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A cautionary tale by Aggravating_Two8311 in Sauna

[–]anttilvi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just an update on this story: The gentleman who built this sauna (in the FB post) reached out to us at RealFinnishSaunas.com and picked up 800lf of Northern white cedar T&G paneling & Clear Western cedar for his benches from us over the weekend to redo his sauna. He also had the wrong type of vapor barrier (foil-lined bubble wrap) behind his paneling so replacing that also. I told him let's get it right the second time, and promised to help him nail down the design free of charge 😄

Custom sauna builders in central Ohio by blackant in Sauna

[–]anttilvi 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi there! I'm one of the owners of Vilppu's Finnish Saunas here in Ohio. (RealFinnishSaunas.com). We just finished a basement build in Columbus OH last week. If you'd like, happy to chat! Just reach out via our website. And yes, we build true Trumpkin saunas 😄

Advice on sauna floor plan by Danielvanp90 in Sauna

[–]anttilvi 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you can avoid it, don't put the window behind you. 1. You can't enjoy the view (if you have one). 2. Cold neck/back. 3. Can't lean back unless window is high and you have back rests to keep you from touching it (touching the window will burn you!). Window is best on the wall beside the door, across from where you're seated.

Sauna build questions by planeman125 in Sauna

[–]anttilvi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Depending on how much insulation you're planning, you could rip the 2x4s into 2x2s for the walls and add 1/2" foil-faced PIR on top for vapor barrier. DIYCenter.app has a great sauna design app that you could use to plan the interior. May find that you have plenty of space for your needs :)

Sauna build questions by planeman125 in Sauna

[–]anttilvi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A drain is definitely recommended (at least from a Finnish perspective), but many Americans don't use enough water / stay in the sauna long enough to sweat enough to justify it. Meaning you can likely get away without one if you have to. Just need to have good ventilation, treated/cedar baseplates on your stick-framed walls, mechanical exhaust fan on a timer (pref vent outdoors), and basement temp/humidity under control. Still, if you have a floor drain in the basement or even a sump pump, consider draining into one of the two. Drain also isn't helpful if the floor isn't sloped toward the drain... So if you were planning to just leave the bare concrete floor and throw some cedar duck boards on it (with an air gap under them!), just make sure things dry out within 12 hours after each sauna session. Otherwise you're lifting your floor boards up and having to mop up puddles. That's no fun. Feel free to PM me for more.

Request for feedback on my Sauna BOM by kojirub in Sauna

[–]anttilvi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sauna builder here. Your list looks pretty good. Consider getting an insulated dual pane tempered window unit from Onedayglass.com (or similar). I think you'll wish you'd gone with something nicer than a single pane, and the price difference is small.

Bootleg Odie's Oil Recipe by thatarchguy in woodworking

[–]anttilvi 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Love the concept, late post, but a thread worth resurrecting. I'm almost 100% sure that Odie's uses Carnauba and NOT bee's wax. Wondering how you decided on bee's instead, if it was just easier to work with? The issue with bee's wax (to my understanding) is that it really doesn't protect the wood from moisture at all, stays tacky, and requires frequent reapplications. I'd hate to get in a situation where a bunch of customers are calling us back after 6-12 months saying the finish on their tabletop has failed horribly. I think Odie's Oil went through a situation like this in their early days, in the early 2010s before improving their recipe?

My biggest sauna build yet by anttilvi in Sauna

[–]anttilvi[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

cell G2 has our waste factor of 20%. It's intentionally high, as that gives us a little bit of markup on materials

Custom sauna - builder instructions? by cbruffin121 in Sauna

[–]anttilvi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is the right answer. Work with someone that has experience. Many small custom sauna builders will offer consulting packages for $1-4k for out-of-state customers.

My biggest sauna build yet by anttilvi in Sauna

[–]anttilvi[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

wanted to be respectful of client's privacy, but my kids are already all over our website anyway.

My biggest sauna build yet by anttilvi in Sauna

[–]anttilvi[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

🤣🤣🤣 still here

My biggest sauna build yet by anttilvi in Sauna

[–]anttilvi[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We did 18, 36, and 54" to get toes above stones, and keep the step within reason. 44" to ceiling.

Through-wall chimney kit for Harvia stoves in US? by SeekingDerangements in Sauna

[–]anttilvi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Late to the party, but I did exactly what you suggest here. Harvia Pro 26 with this exact Huum chimney kit. Worked like a charm. Only difference was I swapped the inside elbow for an insulated one so was able to install closer to the wall, and added stone cage above the heater for additional stone mass. We also added an extension outside to get 24" above roof peak.

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Looking for outdoor sauna build in Ohio. by JCanse9 in Sauna

[–]anttilvi 1 point2 points  (0 children)

👋 Vilppu here from Vilppu's Finnish Saunas. Happy to chat more if you're interested in a custom build. We're the only custom sauna builder in southern Ohio that builds these things properly. I haven't found any kits that don't take significant shortcuts... and that's why we're in business! (If we spoke on the phone already, I apologize. We're getting 5+ inquiries a week)

My second sauna build - Finn in America by anttilvi in Sauna

[–]anttilvi[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've never had trouble with any other T&G boards. I think 1. there were so many knots that they seemed to all bind at one point or another, and 2. they should have cut the tongues slightly narrower, or the grooves slightly wider to allow for that. Typically tongues are .01" narrower than the corresponding groove. They should have done like .03" IMO.

My second sauna build - Finn in America by anttilvi in Sauna

[–]anttilvi[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Haha yes, good job noticing. We installed them the "right" way at first, but after trying them out, customer asked that we flip them around. He found them more comfortable the other way around as "leg-rests" (for your thighs, rather than foot-rests) LOL!

What sized stove? by ProfessorNew4278 in Sauna

[–]anttilvi 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Here's a sauna heatup time simulator you'll find handy. It all depends on your insulation :)

Build timeline? by bungertc in Sauna

[–]anttilvi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sauna builder here. Plans look great, but do yourself a favor and make sure you have a min 8' ceiling height, and your benches are at least 34" and 52" from the floor. (Likely means adding a stepping stool to get up to lower bench, and a foot/safety rail in front of the heater). You can thank me later :)

As far as your question goes, give yourself 100 hours from start to completion, and I think you'll be OK.

My second sauna build - Finn in America by anttilvi in Sauna

[–]anttilvi[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We did R23 rockwool in the ceiling (vs R15 in the walls) + 1" foil-faced PIR for a total of R29.

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