Outdoor Saunas in Portland, OR & the Metro Area

Barrel and cabin saunas in cedar, set on a level, drained base so they stay dry through the wet season. Built across Portland, Lake Oswego, Hillsboro and surrounding communities.

An outdoor sauna is a small, insulated wood room heated to high temperatures, built in the yard instead of the house. The two common styles are barrel saunas, a round tube of wood staves that heats quickly, and cabin saunas, a small square building with a regular roof and more room for benches and a changing area. Both are usually cedar, which handles heat and moisture well and smells great when warm.

Our wet climate decides how an outdoor sauna should sit. A sauna on bare ground or a low spot will wick water into the floor and rot from the bottom up. We build a level, well-drained base, such as a gravel pad, concrete piers or a small deck, so the sauna sits up off the soil with air underneath. Barrel saunas also do well under a simple roof, which keeps rain off the staves and the bands tight. A cabin sauna gets a proper roof and overhang.

Most backyard saunas use an electric heater, which needs a dedicated circuit wired by a licensed electrician. Wood-fired heaters need safe clearances and a chimney. We plan the spot with the heater, path, privacy and drainage in mind. Your city may have rules on where accessory structures can sit, and we check those before we start. We can also build a kit sauna you've already bought.