Henki Sauna Material Guide

This guide will walk you though all of the materials needed to build a custom sauna. All Henki building materials have been selected specifically for saunas to eliminate off-gassing toxins and ensure material longevity. Henki's sauna materials are always the highest of quality.

Enter the framed dimensions of your sauna room, measured stud to stud, and we'll suggest how much of each material you need as you scroll.

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Framed width
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Framed height
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1. Sauna Heater

Start by selecting a heater for the job. The size of the heater will depend on the size and construction of the sauna room.

Framed volume is length × width × height. Finished volume takes off the strapping and panelling, because heater ratings refer to the finished room. Minimum power is the finished volume divided by 45 cubic feet per kilowatt, rounded up to the next half kilowatt. Add capacity for a glass door, a glass wall, or uninsulated stone, tile or concrete.
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2. Insulation

A fire safe and mould resistant insulation for between the studs.

Wall area is the room perimeter times the height; ceiling area is length × width. Bags are the two added together and divided by the coverage of one bag, rounded up. Pick the row that matches your framing.

3. Vapour Barrier

A vapour barrier that can withstand high temperatures without off-gassing or deteriorating. Seal the seams with a tape that holds similar properties. A foil-faced barrier will also contribute to the thermal properties of the sauna.

Walls plus ceiling, increased by 10% for lapping the seams, divided by the coverage of one roll, rounded up. Tape follows from the roll count. Order one extra roll if you plan to wrap the barrier around openings.

4. Strapping

Strap the walls with a moisture resistant wood to create a gap between the vapour barrier and the walls. This will give trapped moisture air to evaporate and help prevent moulding. It will also promote thermal reflection off the radiant foil barrier and increase the r-value of the walls.

Wall rows run around the perimeter every 16", and ceiling runs cross the room at the same spacing. Floor runs are every 16". The linear feet are divided by each strap length with a 10% waste allowance, rounded up.
  • A single cedar 1x2 plank used in saunas.

    Cedar 1x2

    Cedar 1x2

    $18.00 CAD
    $18.00 CAD

5. Panelling

Premium cedar has a major positive impact on the longevity of a sauna. By using premium, sauna specific cedar, you reduce shrinkage, warping and bowing significantly while the wood is under high heat. Panel the walls with vertical boards to accommodate traditional framing and horizontal strapping. Run ceiling panels along the wall that will minimize waste.

Board counts come from the coverage width, not the nominal width. A board longer than the run it covers only yields whole pieces, and the offcut is waste — which is why a longer board can need the same number of pieces as a shorter one. Quantities include a 10% waste allowance, and lengths that save nothing aren't shown.
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6. Flooring

Run the floor boards in the direction that leaves the fewest joints and the least waste.

Board counts come from the coverage width, not the nominal width. Both directions are costed and the one needing fewer boards is shown. A board longer than the run only yields whole pieces, so lengths that save nothing aren't shown.

7. Benches & Backrest

A two-tier bench is always recommended for a good bathing experience. Clear, softwood benches eliminate the risk of burning yourself on knots and dense wood.

Each wall loses the strapping and panelling thickness at both ends, then rounds down to the nearest inch. Trim a further 1/4" if you want a finger gap at each end.

8. Door

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9. Ventilation

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10. Lighting

11. Sauna Essentials

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12. Accessories

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Too much to think about? Let us do the work for you.

Our custom builds team would be happy to quote you on a full custom sauna package, including labour and materials. We're experts on the topic and have done this many, many times.

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