Sauna Material Kits DEMO
Cedar Sauna Kits for the Do-It-Yourselfer
Countless Ways to Customize and Design Your Home Sauna Kit
A DIY sauna kit is a package containing all the materials to build the inside of a sauna. At Saunafin, we describe the Sauna Material Liner Kit as the "inside skin" of the sauna. You can install a sauna anywhere in your home; (i.e. basement or master bathroom). Sauna kits can also be installed outdoor in a cabana or shed. Our sauna material kits are made of Clear, Canadian Western Red cedar and we can design and customize any shape and size to meet your needs. Sauna kits are the most affordable and effective option when building a home sauna, and Saunafin offers the lowest factory direct prices. With over 50 years of experience in the sauna industry, you can trust Saunafin to provide design and installation expertise, excellent customer service, and high quality clear cedar saunas.
US PRICES
CANADIAN PRICESWE SUPPLY:
- Foil Vapor Barrier
- 1x4 t&g clear or Knotty, grade ‘A’ cedar lining for walls & ceiling (9/16 or 11/16 as selected).
- All t&g finished on TWO sides for maximum versatility. (Includes four extra t&g.)
- Clear, grade ‘A’ cedar for benches (1x4 or 2x4 as selected).
- Furniture grade finish on all cedar materials
- Corner Trim for walls and ceiling
- Sauna Door (All Doors pre-hung on jamb).
- Door Casing
- Cedar slide Vent
- Galvanized nails (or brads) and treated deck screws
- Heater guard fence
- Double gasketed, marine grade, vapor proof light
- Sauna Heater (standard model is 100% stainless steel). Many heater options available.
- Sauna Control (many control options)
- Detailed material list and fully illustrated manual with step by step instructions
YOU SUPPLY:
- 2x4 Stud framing for walls & drop ceiling
- Fiberglass insulation (use 31/2" batt, R-12 or R-13)
- Wiring
- Exterior finish i.e. drywall, sheetrock, etc.
Special Offer: |
- Why A Sauna Kit
- Kits: Prime vs Plus vs Premium
- Common Sauna Layouts
- Construction Manuals
- Get to Know Us
ADVANTAGES TO A SAUNA MATERIAL KITThe Sauna Material Kit provides all the special components necessary to properly and easily build your sauna. The sauna kit provides specific cedar lengths. Builder supply warehouses and lumber yards generally carry only 8' or random lengths which creates a lot of waste. The sauna kit also includes such items as cedar molding and door casing which are not readily available.
At Saunafin, our sauna kits have no seams. We provide only full-length boards (up to 8')
COSTWhen using Clear Cedar for your sauna, there is no better value than one of our home sauna kits. Lumber supply and Big Box Building warehouses, carry either premium priced 8' or random length (6'-20') (if they carry clear cedar at all). Saunas are generally small rooms. Most use 4',5',6' and 7'. Major mills set aside these high quality "shorts" as less valuable. Well, not for saunas. Saunafin orders truckloads of shorts at preferential prices and we pass those savings on to our customers.
When purchasing a Saunafin material kit, the heater and door are included at wholesale price levels, making the kit that much more valuable.
Purchasing a kit vs. buying your sauna "a la carte" will generally save you $400-$800.
SAUNA KIT VERSATILITY
It is easy to customize a sauna material kit. If the sauna is part of a larger renovation; such as a finished basement, or addition, it is easy to incorporate the sauna kit into whatever space is available. The sauna can be installed to suit particular settings; for example, the exterior can be drywall and painted to match the outside decor of a bathroom.
NOTHING COULD BE EASIERWith the Saunafin Material Kit, building a sauna is one of the simpler do-it-yourself projects. Our rule of thumb is: If you can erect the stud framing, you will have no problem installing the sauna kit. It is designed specifically for the do-it-yourselfer and renovator. The bench framing, heater guard, and moldings are pre-cut. We even include the galvanized nails. If you have not built a sauna before, you will find the instruction booklet and drawings easy to follow.
