Experience the unmistakable aroma, stunning grain patterns, and exceptional durability that make Clear Western Red Cedar the gold standard for premium saunas.
You’ve visited enough saunas to know the difference. That big box store “cedar” sauna with dark knots bleeding sap onto the benches. The online kit that arrived with boards so twisted you couldn’t get them to fit. You want the real thing – the cedar sauna that stops people mid-sentence when they walk in, with that perfect aroma that instantly transports you to the Pacific Northwest forests.
Here in Minnesota, we’ve built enough saunas to know that Clear Western Red Cedar isn’t just about luxury – it’s about creating an heirloom. When you invest in clear, knot-free cedar, you’re getting wood that will look stunning and perform flawlessly for 20-30 years, developing a beautiful silver patina that only adds to its character.
Clear Western Red Cedar delivers what no other wood can: an unmistakable sensory experience combined with virtually maintenance-free performance. Each board’s unique grain pattern creates a one-of-a-kind interior that becomes more beautiful with age, while natural oils provide permanent protection against moisture, insects, and decay.
Clear Western Red Cedar is one of the most popular wood species used in American saunas — for good reason. It’s durable, beautiful and provides a nice aroma that you cannot find in other wood species.
Every board is individually inspected to ensure zero knots, consistent color, and straight grain for a high-end luxury look and no resin bleeding.
Western Red Cedar contains natural compounds called thujaplicins that act like built-in preservatives. Your sauna resists rot, fungus, and insects without any chemical treatments – even in Minnesota’s humid summers and our daily sauna moisture cycles.
That distinctive cedar scent comes from natural oils that release slowly when heated, creating an aromatherapy experience that synthetic fragrances can’t replicate. Many customers tell us the scent alone reduces their stress levels before they even sit down.
Cedar’s unique cellular structure contains millions of tiny air pockets, making it an exceptional insulator that stays comfortable to touch even at 195°F. Your sauna heats faster, holds temperature better, and uses about 15% less energy than denser woods.
Clear cedar’s low density and straight grain mean it barely moves with temperature and humidity changes. While other woods gap, warp, or crack over time, cedar maintains tight joints and smooth surfaces year after year.
With basic care (literally just leaving the door open after use), clear cedar saunas last 20-30 years in residential use. Calculate the per-year cost over that lifespan, and clear cedar often costs less annually than budget alternatives that need replacement after 10-15 years.
Take a look at our clear western red cedar sauna gallery and imagine what we could do for you. View our full sauna gallery here.
One of clear cedar’s biggest advantages? It practically maintains itself. Here’s the complete maintenance routine that keeps cedar beautiful for decades:
Daily: Simply leave the door open for 15-20 minutes after use. That’s it. Cedar’s natural oils do the rest.
Monthly: Run a dry towel over the benches to remove any salt or skin oils. No cleaning products needed – in fact, we recommend avoiding them to preserve the natural aroma. You can use a food-grade wood cleaner if you want (we offer a natural sauna cleaning solution—ask us about it when you’re getting your sauna).
Annually: Lightly sand any raised grain on benches with 220-grit sandpaper (about 5 minutes of work). Some owners apply a light coat of paraffin oil to benches for extra protection, but it’s optional.
Never: Don’t seal, stain, or treat interior cedar. Those natural oils need to breathe to provide their protective and aromatic benefits. Exterior cedar can be sealed if desired, but many customers prefer the natural silver patina that develops.
Something unique happens to clear cedar over time that we should discuss – it’s actually one of the wood’s most beautiful features. Fresh clear cedar displays a stunning range of colors from light amber to deep cinnamon red, with occasional blonde streaks that add character. This isn’t a defect; it’s the natural variation in heartwood that makes each sauna unique.
Over the first year, these colors harmonize into a rich, uniform honey-brown that deepens gradually over decades. The transformation is subtle but remarkable – like a fine wine aging. Some of our favorite saunas are 10+ years old, where the cedar has developed an almost burgundy depth that new wood can’t replicate.
If you prefer to maintain the fresh-cut cedar look, a light annual sanding of high-touch areas (about 15 minutes of work) brings back that just-installed appearance and refreshes the aroma. But most customers learn to love the patina – it tells the story of thousands of peaceful sauna sessions.
