We do NOT build barrel saunas and here’s a few reasons why you should reconsider your options
CONs of Barrel Saunas
NO UPPER BENCH — The curved walls of a barrel sauna simply do NOT allow for higher levels of benches. You can’t lay down on any top bench because is there is NO top bench. There is only one level of benches.
POOR INSULATION — Many report a slow warming time. There is no insulation batting or vapor barrier to stop the transfer of moist air between the inside and outside of the structure. Every board is a potential seam that leaks heat. By design, they lose a lot of heat when the door opens (solvable with a changing room). Barrels work OK in temperate weather — not sure we’d want to use one in the winter in North Dakota.
CRAMPED SPACE — Typically, their websites ONLY show one view: the exterior (never the interior) because it’s SO SMALL. And the sauna’s curved wall design means you can ONLY lean against the back wall, NOT the side walls. Additionally, you can only stand in the middle. If you’re tall, it may find it difficult to stand inside a barrel in full height, i.e., you’ll be ducking everywhere except the very top of the circle. With the circular sauna design, with no corners, barrel sauna companies can rightly boast the benefit of a rolling heat. Yet because of this design, some sauna bathers can feel cramped in a barrel sauna.
SAFETY CLEARANCES — Conventional sauna manufacturers point out that barrel saunas may NOT meet safety clearances for electric heaters (44″ of clearance above the heater to the curved ceiling). When using wood burning heaters, these sauna definitely do NOT meet the clearances that stove manufacturers recommend. We’d hope that barrel stove companies have this figured out and accounted for, but it is worth mentioning to check the manual for the heater (probably solvable by adding metal protection barrier on the ceiling).
DURABILITY AFTER ONE YEAR — From water damage, cold spots, drafts and barrel saunas just look worn out after a year of weathered use. Because of their design (milled 2×4’s), these saunas can often develop leaks between the milled cedar boards from rain and snow melt (freezing, melting, expanding contracting at the seams). Often times, the roof is only a membrane meaning you may have to cover it when not in use or build another roof above. In four season climates, They’re prone to serious maintenance issues.
And READ THEIR WARRANTY! … “This does not include damage from normal weathering and wear-and-tear, improper use or assembly, or weather events.”
IMPORTED — You’re buying from a reseller. They don’t actually manufacturer anything. Most are actually built in China and usually there is NO warranty for any reason. Typically, the manufacturers of these saunas will make it very clear that once it leaves their facility, they are off the hook for any problems.
ONE CONFIGURATION ONLY — There is ONLY ONE way to arrange benches in a barrel sauna: Two LOW benches at the sides (i.e., NO upper bench), heater on the back wall and the sauna door on the front wall.
PROs of Barrel Saunas
LOW PRICE — No doubt the price is attractive, but sacrifices must be made for any product that is cheap. When it comes to cheap, fast and good… the old adage is you only get two out of three.
SIMPLE ASSEMBLY — No doubt, barrel saunas are a clever design. They require NO major tools for cutting or assembly. They’re assembled on site by placing the milled 2×4 cedar boards along the circumference of the two circular end walls, then strapping everything in place with the set of locking rings provided. One need not be handy to assemble a them and they relocate somewhat easily.
BEST USED INDOORS — If built indoors, many of the poor insulation, leak and roofing issues are then mute.
SHIPS EASY — Barrel saunas ship unassembled as materials. There’s a pallet stack of 2x4s, door, stove, benches and a set of circular end rings. This is a key reason why companies like My Sauna World can shrink wrap, sell, and distribute the Almost Heaven barrel sauna nationally.
Our Conclusion about Barrel Saunas
We have built and customized saunas when the market place demands it… IF we know it’s NOT going to result in complaints and returns. The main reason we’ve come to dislike barrel saunas is that most of the owners we’ve talked to had nothing good to say about them. Case in point, the Trumpkin sauna design; we build these for sauna purists and they’re happy.
Mainly, we think saunas should be built like a house
Cedarbrooks’ 4″ sauna wall construction contains all the important elements essential for the functionality of any standard building — something barrel saunas simply cannot offer, e.g.:
- Water-shedding cedar beveled-siding
- Waterproof membrane
- Formaldehyde-free insulation batting
- Framed with cedar too!
- Sauna foil vapor barrier
- Lined with epic western red cedar
The difference between hot and cold conditions allow the transfer of moist air through the wall if these elements are skipped in the barrel design. A barrel sauna would never pass building code standards. The building code was designed to protect your investment from potential problems and stand up to years of weather and climate conditions.
Our custom saunas involve customers’ preferred ceiling heights, door heights, windows, light position and bench widths and configurations and more! Again, there’s NO upper bench. For most of our customers, this is a deal breaker. Barrel saunas have only one bench height.
Our sauna kits work well as the sauna bather can choose to sit on an upper bench for good heat, or sit on the lower bench where the heat is nice warm. Further, the introduction of loly (steam from water on the rocks) is more intense up high. Often this is desired, but some folks, especially children, do better on a lower bench. There’s no flexibility regarding benches with a barrel sauna.
Enjoy! Thanks for reading.