Material reference
Material profiles
Every timber behaves differently in heat and moisture. These reference profiles cover thermal behaviour, resin, moisture resistance and whether a material belongs on the cladding, the lining or the benches.
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Alder
Benches, backrests and trim where a warm, smooth contact surface is wanted
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Aspen
Benches and backrests where a cool, resin-free contact surface is essential
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Black Metal Cladding
Exterior rainscreen and roofing on modern, black-clad saunas
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Concrete
Slab foundations, floors and, occasionally, exposed structural walls
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Eastern White Cedar
Exterior cladding and interior lining, common on Canadian outdoor saunas
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Hemlock
Interior lining and, in clear grades, benches, on mid-range saunas
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Pine
Economical framing, cladding and, in stacked form, log-sauna walls
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Spruce
Cost-effective interior lining and framing, common on off-grid and budget builds
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Stone
Heater stones, hearths, feature walls and floors
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Tempered Glass
Glazed walls, doors and panoramic fronts on modern and glass saunas
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Thermowood
Exterior cladding and interior lining where stability and dark tones are wanted
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Tile
Wet-zone floors, shower areas and splash-prone surfaces
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Western Red Cedar
Interior lining, exterior cladding and benches in premium outdoor saunas
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How material choice shapes an outdoor sauna
No single decision affects an outdoor sauna as broadly as its materials. The timber on the outside has to survive weather, sun and freeze-thaw; the lining on the inside has to stay stable and comfortable at high heat and humidity; and the benches — the surfaces you actually touch — must stay cool and resin-free against bare skin. A material that is perfect in one of those roles can be wrong in another, which is why the archive profiles each one by where it belongs: cladding, lining or bench.
The classic premium choice is cedar — both western red and eastern white — prized for being stable, rot-resistant and low in resin. Thermowood offers exceptional dimensional stability and a modern dark tone, while economical spruce and pine suit budget and log builds. For benches, resin-free aspen and alder stay cool to the touch.
Timber, glass, stone and the rest
Beyond wood, an outdoor sauna draws on a wider palette. Tempered glass opens the room to a view at the cost of efficiency; black metal cladding gives a durable, modern exterior; and stone, concrete and tile handle the heater, the foundation and the wet zones respectively. Each profile below sets out a material’s thermal behaviour, resin level, moisture resistance and maintenance so you can match it to its right role — and to your climate.