The Correct Way to Sauna (in our opinion)

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After building this woodfired DIY sauna at our lakefront vacant land, we are finally able to use it. It’s winter and the lake is frozen so we cut a hole in the ice for a cold plunge. We share some tips on how to have an authentic Finnish sauna (in our opinion). From Pouring water on the sauna stove to grilling European wieners on the rocks, we hope these tips inspire you to Sauna.

[@mdec2464]

Hi Jonathan, I am genuinely surprised by the modest number of followers you currently have. The manner in which you capture your filming subjects, your captivating voice, and your overall presence exude the qualities necessary for a successful KZbin channel. I recommend exploring the idea of curating a compilation of your videos showcasing the process of building a sauna. This particular content has a proven track record of resonating deeply within the KZbin community.

[@JonathanKuhn]

This is such a kind and encouraging comment. thank you for your encouragement

[@Newmodel100]

I was thinking the same exact thing. I just went through your entire sauna journey. Fantastic!! Keep up the great work.

[@TeppoHaapoja]

I love how much of an honorary Finn you are 💪

[@scottbrockopp6819]

"You have never felt fresher than after washing in a sauna" ... No lie! After a lifetime of at-the-lake, Finnish-influenced experience, this is one of the best things in my life.

[@mantelikukkapenkki2368]

As a Finn who has built saunas for a living over 30 years, you have done a great job. Only things that are missing are spark protection sheet in front of the stove and fire protection boards for the walls behind the stove. Well done and greetings from Finland 👍

[@JonathanKuhn]

Thanks so much! A Finn family member also mentioned the spark protection sheet on the floor 😀. I installed a Harvia heat shield around the kiuas and it seems to do the trick

[@ryanosinski6115]

Looks like the top of the rocks are above the foot rest. Isn’t that taboo? Prevents a good Löyly bc there’s a big temp difference between the feet and the head.

[@JonathanKuhn]

Yeah @ryanosinski6115 I think it breaks one of the “laws of Löyly” people like to mention. A lot of saunas I’ve been in have a foot rest by the stove for this. I haven’t experienced a big temperature difference from feet to head in our sauna. Good ventilation goes a long way for Löyly. This sauna feels worlds different from a barrel or other design where the stones are basically chest level and feet are on the floor. The top benches are wide and we often have our feet up or we are lying down anyways. We don’t stay static in our sauna sessions and sit or lie in a different part of the sauna almost every session. I think it’s good to be aware of the sauna design “rules” and their intent but a good sauna doesn’t need to follow these to a key. It’s just good to be aware of why that suggestion is made and choose what’s most important within your design constraints and because there are almost always design constraints.

[@chrisnuttall-smith1385]

Loved this series, learned a ton, great inspiration for an upcoming off-grid Ontario sauna project of my own. Thank you!

[@emilydegenova8271]

“Hot dog essential oil” 😂😂 the pure humor of that must not be overlooked

[@justinpeterdebeer]

I watched the whole build. You did an amazing job. The sauna looks beautiful inside and out. Love the hats!

[@saunabrothers]

Dope video man!

[@kjlahti782]

Love the felt hats! I grew up being "washed" ok scrubbed clean in sauna with loofa sponge. And all your skin was fresh, new clean skin after leaving sauna!. I love the windows and the siding you selected.

[@JonathanKuhn]

Thanks! I agree that it’s the greatest soft skin feel. We have some scrub mitts too for scrubbing 😀

[@yosemitebandit]

amazing

[@tychonius]

I am super jealous of your patch of lovely land and your variety of temperatures. You should definitely make a place to sleep. (Use an inflatable form concrete dome like the teletubbies did). Winter hot tubs and European weenies are awesome!

[@JonathanKuhn]

😀. The concrete dome would be so cool.

[@danielclarke02]

Great video, awesome edits. Keep it up! Cheers

[@JonathanKuhn]

Thanks!

