20 Home Saunas That are Out of this World

Saunas, also referred to as steam rooms, are small enclosed rooms that release a high level of hot steam. Ultimately, the steam creates a very high humidity in the room which has positive effects on your body. Your heart rate will increase, your body starts to sweat, which helps to rid itself of lots of impurities it builds up in your system. Many people find relaxing in a sauna enjoyable, especially after a good workout. More than that, many people love having a sauna in their own home without having to drive to a spa or gym to use one. You can have a stunning sauna in your own home and start enjoying all the benefits a sauna has to offer, plus you could be adding value to your home if you decide to sell it. Here’s more on in-home saunas, so keep reading.

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Types of saunas

There a couple of different types of saunas and depending on your preference, you can have either installed in your home. To familiarize yourself with the different types, here is the breakdown and benefits of both, according to Sauna Place.

Traditional steam sauna – The traditional steam sauna uses hot rocks that, as they get hotter, water is added to them to create steam in the room. The benefits of this type of sauna include:

Cardiovascular health improvement due to an increase in heart rate, (similar to cardio workout)
Increase in blood flow and better circulation due to your elevated heart rate
Weight loss (mostly water weight) due to sweating and calorie burning
Endorphins (feel-good) release due to your elevated heart rate
Respiratory wellness due to the hot moist environment. Lungs open up and loosen congestion for better breathing
Detox benefits by releasing dangerous toxins and fat-soluble toxins
Helps to rid of cellulite due to weight loss
Clears skin by opening pores for a better complexion

Infrared sauna – Infrared saunas is designed of softwood and typically doesn’t get hotter than 135 degrees. No water is needed to use this sauna. Instead of a moist room, it’s a dry heat from infrared electric panels, and many refer to it as a therapy room due to the therapeutic benefits if offers, and they are:

Helps to heal sports related injuries
Relieves tension by relaxing stiff, sore muscles
Targets specific areas of the body to help concentrate on specific pain
Helps relieve joint related pain due to arthritis
You get the benefits of heat therapy without the extreme heat of regular saunas making them more tolerable for some users

Choosing your sauna

After choosing the type of sauna you want, deciding where you put it in your home will play a role in what size sauna you want to have constructed. Some popular places homeowners have saunas installed are in a basement, a home gym area, a bathroom, a spare room, extra space off of a laundry room, a finished attic, the garage, or, you may decide on an outdoor sauna.

Outside designs

If you prefer an outdoor sauna, there are models that are designed specifically for outdoors; particularly the hut style sauna, or barrel design.

Inside designs

If you’re going for an indoor sauna, basically there are three options, according to Home Stratosphere.

Portable sauna
Pre-built
Custom

Saunas that are custom built can be designed to your specifications. If you plan to be the only one to use it, or you and or spouse, or perhaps you have an entire household of family that want to spend time in a sauna, this will determine the size of your sauna and the number of benches you need. You can create benches around the perimeter of a sauna or use some vertical space and create tiered seating. You may even prefer the benches to be designed in a more lounging position so you experience total relaxation every time you use it.

Choose the look of the interior

There are different looks for the interior of your sauna, from simple, classic slat-on-slat builds, rustic designs, modern designs, and more. You can work with your custom sauna contractor to help you decide on the aesthetics of your design details so your sauna matches your style, home decor theme, and your budget.

Costs of a sauna

How much your steam sauna will set you back depends on many factors. The factors we’re looking, according to Celebration Saunas include, the size of the sauna, labor costs to build it, the type of wood you choose to use, and the size of the heater you’ll need to heat the entire space of the sauna. The bottom line is that a custom-built steam/hot rock sauna will set you back approximately $6000-$8000. That being said, the costs of owning a home sauna don’t stop there. You must also think about the costs incurred over time for maintenance and replacement parts. For many, the benefits of owning their own sauna outweigh the costs of purchasing one and keeping up with the costs throughout the years.

For more ideas on in-home saunas, look at the following 20 home saunas that are out of this world, then get inspired to make this your next home project!