the comfort of home.

ThermoSpruce is a type of thermally modified wood, specifically spruce, that undergoes a controlled heat treatment process.

This process modifies the wood's properties, resulting in improved stability, durability, and resistance to decay and insects. ThermoSpruce typically has a darker color compared to untreated spruce and can exhibit a more uniform appearance.

The thermal treatment process involves subjecting the wood to high temperatures in a controlled environment, which alters its chemical structure.

This modification reduces the wood's moisture content and makes it less prone to shrinking, swelling, and warping, enhancing its suitability for various applications such as outdoor decking, siding, and interior paneling.

Why is Thermospruce used for saunas?

ThermoSpruce is often favored for use in saunas due to several advantageous properties conferred by the thermal modification process:

Durability: ThermoSpruce undergoes a treatment that enhances its resistance to decay, fungi, and insects. This durability is crucial in the hot and humid environment of saunas, where traditional wood may be more prone to rot or insect damage.

Stability: The thermal modification process reduces the wood's moisture content and makes it less prone to swelling, shrinking, or warping when exposed to fluctuating temperatures and humidity levels. This stability ensures that the sauna maintains its structural integrity over time.

Heat Resistance: ThermoSpruce is better able to withstand the high temperatures typically found in saunas without deforming or releasing harmful substances. This property ensures that the wood remains safe and structurally sound even under prolonged exposure to heat.

Aesthetic Appeal: ThermoSpruce often has a darker color and more uniform appearance compared to untreated spruce, which can enhance the aesthetic appeal of the sauna interior.

Environmentally Friendly: The thermal modification process used to create ThermoSpruce typically involves only heat and steam, making it an environmentally friendly choice compared to chemical treatments. This aspect aligns with the preference for natural materials in sauna construction.

Overall, ThermoSpruce's combination of durability, stability, heat resistance, and aesthetic appeal makes it a popular choice for sauna construction, offering both functional benefits and visual appeal.

Learn More About Cedar For Saunas

Cedar is widely regarded as the best for saunas due to its exceptional properties that enhance the experience in several ways:

Durability: Cedar is naturally resistant to decay, moisture, and insects, making it highly durable and long-lasting. This ensures that cedar saunas withstand the humid and high-temperature environment of saunas without warping, cracking, or deteriorating over time.

Aromatic Qualities: It emits a pleasant, soothing aroma when heated, enhancing the sensory experience of the sauna. The aromatic scent of cedar adds to the overall ambiance, creating a relaxing and therapeutic environment conducive to stress relief and mental relaxation.

Thermal Insulation: It has excellent thermal insulation properties, meaning it retains heat well while remaining relatively cool to the touch. This helps maintain a consistent and comfortable temperature inside the sauna, ensuring an enjoyable and effective sauna session.

Low Resin Content: Cedar has a low resin content, which means it produces minimal sap and resin compared to other types of wood. This results in a cleaner and more hygienic sauna environment, as there is less risk of resin buildup or unpleasant odors during heating.

Visual Appeal: Cedar's natural grain patterns, colors, and textures lend an aesthetic beauty to saunas, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. The rich tones of cedar add a touch of elegance and sophistication to the sauna's interior, enhancing the overall ambiance and enjoyment of the space.

Overall, cedar's combination of durability, aromatic qualities, thermal insulation, cleanliness, and visual appeal makes it the preferred choice for sauna construction. This ensures a comfortable, relaxing, and rejuvenating experience for users.

When it comes to choosing cedar for saunas, there are several types available, each with its own characteristics and suitability for sauna construction:

What Is Knotty Cedar:

Knotty cedar is a type of cedar that contains knots, which are areas where branches have grown out of the tree trunk. The knots in the cedar can vary in size and frequency based on the grade of the cedar and are typically darker in color. Due to its rustic appearance and natural character, knotty cedar is popular for both interior and exterior applications such as paneling, siding, decking, and furniture.

What Is Red Cedar:

Red cedar, scientifically known as Thuja plicata, hails from the western regions of North America, stretching from Alaska to northern California. It's esteemed for its striking reddish-brown coloration, displaying a straight grain with occasional knots, lending it a rustic allure. Beyond aesthetics, red cedar boasts inherent durability, naturally resisting decay, insects, and rot, courtesy of its abundant natural oils.