[@tiituspee]

lost tradition wich is super awesome is having one finnish style "pickle" after the sauna. The salt in it helps with salt your body is lost while sweating. and it tastes so good.

[@JonathanKuhn]

So cool! I definitely want to try. Now I have to find or make Finnish style pickles 😀

[@thudang3039]

This is awesome and though we're not quite at the point of building our own, this definitely makes me think about what/how we're going to do for ours... =)

[@mjewels3]

Love the build and the videos! Can you share what mats/towels you use in the sauna? They look perfect!

[@JonathanKuhn]

I’m not sure what they are called but they are just a woven floor mat from ikea. That have been pretty great.

[@ymyone]

Fantastic video guys, just one tip. They often place a small branch with some leaves( near the hole) so it makes the hole easier to see and to warn others that there may be a hole in the ice, just a tip for you.

[@JonathanKuhn]

I totally agree. We usually place some sticks and stuff out of the ice or snow to show there is a hole there.

[@dmercier6437]

Not sure I can do this. I don't like being that extremely hot but I've heard it's really good for you! This was a fun watch!

[@robertlane6675]

I bought a sauna hat off of Ebay, best purchase ever.

[@AndreasDuessca]

We go to a Georgian Banja in Etobicoke. Two wood-fired banjas, two electric-heated saunas, steam room, the lot. Definetely hot enough, as it's mostly old Russian/Ukrainian/Georgian/Turkish men in there. Sauna hats are a necessity if you don't want your brain to melt. I am definitely thinking about building a sauna at our cabin, but there are a few other projects first in line.

[@vitalijusstonys]

Happy 150 times Hot Dog cooking! So happy for you guys! Great vibes! My Huum Drop heater is finally on the wall… soon, very soon… 🙏

[@JonathanKuhn]

Haha thanks! Glad to hear about your Huum stove! It’s so tempting to try the sauna before it’s done isn’t it?

[@tychonius]

Nice lake-to-bucket transition. I like your felt hats.

[@JonathanKuhn]

The transition was Katriina’s Idea 😀

[@jessesenko]

I like you already, 30 secs in, mostly because we have matching sun-faded Canadian Tire plastic buckets.

[@JonathanKuhn]

😆. 5 gallon pail marketing is the most underrated form of advertising.

[@matthewdoremus4469]

Hi Jonathan, Thanks a bunch for walking us through how you all are sauna-ing! Looks like you nailed it! Getting ready to build our own this year. Could you give a ballpark number on your total materials for this build? Also, wondering if you are happy with the stove you selected? Thanks in advance

[@JonathanKuhn]

Hi Matthew. I don’t have a number on the material but it’s somewhere around $20k CAD for everything I’d guess. We are very happy with the stove! It heats berry quickly and efficiently. And it looks good I think!

[@user-fk6ye2ur2t]

Beautiful sauna, man! Is it Nordic Spa near Halifax, Nova Scotia that you mentioned? I live near it. Anyway, do you happen to have plans for the build? I'm super inspired by you

[@JonathanKuhn]

Hey. Not near Halifax no. Ontario. I do have basic framing plans in my framing video but no in depth ones.

[@kyleb3435]

need to dig a hole for water while walking over snow? lol this a great build that I'm super envious of. Enjoy

[@JonathanKuhn]

😅 the snow huuuuurts though.

[@lauriekline8655]

We,are going to Nordik on Monday.

[@JonathanKuhn]

Nice! Weekdays are nice there! The MAA sauna is our favourite if there’s no one around. It’s usually decently hot and I’ve heard it’s easy to sneak in water to pour on the stove 🤫

[@gregnapier]

hey Jon! just wondering who you got your T&G aspen from? i'm also in canada but having a hard time sourcing it out. thanks! love your vids!

[@JonathanKuhn]

Hey! I got the Aspen in Montreal from Sauna.ca

[@perfectcutz4130]

How has this not had more views! Great videos man. Also roughly how much do you pay for the entire build please?

