The sauna is an important space and a place for relaxation in Finnish homes and summer cottages. Are you planning to renovate or update your sauna? Grab our tips here for choosing sauna materials!
The choice of wood material for the sauna greatly affects the sauna's atmosphere, as most surfaces are paneling and benches. The sauna requires the right products and materials due to high heat and moisture fluctuations. With the right materials, you get a long-lasting and high-quality sauna that brings joy for a long time.
Black Alder
Alder is the most common and widely used sauna bench material and a popular material also for sauna panels. Its resin-free nature, even color, and pleasant scent make alder an excellent material for the sauna. Alder is a beautiful light brown material with a moderate grain pattern. Thanks to its light structure, it does not overheat, and the light color brings brightness to sauna spaces. Alder is available in more traditional STS and STP profiles, as well as livelier profiles such as as finger-jointed panels. Alder has spread across almost all of Europe and grows in Finland up to the Kemi region.
Even color, pleasant scent, and light with alder products for the sauna.
Thermally Modified Radiata Pine
Thermally modified radiata pine has a warm dark brown color and is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. The shade is darker than ordinary thermally modified pine, and the beautiful grain pattern of the wood is clearly visible. Thermal modification removes resin and improves the product's durability properties. Thermally modified radiata pine is recommended to be treated with paraffin oil, which further deepens the beautiful brown shade. Radiata pine originates from the west coast of North America and is grown in New Zealand, Australia, Chile, and South Africa.
CENT, Netrauta and a bunch of Finnish brands created a dream SPA for Sami Kurosen. Explore the entire project here link!
Radiata pine benches adorn Sami Kurosen's sauna.
Spruce
Finnish spruce is a high-quality and versatile material. Spruce withstands heat and moisture changes well, making it a good and popular product for saunas. Spruce is light, straight-grained, and a traditional choice for saunas. Especially for cold, unused cottage saunas, spruce is the most durable wood material. The resin in spruce protects the wood from moisture. Untreated spruce is recommended to be treated with sauna protection. The treatment protects the wood from dirt, makes cleaning easier, and improves durability.
Spruce panels treated in the shade Hiili.
Aspen and thermally treated aspen
Aspen is a light wood where the surface and heartwood are not clearly distinguishable. Untreated aspen is often chosen as sauna material for its light appearance and good technical properties. Aspen is almost white and evenly toned in color.
Light and spaciousness with light aspen.
Thermally treated aspen
Thermally treated aspen differs from untreated aspen both in appearance and properties. Thermal treatment modifies the wood at temperatures above 160 degrees. Thermal treatment improves the wood's resistance to rot, weather, and heat insulation properties, and reduces moisture movement. Thermally treated aspen is also recommended to be treated with paraffin oil. The treatment deepens its brown shade.
Thermally treated aspen benches and panels elegantly complete your sauna.
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