Buying a Garden Sauna: Checklist of Questions to Ask
Key questions before buying a garden sauna: price with or without VAT, stove, delivery, kit or assembled, wall thickness, benches, lead time and warranty.
Read →Where Is the Best Place for a Sauna in the Garden?
You choose the position once. Moving a finished sauna costs about as much as a second delivery plus a new base, so it is worth thinking about it before delivery.
Close to the house, but not under a window
In winter every step on the way to the sauna counts. The further away it is, the less often it is used.
Directly under a bedroom window is a bad idea with a wood stove, because the smoke goes wherever the wind takes it.
A good distance is often 10–20 metres from the back door, looking out over the garden rather than at a wall.
Wind direction matters more than compass direction
Check where the wind usually comes from at your place. The flue belongs on the side facing away from the house and the patio.
Wind also affects heat loss: in an open position the sauna takes longer to heat than behind a hedge or a building.
Not under trees
Above all not under conifers. Needles and resin on the roof are a permanent nuisance, and falling branches are a real risk.
Dry ground, not a hollow
Rainwater should run away from the sauna. If the plot is flat, raise the base a few centimetres above ground level.
Path and light
A firm path: you walk out heated and barefoot, often in the dark.
Light at the entrance and a mat or step in front of the door.
Distance from the boundary and neighbours
Keep a sensible distance from the fence, especially with a wood stove. What clearances apply depends on local rules, so if in doubt ask your local council.
Smoke goes where the wind blows, not where your plot ends. A taller flue solves many problems before they arise.
The simplest step: tell the neighbour beforehand that a sauna is coming and where the flue will be.
What else to check
Can the delivery reach the spot, and do the gate, path and passages work for carrying the elements by hand from the kerb or driveway?
Where will the wood be stored, if you heat with wood? It needs a roof.
Are you planning a hot tub or a shower next to it later? Then think about space and drainage now.
