Norton Davis - Step By Step Guide To Building a Sauna Cheap With No Experience

The sauna can be defined as a small room specifically designed to be able to withstand high temperatures and well-controlled humidity where people can go in with the intention of experiencing wet and dry sauna sessions.

They are known to have originated from Finland where people use to dig holes and heat stones up. They then pour water on these hot stones in order to create steam. They then sit comfortably relaxed and feel the steam around them to combat coldness as well as to purify the soul.

Saunas can either be used for therapeutic purposes by professional medical practitioners or for recreational purposes at hotels and homes. There are a number of benefits attached to saunas, the following are a few of them.

• It gets rid toxins from the body
• It helps to reduce weight
• It improves stamina
• It is very effective at cleansing the body.
• It moisturizes and improves the condition of the hair

There are a number of types of saunas. However they all emerged as a result of as a result of modifications made on the Finish sauna. The main determinant of the types of sauna is the amount of temperature and humidity that it generates. The following are the types of saunas available today.

The Dry Sauna

The dry Sauna is apparently the oldest of all the Sauna types that we see on the market today. They are mostly referred to as the Finnish or the Swedish Sauna. This type of Sauna has a temperature of 65 o C 120 o C and humidity of range of 5% 20%. The dry sauna generates excessive heat which may affect certain people with different kinds of allergies. It is therefore recommended to consult a professional medical practitioner before using it.

The wet sauna

The wet sauna unlike its dry counterpart has a temperature range of 50 o C 90 o C with rising humidity of up to 25 40%. There is much moisture in a wet sauna and breathing is a lot easier as compared to that of the dry sauna.

Infrared sauna

The infrared sauna incorporates advance technologies to the ancient practice. It utilizes the power of a mechanized heater that emits infrared heat which the skin absorbs and become warmed up. This mechanized infrared heater generates temperature between 50 60 o C. The main characteristic associated with infrared sauna is its ability to warm up the body without warming the air around.

Russian Sauna

The Russian Sauna works the same way as that of the traditional sauna where water is poured on hot rocks to generate steam. However the Russian sauna generates a very high temperature and a low level of humidity. One aspect of the Russian sauna is that you sit inside and massage yourself with branches of trees that has proven to be very effective at improving the circulation of blood in the body.

Herbal sauna

The Herbal sauna often times is called the Acromobath. Its high temperatures are able to connect with the essential oils that are found inside the body to produce its benefits. The level of temperature associated with the Herbal sauna is 45 o C with the level of humidity under 80%. It is bale to hydrate the skin and aid in the clearance of toxins.

Chapter 2

In order to be able to construct your own sauna, it is very essential for you to be able to identify the various parts that makes up a complete sauna.

Ventilation:

The number one feature that defines a clean and long lasting sauna is the circulation of air inside your sauna. There should be the presence of an upper outlet vent usually placed at approximately 1/3 off the floor of the sauna. Another vent should be positioned close to the floor level and closer to the heater.

Vapor barrier

The vapor barrier is needed during the process of designing the sauna because it keeps the moisture out of the walls of the sauna. The foil vapor barrier adds up to the insulation value by 1R.

Insulation

The insulation part works like the vapor barrier. It is applied during the construction stage of the sauna in order to prevent dampness form outside the sauna. The modern form of sauna which utilizes the framing and paneling method needs a thermal support which will serve as a guide against any form of moisture from outside into the sauna and also allowing the sauna to be economically heated.

Sauna benches

The benches are very important since that is what you will sit on inside the sauna. Many of these benches are arranged in in two tier. It must be longer enough to make room for stretching during bathing. They are recommended to be made of clear grain knot-free woods.

Sauna heater

Building the whole sauna without a heater is a COS 90 job since without the heater means there is no possibility of sauna bath. It generates the heat for you as well as the steam that you will use to enjoy your sauna bath. You can either settle for traditional wood burning heater or mechanized one such as the electric ones.

• Sauna door
• Sauna window
• Inner paneling
• The framing
• The outer finish

It must be clear to you that the size and height of your sauna will determine almost everything about your sauna including the size of the heater that you have to settle for, the number of people to bathe at a time as well as the location you choose to install it. Going contrary to standard sizes of may even land you into trouble with local authorities.

In order for you to choose a size for your sauna, it is very essential to consider the space available for you to build your sauna. Bear in mind that settling for bigger rooms will take more time to heat. You must also consider that settling for two a two small sauna wont allow for a positive impact of your sauna. Here are the standard sizes of a sauna.

• 4x 6
• 6 x 6
• 8x 6
• 10 x 6
• 12x 8

The height has arguably the best impact on the end result of your sauna design. That hot air from the heater is going to rise up inside the sauna, thus if the ceiling is too high it means that it has to take the heater longer time to heat the sauna.

Due to this, the height of all saunas should be 7 feet as a general rule. Based on your requirements, you can make it higher than the standard but that is a waste of space and resources as well.

Pre building stage

The pre building stage involves all the processes that range from procurement of materials and designing to the very end of the construction process. This process is very essential as improper planning may lead to the whole job being a cos 90 one.

Under the pre-construction stage, the following points must be considered.

• The total budget allocated to the construction of the whole sauna.
• The availability of land and space for the construction of the sauna.
• Your must consider your choice of materials and all issues relating to the procurement process.
• Accessibility of tools and equipment for the entire project.
• Check from local authorities to verify whether there are specific regulations surrounding the construction of the sauna to ensure a trouble-free construction process.
• Availability of a helping hand. There is no way a single person could build a sauna from scratch without a helping hand.