The view
The large front window was positioned to frame the yard and became the anchor for the room.
Builds / Design · Build · Execute
Sauna
A backyard sauna made with cedar and a heater salvaged from a used one.
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The story
A used sauna, taken apart and built again.
The story is the sequence: what was worth saving, how the yard shaped the new structure, and how each layer moved it toward the finished room.
Source / reclaim
The project started with a used sauna sourced secondhand. It was taken apart carefully so the cedar and heater could be salvaged and reused in the new build.
Site prep
The footprint was cleared, graded, and prepared for the new structure. Base work established the elevation and the relationship of the sauna to the rest of the yard.
Framing
The structure was framed around the constraints of the reclaimed material, the compact footprint, and the large front window.
Sheathing + openings
The structure was enclosed and the major openings were refined, moving the project from framing into a weather-protected shell.
Window + shell refinement
The oversized front window was installed and the shell was refined around it. The opening shaped both the exterior elevation and the experience inside.
Insulation + interior prep
Once the shell was complete, the interior was prepared for heat retention and finish work. The enclosure details were critical to how the finished sauna would perform.
Floor system + layout
Waterproofing, tile planning, bench positioning, and the floor system were developed together around the space and the salvaged material on hand.
Exterior evolution
The exterior moved through finish decisions before landing on darker cladding and a warm soffit contrast—a compact structure with a more architectural presence.
Final result
Reclaimed cedar, a large front window, and a compact footprint—built to fit the space and the function.
