Sauna Construction

A good sauna starts with the right decision about the space. The Çilek Havuz technical team inspects the dimensions of the area you have set aside, the ceiling height, the state of the floor and the door and corridor access on site, and establishes how many people a cabin can comfortably take.

The same visit also covers the electrical infrastructure and the scope for ventilation: the supply needed for the heater output, the direction of the grilles and moisture management are discussed at this stage, so that nothing surfaces later.

• Area dimensions and ceiling height
• Target occupancy
• Electrical supply and consumer unit
• Scope for ventilation
• Floor and wall construction
• Door and corridor access
• Use case (home / hotel / spa)
• Preliminary budget frame

The internal layout of the cabin is drawn centimetre by centimetre: the height and depth of the bench tiers, the angle of the backrests, the position of the heater and the seating orientation are all designed around ergonomics. On a two-tier bench the lower row sits in the cool band and the upper row in the hot band — everyone chooses their own comfort.

The glass front, the door orientation and the concealed lighting runs are worked into the architecture of the space; the design is presented in 3D visualisation and the material decisions are settled together.

• Bench tiers and backrest ergonomics
• Heater position and safety clearances
• Glass front / door orientation
• Concealed lighting scenario
• Internal dimensions and volume calculation
• 3D visualisation presentation
• Material and colour decisions
• Construction drawing approval

Sauna timber is chosen on physics before appearance: knot-free spruce or fir for the structure and the panelling; for the benches and backrests, which the skin touches, aspen (poplar) or heat-treated timber, which release no resin and conduct heat poorly, so they do not burn.

Heat-treated timber stands out in premium projects for its dimensional stability and its dark, refined grain. The whole timber recommendation is presented item by item, together with its alternatives.

• Spruce / fir panelling selection
• Aspen or heat-treated benches
• Knot and resin inspection
• Heat-treated timber alternative
• Door and glass grade
• Accessory set (bucket, ladle, thermometer)
• Texture and colour coordination
• Material approval and ordering

Heater output is directly proportional to the volume of the cabin; glass surfaces and uninsulated walls enter the calculation as additional load. A wrongly sized heater either cannot bring the cabin up to temperature or wears itself out on short cycles.

With electric heaters, models of a few kilowatts can usually be connected to a suitable existing circuit, while larger saunas may call for a three-phase supply. The stone chamber, the type of control and your löyly (steam) habits also shape the selection.

• Cabin volume (m³) calculation
• Additional load from glass and insulation
• kW capacity selection
• Single-phase / three-phase decision
• Stone chamber and stone type
• External control panel
• Safety clearances
• Heater approval and ordering

Before the cabin goes up, the layer you never see is prepared: the heater circuit is run from the consumer unit on its own protective device, the lighting transformers are positioned away from the heat, and the routes for the low and high ventilation grilles are opened.

Ventilation is the sauna's breathing: fresh air enters near the heater and used air is drawn out high up in the opposite corner. This cycle determines both the comfort and the life of the timber.

• Heater circuit and dedicated protection
• Residual current protection
• Lighting transformer position
• Low grille (fresh air) route
• High grille (extract) route
• Sensor and limit thermostat wiring
• Floor fall and gully check
• Infrastructure testing and record

The spaces between the studs are filled with rock wool; over this goes an aluminium foil vapour barrier that reflects the heat back into the cabin, with the joints sealed using heat-resistant tape. This layer lowers energy consumption and protects the walls from moisture.

A properly insulated sauna heats up faster and allows a smaller heater to be used — this is the unseen hero of both comfort and running economy.

• Framing and stud layout
• Rock wool infill
• Aluminium foil barrier
• Heat-resistant tape details
• Ventilation cavity (behind the panelling)
• Moisture protection to adjoining walls
• Ceiling insulation layer
• Layer inspection and sign-off

The panelling is fixed with a concealed method that leaves no screw marks showing, with expansion gaps left throughout. The corner joints, the ceiling transitions and the grille frames are finished with clean trims in the same timber.

The movement of the timber is allowed for from the outset: panelling that expands with the heat will buckle if the right gaps are not left. The difference good joinery makes lies in details like these, which are never seen.

• Concealed fixing / clip method
• Expansion gaps
• Corner and trim joints
• Grille frames
• Ceiling panelling
• Heat shielding behind the heater
• Surface sanding and inspection
• Panelling sign-off

The benches are made from aspen or heat-treated timber, with spaced slats so that water and perspiration cannot pool. The tier heights are set to the ergonomics in the design; the upper bench sits in the hot band and the lower bench in the gentler transition.

The backrests are angled to follow the line of the spine; comfort details such as head supports and foot rails are added at this stage. The benches are built so that they can be lifted out for cleaning.

• Aspen / heat-treated slat fabrication
• Spaced bench surface
• Tier heights
• Backrest angle
• Head support and foot rail
• Removable bench modules
• Eased (chamfered) edge work
• Load testing and inspection

The door and the glass fronts are made from heat-resistant toughened glass and installed in timber frames. The glazing brings a sense of openness to the cabin and breaks the feeling of an enclosed space — in saunas that open onto a view it lifts the experience to another level.

For safety, a sauna door always opens outwards and is never lockable; a magnetic or roller catch gives a soft close.

• Toughened glass door
• Outward opening and non-locking handle
• Glass front panels
• Timber frame and seals
• Hinge adjustment
• Seal check
• Glass safety marking
• Installation sign-off

Sauna lighting is easy on the eye, warm in tone and indirect: LED runs under the benches, light filtering from behind the backrests and wall fittings bring out the grain of the timber. Chromotherapy scenarios are added on request.

An external control panel gives precise management of temperature and duration; in hotel and spa projects, pre-heating can be programmed to the booking time.

• LED runs beneath the benches
• Indirect light behind the backrests
• Heat-resistant fittings
• Chromotherapy scenario (option)
• External control panel
• Pre-heating programme
• Sensor calibration
• Lighting scene testing

Sauna cost is shaped by the cabin volume (m³): as the volume grows, the timber, the insulation and the heater capacity all grow with it. The grade of timber, the proportion of glass and the level of automation are the other main items in the budget.

After the survey, Çilek Havuz sets out every item in writing one by one, and deliberately steers clear of the fixed and unrealistic 'one price for every size' approach.

• Volume calculation on a m³ basis
• Grade of timber selection
• Heater and control item
• Proportion of glass
• Insulation and infrastructure items
• Lighting and options
• Delivery and installation
• Item-by-item written quote

After installation the cabin is taken through graduated heating cycles: the temperature curve, the airflow through the grilles and the safety sensors are all tested, and the first heat-ups are done under control so that the scent of the timber settles.

A briefing on use is given at handover: the etiquette of pouring water on the stones, session lengths, the habit of airing the cabin and the cleaning routine. A sauna that is aired regularly keeps its first-day scent for years.

• Graduated first heat-up
• Temperature curve measurement
• Sensor and safety testing
• Grille airflow check
• User briefing
• Cleaning and maintenance guide
• Warranty documents
• Handover record