by Procraft
A well-built Western red cedar sauna that is kept dry between uses lasts for decades. Cedar resists rot on its own, so what determines its life is not really the wood, it is the build and the habits: a base that drains, ventilation that lets the room dry, and an owner who leaves the door open afterwards.
Western red cedar contains natural oils and extractives that fungus and insects avoid. That is why it is used outdoors without pressure treatment or preservatives. It is also dimensionally stable, so it does not warp and cup its way out of square over the years. Boards stay flat, joints stay tight, and the building holds together.
In nearly every case it is water that could not get away, not the wood failing.
The routine is genuinely small. Let it dry out fully after every use, keep the benches clean, leave the interior bare so it can breathe, and keep an eye on the base and the roof. That is most of it. The full routine is in how to maintain a cedar sauna.
The heater is a separate item with its own life. Ours are CSA approved and carry a 5-year limited warranty, and a heater is straightforward to replace in a sauna room that is still sound, which is the usual order of things. Rocks are a consumable and get re-stacked or topped up over time.
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.