DO I HAVE TO USE WESTERN RED CEDAR FOR MY SAUNA?While other materials are occasionally used, Western Red cedar is by far the most popular, most attractive and most durable. Cedar has a mild, pleasant fragrance that many people associate with saunas. Western Red cedar's particular properties allow it to expand and contract. This is important in a sauna where the wood is exposed to extremely high, dry temperatures, interspersed with blasts of humidity when water is splashed on the heater or the walls.
QUALITYOur Clear cedar material kits use only kiln-dried, clear, grade 'A' and better, tongue & groove Western Red cedar. The cedar is thick enough to ensure maximum strength & durability and finished on two sides to provide for the best overall finish. Our most popular material kits use 2 x 4 Clear cedar for benches and bench framing (unlike most others who use 1 x 4).
(Our LK Prime Knotty sauna kits use only STK (select tight knot) Westerrn red cedar for lining and clear cedar for the benches)
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO BUILD THE SAUNA?The installation time will vary somewhat with the size of the sauna and the package & options selected. On average, the sauna kits are installed in 14 - 20 hours. With the specified lengths, pre-sorted components and pre-hung door, you will save at least 4 - 8 hours on your installation time.
Comparing All Three Sauna Material Kits
Which is Best for You?
LK Prime-C: (11/16"; Clear, Seamed (1',2' & 3' t&g for wall/ceiling lining)
The most economical because of knotty or seamed clear cedar lining and the thinner bench material. Ideal for the price conscious do-it-yourselfer.
Note for building contractor or homeowner buying kit for their builder. Seams and Benches take longer to build, so material savings is largely offset by increased labor costs.
LK Plus: (11/16" Clear t & g wall/ceiling lining)
This is the most popular package. 11/16" Clear Western red cedar lining and strong, sturdy 2x4 bench tops and supports that are quicker to assemble and have a very substantial look and feel.
The LK Plus starts you off with a first-rate, high quality sauna and lets you pick and choose the options and extras that appeal to you.
(Note: Some pass off 5/8 cedar as 11/16. Ours is a true 11/16".)
LK Premium: (11/16" Clear t & g wall/ceiling lining)
Starts as an LK Plus, but adds a lot of the most popular designer features and options at preferential prices.
LK Premium includes bench skirt, designer backrest, and Sauna Craft XR heater and EL-13 Electronic control.
It also includes accessory pack #1 (bucket, dipper, thermometer) light shade cover and exterior casing.
LK Premium is popular with customers who like all the included upgrades. The better price is a nice bonus.
On the other hand, it you like some of the other features, but not all, then you are usually better off selecting an LK Plus and adding the options upgrades you prefer.
| Overview | LK-Prime-C
Sauna Craft CW-M w/ TPT3 Control
| LK-Plus
| LK-Premium
Sauna Craft CW-XR w/ EL-13 Control
|
| Lining | 11/16 Knotty or Seamed Clear | "true" 11/16 Thickness (Clear) | "true" 11/16 Thickness (Clear) |
| Lining | Full Lengths(no seams up to 8') Horizontal Standard (up to 8'x8'). Vertical available as option Furniture grade sanded finish Kiln-dried to 9% | ||
(1).jpg "clear cedar sauna wood")
Benches | 1x4 bench tops 2x4 wall cleats (hangers) 2x2 floor supports (as required) | 2x4 bench tops 2x4 wall cleats 2x4 floor supports (as required) | 2x4 bench tops 2x4 wall cleats 2x4 floor supports (as required) |
L-Bench | Optional | ||
Backrest | Optional | Optional | YES |
Bench Skirt | N/A | Optional | Top Bench Riser |
Door | Frameless Tempered Glass Door has long Designer handle. Cedar framed doors with 16"x64" insulated tempered glass is optional. | ||
| All doors pre-hung to ease installation | |||
Heater | Sauna Craft CW-M Model Other heater options | Sauna Craft CW-M Model Other heater options | Sauna Craft CW-XR Model |
Control | Built In | Sauna Craft TPT3 | Sauna Craft EL-13 Electronic Control |
| Floor Boards | Optional | ||
| Cedar Slide Vent | One slide vent | One slide vent | One slide vent, one fixed grill |
| Galvanized/Treated Fasteners | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Foil | Yes | ||
| Light | Yes | ||
| Corner Molding | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cedar Casing | Inside | Inside | Two sides |
| Standard Accessories (Bucket, dipper, thermometer) | Optional | Optional | Yes |
| Additional Accessories: (Sand timer, headrest, Eucalyptus, towel wrap) | Optional | Optional | Light Shade |
.jpg "Lk plus home sauna")
Construction Details
Click to view installation manual for your selected sauna kit:
- Residential Sauna Rough In Details
- Cold Cellar Considerations
"Clear Cedar Kits" - LK Plus installation manual (most popular)
- LK Premium installation manual
"Knotty Cedar Kits"
- LK Prime-Knotty lining manual (with standard 1x4 bench tops)
- LK Prime-Knotty lining manual (with optional 2x4 bench tops)
- LK with Floating Benches
"Hemlock Kits"
"Architectural Specifications"
Note: Below are merely short form instructions for your consideration. The material kit will come with a full manual including detailed drawings.
