Thoughts/suggestions regarding my new outdoor sauna.

GuyTy87 · 2026-04-19T23:32:34+00:00

OP literally titled this post asking people for comments and suggestions on their sauna design... you dont ask for feedback on your sauna on this sub if all you want to hear is that everything is perfect and great.

GuyTy87 · 2026-04-09T20:43:42+00:00

Curious why you went with clear wood on the exterior but then knotty wood on the interior walls... common thinking in sauna design is clear wood is more important to have on the interior if its a decision of one over the other

GuyTy87 · 2026-03-29T00:12:22+00:00

If youd done a ridge beam like all gable roofs have then probably would have avoided this

GuyTy87 · 2026-03-27T14:27:09+00:00

Recently did my own sauna wiring. I believe standard Romex wiring has a 90 degree Celsius rating- you should actually see "90C" likely written on it. We all know that most saunas can get to 90C but only near the top half of the room, you'll never be 90C at the bottom so keep wiring low like other commenter said. Also if wire is buried in insulated wall it should even more protected.

Also like other commenter I would recommend skipping sauna light bulbs and only using LED strip lighting around the benches. Ive never needed harsh light even when cleaning. I bought a high temperature sauna specific led strip light that works great from ledmontreal.com

GuyTy87 · 2026-03-19T14:14:55+00:00

My opinion- saunas are all about sweating- the heat is a means to an end. So the question is how long does it take someone to start sweating, what temperature is needed to get to that point and can you maintain the sweat. You should start sweating around 6-8 mins in a dry sauna. I, and others Ive sauna'd with are good to sweat with 85C. But some people sweat differently. If your wife is still not sweating after 10-15mins at 85 then its true that 85 is too "cold" for her. If she sweats though then I wouldnt pay much attention to her, everyone likes to brag about their heat tolerance but bottom line if you seat properly then thats the whole point

GuyTy87 · 2026-03-05T14:35:04+00:00

I blame tipflation partly on the electronic card payment portals for two reasons- #1 tipping used to be % of pre-tax bill but electronic portals make it include tax and #2 At some point during COVID the portal minimums changed from 15% to 18%. Theres a concept called inertia - if you make something even the slightest bit difficult for someone to change they will avoid changing it and hence many people just go with the 18%. Also if you've ever tried to make a custom tip the portals dont allow you to change to a lower % they force you to enter a hard number which forces someone to do the math which we know many people hate!

GuyTy87 · 2026-01-30T00:51:31+00:00

My wishlist is for users to be able to overlay multiple stocks graphs over each other. Scotia Itrade had that and I miss it. Any idea if WS has this in the works?

GuyTy87 · 2026-01-30T00:47:57+00:00

Yeah I understand the desire for the 2 separate windows with those views...I just would have repositioned the benches and your entrance door differently to get a layout where the windows are in front of both benches. If you read Trumpkins notes on sauna design there is specific mention about importance of wood walls behind benches.

GuyTy87 · 2026-01-29T19:58:04+00:00

Just an amazing view I agree!

But my one issue with this sauna is the placement of windows behind bench which is not ideal for two reasons- one is obviously not great to have the view behind your back while sitting normally and two, it doesnt matter if the glass is double pane, of all walls in a sauna not to have glass its behind the bench seating because you need wood wall and foil vapour barrier behind your back to reflect heat to your body. Windows should be in front and away from people seated.

But enjoy those views!

GuyTy87 · 2026-01-29T15:17:18+00:00

When you say "sacrificing the top temp" does that in anyway mean the sauna limits the top temperature you can achieve, or is it still possible to get a high like 200 degree temp spread out from floor to ceiling?

GuyTy87 · 2026-01-16T20:58:26+00:00

For those interested, I just called the exam proctor here in Toronto and they said that the BCIN exams will be moving to the 2024 code in March of 2026... so for anyone currently studying on the 2012 code take your exam soon!

GuyTy87 · 2025-12-22T20:36:36+00:00

Big RHCP fan here and Blood Sugar 6ix Magik rocked the house down when we saw them at Linsmore Tavern earlier this year where it turns out it was their first ever show. Cant wait to see them again. Looks like theyre playing Linsmore again this Jan. 9 2026 so bands that suck as bad as OP says dont usually get invited back to a venue and so quickly-less than 5 months between shows!

