Hi y’all.
Adding a small bathroom in my basement and am toying with idea of installing a sauna. Plan on buying sauna heater unit only and then framing and installing sauna room without the use of pre-fabbed kits…which run upwards of $2,000 from sauna companies.
Having hard time locating cedar or redwood for said project. Anyone from Pittsburgh, PA region know of a lumber yard that stocks cedar or redwood at a “reasonable price” ? If not, any suggestions as to wood alternatives? I was thinking about possibly using mahogany as a substitute. Don’t know if this is good or bad. Whadda ya say? Would like some feedback from anyone who built a sauna not using cedar or redwood.
Thanks.
OOOOOh yeeeeeah….HAPPY NEW YEAR Y’ALL!!!
Davo
Replies
Hi Davo,
Cedar is about the most ideal wood due to its ability to ward off decay, otherwise molds. It is a very light wood which means it does not absorb and hold heat like a denser wood. A heavy wood like mahogany would hold lots of heat and could make contact with bare skin quite uncomfortable. Kiln dried cedar has a lot of insulating quality. You should be able to get white or yellow cedar through a lumber yard on special order, or have some shipped from a yard someware in the great lakes or new england area.
If you intend to build from scratch, remember to have all metal fasteners hidden from touch. They burn more than dense wood. I have heard of popular (aspen) species used in saunas but it is a poor choice compared to white or yellow cedar. Nothing beats the aroma of heated cedar, that is part of the sauna experience.
If you build from scratch, make sure you have the correct wiring for an electric heater and it is protected with correct timers and high temperature limit cutouts. In addition all electrical circuits have to be specialy rated for the environment with proper ground fault protection.
Good luck
Virginbuild
Yellow cedar is way more expensive than western red cedar, at least double. Unless you're talking about a different species.Lignum est bonum.
Cypress is a great alt. material. I agree that cedar is the most often used for it's outstanding qualities in that app.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
I'll just do it>
We did one a while ago in a health club using Obeche. Some kind of exotic imported hardwood . May also go by the name African Beech.
Cedar is the right wood to use.
The Q you ask seems to hinge on qwhat you consider a "reasonable price"
Something tells me that you can find all the clear S$S cedaar you want in your neighborhood, but don't want to pay the asking price for it.
Cedar is a royal, holy wood, worthy of honour.
You want to ask yourself whether you want a righteous sauna experience or a cheap one, then proceed.
I have paid about $3.50 to 6.00 for good cedar
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Hi Piffin
You say $3.50 to $6.00 for cedar. Is that price for Board Feet or Lineal Feet?
No, I do not have a good source at all here in my town for cedar. It would have to be special order, they only stock a few pieces of rough cut stuff, and it is marginal in quality at best.
Whereas people in New England use white cedar all the time for outdoor projects, and people out West use redwood...we here in the Mid Atlantic Belt are provided with tons of treated wood (mostly Southern Yellow Pine) to try to accomplish the same feats...its downright disgusting.
I can buy beautiful, clear, straight grained, kiln dried , 4/4 Red Oak for $2.20 a Bd FT or White Oak for $1.80 Bd Ft or Cherry for $3.95 Bd Ft or Walnut for $2.75 Bd Ft at a local saw mill....but forget about it when it comes to woods like cedar, cypress, Ipe and such...just not around here.
Davo
Any goo dyard can locate it through a lumber broker. Yes. it might be special oprder. That price is board foot. I special order what i need for larger projects and get better lumber that way. What is sitting around in the racks can often be the culls from other orders.Did you say Allentown? area? Try Dykes Lumber in NYC and NJ. Google up their website.
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I believe that birch is the classic wood that is used in Finland.Here is one kit that uses spruce for the walls and birch for the bench.http://www.euro-saunas.com/products.html
Edited 1/1/2005 4:03 pm ET by Bill Hartmann
alternative wood species include: poplar, basswood, and cottonwood -
and yes, I know, they are inferior to cedar for various reasons - but they are light, non-splintery, and non-sappy...