YOU SUPPLY:
Framing
Use 2 x 4 construction grade spruce studs to frame the walls and ceiling. If the ceiling span is over 10', use 2 x 6 studs. Unless otherwise specified, for saunas up to 8' x 8', the walls are LINED HORIZONTALLY and FRAMED VERTICALLY. Frame the walls at 16" on center. Frame or strap the ceiling to an inside height of 83-1/2". Frame the ceiling so that the cedar will run the shortest direction. Provide extra blocking for bench supports and heater.
Standard kit height 831/2". Most Saunas are 7' height or lower. Minimum height is generally 75" to 78" depending on heater model.
Maximum sauna height should never be higher than 8'. If you really want higher, we strongly urge being as close to 7' as you can, i.e. 7'-4" or 7'-6". (Extra cost for additional cedar.)
Strapping
For standard horizontal lining, strapping is not required.
If lining vertically, strap (1 x 2 spf) over the foil to change direction. Can be used to create air space, but it is not necessary.
Wiring
Electrical rough-in of heater, control and light should be done at this time. If using an outside control, the thermostat should be installed at this stage. (See heater specifications and control wiring diagrams for wire and breaker sizes.) Hook-up of the heater and light can be done after the sauna is completed.
Insulation
The space between the studs in the walls and ceiling is filled with 3-1/2", R-12 fiberglass insulation.
WE SUPPLY:
Vapour Barrier
Foil vapour barrier over the inside edge face of studs over the insulation.
Lining
Use the specified lengths of tongue and groove cedar (see "Material Packing List"). Depending on the actual inside finished size of your sauna, it may be necessary to trim these boards. Nail through the tongue only in order to conceal all nail heads (Blind nailing). Use the 11/2" nails supplied. Install the tongue and groove to the ceiling first. Start lining the walls at the floor and work your way up. The first board should be left about 1/2" off the floor. Cut the last board to fit.
Fasteners
Fasteners supplied are galvanized nails and treated deck screws. All fastening is to be blind nailed.
Benches
Depending on kit selected, there are clear 1 x 4 or 2 x 4 boards for bench top construction. Depending on the actual inside finished size of your sauna, it may be necessary to trim these boards. Before doing any fastening, select the boards to make sure the better face of the board comes out on the sitting surface. When building the benches, the better side will be face down as you are fastening from the bottom. This is so there are no nails or screws on the finished surface. Use the treated nails and screws supplied. If the sauna is 5' or more deep, the top bench is 20" deep and the bottom bench is 16" deep. If the sauna is 4' deep, the benches will be 20" & 8". Spacing between the bench boards should be about 9/16". (You can make gap smaller, but it will affect overall bench depth. You will have to adjust framing accordingly).
It is important to have two tier benches. the warmest air is closer ot ceiling. Sitting at a lower level, you will not feel the heat.
Door (door pictures)
Door Rough Opening.
