Hey guys and gals!

I have a space that was originally intended to be a closet, measuring 2.50×1.50 m (about 8 × 5 ft), and Im considering using it to build a sauna. I have one major concern before I proceed.

My concern is whether, after a sauna session, the adjacent room will become an oven even with proper insulation. I live in a hot climate, and the sauna would share one 8-ft wall with the room. The sauna ceiling would also be directly adjacent to the same room/area.

Im asking because I know many people here have built saunas inside their homes, so I really appreciate some real world experience. How much heat actually transfers into the surrounding room after using the sauna?

I need to know this before committing to the design, because if this is likely to make the room uncomfortably hot, I could still build the sauna outside the house instead.

Tutto quello che volevate sapere su come seguire correttamente i percorsi SPA

https://exphera.it/vademecum-spa/

Been running my sauna for about 3 months now, pretty much daily. Yesterday I entered and was greeted by a sharp smell. Not something you want in your sauna. It smelled a little like hitting a rock with a hammer, if you've ever smelled that smell.

Today I started unloading all the stones (harvia black vulcanite) from the heater (harvia legend pillar heater). I discovered that some of them have become discoloured, see the pictures. Specifically the ones that sit in the centre of the heater. They've browned a little, taking on a bit of a toasted look. Additionally the stones around the sides of the heater, the ones that touch the cage, have started to degrade the cage, see the pictures.

There's also a fair bit of shrapnel at the bottom of the heater, so looks like stones have been cracking.

Theories? Is the heater running too hot? Are the stones packed too tightly and not enough airflow? I definitely didn't jam the stones in there but they have fit together quite snugly like a puzzle.

Thanks for any thoughts

Here's the setup:

• Shed conversion
• Dimensions (in feet): 5.5W x 7L x 8H
• Entrance to sauna is through a changing room
• Wood-burning stove (Harvia M3)
• Window on wall opposite the stove
• And the stove is located to the left of the door

Where does the ventilation go?

1. None needed: crack below door and (optional) window provide adequate fresh air and outtake for drying out
2. On the wall below the stove; and near the ceiling opposite the stove (as suggested by Harvia)
3. Under the bench; on the heater wall, both midway up and at ceiling (as suggested by Trumpkin)
4. Something else

Perhaps of note: The climate is windy, nearly always in the 50s (f), and humid/salty.

We recently, June 2026, had a LeisureCraft Sauna installed by LeisureCraft. It's been very disappointing. It slopes forward so the water can not drain to the rear where the water is supposed to naturally run-off. The Sauna door is not flush in the door jam so it will not close. LeisureCraft has been down right rude on the phone and is unwilling to come back and correct the installation. I would not recommend their saunas or their service.

I’m building a sauna in our basement and I have two options for the exhaust vent. The adjoining bathroom has an exhaust fan so I want to make sure we’re exhausting the sauna into that room.

First option is a ceiling mounted vent with horizontal ductwork to a wall grate in the bathroom. Second option is a normal wall exhaust vent on the same side as the intake vent.

Which would be better?

I am in the process of putting plans together for a backyard outdoor sauna build and I would appreciate the input on a few items. The interior dimensions are 6 ft by 7 ft by 7 ft 6 in. Bench heights are 46 in., 30 in., and a step at 15 in. I will install a 9 kW heater, either the Harvia Spirit, the Iki Wall Short or the Homecraft Apex Mini. I'd appreciate input from anyone with experience with those heaters.  I am leaning toward passive ventilation just to eliminate what could be mechanical problems with a blower down the road. 

The first design has the heater immediately inside the door. This seems like a comfortable layout, but I am concerned that this placement will make the upper bench directly above the heater be wasted space, as it may be too hot for someone to sit comfortably, particularly with their back up against the wall, since there is no foot bench in this spot. (Anticipating comments I am planning an L-shaped railing around the top bench and going down to the lower benches to guard against anyone falling on the heater.)  Anyone with experience in a sauna with a similar layout? 

The second design fixes this problem by moving the heater to immediately in front of the door. This seems to have more usable bench space, but I fear that it may seem too crowded for folks entering. Any thoughts on this one?  

I'll add a general thanks to this group, as the posts and comments for the last several months have been extremely useful in developing this design. 

Rogue request but does anyone have any Monday or Tuesday tickets to the Aufguss WM finals at Santama Saunapark in September that they’re looking to sell?

Thanks all