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Efficient Barrel Design

8 Reasons a Barrel Sauna is an Excellent Sauna Design

A barrel is a smart design for an outdoor sauna, and here’s why.

Reason #1: It heats up faster

Imagine a square and then shave down the corners to create a circle. In a barrel-shaped sauna, you’ll notice that there’s just as much useable space but with less overall area.  Less overall area means less space to heat which means that the barrel sauna will heat up faster than a conventional box sauna.

Reason #2: It evenly distributes the heat

In a box-shaped sauna, the rising heat tends to collect at the ceiling.  In a barrel-shaped sauna, it gets circulated back down along the curved walls instead of pooling near the top, creating a constant flow of evenly distributed heat throughout the sauna.

Reason #3: It’s more energy-efficient

Because a barrel sauna takes less time to heat and distributes the heat more evenly than a conventional box sauna, it uses less energy.  We assist the natural energy-efficiency of a barrel design by using thick staves of Western Canadian Red Cedar that keep the sauna exceptionally well insulated.

Reason #4: It’s quite comfortable

Imagine the luxury of lounging back and allowing your spine to be cradled in the curvature of the sauna wall.  Or you can sit up straight against the flat wall and stretch out your legs along the bench.  We also stock a full lineup of sauna accessories including red cedar leg rests, back rests, and head rests to complement whatever sitting position you find most satisfying.  Red cedar is an excellent wood of choice because it doesn’t become uncomfortably hot to the touch.

Reason #5: The wood has room to expand and contract

Our barrel saunas are constructed from a series of jointed staves fitting tightly together under stainless steel bands and utilizing a minimal amount of fasteners.  This ball-and-socket configuration allows the wood to expand in humid environments and contract in dry ones.

Reason #6: It is a remarkably structurally sound design

Because the wood is able to expand and contract within the bands and because the walls are made from a single thick layer of red cedar staves, a barrel sauna has dependable structural integrity.

Reason #7: It is a purposefully weather-resistant design

The rounded roof of a barrel sauna sheds rain, and the structural soundness enables it to heft a substantial snow load.  Also, we place our barrel saunas on polymer cradles that loft the sauna’s undercarriage, protecting it from direct contact with the moist ground.  These cradles have the added benefit of allowing the sauna to sit on virtually any flat surface – deck, packed gravel, wood chips, paving stones, etc.  Additionally, Western Canadian Red Cedar is naturally resistant to mildew, rot, and insects.  Put it all together and you have a sauna that doesn’t require a lot of ongoing maintenance.

Reason #8: It’s a simply beautiful backyard addition

Not only is a barrel sauna a thoughtfully designed product but it’s also an attractive one.  To enhance your backyard setting and bring distinction to your space, a barrel sauna is well worth your consideration.  Allow vines to grow over it, plant shrubs and flowers around it, or place it beside a pond or a pool.  Imagine it and make it happen.

 

Efficient Barrel Design