November 2011
-
Changing Your Hot Tub Water in 4 Simple Steps
-
How to Choose the Right In-ground Pool for You
in Maintenance
Subscribe to POOLlife Now!
Sign up today to get the latest pool articles, recipes and promotions sent straight to your inbox each month.
or
Find a Dealer
Find out where to buy our pool or spa care products near you.
Ask a Pool Pro
Do you have a pool care question? Submit your questions and each month we'll pick one to answer on our blog.
For immediate response, please call our Customer Care Center (800) 222-2348
If you’re interested in expanding your options for pool area use in the fall, an outdoor sauna could be the perfect solution. With its thick, warm haze, fresh woodsy scent and escapist environment, a sauna is a leisurely place to unwind. For some, saunas are as invigorating as spas and as exhilarating as pools.
“I have customers who use their saunas twice a day,” says Renee Gibbs, of Las Vegas-based Spas by Renee, a spa and sauna retail and construction company.
Sauna: A Great Complement to Other Amenities
Time in the sauna can enhance your pool or spa experience. The structures are often placed so that a person can alternate between a cool swim and a hot sweat. The sauna also provides a place to dry off and warm up after a splash. Making the transition from sauna to pool is a sensation avid sauna fans describe as euphoric.
“I just think a sauna would be a great addition to anyone’s backyard experience to enhance backyard activities,” Gibbs says.
Lots of Ways to Customize a Sauna
Today’s outdoor saunas, built to withstand the elements, are increasing in popularity. Saunatec Inc., a Cokato, Minn.-based sauna manufacturer also known as Finnleo Sauna, has seen its outdoor division grow from approximately 5 percent of its total sales to roughly 15 percent over the last decade, says Mark Raisanen, national sales manager. Customers have more choices when it comes to amenities and aesthetics, too.
You can select from a variety of wood types and shingles to match existing décor, including red or yellow cedar, redwood, hemlock, pressure-treated pine and spruce. Pine and spruce closely mimic Finnish saunas; cedar can emit a powerful scent that some users might find distracting, but others enjoy. Add-ons include changing rooms and small verandas that allow the sauna to double as a pool house, and the clean wooden structures provide a streamlined sense of indoor/outdoor harmony. Smaller models, similar to sheds, can hold two adults, while larger customized versions can be constructed to mimic the architecture of an existing home. Modular saunas, which homeowners must often put together, are available in a variety of predetermined sizes.
Preparing to Install Your Sauna
Before purchasing a sauna, you will need to do some careful planning regarding where you would like the sauna to be, and what you will need for the installation. Saunas are commonly installed on concrete slabs, but you could also put yours directly onto a wooden patio or other supportive surface. Check with the manufacturer to determine what is recommended for the model you’re considering. Most saunas require electricity for the heater, so you will need to research which permits are required for the electrical equipment, as well as the structure itself.
Of course, the cost for the sauna and installation will fluctuate depending on the model and additional amenities. Prices typically range from $3,000 to $10,000.
“The backyard has definitely evolved,” Raisanen says. “As a result, these are not just saunas, they become an extension of your backyard experience.”
