Garden Sauna Care: Keeping It in Good Shape for Years

A barrel needs little care, but it needs those few things regularly. Neglect only shows after two or three seasons, and then the repair costs many times what prevention would have.

After every use

Leave the door open for a few minutes, ideally with the vent open too. The moisture has to get out; if it stays in the wood, dark patches and odour appear after a season.

Wipe down the benches if you have thrown a lot of water on the stones.

Once per season

Check the door seal and hinges. The door should close by itself.

Look at the sauna stones and replace any that have cracked.

With a wood stove, have the flue cleaned.

Check the tension of the steel bands. If gaps show between the staves, re-tighten.

Once a year

Exterior wood treatment. The most important measure, and the only one whose absence you can see with the naked eye: the wood greys, cracks and finally lets moisture through. We recommend treating the outside once a year.

Use an exterior wood stain with UV protection and apply it to dry wood, on a warm day with no rain forecast for the next 48 hours. Two thin coats work better than one thick one.

What not to do

Clean the inside with harsh cleaners: the smell stays in the wood for months.

Varnish the inside: the varnish cracks and gives off fumes.

Cover the sauna tightly in winter: moisture collects under the tarpaulin.

Wash it with a pressure washer: it destroys the wood surface and drives water in.

The plan at a glance

After every use: open the door and vent for a quarter of an hour.

Once a year, in autumn: flue, stones, seal, roof, bands.

Once a year: exterior wood treatment.

All together it is one afternoon a year plus a quarter of an hour after each use. The structure comes with a 12-month warranty; the stove is covered by its manufacturer’s warranty.