The Best Wood for Saunas 

Since you now know that having a traditionnal sauna at home will help bring you massive health benefits, it’s time to discuss the right wood to choose for your unit. Choosing the right type of sauna wood is absolutely a vital step if you want your investment to last for a long time.

As a future home sauna user, the type of wood you choose for your sauna will determine the durability, the style, the texture, the longevity and even the atmosphere of each session. If you want your sauna to last you a lifetime, make sure to keep on reading as we will discuss some of the best sauna wood types available this year.

Key Takeaways – Choosing the Best Wood for Your Sauna

Selecting the right sauna wood is essential to ensure durability, comfort, and a healthy environment. Here's what matters most:

• Softwoods like cedar, basswood, and thermo-spruce offer ideal heat resistance, low resin, and consistent comfort.
  
  
• Hypoallergenic woods such as aspen, alder, and poplar are perfect for sensitive users looking for a toxin-free sauna experience.
  
  
• For outdoor builds, thermowood and cedar stand out for their weather resistance and long-term structural stability.

Why Sauna Wood Selection Matters

The choice of wood in a sauna is far more than an aesthetic decision. It’s a matter of safety, longevity, and overall experience. From how the heat radiates to how your skin reacts, each wood type has its own properties.

The Role of Wood in Sauna Performance and Experience

The wood used in sauna construction plays a central role in defining your wellness. From how the heat is absorbed and retained to how the surfaces feel against your skin and the aromatic essence released into the air, your choice of wood shapes everything.

Health, Aesthetics, and Longevity: What’s at Stake

Beyond comfort, the right sauna materials ensure a safe and healthy environment. Some woods release toxins or resin when exposed to high heat. Others may warp or degrade over time. Choosing quality wood means preserving your sauna walls, bench, and panelling for decades while enjoying a clean, non-toxic space aligned with your wellness goals.

Key Criteria in Evaluating a Wood Type for Sauna Use

When selecting which type of wood to use in a sauna, consider the following points:

• Thermal resistance and low conductivity
• Absence of resin
• Hypoallergenic properties
• Aromatic qualities (when desirable)
• Visual appeal for enhanced sauna design
• Sourcing and sustainability, ideally from European or Scandinavian forests

Overview of the Main Sauna Wood Types

Different types of wood are excellent choices that bring unique qualities to the atmosphere, comfort, and performance of a sauna. Whether you're drawn to the pleasant aroma of cedar or the soft, hypoallergenic surface of basswood, your choice of material can transform your entire sauna experience. Let’s explore the most commonly used and reliable sauna wood types, categorized by performance and user needs.

Premium & Popular Sauna Woods

Among the many materials available, some stand out as popular choices for sauna construction, combining beauty, durability, and an authentic Nordic feel.

Thermowood for Optimal Durability 

Thermowood is not a species of wood per se, but it is defined as a process in which a certain type of wood is exposed to a high temperature (between 180 °C and 230 °C) in a low-oxygen environment for over 30 minutes to 1 hour using water and steam ONLY. 

Thermowood is a process originating from Finland in the 1990s and has been practiced using mostly spruce (Picea abies) and pine, as these species are some of the most common in the Scandinavian region of Europe. 

Heating wood within this temperature range results in chemical modifications to the structure of the cell walls of the material: degradation of the hemicelluloses, which have hydrophilic properties, and crosslinking of the lignins, meaning that chemical bonds form between molecules. The crystal structure of the cellulose could also be changed. These modifications of the chemical components of the wood affect its physical and mechanical properties.

Cedar Is Almost Always a Great Choice 

Used for both traditional and infrared saunas, cedar is a superb choice because of its natural resistance to moisture and temperature changes. Cedar wood saunas do not expand or contract as much as those made from other woods when the temperature fluctuates, which makes cedar great both for indoor and outdoor applications. Furthermore, the natural essential oil present in this wood smells amazing and has antibacterial properties.

Like Thermowood, cedar is especially prized for outdoor models such as outdoor barrel saunas and cabin saunas. Its robustness and ability to withstand harsh weather year after year with little degradation makes it hands-down a top 3 pick when it comes to sauna construction.

Although quite rare, some people have a natural sensitivity to cedar wood, which gives them a runny nose, itching, and flu-like symptoms. If that is your case, we would recommend other alternatives such as spruce, pine, basswood, aspen, hemlock, or eucalyptus. 

Eucalyptus: A More Scarce but Interesting Option

Although quite rare, another strong and durable wood option is eucalyptus wood. Historically, eucalyptus has been used in cabinetry.

This premium wood is similar to teak in many regards but is slightly cheaper. 

Hypoallergenic Sauna Woods

Several hypoallergenic wood types offer a clean, toxin-free environment without compromising on comfort, design, or durability.

Basswood: The Sensitive Skin Champion

For individuals with sensitive skin, basswood is a premium choice. Its light brown colour coupled with its hypoallergenic qualities and soft texture make basswood a tremendously durable and affordable wood option.

Basswood does not emit any fragrances or toxins and rarely contains knots, which makes it very soft to touch. Classified as a hardwood, it is unlikely to bend or warp over time, making it a great choice for both residential and commercial uses.

One of the upsides of choosing basswood over other woods is its affordability. Some of our best infrared saunas are made out of basswood. I personally recommend all models made by Clearlight Infrared.

Aspen: Clean, Smooth, and Resin-Free

Another outstanding hypoallergenic wood is aspen. Like basswood, it is odourless, contains no resin, and has a low heat conductivity, making it safe and comfortable for high heat exposure. Aspen is also known for its pale, neutral tone, which contributes to a minimalist and serene sauna aesthetic, perfect for users looking to create a calming, spa-like space at home.

