Sauna Fever Sweeps Across Sweden – Get Inspired by Our Customers! When the comedy group KAJ won Melodifestivalen with their entry Bara bada bastu, they put the spotlight on saunas. With the song now headed for Eurovision, we hope a sauna trend will sweep across Sweden – and what could be better than building your own sauna with timber cut on your own sawmill?
(Photo credit: Erik Åhman)
Build Your Own Sauna – Better and More Fun!
Many of our customers have already built their own saunas, and we see a growing interest in creating something sustainable and unique. With a sawmill, you can cut exactly the timber you need – the right dimensions, the right quality, and with a personal touch. Plus, it’s a fun project that brings a real sense of pride when you take that first sauna bath.
The Sauna Major’s Best Tips
Sauna major – the sauna builders who have built saunas for Swedish celebrities Marko and Irma on Swedish national TV and appeared on SVT’s Saunadreams – are experts in saunas and fine woodworking.
“If you want to build something that lasts and is fun to create, we think you should go for a log-built sauna. We milled logs with a Logosol B751 and learned the entire process, from long grooves to interlocking joints,” says Tommi Sorvari, who runs Sauna major together with Charlotte Granqvist.
If log construction feels too advanced, Tommi and Charlotte recommend building with thick timber planks, just like they do for their customers’ saunas. The planks are simply stacked on top of each other, with the same plank used for both the interior and exterior. Inside, you can treat the wood with sauna wax, and for the exterior, traditional Swedish slam paint is a great option.
“These buildings need to breathe,” Charlotte explains.
“For benches, we recommend aspen or the darker alder. Both types of wood work excellently in sauna environments and create a beautiful aesthetic. The floor is usually made of loosely nailed heartwood pine, providing a stable and durable surface,” Tommi adds.
“We don’t typically build with framework, interior paneling, and exterior paneling. But when we do, we use an air gap, sauna foil, insulation, and wind barrier paper to ensure a solid construction. A few logs in the stove after your sauna session dry everything out nicely and keep the sauna fresh for longer,” Tommi concludes.
Go KAJ – and Go Sauna Building!
At Woodworking projects, we also want to take the chance to wish KAJ the best of luck in Eurovision! With Bara bada bastu, we hope they take the world by storm – and that even more people discover how fun it is to build their own sauna with home-milled timber.
Atmospheric Sauna by Sauna major, Sandviken.
Dalaknut Log-Built Deluxe Sauna with Hip Roof by Björn Eek, Mälgåsen.
Ola Nilsson, Bredbyn, with his sauna project from Fresh Cut 2014.
Logosol visits Sauna major