Standard: Frameless door Rough Opening: 27-1/2" x 76-1/2"
Optional: Cedar framed door style Rough Opening 26" x 76-1/2"
ROUGH OPENING: If unsure which door you want we recommend going with the wider. You can always reduce and trim later.
Frameless glass door has jamb on four sides. And comes with detachable spacer for bottom which has channel for back up ventilation
With spacer, rough opening will be 27-1/2" x 76-1/2"
Cedar framed door with 16" x 64" insulated glass or Solid cedar door with smaller 12"x24" insulated glass.
All doors are Pre-hung on jamb.
Frameless Glass Door = 24" x 72". With bottom spacer, Rough Opening=271/2 x 761/2".)
Cedar Door Style. Size = 24" x 74". Standard Rough opening=26" x 761/2".
Larger and custom doors available (i.e Tall Door=24"x78", Commercial Door=28"x78", Handicap Access=36"x78")
SAUNA DOORS SHOULD OPENS OUT.
Heater
Sauna Craft CW- model heaters can be mounted in the corner or on a straight wall.
Tylo (& Saaku) Sauna Heaters are designed to mount on the straight wall.
Heater Guard
Use the 2 x 2 for the vertical posts and the 1 x 3 for the horizontal rails.
Floor (optional)
Use 1 x 4, square edge laid over 1x4 sleepers. Build as with benches with good face on walking surface. Top boards should be spaced approx. 5/8" apart. The sleepers should be placed at 1'-0" on center.
Other Considerations
Drainage
Commercial (public) saunas should have a drain in the center of the floor (sloped to the drain) to facilitate cleaning.
Most residential saunas have drains, but it is not essential. Water should only be used in moderation. (Our rule of thumb: If you are doing complete reno; i.e., breaking floors, new shower & bathroom, etc., we would suggest a sauna drain. If you are putting sauna in to an already finished area, it is likely not worth the cost to add a drain.
Tile
For residential, tile is attractive and functional; however, it is also acceptable to leave cement. If sauna is on upper level with wood sub-floor, there should be a rubber membrane, cement scratch coat and tile (like shower floor).
If floor is sloped to drain, mosaic tiles are best.
You may add a tile baseboard up the wall 2-3"
About Us
Saunafin is a second-generation family run business that has been manufacturing saunas since 1962. At Saunafin, we continue to pride ourselves on the quality of our materials, our commitment to customer service and our ability to provide both at competitive prices.
What sets Saunafin apart from other online sauna stores?
Two Things: Installations and Walk-In Traffic. We install about seventy-five saunas a year locally. We have first hand experience with all the minute details and we understand the thought process that goes into planning how the sauna fits in to new construction or renovation plans.
We also have a very busy retail showroom dedicated strictly to saunas and steambaths. We meet daily with homeowners, renovators and custom home builders. We have seven saunas and a steamshower on display. We are the largest retailer of saunas in Canada, and one of the largest in North America. We have continuous hands-on interaction with our customers and we discuss in detail the various items and options we offer. Saunafin has a factory and retail showroom outside Toronto.
Along with our thousands of residential saunas, Saunafin has supplied saunas and steambaths in the Palazzo Hotel Casino and M Resort Casino (Las Vegas), Rogers Centre (formally Skydome), Casino Windsor, Casino Rama, Toronto Blue Jays and the Ottawa Senators. We are a specified contractor for the YMCA, LA Fitness and Movati Fitness. Our years of installing saunas have provided us with a wealth of practical experience. We use this experience to help you plan your sauna and provide a comprehensive and easy to install sauna kit.
We manufacture our own line of sauna heaters, which are sold under the Sauna Craft brand name. We are also the Canadian distributor and the largest North American provider for the highly regarded TYLO sauna heaters manufactured in Sweden. In 2017, Saunafin's owner Mike Wynn was named Chairman of CSA (Canadian Standards Association) sub-committee for sauna heaters. Relying on his 30 years experience in the sauna business, he has been actively involved with CSA in updating heater standards as regulatory bodies try to consolidate standards across North America and Europe.
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