| Saunas originated in Scandinavia as small wooden | | | | wood cut to the right size, and using the right |
| rooms in which people could relax and enjoy the | | | | wood - cedar. Cedar is used as it contracts and |
| strange corporeal pleasure afforded by heat | | | | expands very easily. |
| sessions, generally with no clothes on, although | | | | Do-it-yourself sauna kits will be supplied with the |
| this is optional. The interesting thing about saunas | | | | ceiling and wall panels, base boards and trim, |
| is that they are surprisingly easy to make | | | | pre-hung door, the heater, benches, the threshold |
| yourself. You can buy them in kit form and just | | | | and casing, plus accessories. |
| follow the instructions to put them together. They | | | | You may need a qualified electrician for the wiring. |
| are not excessively expensive generally | | | | If you decide to go for a gas-fired heater then |
| somewhere between $1,500 and $15,000 | | | | you will need to get a certified professional to |
| depending on how big you want it and what sort | | | | install the gas. |
| of accessories you select. | | | | Heating your Sauna. |
| If you are the solitary type you can take a sauna | | | | Electric heaters are more popular but gas heaters |
| on your own, a bit like taking a bath, but you can | | | | tend to be cheaper to run, depending on the |
| also take a sauna in groups. It is usual to remove | | | | relative prices of gas and electricity where you |
| your clothes, although you can keep a towel on | | | | live. Wood-fired heaters may seem like a nice |
| to spare your blushes, then you settle down on | | | | choice but they should only be used outdoors in |
| the wooden bench at temperatures in excess of | | | | saunas that are separate from the house, not in |
| 75°C (165°F). This heat causes you to sweat | | | | indoor saunas. Another popular and more modern |
| of course, which is the point as this induces | | | | choice are FIR (Far Infrared Ray) ceramic heaters |
| relaxation whilst simultaneously eliminating toxins | | | | but they don't have the traditional hot rocks that |
| from your system. | | | | other stoves have. |
| Making your own home sauna could hardly be | | | | Pre-fabricated saunas do not require framing or |
| easier if you buy it in kit form, as they give you | | | | insulation so if DIY is not your thing then go down |
| the instructions and by and large all you need is a | | | | this route, but be aware that the carriage cost is |
| hammer, although an extra pair of hands will also | | | | quite hefty, at several hundred dollars. |
| be useful. | | | | A pre-fab kit can be put together in1 or 2 hours, |
| For a really easy-to-assemble sauna then you | | | | custom DIY sauna kits on the other hand may |
| should choose a pre-built modular kits, sometimes | | | | take a weekend. |
| known as prefab kits. These sauna kits also have | | | | Health Benefits |
| the added advantage that they can be taken | | | | Sitting in a hot sauna causes the pores of your |
| down and re-assembled if you decide to move | | | | skin to dilate and sweating drains dirt and oil out |
| house. | | | | of your skin. A 30 minute session will cleanse your |
| Assembly takes about an hour, and once your | | | | pores and your skin will feel soft and smooth to |
| sauna is up you can use it straightaway. Pre-cut | | | | the touch. |
| kits are generally supplied with everything you | | | | One final point - a sauna does use quite a lot of |
| need to install them. | | | | energy but it will add value to your home if you |
| You can have your sauna either indoors or | | | | ever decide to sell it, so all in all saunas represent |
| outdoors. | | | | an excellent and fairly inexpensive investment. |
| The contents of your sauna kit will include all the | | | | |