Installing your own Suana Kit
Home Sauna kits are great for the home handy man that may not be so handy. There is some a degree of skill involved with installing your own sauna kit. The experience can be fun, or it can be frustrating as hell! - the important thing is to plan properly, double check your measurements again and again and if possible, get a professional to check on specific details - like power, drainage, the ability to insulate a particular wall. Etc. There's nothing worse then getting half way through installing your own sauna kit and realising that you are going to have spend a huge amount rendering a wall which you had previously thought ok. Hassles like this, everyone can do without.
The cost of a sauna kit will depend on price and components. But installation usually makes up about half the expense of a new sauna. For that reason alone, installing your own sauna kit can save you a few thousand dollars. Here are some tips for installing your sauna - useful advice that can save you thousands:
Make sure you have considered the following before you purchase your sauna kit:
- An entrance room, or a place where you can undress or dress (this can even be a small verandah on the front of your sauna if it is outdoors).
- The choice of wood, and what you want the design of it to look like.
- The size of the sauna or the room you want to put it in - layout is very important.
- Is your Sauna going to have a wash room? If so, how will you get hot water to the room?
Measuring the space of sauna is the most important aspect of ordering your sauna kit. I would recommend getting a trade specialist to help you measure the room. The reason for this is that the wood boards normally come precut and you just have to slot them together. You have to factor in room for insulation, and also door frames and the like. It can be quiet tricky. But if you get this important factor right you shouldn't have any problems. Once you have the correct measurements, you can design your own sauna plan, or give your details to an outlet which can put together a sauna kit for you.
Another thing you need to consider is how you are going to get power to the heater in your sauna. Again, the help of a professional is recommended. Often this can be expensive if you don't have a main close by. It's a good idea to have an electrician and other tradesman (plumber or builder) there at the same time to help you identify the suitability of a particular room or location.
As always, get the electrician to do the work for you. Playing with electricity isn't for amateurs (no matter how handy you are). It's in important to have a very secure and waterproof connection for your heater, because you don't want to electrocute yourself once you start throwing water around.
That's about it. Installing your sauna is a relatively simple process (especially if you read the instructions correctly). Here are a couple more guidelines which should come in handy.
• After you have measured the room, prepare it carefully. Strip it back to basics, get the electricity connected and make sure the mains are turned off while you are doing other work.
• Insulate the walls as best as you can with an overlap running to the floor. There are a few different options for insulation, but it's an important step as you don't want to have damp running up the walls of your house.
• You also have a few options for flooring, if you don't have drainage, tiles are a good option. Again, make sure you use waterproof cement rendering to waterproof the floor, especially if your house doesn't have concrete foundation.
• Once you have these steps out the way, you can start installing the sauna. Generally you would work from the roof down. (Uneven or wood that needs to be shorter on one length is less noticeable at ground level). This is something to consider when you are doing up your plans, or giving your measurements to sauna kit manufacturer.
• You'd then normally insert your benches or heater first, depending on your space. Benches' shouldn't pose a huge problem, but make sure you use a sturdy bracket for your heater. They are quite heavy, especially when you load them up with rocks. It's not uncommon that heaters have ripped them selves out the wall. I giant headache!
• Your nearly there. Put your door on, make sure you have at least a few centimeters under the door for fresh air (this won't make your sauna any less warm).
• Once that's all done, you should be able to turn it on and relax. Good luck!
• If you have any further questions, or advice from your own experience installing your own sauna kits. Please email jm@saunahelp.com and we will post your information on this site.
To summarise, Suana kits are quite easy to assemble and are becoming more affordable. Just make sure you get good advice and pay close attention to details (and instructions).