A sauna bench is either boards you fasten to your own frame or a prebuilt module you set in place, and that is the first fork. Boards let you set your own seat height and depth. The prebuilt modules expand to any size and take corners with fan sections that are close to impossible to build well on site.
Species is about skin more than looks. Aspen does not bleed resin and does not splinter, so it stays comfortable under bare skin at 185°F. Thermo-aspen takes that a step further, baked until the moisture and sugars are cooked out so the board holds its shape year after year, and it is the bench wood we sell most of. Alder is water-repellent and also sits cool. Hemlock is nearly odorless, which is the one to order when cedar scent bothers someone in the house. Western red cedar resists rot with no treatment at all.
The supports are a separate order from the seat boards, and this is where builds come up short. Glulam bench support comes in thermo-aspen and alder at roughly 2.7 inches square, and the cedar post is 3.5 inches square in 3, 4, 5 and 6 foot lengths. Three 2×6 boards cover a standard 18 inch bench deck with almost no slat gaps, which is the arithmetic worth doing before you order.
Bench height follows your ceiling, not the floor. You want your head in the heat and your feet out of it, so measure down from the ceiling when you plan the upper bench.
Call or text (844) 565-1113 with your bench length and we will count boards with you.
Prebuilt
Sauna Brushes
Vents