All Nootka Saunas are fabricated in Squamish, British Columbia (in the beautiful Sea to Sky corridor). We believe in supporting the local economy and make every effort to support other local businesses when purchasing our cedar, glass, heaters, etc. This ensures better product support for customers, helps strengthen the local economy and speeds up manufacturing lead times.

All of our saunas are made with locally milled Western Red Cedar. The cedar is select tight knot and kiln dried to minimize cracking or warping that green lumber can experience. It also ensures our wood is dimensionally stable.

The cylindrical shape of a barrel sauna makes for a great convection flow where the air naturally recirculates and there are no corners for air to get ’trapped’. In addition, barrel saunas look great and are structurally sound, even in harsh climates.

Our electric heaters are made in Canada by Homecraft. They are exceptionally made, CSA-certified heaters that carry a 2-year warranty through Homecraft. We have chosen to partner with Homecraft because they have a reputation of over 35 years of providing very high quality and Canadian made products.

Homecraft heaters are digitally controlled, so they have a controller on the front of the sauna rather than a switch/dial built into the stove. It also means that they are silent.

For wood-fired units we use Harvia M3 stoves which, in our opinion, are the best made sauna stoves in the world. A multi-generational Finnish company, Harvia understands how to make very efficient sauna stoves.

In Canada, CSA governs the maximum temperature for electric sauna heaters to 90°C (194°F). Wood fired saunas can get slightly hotter depending on the type of wood being burned and size of the fire.

Yes! We’re based in the Coastal Mountain Range, so we’re used to cold winters with over 10m (33ft) of snow each Winter. Our saunas are built to withstand harsh Canadian climates.

We don’t currently make infrared saunas. The jury is still out on the health benefits associated with infrared saunas and we’ve been disappointed by the build quality and lifespan of most infrared panels on the market. As such, we only fabricate electric and wood-fired saunas.

Our Lead Times are All Posted on the Checkout Page and they're updated regularly to ensure accuracy.

Once you place your order, we will reach out with specific timeline details for your sauna.

If you wish to discuss timeline specifics before placing your order, please call or reach us at hello@nootkasaunas.com.

The great thing about barrel saunas is that they don’t require a concrete foundation. This means they can be installed on nearly any level surface (e.g.: crushed stone, river rock, gravel, wood decking, flagstones, or even grass. When installing on grass or organic surfaces, we recommend putting down pavers or flagstones under the corners of the sauna feet to prevent it from settling into the ground over time. Our saunas sit on a base of 3 cradles, which are 4 ft wide and made of pressure-treated wood.

You can find more information on our Site Prep Guide

If you are in the Sea to Sky region or Lower Mainland of BC, your sauna will be hand-delivered to you by one of our Nootka Sauna Builders. On the day of assembly, our builder will arrive in a full-sized pickup truck or will be pulling a trailer, transporting the sauna in a flat-packed state. Each component will be manually carried to the designated build location.

If you are elsewhere in North America, your sauna will be delivered by a third party shipping partner, in a flat-packed crate. 8ft saunas arrive in a single crate, and 10ft saunas arrive in two separate crates. Once your sauna reaches your local area, the shipping provider will contact you to make a delivery appointment (you must be home at time of delivery). We work with shippers that offer customer-set delivery appointments, so you get to set the appointment time.

We often get asked if our saunas can be delivered in the Winter. It depends on where you’re located but the answer is usually yes. All we need is the area you intend to place the Sauna to be cleared of snow and for a walkable path to the sauna’s location.

For electric saunas, there also should be some discussion with your electrician about how they’ll run the electrical to the sauna. If trenching the cable in your yard is required it can often be laid on the surface then trenched in the spring (consult your electrician to confirm).

As our Saunas come unassembled, they can easily be split out and carried over any terrain without the need of a crane to bring it in

Before having your first sauna session, we recommend following Homecraft Heater’s “sauna break-in procedure“.

Nootka Saunas heat up exceptionally quickly (often in just a third of the time of our competitor's saunas).

For electric saunas, it typically takes about 10-15 minutes to reach 90C (194F).

For wood-burning saunas, it typically takes 30-45 minutes to reach 90C (194F).

When your sauna heater is overworked the high-limit switch will automatically shut the heater down as a safety measure.

This can be caused by a number of reasons from bad air flow within the heater (too many rocks) or wrong placement of the Thermistor sensor (placed 2 inches below the ceiling above the sauna heater). When the high limit switch has tripped it will be impossible to start your heater without re-engaging the switch.

On the bottom of every Homecraft Sauna heater you will find the CSA approved sticker with our heater information. In the very middle of the aluminum sticker is a hole where the high limit switch is located.

1 – Insert a small object in the hole and push to re-engage the high limit switch

2 – You should hear the sounds of the switch re-engaging

3 – Go to your control and turn the sauna heater on once again

If the high limit switch continues to trip in your sauna then there is most likely an issue with your installation. Please reach out to us at orders@nootkasaunas.com and we can troubleshoot with you.

Yes, you can pour water on both our electric and wood-fire heaters.

We recommend using a ladle to scoop water onto the sauna rocks in moderate amounts. If water pools on the floor you’re pouring the water too fast. The water should steam without any reaching the floor.

Bringing the humidity level from a low 5 to 8% to a more comfortable 15% will allow your skin to remain completely wet with perspiration. You should develop a heat and humidity combination that will bring you the most enjoyment. Some bathers will like it super-dry and some will like it quite humid.

Part of the health benefit associated with saunas is that the temperature change increases your heart rate. You should consult your physician or other health care professional before using our saunas to determine if it is right for your needs. This is particularly true if you (or your family) have a history of high blood pressure or heart disease, or if you have ever experienced chest pain when exercising or have experienced chest pain in the past month when not engaged in physical activity, smoke, have high cholesterol, are obese, or have a bone or joint problem that could be made worse by using a sauna. If you experience faintness, dizziness, pain or shortness of breath at any time while using the sauna you should stop immediately. Do not use the sauna under the influence or drugs or alcohol.

In addition, customers should keep a fire extinguisher near the sauna and ensure that all combustible or flammable materials (towels, papers, etc.) are kept away from the heater or stove.

Nootka Saunas are built to last in Canadian and coastal rain forest conditions. Minimal maintenance is required.

1. Perform a seasonal check of the sauna banding (which may require annual or seasonal tightening in the first year or two).

2. If there is any discoloration to the cedar wood over time over time (will be minimal if stained), the high-quality product can be sanded (and re-stained, if stained) every few years. Re-sanding the interior benches will also refresh the smell of cedar!

3. Wood burning stoves benefit from regular ash removal and stove glass cleaning (a mix of water and ash is the perfect cleaning solution). If you are burning wood with high moisture or resin content, you may want to monitor the chimney for creosote build up.

The staves of the sauna (boards that run from the back to front walls) are joined with a speciality joint that mimics a ball and socket connection. We use kiln-dried wood which swells after a couple rainstorms to create a very snug fit between boards. Over time, we recommend tightening the bands around the sauna to ensure a snug, water-resistant fit between boards.

If you want a completely rain proof barrel sauna, be sure to select the metal roofing. The metal roofing not only protects the sauna from rain and snow but also speeds up the heating time by about 20%.

The electric heaters come with a 1-year warranty from Homecraft. We don’t accept returns on our saunas, but we’re here to help with any questions you have or any support you need with your sauna.