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Finnish Sauna: Steam, Wood, Stone and How to Build Your Own
As the old Finnish proverb has First build the sauna. Then the house.
More and more people around the world are rediscovering an ancient secret to wellbeing, relaxation and stress the humble sauna. By gently raising the heart rate and relaxing muscles, the magical steam that rises from the heated stones - what Finns call löyly - has improved quality of life in the Nordic region for millennia.
In this practical guide, leading global expert Lassi Liikkanen teaches us how to plan, build and maintain a new sauna, with detail on insulation, panelling, and bench construction, and uses the examples of an indoor electric sauna and an outdoor sauna cabin with a wood-burning heater. Along the way, you will learn the traditions and science of sauna, and for the first time Dr Liikkanen introduces his history of Finnish sauna as defined by four eras.
Whether you're already planning to build your own, or just beginning to learn of the health benefits of sauna, this book is the perfect introduction to löyly and the very Finnish art of living well. Prepare to embrace the deep sense of calm and connection that comes from this simple marriage of steam, wood and stone.
More and more people around the world are rediscovering an ancient secret to wellbeing, relaxation and stress the humble sauna. By gently raising the heart rate and relaxing muscles, the magical steam that rises from the heated stones - what Finns call löyly - has improved quality of life in the Nordic region for millennia.
In this practical guide, leading global expert Lassi Liikkanen teaches us how to plan, build and maintain a new sauna, with detail on insulation, panelling, and bench construction, and uses the examples of an indoor electric sauna and an outdoor sauna cabin with a wood-burning heater. Along the way, you will learn the traditions and science of sauna, and for the first time Dr Liikkanen introduces his history of Finnish sauna as defined by four eras.
Whether you're already planning to build your own, or just beginning to learn of the health benefits of sauna, this book is the perfect introduction to löyly and the very Finnish art of living well. Prepare to embrace the deep sense of calm and connection that comes from this simple marriage of steam, wood and stone.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published September 30, 2025
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December 8, 2025
A year or so ago I got super into the weeds on sauna design, which naturally led me to Liikkanen's previous book, The Secrets of Finnish Sauna Design, and his writings on saunalogia. They were a critical resource when I was going through the design of the sauna we built in early 2024 and have since enjoyed a ton. I've stayed involved in a few online communities that discuss sauna, and when I heard Liikkanen had another book coming I knew I had to nab a copy.
This book is quite a bit different than his first book: Secrets had chapters covering the history of Finnish sauna, the key elements that make for a good sauna (the heat, air quality, and interior design trio each getting a dedicated chapter), and plenty of examples of excellent saunas the world over with beautiful photos. It featured a few notes here and there regarding construction concerns and techniques, but not enough to use as a guidebook. By comparison Finnish Sauna: Steam, Wood, Stone is very much focused on the construction steps and the considerations that need to be made at each step along the way. Both books cover both wood-fired and electrical saunas equally, though admittedly the construction book spends more time on the distinction (e.g. a wood-fired heater will need a flue, an electrical heater will need a certain gauge of wire depending on the mains voltage in the country you're in, etc.). The level of detail is substantial; down to clearances between surfaces, which woods to use or avoid, order of construction steps and the pros and cons of various framing choices. It's all here.
If you're considering building a sauna, whether that's a standalone cabin in your yard, or an integrated sauna attached to an existing bathroom in your home, this book will be an indispensable resource. There are so many unique concerns when building a sauna that don't apply to any other normal residential room - the high temperatures, of course, but also the huge swings in humidity that will happily condense anywhere you let it. I will note for the curious; infrared heaters, sometimes marketed in the US as "IR sauna" is not part of this book, as it's not part of the Finnish sauna tradition.
If you're at all curious about the history and practice sauna (after hopefully enjoying a few times first), I'd say stat with Secrets to understand the "why" and "how" of a good Finnish sauna first. The gorgeous photos and lofty descriptions of good löyly are very effective, and at worst will help you understand why your gym's sauna is so underwhelming. Then, if you're sold on the idea of building a great one for yourself, pick up Steam, Wood, Stone and start drafting up plans. Even if you think you'll end up going with a pre-fabricated or semi-custom sauna, both books contain information that will help you get best possible sauna given your space and budget. Highly recommended.
This book is quite a bit different than his first book: Secrets had chapters covering the history of Finnish sauna, the key elements that make for a good sauna (the heat, air quality, and interior design trio each getting a dedicated chapter), and plenty of examples of excellent saunas the world over with beautiful photos. It featured a few notes here and there regarding construction concerns and techniques, but not enough to use as a guidebook. By comparison Finnish Sauna: Steam, Wood, Stone is very much focused on the construction steps and the considerations that need to be made at each step along the way. Both books cover both wood-fired and electrical saunas equally, though admittedly the construction book spends more time on the distinction (e.g. a wood-fired heater will need a flue, an electrical heater will need a certain gauge of wire depending on the mains voltage in the country you're in, etc.). The level of detail is substantial; down to clearances between surfaces, which woods to use or avoid, order of construction steps and the pros and cons of various framing choices. It's all here.
If you're considering building a sauna, whether that's a standalone cabin in your yard, or an integrated sauna attached to an existing bathroom in your home, this book will be an indispensable resource. There are so many unique concerns when building a sauna that don't apply to any other normal residential room - the high temperatures, of course, but also the huge swings in humidity that will happily condense anywhere you let it. I will note for the curious; infrared heaters, sometimes marketed in the US as "IR sauna" is not part of this book, as it's not part of the Finnish sauna tradition.
If you're at all curious about the history and practice sauna (after hopefully enjoying a few times first), I'd say stat with Secrets to understand the "why" and "how" of a good Finnish sauna first. The gorgeous photos and lofty descriptions of good löyly are very effective, and at worst will help you understand why your gym's sauna is so underwhelming. Then, if you're sold on the idea of building a great one for yourself, pick up Steam, Wood, Stone and start drafting up plans. Even if you think you'll end up going with a pre-fabricated or semi-custom sauna, both books contain information that will help you get best possible sauna given your space and budget. Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review