What You Need to Know About Building an Outdoor Sauna (2026)

last winter, my Hubby and I got the Sun Home Luminor 5-Person Sauna to test. I live in gray and rainy Portland, Oregon, where there’s a strong enough sauna culture to deal with the February blahs.

Not only was I very happy, but almost everyone I knew was also very happy. For several weeks while I had the Sun Home box in my driveway, I received constant messages from friends. “Do you have one? sauna?” they all asked in hopes of being invited soon.

Since then, many of my friends have built their own backyard saunas, and I realize that my experience may have been unusual. Still, I’ve learned some useful lessons that you can adopt if you want to set up one of your own. If you’re considering dropping several grand on an outdoor sauna, here are some things you may want to consider.

Lesson #1: Choose Your Sauna Type

There are many types of saunas. Use a traditional Finnish sauna wood stove and stone To heat the interior.

If you are looking for modern electric saunas, there are two types. you can choose either electric saunawhich has a single electric heat source, or an infrared (IR) saunaWhich uses lightweight panels to heat the body. If you opt for a sauna with an electric heater, you can also choose a dry or wet model. Pouring water over hot rocks creates steam that Finns call “loyli”, which can help make a heated room more comfortable.

Photograph: Adrienne So

Devotees of one side or the other can always argue back and forth. Traditional wood burning saunas are more prone to fire. Dry saunas are more hygienic and therefore easier to maintain. The health benefits of traditional saunas have been more widely studied, and so on.

Most of the people I know have opted for electric wet models to install a sauna. It’s similar to the public sauna you might find at a gym. IR saunas are usually inexpensive. However, you may find multiple heat emitting light panels more uncomfortable than a single heat source, where you can more easily avoid direct contact.

Lesson #2: Choose Your Location Wisely

When it comes to deciding where to install a sauna, there are some common sense things that cannot be compromised. Sun Home details these in their installation manual (which has been revised since I tested the sauna). You need a tile, concrete, carpeted, laminated, or wood surface; Depending on which sauna you choose from Sun Home, it should be able to support 870 or 1,270 pounds.

You will need to hire an electrician to modify your 240-volt, 30-amp power supply and use a NEMA L6-30P outlet; Changing it yourself will void the warranty. The company now notes that it should also be installed in a dry, weather-protected area, although I have several friends who have installed outdoor saunas on gravel areas that are not under cover.

In short: Although it is marketed as an outdoor sauna, you should treat it as if you were installing an indoor sauna.