An outdoor sauna is a luxurious accessory for your patio, pool, or backyard. Outdoor saunas are particularly convenient if you don’t have plenty of space inside your home. If you have a tiny porch or a small backyard, or a massive outdoor space, an outdoor sauna kit is perfect for building your own backyard sauna.
You may be pleasantly surprised by how easy installation is for some of these home sauna kits.
When shopping for an outdoor home sauna kit, you’ll naturally want to look for a quality product that will provide the health benefits and convenient features of a home sauna that will also look great in your outdoor space.
One of the most important things for me was choosing a low-maintenance sauna that I could build once and not have to worry about a lot of upkeep later.
This article will give a full rundown on how to pick an outdoor sauna kit and some recommendations on where you can get the best home sauna kits.
Outdoor Sauna vs. Indoor Sauna: What’s the Difference?
When it comes to a home sauna, both indoor and outdoor saunas are great. But there are enough differences between an indoor sauna and an outdoor sauna, besides their location, that might spur you to choose one over the other.
Indoor saunas are a great way to utilize unused space inside the house, like in a bathroom or basement, and add a touch of luxury inside the home. They are easily accessible in any weather and easier to install since the house is already equipped with functional water and electrical system.
An indoor sauna kit is also easier to maintain since they won’t be exposed to weather conditions—no weatherproofing is needed.
Meanwhile, with outdoor saunas, you are not limited by the amount of space you have to spare. You can place an outdoor sauna in almost any area within your property. As a result, you have more options in terms of the size and shape of the sauna.
You can have a charming log-cabin-style sauna to add a rustic aesthetic to your backyard or take advantage of the maximum natural light and scenic views from your home.
Moreover, proper ventilation is easy to achieve with outdoor saunas.
Read the full article on the differences between outdoor and indoor saunas.
Do You Want a Convertible Sauna Kit?
Most saunas are built for either indoor or outdoor use. Then there’s a convertible sauna kit that gives you the best of both worlds.
This home sauna kit makes a sauna for you that’s fully convertible between indoor and outdoor use.
Type of Sauna Kit: Prefab vs. DIY Sauna Kits
There are two main options when buying an outdoor sauna kit: prefab saunas or a DIY sauna build kit.
Prefab Sauna Kit
Prefab saunas, also called pre-built saunas, are pre-fabricated kits with certain components pre-assembled. Prefab kits are designed to be assembled without any special equipment or tools.
They are self-supporting, so they don’t require additional framing or insulation either. Quickly install your new outdoor sauna within a single day or even after 4-8 hours. Prefab saunas are mostly portable, meaning you can dismantle and reassemble them elsewhere.
What’s included in a prefab sauna kit?
A prefab sauna kit includes pre-built insulated walls and ceiling panels, roofing, all interior and exterior trim pieces, and sauna accessories: heater, bench, etc.
What’s NOT included in a prefab sauna kit?
A prefab sauna kit includes everything you need to build an at-home sauna. You’ll only need the tools to assemble the kit.
Here is a common example of a prefab outdoor sauna kit : Clearlight Sanctuary Outdoor 2 Person Sauna
DIY Sauna Kit
A DIY sauna kit, also called a sauna build kit or a sauna accessory kit, has the necessary accessories and items you need to build a custom home sauna. This kit allows you to create your new at-home sauna wherever and in any size and shape that you want.
It’s also a suitable choice if you already have an unused shed or cabin that you want to renovate into an outdoor sauna. DIY sauna kits are available much faster than prefab sauna kits.
That said, you need to build or purchase your own outdoor cabin or shed and install the material kit inside if you’re not renovating.
What’s included in a DIY sauna kit?
A DIY sauna kit or sauna accessory kit includes the “inside skin” of the sauna—the sauna heater, door, bench material, lining, molding, and vapor barrier.
What’s NOT included in a DIY sauna kit?
A sauna build kit doesn’t include the frame walls. You or your contractor must build the frame walls, put insulation, and finish the exterior walls.
What to Look for In an Outdoor Sauna Kit?
Whether it’s a prefab or a sauna build kit, there are some essential features you should look for to find the best outdoor sauna kit for your space.
Traditional or Infrared Sauna?
To begin with, you’ll need to decide whether you want to get an infrared sauna kit or a traditional sauna kit.
Infrared saunas heat your skin directly, raising your core body temperature to trigger sweating to relax your muscles and release toxins.
Meanwhile, traditional saunas heat the air around you, which helps open your pores to release sweat. Traditional saunas are typically warmed using an electric heater or a wood-fired stove.
Wood-burning saunas are the traditional choice, more affordable, and will give you that soothing noise and pleasant scent from the crackling fire. If you are OK with a longer heating time and more upkeep, then a wood burning sauna heater is a great choice for you!
Electric saunas are a convenient option, precise, has a faster heat-up time, and don’t produce any smoke, pollutants, or toxins.
Number of People
Outdoor sauna cabin kits are available in an extensive range of sizes. You can get a cozy one or two-person home sauna kit or a more spacious outdoor sauna that can fit a family of four, six, or even eight people.