We build saunas the way they should be built—with Finnish expertise and Minnesota craftsmanship. Our team doesn’t just sell saunas; we use them daily, understand their construction inside and out, and have helped over 250 families create their perfect sauna experience—whether through a fully custom done-for-you sauna, DIY sauna kit or a modular system.
Every sauna we build reflects decades of combined experience in woodworking, construction, and traditional sauna design. Our builders handle projects from compact home saunas to luxury custom installations, ensuring precise construction and authentic performance every time.
Before you invest, visit our showroom to experience authentic sauna heat. Feel the difference quality materials and proper construction make. Talk with specialists who understand löyly, ventilation, and the details that separate a great sauna from an expensive disappointment.
Our 50+ five-star reviews on Google come from customers who’ve experienced the difference professional guidance makes—from initial design through your first sauna session.
From first-time buyers navigating their options to Finnish families honoring tradition, our customers tell it best. Read what verified reviewers say about working with us. Read 50+ 5 star customer reviews on Google here.
Your clear cedar sauna represents more than premium materials – it’s an investment in daily wellness rituals that will serve your family for generations. Whether you’re designing a compact 4×4 personal retreat or an expansive 8×12 entertainment space, our experts will help you maximize both the aesthetic and therapeutic benefits of this exceptional wood.
Ready to discover how clear Western Red Cedar can transform your sauna vision into reality? Share your space details and design preferences below, and we’ll get you a quote for your sauna.
Beyond aesthetics, clear cedar is structurally superior. Knots are weak points that can bleed sap, crack, or fall out over time. Clear cedar’s continuous grain is stronger and completely sap-free. While knotty cedar costs about 30% less upfront, the consistent beauty and zero maintenance of clear cedar justify the investment for many customers.
That said, we do offer a knotty cedar sauna wood that performs well in the sauna environment if you do want to save money.
The intensity peaks in the first year but never completely fades. Even 20-year-old cedar saunas release that distinctive aroma when heated. The scent concentrates in the heartwood’s oils, so as long as the wood remains unsealed, you’ll enjoy it indefinitely. Some customers lightly sand high-contact areas every few years to refresh the scent.
Not inside your sauna. Interior cedar maintains its rich red-brown color indefinitely because it’s protected from UV rays. The color actually deepens slightly over the years, developing a beautiful honey-amber patina. Only exterior cedar turns silver-gray, and only if left unsealed – which many customers prefer for the weathered look.
Exceptionally well. Cedar’s natural stability means it barely moves despite our temperature swings from -30°F to 95°F. The wood’s oils provide natural antifreeze properties, preventing the cellular damage that destroys other woods.
Absolutely. Many customers use clear cedar for walls and ceilings (where the aroma and aesthetics matter most) and clear hemlock for benches. This hybrid approach can save $1,000-2,000 while putting premium materials exactly where they count.
For interior cedar, we strongly recommend leaving it completely natural. Finishes seal in the oils that provide cedar’s benefits. For exterior cedar, you can apply a UV-blocking sealer to maintain the red color. We do recommend sealing exterior cedar.
Give us a call at 612.505.9700 or use our contact form to get your questions answered.
Experience the difference quality makes at our Cokato sauna showroom, where you can see, touch, and even try our saunas before deciding.
Explore custom indoor, custom outdoor, and modular models to compare construction, feel the authentic heat, and experience different wood types—whether it’s the aromatic Western Red Cedar, clear Canadian Hemlock, traditional Nordic Spruce, or more.
Our sauna specialists are here to answer questions, explain the differences between modular and custom builds, and help you visualize how a sauna fits into your space and lifestyle. Many customers tell us their showroom visit completely changed their understanding of what they wanted—there’s no substitute for seeing and sitting in a sauna before you buy.
Visit us at 500 Cokato St W, Cokato, Minnesota. Our standard business hours are 8AM-5PM CST. View our Google Business Profile for updated and holiday hours, or call 612.505.9700 to schedule an appointment.
Submit the form to get a quote, ask questions, or receive expert guidance from one of our sauna specialists.
