So you wanna build a sauna
Breaking down the costs of constructing a custom backyard sauna, plus a shopping list of accessories for the heat aesthete
Earlier this year, my husband and I launched into a backyard project: overhauling what I’d been affectionately calling “the Grey Gardens of the West Coast.” The goal was an outdoor room to spend time in, if you will, in place of the shaggy, wild hillscape best viewed at a distance. Our friend Anooshey Rahim of Dune Hai helped us with a planting plan and advised a light touch; the yard, which slopes up away from the house with a view of the San Francisco Bay from the topmost point, already had terraces, stone retaining walls, and a serviceable path with steps. It also had one very decrepit shed. We hadn’t been using the shed for anything much, although the neighborhood creatures certainly had. It was what we in the biz call A Teardown—but the 6x8-foot base was solid, and it gave us an idea.
I think you know where this is going. And honestly, how long could it take to build a sauna? It’s basic construction, right? Wood framing, insulation, paneling, a heat source = wellness unlocked. We talked to a woodworker to get an estimate and got started. And finally, six months later1, I’m here to tell you everything you need to know—including a tally of material costs!—if you’re curious about doing a similar project.