Smaller one-person or two-person saunas tend to have only one bench, suitable for limited outdoor spaces.
Meanwhile, multiple-person saunas will have additional seating and work best on a patio or the backyard.
Style and Design
There are four distinct styles and designs of outdoor sauna kits:
- Barrel Sauna: A barrel sauna kit has a distinctive round barrel shape and no roofing. And because there are no corners, there’s no air trapped. It means the interior heats up rapidly and evenly.
- Cabin Sauna: This style offers a more traditional look with its square or rectangular shape. The boxy shape makes it easier to assemble but requires proper venting to achieve better air circulation.
- Pod Sauna: Pod saunas have a raindrop design derived from the barrel concept. But, it has the advantage of additional head space in the walking area.
- Luna Sauna: It has a more modern and unique outdoor sauna, boxy in shape but with rounded corners—offers additional shape and no corners to trap air.
Material
Most outdoor sauna kits are constructed using wood materials. The best type of wood material for outdoor saunas should be mold, moisture, and temperature resistant to avoid shrinking, warping, or cracking.
Cedar is a popular choice for outdoor saunas because of its durability. It’s aromatic, has anti-fungal properties, and is naturally rot-resistant. Hemlock is another great choice because it’s scentless, hypoallergenic, and affordable.
Other common choices are spruce, eucalyptus, pine, and basswood.
A Changing Room
If you are building an outdoor sauna a little further away from your home and you have the extra space, you might also want to consider getting a two-room sauna kit for a changing room.
A separate changing room is convenient for hanging your clothes and changing after a session, and a wonderful additional space to hang out between rounds.
Setting up a Sauna Kit: How Long and What Do You Need?
Setting up a prefab or pre-built home sauna kit should take only 4-8 hours up to an entire day. Assembly can vary depending on the model, but most prefab sauna kits are either slid or banded together using threaded rods or screws.
You’ll need basic tools for this: a drill, hammer, level, square, and a saw.
Meanwhile, DIY sauna kits will need greater skill for the installation since you need to provide the frame, insulation, and wiring. Most manufacturers will also recommend hiring a licensed electrician to do the electrical work.
That said, you will also need to check for regulations and prepare the foundation and electric infrastructure before installing or assembling your outdoor sauna kit, all of which are additional costs for setting up the sauna.
Foundation
Wherever you decide to build your outdoor sauna, it needs to be on fairly flat and level ground. And if you don’t already have an existing deck or patio, you’ll need to make sure that there’s enough space for the foundation and base of the sauna.
You can choose concrete, wood, or gravel for the foundation. A concrete foundation is stable, durable, and rot-resistant and is ideal if you’re looking to build a permanent structure.
Depending on the size of the sauna, you might need to hire a licensed contractor for this or rent some heavy equipment. Wood decking is a good temporary foundation for a sauna, and you don’t have to worry about building codes, depending on where you live.
Lastly, a gravel foundation can be a DIY project as it’s simple to prepare and level.
Check for Regulations
Before building your outdoor sauna, always check for regulations. Depending on where you live, the homeowners association or state or local building codes may have something to say about building an outdoor sauna in your backyard.
Generally, for a permanent sauna structure, you’ll likely need a building permit.
Wiring an Electric Sauna
Unless you opted for a wood-fired sauna, you’re going to need to connect the sauna heater to your electrical service.
Also, the sauna will need an electrical connection for the lighting system, radio, or sound system. You will need a licensed electrician to complete the wiring as a safety precaution.
They will have to install a suitable breaker in your panel or install a subpanel if necessary and run a gauge cable to where your sauna is located.
Outdoor Sauna Kit FAQs
Question: Where to buy an outdoor sauna kit?
Answer: Once you know what you’re looking for in an outdoor sauna, here are some great pucks where to get your home sauna kit.
Sauna Fin has a wide selection of prefab outdoor saunas in size different styles: barrel, panoramic barrel, cabin, pod, and luna. They also have sauna material kits for the do-it-yourselfer.
Cedar Brook offers prefab outdoor sauna kits in different styles with built-in electrical conduits to make setting up the heater and control panel connections quicker and easier.
BZB makes a range of outdoor sauna kits from wood-burning to electric, traditional to modern and luxury designs, and from 1-2 person to a 2-room, 8-person outdoor sauna with a changing room.
Question: How much does an outdoor sauna kit cost?
Answer: The price for an outdoor sauna kit can vary greatly depending on the capacity and material. A 1-person or 2-person outdoor sauna kit that’s around 3×4 feet, fitted with roofing and a sauna heater, typically has a starting price of around $6,000.
You can cut costs if you purchase a sauna accessory kit of the same size instead, which typically starts at around $3,500. However, take note that you’ll also need to build or buy the frame walls and insulation for this.
Final Thoughts
If you want an all-in-one kit, a prefab sauna kit will have everything you need for an at-home sauna from bottom to top. A DIY sauna build kit is also a good option if you have an unused shed or cabin you want to renovate into a sauna.
Either option is one good way to experience the relaxation, enjoyment, and health benefits of a sauna at home and create an ultimate backyard escape.
