DIY sauna?

[samthaman]

Anyone build their own sauna? What type of work is involved? rough cost?

My new place is going to have a garage and I was brainstorming my dream uses for the space and sauna came to mind. Would putting it inside a larger garage be stupid for any reason?

[Jethro]

My parents put saunas in a few homes we had when I was growing up. They are nice when you use them, but how often is that? I currently have a three car garage, and I would expand to a four car garage before I added a sauna.

[RootSkier]

It ain't complicated, especially if you have the electrical capacity.

But I agree with Jethro. Fuck a sauna. You can have mine. We use it like once a year. Total waste of space.

[Supermoon]

You can buy an infrared sauna from Costco for $1500 delivered to your door.

[warthog]

You can buy a unit that goes into a shower. I messed around with one at a friend's house in Bozeman once. It worked really well. The shower was a large slate tiled walk in type. You just fired up the unit, and popped in some sort of Eucalyptis thingy, and it sauna'd and vapor therapied your troubles away. Seemed like a good way to do it, since you will still use the shower.

[samthaman]

You can buy an infrared sauna from Costco for $1500 delivered to your door.

looks like they start at 1000 and setup in an hour. seems like an awesome way to go actually

[jeffyg]

I built an outdoor one.. Wood fired... Love it worth every penny

[shirk]

Real sauna's are wood fired, no electric or infrared bull shit.

Also should be beside a lake or pond or suitable body of water for dunking.

[wicked_sick]

I've made do with red hot rocks, a tarp and some tent poles and branches. Whatever works in a pinch.

I camped at a place that had a cedar sauna house with a wood fireplace and dunking pool in the creek out back. I want the same set up one day, complete with the old naked Finnish lady. There's not much better than that.

[Buke]

OP, aren't you in Seattle? Why spend all that money on a cramped little electric sauna that you'll probably never usewhen you can go here: http://www.banya5.com/.

I did a little engineering work for these guys a few years back and got a few free passes out of the deal. I almost never go because my wife isn't really into it but it's pretty sweet. They've got a big dry sauna, a cold pool, a hot tub, and a wet sauna. The best part is it's not some creepy place full of weirdos, as you might expect from a public bath.

[Chugachjed]

They spelled баня wrong.

[samthaman]

OP, aren't you in Seattle? Why spend all that money on a cramped little electric sauna that you'll probably never usewhen you can go here: http://www.banya5.com/.

I did a little engineering work for these guys a few years back and got a few free passes out of the deal. I almost never go because my wife isn't really into it but it's pretty sweet. They've got a big dry sauna, a cold pool, a hot tub, and a wet sauna. The best part is it's not some creepy place full of weirdos, as you might expect from a public bath.

Thats actually exactly what I would have expected in a public bath. Also, it's not already at my house when I come home from climbing/skiing/whatever. This is more of just a hypothetical exercise than anything else, I have no plans to spend 1000+ on a sauna

[Buke]

Thats actually exactly what I would have expected in a public bath. Also, it's not already at my house when I come home from climbing/skiing/whatever. This is more of just a hypothetical exercise than anything else, I have no plans to spend 1000+ on a sauna

Yes, public baths in the US bring up images of shady gay sex in dark corners in my mind.

Banya 5 is bright and gives more of a high end day spa sort of vibe. It's the type of place where you could take a date on a drizzly Saturday afternoon. Or, it kind of has the feel of a place where some wealthy investor might make a multimillion dollar real estate deal in lieu of a suitable cigar room. Check it out...

[Dantheman]

Bump.

I'd love to have a sauna in my house and would definitely use it, but space is limited and I'm definitely not spending thousands and adding 240v electrical service. I came across this hot little number on Amazon over the weekend and nearly bought it immediately: https://www.amazon.com/SereneLife-SL...dp/B07WC64NPQ/

But, the reviews had common reports of blown fuses and not heating above 110-120* F. Then it occurred to me that I might be able to make one myself for less money, or at least make a more reliable one. Some quick searching showed I was not the first one to have such an idea:



So, I shopped a bit ran some numbers:

Grow tent - $100: https://www.amazon.com/VIVOSUN-Hydro...st_sto_dp&th=1
4 NIR Bulbs - $40: https://sauna.space/products/250w-st...4424.2aeb3f909
4 Brooder Clamp Lamps - $60: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Woods-30...-166/301132854
1875W Power Strip - $22: https://www.amazon.com/12-Outlet-Pro...dp/B07W5MYBFJ/
Camp chair - $25: https://www.amazon.com/Eat-Camp-Camp...dp/B085WX84HV/

About $250 all-in. Am I an idiot for even contemplating this? The gal in the video seems to like hers. She's heating a ~160 ft3 space with six lamps, while the tent I'm looking at is 54 ft3 so four seems like more than enough. If I use all four bulbs it will only draw 1000W which is the equivalent of a small microwave and quite a bit less than an average hair dryer.

[AdironRider]

Fuck the sauna, steam shower is what you want.

