Book review: The Art of Sauna Building

September 2, 2007

I've had The Art of Sauna Building book by Bert Olavi Jalasjaa for some while now (months) and had not gotten around to reading it. Shame on me! 

 

If you're aiming to build a sauna, it possibly is the best book in English you can find. It's slim on the part of general information on saunas to the tune of 5 packed page, but it's sauna planning and building information part is superb.

The planning section explains the bewildering array of different options available to the sauna newbie - from pre-built mini-saunas, panelled saunas, log saunas all the way to portable cabinets, outdoor log saunas, steam units, more and even fallacies such as the sauna belts and sauna suits. 

The book then goes on with all the bench, heater options, floor, drainage, insulation, material type and other crucial tips and info. All illustrated with proper drawings on the cross-sections of sauna layers, arrangements of benches, fixtures and heaters. 

 

 

I will reprint the table of contents for an overview of everything that this book contains:

Section A - a room full of hot air or a key to relaxed living?

• The sauna - a brief history
• The sauna - the Finnish style
• The sauna - pronouncing it
• The sauna - a friend of good health
• The sauna - as Finland has it
• The sauna - as Finland does it
• The sauna - in North America
• The sauna - as in investment
• The sauna and you - an experience in every sense
• The sauna vs a steambath
• Dry vs wet heat
• Humidity - a relative measurement

Section B - the sauna knowledge quiz

Section C - types of sauna available

• Pre-built mini-saunas
• Pre-built panelled saunas
• Pre-built log saunas
• Sauna material "pre-cut kits"
  
• Custom-built saunas
• Your invention?
• Outdoor log saunas
• Steam units
• Portable cabinets
• Steam generators
• Sauna belts, sauna suits
• Where to buy saunas
• Buying a pre-built sauna?
• Buying sauna materials from a package supplier?
  

Section D - planning the sauna

• The "sauna"
  
• The outdoor sauna
• The indoor sauna
• Bench layout
• Floors, foundations and drainage
• Sauna heaters
• Planning the wood for the sauna
• Building codes, permits and zoning laws
• Planning checklist for commercial saunas
• Roughing-in guide for a future sauna

Section E - how the sauna is actually built

• Framework
• Air circulation system (venting)
  
• Electrical - sauna heater and controls
• Electrical - light switch and light
• Electrical - light fixture
• Insulation
• Vapor barrier (aluminum foil)
• Door and windows
• Door frame and trim
• Door hardware
• Galvanized fasteners
• Interior installation of T&G lining
• Benches
• Wooden floor duckboards
• Heater guard
• Interior mouldings
• Wood preservatives
• Exterior walls of the sauna room

Section F - the sauna is ready!

• Firing up and curing
• Sauna care and maintenance
• Sauna accessories
• How safe are saunas?
  
• How to enjoy the Finnish sauna
• The sauna - for us, today
• Unique sauna ideas
• Would you share your sauna experiences?
• Answers to the sauna knowledge quiz 

 

If you're looking for a sauna building book for the next do-it-yourself project or are looking at some of the easier options, I'd wholeheartedly recommend taking a look at this. The downside of the book seems to be that the measurements are not in the metric system, but the thought of converting measurements should not put you off if you're in the metric world. At the time of writing, it seems to be out of stock at Amazon.com, but it is available at several other sources around the internet. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Go for it!