What is the Best Sauna Wood?

While Western Red Cedar is the most popular choice for sauna wood in America, in Finland, where there are more saunas per capita than any other country, they use a variety of woods that you may prefer over cedar for their appearance and performance. SteamSaunaBath offers the widest selection of wood from Prosaunas to allow you to create a sauna room that reflects your personal taste and style.

The best and most resilient woods for saunas are thermally modified. These woods have greater dimensional stability and are much less prone to weathering with age than non-modified wood. Thermal modification involves a chemical-free, organic process that alters the timber using only heat, steam, and pressure, which modifies every fiber of the board resulting in superior rot-resistance, reduced moisture absorbency, and greater longevity.

Thermo-Aspen

Thermo-Aspen has a richer color and more prominent grain pattern than un-modified aspen for a unique and attractive visual effect. SteamSaunaBath offers Thermo-Aspen from Prosaunas, a leader and sauna wood specialist. Thermo-Aspen is an eco-friendly, all natural product that has a reduced thermal conductivity for greater comfort. Its warm color creates a luxurious and cozy sauna space. Select Thermo-Aspen for its warm appearance, durability, and dimensional stability. Ideal for sauna interiors and benching.

Aspen

Natural Aspen is an excellent sauna material because it's not too hot to the touch and doesn't secrete resin or splinter. Its light tone and smooth texture create a striking appearance and a bright and contemporary sauna room. You can also create a sophisticated effect by using Aspen with other woods to create color accents. Great for sauna interiors and benching.

Thermo-Radiata Pine

Thermo-Radiata Pine is an excellent quality wood that is cultivated throughout the world. It's a beautiful, smooth wood with a complex grain that adds a unique, luxurious appearance. It's a terrific choice for a sauna because it has no exposed knots, doesn't secrete resin, doesn't splinter, and won't overheat, making it great for sauna benches. Thermo-radiata pine is thermally modified for superior dimensional stability, durability, rot-resistance, and decreased moisture absorption. Excellent for sauna benching and exterior paneling.

Alder

Alder wood is a popular choice for saunas because it doesn't overheat and is highly water repellant. Its reddish tone and pleasant texture make it an ideal finishing material. Alder is both beautiful and hardy, so it can be used for a variety of interior features.

Western Red Cedar

Western Red Cedar is an extremely popular sauna material becsause of its traditional look and pleasant aroma, but also because of its ablity to withstand wet conditions and that it remains cool enough to sit on in the extreme heat of a sauna. Cedar can be used for sauna interiors, benching, and exterior panels.

Thermo-Spruce

Thermo-Spruce is an elegant choice for sauna surfaces. Its natural heat-treating process alters every fiber of the wood to create a more durable and dimensionally stable wood. Like other wood, Thermo-Spruce takes on a rich, darker color after being thermally treated. Thermo-Spruce is commonly combined with other wood profiles to create a unique look.

Aspen Ignite

Aspen Ignite helps elevate any sauna interior. This wood undergoes a rigorous thermal-modification treatment, which provides greater durability and rot resistance. Aspen Ignite does not secrete, splinter, or overheat - making it an ideal sauna material. Its dark color provides a striking contrast when used alongside other wood types.

Hemlock

Hemlock is cherished for its sturdiness, stability, and light appearance. This “soft” hard wood is resistant to shrinking and can withstand changing humidity levels. Hemlock's ability to provide comfort in the highest heat makes it an ideal sauna material. Hemlock has little to no aroma, making it a great addition to any sauna space.

Thermo-Magnolia

Thermo-Magnolia is prized for its elegant brown hue and smooth texture. Its low density makes this wood an excellent choice for sauna benches and cladding. The thermal modification process gives Thermo-Magnolia a darker shade and a beautiful, refined finish. This beautiful wood helps accentuate the beauty of any sauna.

Thermo-Alder

Thermo-Alder’s rich color and low risk of warping make it extremely popular in saunas. This wood undergoes a natural thermal-modification process, using only heat and steam, which improves its durability, warm appearance, and dimensional stability. Thermo-Alder is an excellent choice for regular daily use in residential and commercial saunas due to its ability to handle changing moisture levels.