[MTT]

That's what I was gonna say. Nice tile shower with bench that is a steam room. It's the shit and will get lots of use.

[Dantheman]

Fuck the sauna, steam shower is what you want.

Hard no for multiple reasons.

[Cruiser]

I wanna add a small 2-4 person wood fired unit off the back porch of my cabin. Anyone got experience with these type of structures or the Harvia wood burning heaters?

https://almostheaven.com/product/allegheny-sauna/

[Bosco]

Fuck the steam shower, a sauna IS what you want...

My dad built one in our house, and it was used a lot growing up. Gas fired, the rocks were place in a 50 gallon drum.

I'm Finnish, so I'm somewhat biased.

[Wrecked]

Bump.

I'd love to have a sauna in my house and would definitely use it, but space is limited and I'm definitely not spending thousands and adding 240v electrical service. I came across this hot little number on Amazon over the weekend and nearly bought it immediately: https://www.amazon.com/SereneLife-SL...dp/B07WC64NPQ/

But, the reviews had common reports of blown fuses and not heating above 110-120* F. Then it occurred to me that I might be able to make one myself for less money, or at least make a more reliable one. Some quick searching showed I was not the first one to have such an idea:



So, I shopped a bit ran some numbers:

Grow tent - $100: https://www.amazon.com/VIVOSUN-Hydro...st_sto_dp&th=1
4 NIR Bulbs - $40: https://sauna.space/products/250w-st...4424.2aeb3f909
4 Brooder Clamp Lamps - $60: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Woods-30...-166/301132854
1875W Power Strip - $22: https://www.amazon.com/12-Outlet-Pro...dp/B07W5MYBFJ/
Camp chair - $25: https://www.amazon.com/Eat-Camp-Camp...dp/B085WX84HV/

About $250 all-in. Am I an idiot for even contemplating this? The gal in the video seems to like hers. She's heating a ~160 ft3 space with six lamps, while the tent I'm looking at is 54 ft3 so four seems like more than enough. If I use all four bulbs it will only draw 1000W which is the equivalent of a small microwave and quite a bit less than an average hair dryer.

So you’re just going to like... stand there? In the grow tent? Doesn’t seem that awesome of an idea... I can see that getting old fast.

Wife and I rented a place with a sauna last winter and we used the ever living shit out of it. Multiple times a day. Got out and jumped in the snow... then back in. It had windows and a nice view. Wood fired. We have been trying to figure out where we can fit one on our property since we got back.

Edit for: didn’t see you’ve factored in the camp chair... I’m still not convinced.

[Vt-Freeheel]

Bump.

I'd love to have a sauna in my house and would definitely use it, but space is limited and I'm definitely not spending thousands and adding 240v electrical service. I came across this hot little number on Amazon over the weekend and nearly bought it immediately: https://www.amazon.com/SereneLife-SL...dp/B07WC64NPQ/

But, the reviews had common reports of blown fuses and not heating above 110-120* F. Then it occurred to me that I might be able to make one myself for less money, or at least make a more reliable one. Some quick searching showed I was not the first one to have such an idea:



So, I shopped a bit ran some numbers:

Grow tent - $100: https://www.amazon.com/VIVOSUN-Hydro...st_sto_dp&th=1
4 NIR Bulbs - $40: https://sauna.space/products/250w-st...4424.2aeb3f909
4 Brooder Clamp Lamps - $60: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Woods-30...-166/301132854
1875W Power Strip - $22: https://www.amazon.com/12-Outlet-Pro...dp/B07W5MYBFJ/
Camp chair - $25: https://www.amazon.com/Eat-Camp-Camp...dp/B085WX84HV/

About $250 all-in. Am I an idiot for even contemplating this? The gal in the video seems to like hers. She's heating a ~160 ft3 space with six lamps, while the tent I'm looking at is 54 ft3 so four seems like more than enough. If I use all four bulbs it will only draw 1000W which is the equivalent of a small microwave and quite a bit less than an average hair dryer.

[Dantheman]

Edit for: didn’t see you’ve factored in the camp chair... I’m still not convinced.

Yeah, going to sit in it and sweat, which seems to be what most people do in a sauna. Sure, Laird Hamilton rides an Airdyne inside his, but he's a freak.

[Sharon Needles]

Yeah, going to sit in it and sweat, which seems to be what most people do in a sauna. Sure, Laird Hamilton rides an Airdyne inside his, but he's a freak.

I heard he does it at 220°!?!??

[abraham]

Yeah, going to sit in it and sweat, which seems to be what most people do in a sauna. Sure, Laird Hamilton rides an Airdyne inside his, but he's a freak.

A friend of a friend in Utah uses one for biking, I guess so he stays adjusted for summer runs and stuff. It sounded weird when my friends were telling me about it. However a few of those same friends might have a spare tent if you wanted.

[Wrecked]

I guess my point was that I’d just get bored sitting there staring at shiny walls and light bulbs. Having a wood burner and nice cedar walls is more interesting to me. I’d get bored without a fire to tend to. But I’m a freak.