What You Need to Know About Building an Outdoor Sauna (2026)

Adrienne So Gear Apr 1, 2026 7:30 AM What You Need to Know About Building an Outdoor Sauna Putting together a relaxing backyard retreat is not always as simple as you might think. Courtesy of Sun Home Save this story Save this story Last winter, my husband and I received a Sun Home Luminar 5-Person Sauna to test. I live in gray and rainy Portland, Oregon, which has a pretty robust sauna culture to combat the February blahs. Not only was I ecstatic, but almost everyone I knew was too. For the several weeks that I had the Sun Home box in my driveway, I received a constant stream of texts from friends. “Do you have a sauna? ” they all asked, hoping to get invited over soon. Since then, I’ve had several friends build their own backyard saunas, and I realize my experience may have been atypical. Still, I gleaned a few useful learnings that you can take away if you’re looking to install one of your own. If you’re considering dropping several grand on an outdoor sauna, here are a few things you might consider. Lesson #1: Choose Your Sauna Type There are several kinds of saunas. Traditional Finnish saunas use a wood stove and stones to heat the interior. If you’re looking at modern electric-powered saunas, there are two types here. You can either choose an electric sauna , which has a single electric heat source, or an infrared sauna , which uses light panels to heat the body. If you opt for a sauna with an electric heater, you can also choose a dry or wet model. Pouring water over the heated rocks creates what the Finns call “löyly,” the steam that can help make a hot room more comfortable. Devotees of one or the other can argue back and forth forever. Traditional wood-burning saunas are more likely to catch on fire. A dry sauna is more sanitary and therefore easier to maintain. The health benefits of a traditional sauna have been more widely studied, and so on. Most people I know who have chosen to install saunas have opted for an electric wet model. This is the most simi...