I’ve always dreamed of having an outdoor sauna just steps from my back door. I live on the coast of Maine, and I have a three-season outdoor shower right outside my door, as well as nearly a half-acre of land to work with, and I can’t wait to have one myself. After spending a lot of time (and a lot of fun) researching and writing about outdoor saunas (as well as wood-fired hot tubs and cold plunge pools) for Field Mag, I was intrigued. Despite my apprehension about building a sauna myself, I decided to try out a new outdoor sauna kit from retailer Redwood Outdoors. Spoiler alert: it was a lot easier than I thought.
In this article, I’ll walk you through how to buy and build a sauna kit with minimal construction experience, and detail every step of the way to your own personal sauna paradise, including: choosing a kit or prefabricated structure, sauna model (i.e. sauna shape, stove type, such as a Harvia electric stove, and features such as capacity), and where to order.
I hope to share my valuable personal experience through this Redwood Outdoors Mini Cube Sauna Kit review to help others feel more confident and empowered to purchase and build their own personal outdoor sauna.
The Redwood Outdoors Mini Cube Double Sauna is a compact, traditional cube-shaped sauna made from Scandinavian Thermowood. This process involves steaming different types of wood at high temperatures, creating a durable, rot-resistant material that is well insulated and built to last (other common types of wood used in sauna kits include northern spruce and western red cedar). At approximately 5.5 feet long, 4 feet wide, and 6.5 feet tall, this compact sauna will help you make the most of your outdoor space without sacrificing the cozy, welcoming feel of the indoor space. (For larger groups, I recommend an outdoor barrel sauna or log sauna.)
The thermally modified wood construction is known for its durability and eco-friendliness and is a perfect match for the Harvia stoves, which are popular among sauna lovers. Despite its compact size, the Mini Cube design provides an exciting sauna experience similar to a traditional Finnish sauna, especially when combined with real sauna stones.
Since my sauna is a small space, site preparation is minimal. After choosing the perfect spot among the pine trees, we dug a 54-inch-long by 72-inch-wide section of grass and buried four concrete platform feet purchased from a local hardware store in each corner. To save time and money, we built a pressure-treated wood deck and laid it on a level, solid foundation rather than pouring a concrete pad as suggested by Redwood Outdoors. Finally, we backfilled the open space with weed mulch and pea gravel to provide drainage.
To complete the site preparation, we needed to dig a trench about 9 meters long and 3 meters deep from the threshold to lay the cables connecting the sauna to the power grid. We could have hired an electrician to do this, but to save money, we decided to do it ourselves.
If you are considering a different type of sauna, such as a charcoal barrel sauna, the exact steps may be slightly different, especially when it comes to the foundation and site preparation. Barrel saunas are often touted as the best saunas for their beautiful and efficient design, but due to their unique shape, they may require a more solid concrete foundation.
We contacted a licensed electrician ahead of time, got a quote, and scheduled the installation for a week of construction so we could get started right away. Redwood Outdoors has sauna and heater assembly guides on their website to help you and your hired professionals get ready. All that was left was to make sure we had all the necessary tools (Phillips screwdriver, 7/16″ and 9/16″ open-end wrenches, 9/16″ deep-end socket wrench, vise, and hammer) and we were ready to go.
When purchased from Redwood Outdoors, the unassembled sauna kit and heater may be shipped separately. Harvia heaters and sauna stones are shipped via FedEx like other packages; however, sauna materials and other components are shipped via FedEx in a wooden crate on the scheduled delivery date.
Be sure to check your email for tracking updates as FedEx requires a signature for delivery. Redwood Outdoors’ automatic email feature is excellent and helps me track the progress of all my packages.
All the pre-cut parts of the sauna kit are neatly stacked in a wooden box and well organized. When you open the lid of the box, a rich woody aroma hits your nose, making you feel that everything around you is so real and exciting.
Inside you’ll find the materials that make up the basic structure of the mini cube sauna, which is similar to a barrel sauna, including a front wall with a glass door, a back wall, and about 50 wooden planks that fit together to form the side walls and roof; plus two base supports.
My kit includes: – Two stainless steel straps that wrap around the finished sauna – Indoor bench, backrest, and footrest – Wooden front step – Indoor LED light – Sauna thermometer and hygrometer – Roof tiles – Sauna bucket and spoon – Door mat – Felt sauna cap for temperature control (and for a stylish look!) – All screws and hardware, numbered and labeled, for assembly – Step-by-step instruction manual
Some of the items we received were add-ons, such as tiles and wooden steps. For a complete home wellness experience, dive into the world of sauna accessories – try combining a sauna with a cold bath.