Prefab saunas and custom saunas differ primarily in their construction, design flexibility, and installation process. Prefab saunas are manufactured off-site in a factory and then delivered in prefabricated panels or kits for assembly on-site.

These panels are usually made to standard sizes and specifications. While some customization may be possible regarding size and layout, the manufacturer often predetermined the design choices. Prefab saunas are relatively easy to install, as they come with detailed instructions and can be assembled using basic tools.

They are designed for straightforward installation by homeowners or contractors, and they are generally more cost-effective than custom saunas, as they are mass-produced and require less labor and design work.

On the other hand, custom saunas are built on-site according to the specific requirements and preferences of the customer.

Custom saunas are typically constructed by skilled craftsmen or sauna builders who tailor the sauna to fit the available space and desired features. They offer virtually unlimited design flexibility, allowing for unique layouts, materials, and features tailored to the customer's preferences.

Customers have the freedom to choose everything from the type of wood used to the layout of benches and accessories. However, installing a custom sauna requires more time, expertise, and labor than installing a prefab sauna. It often involves detailed planning, precise measurements, and skilled craftsmanship to ensure a perfect fit and finish.

Custom saunas are typically more expensive than prefab saunas due to the higher level of customization, labor, and materials involved. The cost can vary significantly depending on the size, design, and features the customer chooses.

You may enjoy these articles from our blog to learn more:

1. Outdoor Sauna Canada
   Explore the benefits and considerations of installing an outdoor sauna in Canada. From enjoying the beauty of nature to navigating the challenges of extreme weather conditions, this article covers everything you need to know before investing in an outdoor sauna.
2. Best Sauna from Canada
   Discover top-quality saunas crafted in Canada, renowned for their craftsmanship, durability, and performance. This article highlights some of the best sauna options available from Canadian manufacturers, ensuring you make an informed decision for your home sauna.
3. Sauna Wood Stove: Pros and Cons
   Delve into the advantages and disadvantages of using a wood stove in your sauna. From the authentic sauna experience and natural ambiance to considerations regarding installation, maintenance, and safety, this article helps you weigh the pros and cons of opting for a sauna wood stove.
4. Best Sauna Heater for Your Home Sauna
   Selecting the right sauna heater is essential for creating a comfortable and efficient sauna experience at home. This article outlines key factors to consider when choosing a sauna heater, along with recommendations for top-rated models suited to different sauna sizes and preferences.
5. Sauna Rocks: Best Type of Rocks for Your Sauna
   Learn about the importance of sauna rocks and the best types to use for optimal heat retention and steam generation. Whether you prefer traditional Finnish sauna rocks or innovative options, this article guides you through selecting the perfect rocks to enhance your sauna experience.

These articles cover various aspects of sauna ownership, from outdoor installations to heater selection and rock choices, providing valuable insights for sauna enthusiasts. Read more helpful articles on our blog.

The Canadian landscape offers a plethora of outdoor saunas that beautifully blend tradition with innovation. Ranging from the simplicity of the barrel to the grandeur of luxury saunas, Canada has a wide variety of outdoor saunas to offer. These saunas are not just ordinary structures but provide a unique experience, crafted from locally sourced materials to withstand the elements of nature. They offer a peaceful escape into nature, allowing you to relax and rejuvenate.

Barrel Saunas

Barrel saunas are a beautiful and functional type of sauna that efficiently circulate heat. They have a distinctive cylindrical shape and are often made of Western Red Cedar, which is visually stunning and watertight, adding a rustic charm to your backyard.

Another popular material for barrel saunas is Thermowood, which heats quickly and helps maintain low humidity levels even at high temperatures, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable experience.

Cabin Saunas

If you are looking for an authentic Finnish sauna experience, cabin saunas are the perfect choice. They offer a traditional sauna experience that you will surely enjoy.

Cabin saunas provide a modern twist on a traditional experience, allowing groups to relax and enjoy the benefits of wellness together in an inclusive environment.

At ELU Saunas & Cold Tubs, we only use high-quality materials made in Canada. Our sauna kit requires minimal tools for assembly.

Purchase your sauna kit today.

Outdoor saunas are an incredible addition to your home wellness experience. We're committed to helping you make the best choice for you and to make your custom sauna just the way you want it. When you purchase a sauna from us we take care to make it the best.

We're located in Oakville, Ontario Canada Come in to discuss your sauna needs. Contact us today

If you are looking for an indoor version, click here.