The wood type is one of the largest factors to consider in the sauna. Each wood type offers a different feel. Wood types can be mixed and matched (from exterior to interior, wall T&G to benching).
We offer five main wood types in our saunas.
Clear Western Red Cedar, Clear Canadian Hemlock, Finnleo Black Taika, Nordic Spruce, and Knotty Cedar.
Clear Canadian Hemlock is a popular wood in saunas for its consistent light red color, tight grains, and minimal scent.
Clear Canadian Hemlock is an excellent wood type for the sauna. It features a distinct lighter red color, with less variance in color than Cedar. Often a popular choice for those who don’t prefer the smell of Cedar.
Nordic Spruce is very commonly used in saunas built in the Nordic Region (the birthplace of traditional saunas).
Nordic Spruce has a distinct, brighter yellow color with knots. It’s popular because of it’s less expensive than the other most common wood types for saunas. Nordic Spruce also makes sauna rooms feel more “spacious”.
Because Nordic Spruce is knotty (knots get hot in the sauna), all of our sauna benching and backrests in Nordic Spruce saunas are built with knot-free Abachi or Aspen.
Knotty Cedar is a less expensive way to put Cedar in your sauna.
Knotty Eastern White Cedar is a popular, budget-friendly way to put Cedar wood in your sauna. Because the knots will get hot in the sauna, the benching & backrests are made of a Clear Western Red Cedar.
The backrest is a critical aspect of the sauna because it provides comfort, while also improving the aesthetic long-term look of the wall tongue and groove boards.
The 2-Bar Backrest comes standard in all of our custom saunas. View upgradable backrest options below.