Hi DIY
Have an old garden shed that I used originally as a dog house
But have been keeping my dogs inside my own house at night.
So was thinking of turning the old wooden garden shed into a sauna.
I have an old wood burning stove that I'm not using. So thought I'd put that in there . Some stones on top of it. Pour water on it when it's hot and boom steam .
So could use some advice.
The inside of the shed is just timber and the timber is covered by a heavy plastic sheet.
I added some pvc boards and some bit of insulation for when the dogs used to sleep there at night.
So I'm wondering do I need to insulate it to make it a sauna?
Anyone with experience doing something similar?
Here's another picture
>>1005730
>I have an old wood burning stove that I'm not using. So thought I'd put that in there . Some stones on top of it. Pour water on it when it's hot and boom steam .
Make sure you get non-porous rocks or they might explode on you.
No one wants a thousand rock shards in their face.
>So could use some advice.
>The inside of the shed is just timber and the timber is covered by a heavy plastic sheet.
Start by getting rid of the plasic, you want ventilation or the whole thing is gonna get moldy and rot very quickly.
>I added some pvc boards and some bit of insulation for when the dogs used to sleep there at night.
Rip that out too
>So I'm wondering do I need to insulate it to make it a sauna?
No
>>1005738
Hey
Thanks for the reply. Yes I did a bit if reading and saw that lava rock or else stones from a river are best.
Since the timber on the walls are basically tongue and grove. Should I maybe remove them and put them back up but leave a slight gap in between each one for air flow?
I agree with the ventilation.
People add in showers or bathrubs into bathrooms that arent built for them, and they mold very quickly.
Bathroom exhaust is pretty important, so a good ventilation fan and system would be integral to your sauna.
What kind of wall coverings are mold resistant?
>>1005740
>Since the timber on the walls are basically tongue and grove. Should I maybe remove them and put them back up but leave a slight gap in between each one for air flow?
It will probably be fine anyway, but some way for fresh air to enter down by the ground would be good.
Most old Finnish saunas have a 5-10cm gap between the floor and where the wall boards start, or the floor has gaps in them to allow air to flow up freely.
>>1005741
>a good ventilation fan
Not needed, warm air rises and vents out, fresh air enters down low
>>1005743
A way to regulate the outflow of hot air might be good too, or there might be a problem to get the heat up to begin with.
It doesn't have to be a big vent either, since the stove should provide some draft too.
>>1005742
There's a few gaps between the floor boards had planned on laying a new floor over the current floor.
As I had trouble in the past with rats and mice going underneath the shed.
So could maybe cut sone air vents on the lower parts of the walls. Put on some wire mesh on the outside and cut a bit of timber to close the vents when I have the fire burning then open then after I'm done
>>1005748
Sounds good, hope it works out ok.
So I just need to put some vents in to be able to open when not using to help it dry out.
Do I need vents up higher to let out the hot air or do I want to keep that trapped in there. I mean I think so when using it. But afterwards when not using it. Do I want to be letting out the steam etc out other vents or will I end up with condensation?
>>1005750
Usually we just leave the door open to the sauna when we are done, close it again once the worst of the steam has vented out.
>>1005757
Ok that's great to know.
So gonna lay a new floor down. Cut some vents .
Also need to build some seating. So should I make a bench thay has gaps between the timbers where you sit. Or is a normal wide bit of timber do fine.
Like do I need gaps for the sweat running off my balls haha
Only other thing is what should I coat the timber in? Would linseed oil do?
>>1005760
>Also need to build some seating. So should I make a bench thay has gaps between the timbers where you sit.
Yeah, traditionaly Aspen is used for benches
>Only other thing is what should I coat the timber in? Would linseed oil do?
I think paraffin oil, but i am not sure..
You will probably find out easily by google.
Hey I just wanted to say thank you for all the help and advice. I really appreciate the help.
Been looking online and seen some people putting up tinfoil on the walls to reflect the heat. Might just do the floor and stove. Try it out. And later on I can add new timber on the walls and so forth
>>1005771
No problem, hope it helped some.
Yeah it might be the best way to start out, if it works it's a good way to save some work and cost of materials.
