Growing up along the shores of Lake Superior meant that a traditional Finnish sauna was part your life. In fact some homes did not have a shower or a tub in the home. Instead a Finnish sauna with its cold water spicket or shower took their place. Most all saunas were built by the home owner using local designs. A cedar sauna was the most common type that was constructed. However some were also built using Eastern Hemlock.
A Northern white cedar sauna was the most preferred construction. For more than 300 years white cedar was used to line the cedar chests that people store their clothes in. When the clothes were taken from the chest they had the great fresh cedar smell that we all enjoyed. A cedar sauna also provides same great aroma as it was heated. Frequently the sauna stove was fueled with white cedar kindling. A cedar fire will snap loudly and quickly give a hot fire heating the cedar sauna in a matter of minutes even in the dead of winter.
Once the cedar sauna was heated, water was ladled on the stove rocks releasing moisture that further increased the cedar aroma. A white cedar sauna had more benefits that just a great aroma. White cedar is softwood that is very easy to work with but probably one of its best features is that it resists rot even in the wettest conditions. A sauna constructed of white cedar will last a long time despite the recurring cycles of high heat and moisture that would cause most wood products to breakdown and rot. Sauna benches, buckets, main door and ladle all were constructed of cedar as well.
In most cases the sauna walls were double sided with old time saunas having cedar logs on the outside and cedar walls on the inside all of which provide the cedar sauna with great insulation. Floors were also frequently constructed with cedar boards that were spaced to allow the water to naturally drain through them. A cedar floor is a lot warmer during the winter months as well. In some locations that have poorly drained soils a drainage system must be built beneath the sauna to carry excess water away. A good sauna must also have a good door that insulates and seals the heat inside. Because cedar is a good insulator and is a very light weight wood it is ideal for constructing a sauna door.
Choosing a good sauna stove is critical to making your sauna perform to its full potential. A good water proof firebox is important to assure that when you ladle water on the stove rocks it does not put your fire out. A good sauna stove will have the strength to hold enough rocks to provide the radiant heat that gives the cedar sauna all its great health benefits. If you live in an area where a wood fired sauna is not feasible you can still build a traditional sauna that uses an electric sauna heater. There are a number of manufactures that build good quality electric sauna stoves.
A cedar sauna is the best type of sauna no matter what type of heat source you use. Nothing beats the smell and look of a Northern white cedar. No matter what type of sauna you build and operate there is no better way to totally cleanse your body and improve your physical and mental well being. Start checking out the sauna sales and plans today and build your sauna.