How long does it take to build a DIY sauna? Two people with basic assembly experience and using some common tools most people have should be able to assemble the sauna in about half a day. We used three levels (a four-foot level, a two-foot level, and a nine-inch level), two cordless drills (one for each of us), a soft hammer for setting the beams, an adjustable socket wrench, and a couple of measuring tapes.
Based on my experience building sauna kits, I recommend you do the following before starting your project:
Read the paper instructions that came with your sauna and watch the assembly video on the product page – sometimes a visual demonstration can really help. Redwood Outdoors also has great customer service, and when we had a question about our Harvia electric sauna heater, their customer service was very helpful and resolved the issue within 15 minutes!
Check the weather forecast (we had a surprise rain shower on the first day, New England weather) and plan on enough time to finish preparing before dark.
Stay organized! All the wooden parts are numbered with peel-off stickers, but the fasteners come in separate bags and it’s easy to mix up the screws as some of them look the same. When installing the sauna, be careful not to remove the labels as this will save you a lot of time and prevent you from getting your hair dirty.
Overall, the instructions are very clear and walk you through the entire assembly process from start to finish. Assembling the guitar body is a simple and fun process, which mostly involves screwing on the guitar pickguard. Relatively speaking, the hardest part was installing the interior trim, such as the wood heater cover and piano bench, as they required alignment and measuring, but the installation process was still very simple.
Finally, one more important detail to pay attention to is the roof tiles. Unless your sauna is under a canopy or covered with something else, you need to protect it from rain and snow. Instead of using tiles, we decided to put a metal roof over it in the same style as the chicken coop mentioned above (we like the solid overall construction, don’t we?) to protect it from wind and rain. At this time, when the sauna is open, rainwater can leak in and make it damp, which is not a good idea. Wood does not rot, but if it is left damp and unused for a long time, it will become moldy.
I highly recommend hiring a licensed electrician to hook up the lights and heater. It took our electrician a full day to do this part of the job, which included installing a switch on the outside of the house as a safety precaution.
Digging the trenches myself saved me a ton of money, but hooking up to electricity still cost an extra $1,700. Since this fee is not included in the price of the sauna kit, be sure to factor it into your total cost. It’s also worth noting that labor costs may be higher or lower in your area.
If you are considering a different setup, such as a Harvia electric heater combined with an indoor sauna or an infrared sauna with a Wi-Fi heater, these factors may change slightly.
There’s nothing more satisfying than building a sauna with your own hands (well, technically, four hands) and enjoying those first exciting experiences. Before using, Redwood Outdoors recommends a “break-in” process: first rinse the sauna stones, then set the temperature to maximum for an hour to allow the wood to dry and burn off any impurities, then slowly pour a liter of water over the sauna stones.
The sauna is very comfortable to use, and since the space is small, it can heat up to 160–170 degrees Fahrenheit (about 74–84 degrees Celsius) in about 40 minutes. There are two controls on the bottom of the Harvia heater: a temperature control and a timer control. The timer can be set to a delay of one or eight hours, so you can turn on the heater when you need it.
At first, I was skeptical that the sauna would comfortably accommodate two people sitting on a bench. I thought it would be, well, a little cramped at best, but since it could accommodate two people, we were pleasantly surprised by how much space there was. Still, it was quite nice to relax alone in the warmth and privacy of the mini-sauna.
For those with more space or who want to host guests, a larger model, such as a 6-person barrel sauna or panoramic coal and wood sauna, may be more suitable. These models typically have more seating, more powerful heaters, and can reach temperatures up to 195 degrees Fahrenheit, providing a true Finnish sauna experience.
With a base price of $5,399, Redwood Outdoors’ smallest outdoor sauna is certainly an investment, but given its quality, ease of shipping and assembly, and durability for years to come, it’s a great buy for anyone looking to have their own backyard oasis.
I hope this review was helpful, especially if you’re considering your options against competitors like Plunge Sauna, Sun Home, or Forest Cooperage (the former offers high-quality Canadian cedar saunas, cold plunge pools, and hot tubs). Whichever option you choose, your sauna dream is within reach.
Expand your wellness and home spa experience with our guide to cold baths, or take a different route and learn more about infrared saunas here.
In remote Norway, this yurt camp, run by outdoor gear brand Norrona, offers a variety of challenging singletrack and mountain bike trails, as well as a sauna for relaxation.
Take a look into the hot world of portable sauna tents to find out how they work and why they’re so popular.
As portable saunas gain popularity, our resident sauna expert shares his top thoughts on whether steam tents can compare to real sauna tents
Beginners start here: Our expert guide covers the different types of saunas, heaters, and how to choose a home sauna.
We explore the details of dry saunas, including health benefits, optimal temperatures, and home setup instructions.
Experience the healing power of deep heat therapy with our guide to home saunas, including a short list of the best home saunas on the market today.