Tips for Choosing and Installing a Garden Sauna Without Complex Construction

Perhaps the thought of having a sauna in your backyard frightens you. You have a mental picture of a huge construction site: intricate groundwork, massive electricity installation and structures that drag on and on. 

Nothing could be more wrong! The garden saunas today are all about luxury and comfort and they have the simplest and fastest and least complicated installations. 

Being aware of what type of saunas can be purchased and some useful pieces of information will assist you transform what appears to be a major job into a mere enhancement of your garden in a few weeks and not a few months.

Understanding Pre-Fabricated Options

Prefabricated, sauna gardens are the simplest and simplest method of construction in which the user wants to construct something with the least intricate construction. These units are fully assembled and ready to use or in modulars that can easily be assembled without the assistance of any specialist. 

The manufacturers have developed the designs to such an extended level that you can nearly claim that you can have an installation completed in an entire day by two people who have entry DIY capabilities in that scenario, the expenses of labor and disturbance in the garden will be minimized greatly. 

The quality of pre-fabricated units is increasing tremendously each year and there are excellent models having a household feel like the custom-built ones among others. The factors that have made the simplified installation issue not to compromise on the performance and lifespan of the product are wooden construction, insulation and heaters which are of professional quality. 

Comparing your choices to make, focus on the building material and how the joining will occur instead of a developed belief that pre-fabricated models are inferior to do so because they do not need as much construction to be completed in-field. A case of especially gracefully simple design whose natural inherent strength is achieved by the curve and the efficiency of the circulation of the heat is also increased by this is barrel saunas. 

As a rule, these special units are placed on a ready-made base or trailer, and, therefore, they are supposed to be placed on the flat ground and connected to an electrical or a wood stove. The small footprint can accommodate the small garden, and the architectural element will therefore be a lovely new focus in the garden instead of a utilitarian element that must be hidden.

Assessing Your Garden’s Readiness

To buy a specific model of a sauna, it is always a good idea to first evaluate your garden area to estimate the condition of the area and determine the most convenient position where you would place the sauna before buying it. Attempt to identify places that are naturally level and which will not demand much labor or construction of retaining walls. In case the sauna is nearer to the point of supplying electricity then delivery of power will be easier. 

In case there is a path to access the delivery area that is broad enough to enable a delivery to be made without the need to tear off the fence or even the gate then it will be easy to deliver the sauna. The problem of drainage is normally not taken seriously until a time when a problem is suspected. See how the water runs in your garden when it really pours, and avoid areas that the water gathers or where with the placement of a sauna you are likely to funnel the water towards the house or cause an erosion issue. 

Slightly elevated positions or areas that have natural drainage outside the area of the sauna would be ideal since they will avoid dampness left under the structure due to the moisture which may cause rot or foundation issues. Consider the sun exposure both on a day to day basis and also across the seasons. Some have a preference of having their saunas in a place where they can get the sun in the morning or afternoon, others may insist that there is shade in the hot summer months. 

Either of these two options is okay, however, a consideration of what you like or do not like prior to the process of installing will keep you out of this situation of regretting it once you have installed your sauna. This does not only make the location decisions in the beginning of permanent saunas very important, but also makes the location choices of it one of the most easily installed saunas.

Electrical Versus Wood-Fired Heating

The type of heating you use will fundamentally dictate the detail of your installation and the way that you will be able to make use of it in the future. Electric saunas should have an acceptable power supply of electricity typically 220-240 volts (at least in the case of most heaters), but once the power is provided, then the rest is as easy as operating a thermostat. 

Where the gardens already have an electrical infrastructure or circuits by which the installation of the electric heaters can be done without significant works, the electric heaters will offer the facility and the precise temperature regulation with a minimum of complexities in their implementation. 

Wood-fired heaters eliminate the use of electricity altogether, therefore, appealing to those desiring the classic experience or living in the location where the dependable electricity is unavailable. However, they come with a few other factors like proper fitting of chimney, clearance of material that may catch fire and storage of fuel. Though the wood-fired operation does not demand the services of licensed electricians, it definitely demands the adherence to the standards of safety and local legislation regarding the outdoor burning appliances. 

When you go to the UK garden saunas, you will notice that there are various heating methods applicable in different settings that enable you to adjust your choice to your own circumstances as opposed to imposing remedies that will only lead to unnecessary complications. There are numerous suppliers advising about the electrical requirements or the wood-fired installation specification and you can estimate the complexity and decide before making a purchase.

Foundation Requirements and Simple Solutions

The basis of less is really more and, therefore, the entire installation is far easier in the example of the foundation. Garden saunas in comparison to permanent structures that need concrete footings are also able to be mounted on relatively easy foundations and they do as well. The gravel pads are excellent in terms of drainage and stability and only one has to excavate a few inches of soil, landscape fabric to stop weeds, and compacted gravel which can be covered using paving stones or concrete blocks to level the area. 

Other models of sauna have built-in floor systems which raise the building minimally, therefore, permitting natural ventilation of the building under and also need only a plain, unstructured surface rather than a foundation structure. These designs are possible to be installed in the existing decking or patios provided that the surface is strong to support the weight. 

Hence, checking the load-bearing capacity is extremely important in case of elevated decks since, in such cases, saunas on water-filled heaters or stones may be far heavier than anticipated. Timber bearers are also another simple bearer foundation system that can be used to construct an elevated platform that will aid in drainage and air circulation and, in addition, will be easy to install. 

Concrete-free stability can be attained through using pressure-treated lumber over compacted gravel and the slight slope will ensure that the wooden foundation of the sauna will not be in touch with the ground moisture. It is particularly effective in gardens with a minor level difference since the bearer system can very easily adapt to a minor change whilst the rigid concrete pads cannot.

Endnote: Timing Your Installation

Easy or not easy the installation will have to rest on the season that will be taken into consideration. Naturally, dry weather enables the laying of the ground and installation of the electricity. Ordinarily, the spring and autumn are the most favourable seasons since it is neither as hot as the summer nor as cold as the winter with frozen ground and the limited working days. However, modern methods of installation make it possible to install any time of the year, and thus delay of enjoyment of the installation can be irrationally postponed when the problems of the seasons are considered.