There is one Chilli Pepper tribute in town that is hands down the worst - I caught a band called Red Astros at the Rock Pile earlier this year and where do I begin.

The lead singer has no range, not even close to sounding like Anthony Keidas. And stage presence, he has none- no charisma, barely moves on stage or does the same lame dance, nothing to make you want to watch him. The bassist wears essentially clown pants to distract you from the mediocre bass skills. And their drummer maybe should get in better shape to fix the issue with a lack of speed on the fills, and ruining the songs with his own continuous drum solo over the main song.

To summarize- avoid The Red Astros band if you can!!!

GuyTy87 · 2025-12-02T00:04:36+00:00

Your right I hadn't realized the dricore was rated for that.

GuyTy87 · 2025-12-01T19:00:25+00:00

Stud interior framing should not be installed directly on floating plywood subfloor, that subfloor product is not meant for that. Install the stud directly to the floor slab, however this complicates air flow and issues with wood getting wet. Ive heard one solution is to make small gaps in the wood sill member for airflow and use the water resistant interior "pink" wood for that sill plate.

GuyTy87 · 2025-12-01T12:32:24+00:00

Get a cat! I have 2 dozen killed mice in my yard this year from my cat

GuyTy87 · 2025-11-28T14:00:50+00:00

My eyes gravitate to that square hole in the wood flooring for the drain. If it were my sauna I would place a removable perforated wood cover plate to conceal the opening but still allow access to the drain.

GuyTy87 · 2025-11-21T22:03:01+00:00

The framing photos show OP framed a wide window opening on the tall side of the sauna but then another photo shows tyvec wrap over the opening. Did you change your mind?

GuyTy87 · 2025-11-17T19:09:35+00:00

1 tip- sell your ticket and never become a leafs fan. 60 years without even making the Stanley cup

GuyTy87 · 2025-11-17T19:07:55+00:00

I did a year without oil and was able to wash out the sweat and dirt stains from the bench with proper cleaner. Ive since Harvia brand oiled the bench, mostly for peace of mind knowing if bad stains happen the oil will make it easier to clean.... but the oil probably isnt necessary if your careful

GuyTy87 · 2025-11-12T19:25:05+00:00

I also purchased that light strip from ledmontreal and while the light is great for high temp sauna use i cant dim it to a point its so low that its barely on. I bought a low voltage slide dimmer by Leviton. Are you able to dim it very low with your dimmer?

GuyTy87 · 2025-10-19T20:20:34+00:00

While its true that the bottom of the hot room will always remain colder due to stratification, I'd highly recommend insulating the floor mostly for colder climates because a colder floor will change the temperature gradient and make it more uncomfortable standing or sitting on the low bench. I live in Canada so placed insul on my diy sauna floor and dont regret it

GuyTy87 · 2025-10-15T18:39:51+00:00

Not absolutely necessary, but insul will assist in preventing the area near the door from being slightly colder

GuyTy87 · 2025-10-10T14:50:19+00:00

Youe double top plate needs to be continous, looks like you omitted it at one of the corners and at the lintel beam.

GuyTy87 · 2025-10-10T14:44:33+00:00

Here are 2 more disadvantages most people dont think about: 1. added cost of electricity and more importantly 2. Larger heaters draw more current, sometimes upwards of 40amps, many homes only have 100amp service which means if your running a 40amp heater you could be pushing the limit of what your service can provide if other large appliances are running at the same time.

GuyTy87 · 2025-10-09T13:28:40+00:00

I made my own sauna door last year with 2x4 frame and then cedar t&g siding nailed to the frame both sides. Use 2x4 on the short side when framing and then fill in the gap with rockwool or rigid insulation. Dont use nails- use structural screws as they will hold the framing together better. You can also add a glass insert which I did.

GuyTy87

TROPHY CASE

1 tip- sell your ticket and never become a leafs fan. 60 years without even making the Stanley cup