Thanks to its resistance to splintering and its soft finish, aspen is particularly suitable for interior cladding and sauna benches.

Alder: Understated Elegance and Stability

Often overlooked, alder wood combines hypoallergenic qualities with a subtle elegance. It offers a soft, uniform grain and a warm, reddish hue that deepens with time and heat exposure. While not as common as cedar or spruce, alder performs exceptionally well in indoor sauna installations, providing both dimensional stability and a pleasant, non-intrusive feel.

Alder is also low in resin and scent, making it an excellent alternative for users with sensitivities to more aromatic woods.

Poplar: Affordable and Gentle on the Skin

Poplar is a light, neutral-toned wood that shares many of the benefits of basswood and aspen. It is soft, smooth, low-allergen, and widely available. Though slightly less durable than some premium woods, it still offers reliable performance for sauna walls and interior finishes when properly maintained.

Its affordability and comfort make it a popular choice for entry-level saunas, particularly in infrared cabins where thermal demands are more moderate.

Performance Considerations: Durability, Heat, and Usability

If you’ve ever climbed inside a hot vehicle and been slightly burned by leather seats, you’ve surely noticed the importance of material when it comes to comfort. Similarly, saunas need a wood that remains comfortable to the touch even at high heat. 

Each wood type responds differently to these conditions, affecting the overall quality, comfort, and durability of your sauna materials. Let’s take a closer look at how performance varies across species.

Heat Tolerance and Dimensional Stability

In terms of practical woods to use, heat absorption is key. The wood for your sauna should be able to absorb the heat from the sauna without overheating. It’s important to find a softwood that can soak up steam and deal with heat absorption without any type of long-term damage.

Eucalyptus, basswood, cedar, and even thermo-spruce are some of the best types of softwood for long-lasting saunas. There’s nothing worse than a beautiful sauna that isn’t heat-resistant and won’t stand the test of time. Buying a sauna that will warp or rot will certainly be a major disappointment for those invested in long-term health benefits.

In addition to absorption, it’s also important for the sauna to be affordable. Some types of wood are far more expensive than others.

As such, many people consider saunas to be luxury items, but this often depends on the type of wood used. Saunas can be affordable for those who use the right type of material.

Another crucial issue to consider is the sturdiness of the wood. Since you can’t afford to take a chance on a flimsy sauna, it’s important to find a sturdy softwood. This also means finding a well-built frame so that the sauna can be used day after day without worry.

Moisture Resistance and Lifespan Across Wood Types

Moisture is the silent enemy of every sauna. A quality sauna wood must resist absorbing too much moisture or else risk mold, warping, and structural degradation. This is especially critical for infrared sauna panels, flooring, and exterior installations.

Once again, thermowood comes out on top here. Thanks to its heat treatment process, its cell structure becomes more stable and hydrophobic, meaning that it absorbs less water and retains its shape and colour longer. Cedar naturally contains oils that make it resistant to humidity, insects, and decay.

In contrast, untreated softwoods or poorly maintained hardwoods may suffer from water retention and show signs of wear much faster. The lifespan of your sauna is directly tied to how well your chosen wood performs under these humid, high-stress conditions.

Whether you’re designing an indoor haven or an outdoor retreat, moisture management starts with the right sauna wood—one that breathes with the heat without breaking down.

Why Choose Northern Saunas for Your Sauna Wood Needs?

At Northern Saunas, we believe that crafting the perfect sauna starts with selecting the finest wood—not just for performance, but for creating a truly restorative experience. Our catalogue features a refined selection of high-performance woods, each chosen for its comfort, resilience, and suitability for sauna environments. Inspired by Scandinavian craftsmanship, we design each sauna with attention to detail, from the panelling and benches to the final finish, to ensure a space that is both functional and timeless. Whether you're designing a compact indoor retreat or an expansive outdoor barrel model, our goal is to provide materials and guidance that support your wellness journey through thoughtful design and long-lasting performance. All of our products reflect our commitment to quality, longevity, and an elevated sauna experience.

FAQ – Common Questions About Sauna Wood

Even after selecting a wood type to build a sauna, many questions remain. Here are answers to some of the most common questions surrounding sauna wood types.

How does the thermal process improve wood for saunas?

Following the results of the work carried out within the framework of various research projects conducted at the VTT laboratories in Finland, the FCBA in France, and FPlnnovations in Quebec, Canada, among other places, the main advantages of thermally modified wood compared to unmodified wood can be summarized as follows:

• Improved dimensional stability of the wood
• Increased resistance to fungal degradation
• New attractive wood colours following treatment 
• No reduction in elasticity following treatment
• Slight improvement in wood hardness

What’s the difference between softwood and hardwood when it comes to sauna construction?

Softwoods such as cedar or hemlock are the best woods for a sauna because they stay cool to the touch, resist warping, offer a uniform texture, and emit minimal resin. While denser, hardwoods often overheat and can release unwanted odours, making them less suitable for comfortable, long-term sauna use.

Indoor vs. outdoor sauna wood: what to choose?

For the most part, the health benefits of an indoor sauna versus an outdoor sauna are essentially the same. Instead, the choice of indoor versus outdoor depends more on the owner, their preferences, and the available space, time, and budget.

What size sauna should I choose for my space?

When it comes to size, you want to make sure that you have enough space to move or lie down comfortably. Being in the sauna should be relaxing; you should feel at ease and safe, not claustrophobic. Of course, everyone has a limited amount of space available within their house or in their backyard, so sometimes a little sacrifice in comfort is needed to be able to enjoy a good sauna session on a daily basis.

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Keep it sweaty  !

Gabriel from Northern Saunas