Can I Install a Sauna Myself?

Much of it, yes, if you are handy. The one part you should not do yourself is the electrical connection. An electric sauna heater needs its own dedicated circuit wired by a licensed electrician to your local code. The base, the assembly and the finishing are all within reach of a competent DIY builder. The wiring is not a DIY job.

What a capable owner can usually do

• Site preparation and the base. Firm, level and well drained. See sauna foundations.
• Assembly. Putting the room together and getting it square and level.
• Benches and interior fit-out.
• Mounting the heater and loading the rocks, following the heater manual for clearances and placement.

What to hand to a professional

• The electrical connection, always. A licensed electrician sizes the wire and breaker to the heater rating and wires it to code. This is a safety matter and it is also what keeps your heater warranty valid. See sauna electrical requirements.
• Anything structural you are unsure about, including whether an existing deck can carry the load.
• Permits. Check with your municipality. Requirements vary by location and an outbuilding may need one.

Where self-builders get caught out

• Skimping on the base. The one mistake that is genuinely hard to fix later.
• Ventilation as an afterthought. Much easier to build in than to retrofit. See ventilation.
• Heater clearances. The manual gives minimum distances from benches, walls and anything that can burn. Follow them exactly.
• Wrong heater size. Work it out before you buy, using our sizing guide.
• Assuming the panel has capacity. Talk to your electrician before you order anything.

The honest recommendation

Plenty of people build their own sauna and are pleased with it. If you go that way, read the heater manual before you start, book the electrician early, and take your time on the base. If you would rather not, we install saunas regularly and you can see how that works on our installation page.

Procraft builds Western red cedar saunas and makes four CSA-approved electric sauna heaters from 4.5kW to 9kW. See the heaters, read about Western red cedar, or see how installation works.