[@JonathanKuhn]

I appreciate the compliment! Roughly maybe $15-20k CAD I’d say. Premium 2021 pricing though…

[@perfectcutz4130]

@@JonathanKuhn thanks for that that

[@chandragray8186]

How does washing in the sauna work, what happens to the water that gets on the floor. I would love to build an off grid sauna but I am also wanting care for the land. So I don’t want any harsh soaps going into the soil. Do you need to have a septic tank for it?

[@JonathanKuhn]

We are of the same kind. We don’t use any harsh soaps and stick to the most natural stuff we can find. The water runs down a drain into a class 2 grey water pit that is overbuilt for this application.

[@scottmcdonald1819]

Did you guys look at the huum stove?

[@JonathanKuhn]

Yeah we did briefly. They look beautiful but there was a few reasons we skipped them. No built in water tank was #1, heat output is 17kw from the biggest stove and it’s almost 2x the price of our 26kw stove.

[@juliusa9425]

Hi! I live in Ontario, where did you source the aspen t&g for this sauna project??

[@JonathanKuhn]

Sauna.ca

[@hatleysx6]

Electric vs wood, I understand because of location wood is required for this build, but are there advantages besides connivence of electric or does wood have advantages? Your build is amazing. I am building a small sauna in a room off our garage and have an ice bath right next it, so it will be a smaller version of yours. I am definitely looking to resource Aspen now, what wood did you use for the framing of your benches? Thank you for these videos!

[@JonathanKuhn]

Hey. I prefer the feel and heat from a wood fired sauna and many agree with me. There are certainly more challenges with building a wood burning sauna though like chimney, clearances, home insurance. I think a small sauna room off your garage could be either really and be good. The benches were just framed with regular dimensional spf lumber. I have a whole video dedicated to just the benches

[@hatleysx6]

@@JonathanKuhn thank you!

[@rosedespoina]

In Finland a wood sauna is considered way better than an electric one, obviously apartments have electric saunas, but that's just cause wood isn't an option. Usually the wood saunas have better ventilation and the löyly is softer = nicer :) Also electric ones can be very dry

[@thatDIYlife]

Patiently waiting for an invite

[@MudPig6110]

How hot does the sauna get too? Also how long does it take to get up to 180 degrees? I'm debating on whether doing a electric sauna stove or a wood burning. I see from a lot of people that the heat and steam off a wood fired sauna is a lot more gentle on the skin and is a better experience.

[@JonathanKuhn]

The sauna gets as hot as we want it really. Easily gets up to 100 Celsius. It gets to 85c in about 30 minutes. A wood fired sauna is a little more work but more of a true sauna experience in my opinion. Electric is great if there are code requirements for it or if you sauna every day and want the convenience of wifi control and simplicity. I haven’t been in many electric saunas but I can say that the steam from Thai wood fired one is quite pleasant.

[@AndreasDuessca]

I find that the heat from a wood stove is much gentler. If I walk into an electric sauna, I can feel it immediately.

[@gregburns6636]

What type of nailer did you use to attach the interior cedar to the walls of the sauna? 16 or 18 gauge brad nails? Pin nailer? Finish nailer?

[@JonathanKuhn]

I used stainless 16 gauge finish nails in a paslode angled finish nailer. I have another video about putting up the interior cladding :)

[@jonsotirakopulos4390]

Where were the tips in this video

[@victorybeginsinthegarden]

Why not just use snow? Lol

[@user-wc8od1eu9b]

Great build series and appreciate the insight. Only thing I found offensive was your comment about Finn’s inventing saunas when you live on Native land, and saunas already existed here prior to settlers arriving.

[@JonathanKuhn]

I appreciate you. It seems like most cultures have had their own version of sauna or bath forever and it’s so interesting. I’m sure my “Finnish” sauna is pretty different from the ones the Finns made 2000 years ago anyways ha.